Thursday September 25 Ag News

Nebraska Farm Bureau Highlights Key Agriculture Issues in Supporting Ricketts, Thanking Heineman

The Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation has reiterated its support for Republican Party candidate Pete Ricketts for Governor, while thanking Gov. Dave Heineman for his years of service to Nebraska farm and ranch families. Nebraska Farm Bureau hosted an event Thur. Sept. 25 where Gov. Heineman, Ricketts and Nebraska Farm Bureau President Steve Nelson shared perspectives on key issues affecting Nebraska agriculture.

“Nebraska farmers and ