Wednesday October 31 Ag News

Nebraska Soybean Board November Board of Directors Meeting
The Nebraska Soybean Board will meet November 19 & 20, at the Embassy Suites, 1040 P Street, Lincoln, Nebraska, for their November Board of Director’s meeting.  The meeting will begin Monday, November 19 at 1:00 p.m.  The meeting will recess at 5:30 p.m. and reconvene at 7:30 a.m., Tuesday November 20 for other Board business concluding around 2:30 p.m.  Business items to be considered: committee reports and motions, old and new business, information reports, Board member Orientation, officer elections and committee assignments. 

A complete agenda for the public meeting is available for inspection on the Nebraska Soybean Board website at www.nebraskasoybeans.org.

The nine-member Nebraska Soybean Board collects and disburses the Nebraska share of funds generated by the one half of one percent times the net sales price  per  bushel  of  soybeans  sold.  Nebraska soybean checkoff funds are invested in research, domestic and foreign markets, including new uses for soybeans and soybean products. 



First Engler Lecture Nov. 8 on UNL's East Campus

Kenneth Green, managing general partner of Agra Holdings LP in Firestone, Colo., will speak at the first Engler Lecture at 7 p.m. Nov. 8 in the Prairie Suite Room of the Nebraska East Union.

Green's motivational speech will be targeted to young entrepreneurs who desire the opportunity to build businesses and enterprises. It is part of the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, said the program's Director Tom Field.

Green has an established record of success that bridges agricultural supply chains, financing, marketing and risk management. He will focus on lessons he learned in the world of business and how they can be useful to the next generations of entrepreneurs.

A dessert reception will follow the lecture at 8 p.m.

The Engler program began in 2010 with a $20 million gift over 10 years from the Paul F. and Virginia J. Engler Foundation. The purpose of the program is to identify students with the entrepreneurial drive and then foster development of professional skills conducive to success in applying entrepreneurism in agriculture and agribusiness.

For more information about the program, visit engler.unl.edu.



Nebraska Sheep & Goat Conference Nov. 2-3

The 2012 Nebraska Sheep and Goat Conference sponsored by the Nebraska Sheep and Goat Producers Association and the Nebraska Dairy Goat Association takes place this weekend, Nnov. 2 and 3.

Meet at the Heritage Inn in Wahoo on Friday for an afternoon of tours at a meat goat operation converted from a dairy farm, and then to an on-farm museum of antique tractors, tools, and other farm equipment. Later, enjoy supper as a group back at the Heritage Inn.

On Saturday, the conference begins with registration at 8 a.m., followed by the Annual Meeting of the Nebraska Sheep and Goat Producers Association and the Nebraska "Make It With Wool" Style Show before the lineup of speakers begins at 10:15 a.m.:
-- Michelle Wendell of Brewster will talk about controlled grazing with goats.
-- Mike Caskey will come from Pipestone, Minn., where he leads a producer education program that reaches around the world, to give a sheep and goat industry overview as well as do a health and nutrition presentation.
-- John Holman, an internationally renowned stock dog trainer, will give a demonstration of his herding dogs in action.
-- Randy Saner with the UNL Extension in North Platte will provide training in monitoring herds for internal parasites.
-- A representative of the Nebraska Cattlemen will speak about the new "We Support Ag" initiative to protect producers from extreme animal rights activism.

Other highlights include a .22 mag Henry rifle auction, silent auction, potluck lunch, cooking contest, and networking opportunities. Cost is $25 per member or $35 per member family, and dues can be paid at the door; or $35 per person or $45 per family, while 4-H and FFA members can attend for $10 per person if attending alone. No pre-registration needed. For more information, call Deb Dauel at 402-642-5887.



Test Before Feeding Corn Stalk Bales
Bruce Anderson, UNL Extension Forage Specialist

Corn stalk bales are everywhere this year. They will provide much needed winter feed. Stay tuned as I make suggestions for feeding them effectively.

Baled corn stalks are going to provide a lot of feed this winter. But before you feed those bales, let's first find out what they have to offer nutritionally. Sample and test your bales as soon as possible so when snow gets deep or other feeds run out you will already know how to best feed your corn stalk bales.

Test those corn stalk bales for nitrates, of course, to make sure to feed them safely. And while you're at it, also test them for protein and energy. I've seen test results from a number of corn stalk bales. You may be surprised at how variable the protein and energy content were in these bales. I've seen protein as low as 3 percent and as high as 7 percent. Since dry pregnant cows need 7 to 8 percent protein in their diet, those high protein bales will need only a little protein to adequately care for the cows. But those 3 percent bales will need quite a bit of supplement to keep cows in good condition.

Use a protein supplement that is nearly all natural and is mostly rumen degradable. Maintenance-level forage diets need degradable protein for the rumen microbes, but remember that urea and other non-protein nitrogen sources aren't used as well.

Most bales had pretty good TDN levels, often close to 60 percent. Cows fed these bales should do very well up until calving with just corn stalk bales and adequate protein supplement. However, some stalks were rained on before baling and were below 50 percent TDN. Cows fed these lower quality bales will need some extra energy, too.

It was difficult to acquire enough winter forage this year. Fortunately, corn stalk bales can do the job.



Smith Statement on Panama Trade Promotion Agreement Entry Into Force

The U.S.-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement enters into force today, marking the completion of the three U.S. trade agreements enacted in 2011.  Trade promotion agreements with Colombia and South Korea took effect earlier in 2012.  Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) issued the following statement:

“The three trade agreements with Panama, Colombia and South Korea are now in effect, bringing mutual economic benefits and expanding export opportunities for Nebraska goods, crops and products.

“Increased trade remains a bright spot for our economy, and an all-too-rare area of bipartisan agreement to grow our economy and create American jobs.  As a member of the Ways and Means Committee and its Subcommittee on Trade, I will continue working to open new markets for Nebraska’s workers, farmers and ranchers to sell their products abroad.”



Johanns Statement on Implementation of U.S.-Panama Trade Agreement

Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) applauded today’s implementation of the U.S.–Panama Trade Promotion Agreement. The agreement reduces or eliminates tariffs on nearly 90 percent of U.S. goods entering Panama, and nearly half of U.S. agricultural commodities to Panama will immediately become duty-free, including wheat, high-quality beef, barley, soybeans and bacon. Prior to implementation, tariffs on some U.S. goods entering the market in Panama could be more than 80 percent.

“The implementation of this trade deal is welcome news that’s been a long time coming,” Johanns said. “The U.S. is already Panama’s largest trading partner and our market share will only grow now that Nebraska’s ag producers can start selling many of their products there duty free.

“I worked on this and many other trade agreements during my time as Secretary of Agriculture only to see them stalled unnecessarily by partisan politics. Fortunately, progress has been made over the past year when it comes to trade and I hope that will continue. While our economy continues to struggle, Congress and the Administration should promote free trade to enable the sharing of quality American goods with the global community.”

Background:
·         On October 10, 2011, the U.S. Senate passed the U.S.-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement.
·         On October 13, 2011, President Obama signed the U.S.-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement into law.
·         The agreement provides U.S. companies with new access to Panama’s $22 billion services market.
·         More than 86 percent of U.S. exports of consumer and industrial products to Panama became duty-free today, including: information technology equipment, agricultural and construction equipment, aircraft and parts, medical and scientific equipment, environmental products, pharmaceuticals, and fertilizers.
·         Nearly half of U.S. agricultural commodities will become duty-free immediately, including: wheat, barley, soybeans, high-quality beef, bacon, and almost all fruit and vegetable products.
·         In 2011, U.S. goods exported to Panama totaled $8.2 billion.
·         The U.S. is currently Panama’s largest trading partner. 



NCGA Applauds Implementation of Panama FTA

The National Corn Growers Association applauds the Panama Free Trade Agreement going into effect today.  NCGA testified before the Senate Finance Committee on the importance of the FTA to America's farmers in May 2011 and remains committed to the development and maintenance of fair and open global trade policies. Congress passed the Panama FTA last October.

"We are very pleased to see the Panama FTA go into effect," NCGA President Pam Johnson said.  "Every new trade opportunity increases the American farmer's ability to participate in a growing global marketplace.  This is vital to producer income and helps our sector continue to be a bright spot in our economy."

Panama is one of the fastest-growing economies in Latin America and a crucial building block in a strategy to advance free trade within the Western hemisphere. Upon implementation of the FTA, more than 86 percent of U.S. exports of consumer and industrial goods to Panama will become duty-free immediately.  Nearly half of the tariffs on U.S. agricultural exports will go to zero upon implementation, including on wheat, barley, soybeans and high-quality beef.  The majority of the remaining products will have tariffs eliminated within 15 years.

Passage of the free trade agreements with Korea, Colombia and Panama represented the largest trade package since Congress passed the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1993. Statistics show full implementation of the agreements will result in an estimated $2.3 billion in additional agricultural trade in 2012 and beyond.  In addition, nearly 20,000 domestic jobs will be supported.



2012 Cattlemen’s Ball nets more than $1.4 million in proceeds

The 2012 Cattlemen’s Ball of Nebraska in McCool Junction raised more than $1.4 million – the second highest total in the ball’s 15-year history of providing support to the Eppley Cancer Center at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

This marks the third straight year the Cattlemen’s Ball has topped the $1 million mark. The all-time high was $1.49 million raised at the 2011 ball in West Point. In 2010, the ball held in Kearney raised $1,003,000.

As in past years, 90 percent of the proceeds go toward cancer research at the UNMC Eppley Cancer Center with the remaining 10 percent going toward local organizations. This year’s breakdown was $1,244,270 to the UNMC Eppley Cancer Center and $141,030 distributed locally to 21 different organizations. In addition, $5,000 was raised for scholarships at the UNMC College of Nursing.

The proceeds were announced Tuesday evening at the Stone Creek Event Center near McCool Junction. Ken Cowan, M.D., Ph.D., director of the UNMC Eppley Cancer Center, was in McCool Junction for the announcement. Since the ball’s inception in 1998, more than $7.61 million has been raised.

“I continue to sound like a broken record,” Dr. Cowan said. “It seems like every year the Cattlemen’s Ball does something remarkable. This year’s $1.4 million is amazing. I know it represents a ton of work by the entire community of McCool Junction as well as many other people in York County.

“We are absolutely thrilled with what has happened to the Cattlemen’s Ball. It has evolved into probably the biggest fundraising event for the entire state. We are honored to be associated with it.”

This year’s event was hosted by the Allen and Shelly Clark family of McCool Junction and held at the Stone Creek Event Center. Co-chairs of this year’s ball were Paul and Cheri Underwood and Jim and Kathy Matzner of McCool Junction. Ivan Rush of Scottsbluff served as chairman of the Statewide Advisory Board.

“This was a total team effort involving McCool Junction and numerous surrounding communities,” said Shelly Clark. “We had the help of more than 500 volunteers and 45 committees, and more than 4,000 attended the ball. We are delighted to make such a generous donation to support the outstanding cancer research being done at the Eppley Cancer Center. But, it’s also rewarding to see many local organizations benefit as well.”

The 2013 Cattlemen’s Ball will be June 7-8 at the Hanging H Ranch near Sutherland, Neb. Hosts are the Neal Hansen family and the Hanging H Ranch and Ralph and Beverly Holzfaster and      family. Co-chairs are Jon Holzfaster and Tim and Deb Holzfaster.

Here’s a listing of local organizations which will receive funding this year:
Emmanuel-Faith Lutheran School
Friend FFA
McCool Junction FFA/McCool School
Centennial FFA
Bradshaw Fire Department
Exeter Volunteer Fire Department
Fairmont Fire Department
Friend Fire & Rescue
Henderson Fire and Rescue
McCool Junction Fire District
York Fire Department
York County Mutual Aid District
Fairview Manor
Fillmore County Hospital
4 Corners Health
Henderson area health care
Home Care Plus, Inc.
York General Health Care Service
York Medical Clinic
City of York inclusive with above
McCool Community Improvement Foundation

Here’s a breakdown of money raised at the past 15 Cattlemen's Balls:
1998 - Ainsworth -- $95,000
1999 - Lexington -- $140,000
2000 - Ogallala -- $104,000
2001 - Valentine -- $133,000
2002 - Valparaiso -- $207,000
2003 - Ashland -- $33,000
2004 - Brady -- $174,000
2005 - Wisner -- $595,000
2006 - Milford -- $563,250
2007 - Lodgepole -- $480,000
2008 - Albion -- $697,000
2009 - Doniphan -- $488,000
2010 - Kearney -- $1,003,000
2011 - West Point -- $1,490,000
2012 – McCool Junction - $1,410,300
Total - $7.61 million



ASA Outlines Priorities for Enhanced United States-European Union Trade

As the governments of the United States and the European Union (EU) explore ways to enhance trade between our countries, including through a potential free trade agreement (FTA), the American Soybean Association (ASA) has provided its views to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). As soybeans represent the nation’s largest agricultural export, valued at more than $26 billion last year, soybean farmers have a vested interest in seeing barriers to transatlantic trade reduced. Such barriers, like the EU’s discriminatory biotech labeling requirements and renewable energy standards, have had a significantly negative impact on soybean exports to the EU in recent years, with a 44 percent decline in the value of EU-bound exports between 1998 and 2011, and a 70 percent drop in export volume during the same period.

“Central to our concerns with EU biotech labeling and renewable energy regulations is the fact that they represent discriminatory non-tariff barriers to U.S. access to EU markets for soybeans and soybean products, and have no basis in scientific fact,” wrote ASA President Steve Wellman in ASA’s comments. “Instead, the EU has invoked the so-called Precautionary Principle, under which unsubstantiated concerns about the safety of biotech products to health and the environment are deemed sufficient to require labeling them.”

“Similarly, the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive (RED) establishes arbitrary criteria for the production of soybeans and other commodities in order to meet sustainability requirements and be eligible as feedstocks for biofuels used in EU Member States,” added Wellman. “In combination with the EU’s biotech labeling regulations, the RED will effectively eliminate imports of U.S. soybeans, since soybean oil will not be used either as an ingredient in food products or as a feedstock for biodiesel production.”

Discussing a potential free trade agreement between the U.S. and the EU, and suggestions by some that agricultural interests may be excluded from any such FTA, Wellman maintained the importance of agriculture to trade issues, saying, “Agriculture is too important as an export industry for the U.S. to not address it in any new FTA negotiations.  Moreover, as we have pointed out, U.S. soybean exports to the EU have been severely impacted by its biotech labeling and RED regulations during the last 13 years, and these issues must be addressed in any FTA negotiations.”

Wellman then looked to the regulations’ potential larger impact, saying, “To allow the EU to establish unsubstantiated process-based labeling requirements or to impose arbitrary environmental criteria on imports and on producers in countries from which they are imported will only invite additional EU regulatory initiatives in other sectors that could offset any positive benefits which an FTA might achieve in reducing domestic or export subsidies or tariffs.”



October Farm Prices Received Index Increased 17 Points

The preliminary All Farm Products Index of Prices Received by Farmers in
October, at 210 percent, based on 1990-1992=100, increased 17 points (8.8
percent) from September. The Crop Index is up 15 points (6.7 percent) and the
Livestock Index increased 4 points (2.6 percent). Producers received higher
prices for milk, hogs, grapes, and corn and lower prices for eggs, apples,
lettuce, and soybeans. In addition to prices, the overall index is also
affected by the seasonal change based on a 3-year average mix of commodities
producers sell. Increased monthly movement of soybeans, corn, grain sorghum,
and cottonseed offset the decreased marketing of wheat, milk, cattle, and
grapes.

The preliminary All Farm Products Index is up 25 points (14 percent) from
October 2011. The Food Commodities Index, at 194, increased 14 points (7.8
percent) from last month and increased 20 points (11 percent) from October
2011.

Prices Paid Index Up 2 Points
The October Index of Prices Paid for Commodities and Services, Interest,
Taxes, and Farm Wage Rates (PPITW) is 220 percent of the 1990-1992 average.
The index is up 2 points (0.9 percent) from September and 15 points (7.3
percent) above October 2011. Higher prices in October for complete feeds,
concentrates, nitrogen, and feeder cattle offset lower prices for mixed
fertilizer, supplements, gasoline, and diesel.

Prices Received by Farmers
The October All Farm Products Index is 210 percent of its 1990-1992 base, up
8.8 percent from the September index and 14 percent above the October 2011
index.

All crops: 
The October index, at 239, increased 6.7 percent from September
and is 17 percent above October 2011. Index increases for feed grains & hay,
oilseeds, and fruits & nuts more than offset the index decreases for
commercial vegetables and potatoes & dry beans.

Food grains: The October index, at 267, is 0.4 percent above the previous
month and 13 percent above a year ago. The October price for all wheat, at
$8.37 per bushel, is up 10 cents from September and $1.10 above October 2011.

Feed grains & hay: The October index, at 299, is up 2.4 percent from last
month and 20 percent above a year ago. The corn price, at $6.95 per bushel,
is up 6 cents from last month and $1.22 above October 2011. The all hay
price, at $193 per ton, is up $6.00 from September and up $8.00 from last
October. Sorghum grain, at $11.90 per cwt, is 40 cents above September and
$1.20 above October last year.

Cotton, Upland: The October index, at 120, is up 2.6 percent from September
but 21 percent below last year. The October price, at 72.6 cents per pound,
is up 1.9 cents from the previous month but 19.6 cents below last October.

Oilseeds: The October index, at 247, is up 2.9 percent from September and
19 percent higher than October 2011. The soybean price, at $14.20 per bushel,
decreased 10 cents from September but is $2.40 above October 2011.

Livestock and products: 
The October index, at 160, is 2.6 percent above last
month and up 3.9 percent from October 2011. Compared with a year ago, prices
are higher for broilers, cattle, milk, calves, and eggs. Prices for hogs and
turkeys are down from last year.

Meat animals: The October index, at 158, is up 2.6 percent from last month
and 1.3 percent higher than last year. The October hog price, at $60.70 per
cwt, is up $5.00 from September but $8.00 lower than a year ago. The October
beef cattle price of $121 per cwt is unchanged from last month but $4.00
higher than October 2011.

Dairy products: The October index, at 162, is up 8.0 percent from a month ago
and 5.9 percent higher than October last year. The October all milk price of
$21.10 per cwt increased $1.50 from last month and $1.10 from October 2011.

Poultry & eggs: The October index, at 164, is down 2.4 percent from September
but 10 percent above a year ago. The October market egg price, at 83.7 cents
per dozen, decreased 22.3 cents from September and is 2.1 cents below October
2011. The October broiler price, at 50.0 cents per pound, is up 1.0 cent from
September and 7.0 cents above a year ago. The October turkey price, at
76.5 cents per pound, is up 0.3 cents from the previous month but down
0.8 cents from a year earlier.



CWT Assists with 6.9 Million Pounds of Cheese, Butter and WMP Export Sales

Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted 26 requests for export assistance from Dairy Farmers of America, Foremost Farms, Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Association, Michigan Milk Producers Association and United Dairymen of Arizona to sell 4.295 million pounds (1,948 metric tons) of Cheddar, Gouda and Monterey Jack cheese and 2.499 million pounds (1,134 metric tons) of butter and 85,980 pounds of Whole Milk Powder (WMP) to customers in Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and South America. The product will be delivered October 2012 through April 2013.

In 2012, CWT has assisted member cooperatives in making export sales of Cheddar, Monterey Jack and Gouda cheese totaling 106.3 million pounds, butter totaling 61.2 million pounds, AMF totaling 127,868 pounds and WMP totaling 85,980 pounds.  The product is going to 35 countries on four continents. On a butterfat basis, the milk equivalent of these exports is 2.319 billion pounds, the equivalent of 60% of the increase in U.S. milk production through September 2012.

Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program positively impacts producer milk prices in the short-term by helping to maintain inventories of cheese and butter at desirable levels. In the long-term, CWT’s Export Assistance program helps member cooperatives gain and maintain market share, thus expanding the demand for U.S. dairy products and the farm milk that produces them.

CWT will pay export bonuses to the bidders only when delivery of the product is verified by the submission of the required documentation.



NMPF Seats Two New Board Members at Annual Meeting; Associated Milk Producers Wins Cheese Championship

The National Milk Producers Federation’s (NMPF) Board of Directors seated two new members this week at the organization’s 2012 annual meeting here in Orlando.

Donald De Jong from Dalhart, Texas was elected to represent Select Milk Producers, Inc., while Larry Webster from Buffalo, New York, was elected to represent Upstate Niagara Cooperative.

The eight officers currently serving NMPF were reelected to their existing positions. They include:
·         Chairman Randy Mooney, from Rogersville, Missouri, representing Dairy Farmers of America;
·         First Vice Chairman Ken Nobis, from St. Johns, Michigan, representing Michigan Milk Producers Association;
·         Second Vice Chairman Cornell Kasbergen, from Tulare, California, representing Land O’ Lakes, Inc.;
·         Third Vice Chairman Mike McCloskey, from Fair Oaks, Indiana, representing Select Milk Producers, Inc.;
·          Treasurer Pete Kappelman, from Two Rivers, Wisconsin, representing Land O’ Lakes;
·         Assistant Treasurer Adrian Boer, from Jerome, Idaho, representing Northwest Dairy Association;
·         Secretary Dave Fuhrmann, from Baraboo, Wisconsin, representing Foremost Farms USA;
·         Assistant Secretary Doug Nuttelman, from Stromsburg, Nebraska, representing Dairy Farmers of America.

In addition to the officer elections at this year’s meeting, NMPF recognized three outgoing directors for their service on the NMPF Board of Directors: Tom Croner, from Berlin, Pennsylvania, and Les Hardesty, from Greeley, Colorado, both representing Dairy Farmers of America, and Clyde Rutherford, Syracuse, New York, representing Dairylea Cooperative. NMPF also recognized four Honorary Directors, who provided exemplary service not only to NMPF, but also to the entire dairy industry: Lew Gardner from Galeton, Pennsylvania; along with Tom Croner, Les Hardesty, and Clyde Rutherford.

In other news at the NMPF annual meeting, a Parmesan cheese made by Associated Milk Producers Inc. (AMPI) was awarded the Grand Champion Cheese award at the 2012 NMPF cheese competition. The cheese, made in Hoven, South Dakota, received a score of 99.0 from the judges. The AMPI Parmesan was selected from among 176 entries to this year’s NMPF cheese contest – a record number of entries. A total of 3006 pounds of cheese was judged.

The 2012 NMPF Communicator of the Year award was presented to Amber DuMont Sheridan of Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association in Reston, Virginia. In addition to directing Maryland & Virginia’s communications, Sheridan also oversees its Young Cooperator program.

Members of NMPF's new 2013 Young Cooperator (YC) Advisory Council met to elect their officers for the upcoming year. Kris and Carla Wardin, from St. Johns, Michigan, representing Michigan Milk Producers Association, were chosen to be the new YC Chaircouple. Nathan and Barbara Blesy, from Springville, New York, representing Upstate Niagara Cooperative, were elected YC Vice Chaircouple. David and Katherine Pyle, from New Columbia, Pennsylvania, representing Land O’Lakes, were elected Secretary Couple.



NMPF Leaders Evaluate Organization’s Success at Annual Meeting

During the 2012 annual meeting of the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), held here in the Magic Kingdom this week, Chairman Randy Mooney and President & CEO Jerry Kozak addressed the NMPF membership and discussed the organization’s progress over the past year.

The joint presentation began with the impasse in Congress, where representatives failed to pass a new Farm Bill before the old law expired on Sept. 30. NMPF’s dairy policy reform package, initially known as Foundation for the Future, had come a long way before being introduced in Congress last fall as the Dairy Security Act (DSA).

“The DSA was included by the members of the Senate Agriculture Committee in the draft Farm Bill approved last spring,” Kozak explained. “Subsequently, the entire Senate approved a Farm Bill containing the DSA. Then, the House Agriculture Committee approved its own version of the Farm Bill earlier this summer.”

Despite this support, and NMPF’s success in defeating challenges to the DSA (like the Goodlatte amendment, which would have stripped the market stabilization plan from the program), the Farm Bill was not brought to a vote by the full House.

“The House of Representatives has punted on the entire Farm Bill,” Mooney said. “The House Ag Committee did its job and passed by a wide, bipartisan margin a Farm Bill back in July. There was enough time for the full House to act on the bill…but they didn’t.”

With the expiration of the old Farm Bill, NMPF has been increasing pressure on Congress and urging its member cooperatives and farmers to ask their representatives for a “Farm Bill Now” when Congress returns after the elections.

“If the question in Washington is how to reform government programs and make them more effective, we have an answer: pass the 2012 Farm Bill. By not acting on this measure, Congress actually increases federal spending next year,” Mooney stated.

NMPF’s leaders went on to discuss other priority issues that the organization had dealt with in the past year. Participation in the National Dairy FARM (Farmers Assuring Responsible Management) Program has continued to increase, but more farms, co-ops, and companies are still needed. The program recently launched a “See It, Stop It” campaign that encourages workers to share information about potentially problematic animal care practices with farm management.

Although there weren’t any new trade deals completed or signed in 2012, NMPF has been working with industry partners like the U.S. Dairy Export Council and the Consortium for Common Food Names to represent dairy farmer interests in negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership Free Trade Agreement and Geographic Indications. The voluntary, dairy farmer-funded Cooperatives Working Together program has helped export the equivalent of 2.2 billion pounds of milk, or 60% of the increase in 2012 milk production, to buyers overseas.

In March 2012, NMPF was given the opportunity to manage the REAL® Seal program. “The REAL® Seal gives us the opportunity…to distinguish between products made from real milk, and those that are either imported or not made from milk at all,” Kozak said. Although the symbol is already recognized by nine out of ten consumers and used by 360 food companies, NMPF’s leaders stressed that there is more work to be done to build additional awareness of how the icon can help sell dairy products.

The joint presentation concluded with Mooney and Kozak emphasizing the proactive attitude the organization assumed throughout the year, partly because “we face a future of reduced government support on the one hand, and more government intrusion on the other,” Mooney explained.

“The best way to deal with that future is being proactive, always doing the right things, and most importantly, taking care of our own,” Kozak added.



Field to Market Grows in Membership and Activities
Last week, members of the Field to Market sustainability effort met in St. Louis to welcome new comers, hear program updates and discuss their 2013 annual work plan. High on the list of farmer priorities was the ability to participate among a diverse group of stakeholders in a consensus-driven approach to making decisions regarding agricultural sustainability.

"We know as farmers that we're continually improving our efficiencies, fertilizer use and things along that line," said Keith Alverson, National Corn Growers Association Corn Board member. "However, we always have a concern that some things that are being asked of us aren't real feasible. Field to Market allows NCGA and other commodity groups the opportunity to come together with Walmart, Coca Cola, General Mills and other large consumer-facing companies to discuss what can and can't be done."

"Where they need to go next is finding a way to make it easier for a farmer to participate, and communicate the value of participation from a farming perspective, said Gary Edwards, NCGA Production and Stewardship Action Team member. "That is where NCGA and other farmer groups can make a huge impact in the acceptance and adaption of sustainable farming practices."

Formed to create opportunities across the agricultural supply chain for continuous improvements in productivity, environmental quality and human well-being, Field to Market continues to expand its membership and activities. Added to the member roster this year are CHS, Inc., Ducks Unlimited, North Carolina State University and Walmart.

In addition to furthering implementation of tools, metrics and pilot projects, Field to Market's next big agenda item is to identify and capture the value of continuous improvement efforts. It will be the task of the new Shared Value Working Group to determine areas of value creation for farmers, the supply chain and the environment.



BP Drops Plans for U.S. Cellulosic Ethanol Plant

BP is cancelling plans to build a commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol plant in Highlands County, Florida and refocusing its U.S. biofuels strategy on research and development as well as licensing its industry-leading biofuels technology.

"Given the large and growing portfolio of investment opportunities available to BP globally, we believe it is in the best interest of our shareholders to redeploy the considerable capital required to build this facility into other more attractive projects," said Geoff Morrell, BP vice president of communications.

BP originally announced plans to build the Florida facility in 2008 with the intention of turning thousands of acres of energy crops into 36 million gallons per year of cellulosic ethanol. While ending its pursuit of commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol production in the U.S., BP continues to invest in and operate its world-class biofuels research facility in San Diego, Calif., and a demonstration plant in Jennings, Louisiana, to further develop next generation cellulosic biofuel technologies and license them for commercial use in the US and around the world.

The company has recently completed construction of its joint venture 110 million gallon per year ethanol plant in Hull, England, which is expected to come online later this year. In Brazil, BP took ownership of three sugarcane ethanol mills located in the Goiás and Minas Gerais states of Brazil in 2011 and is currently expanding production there.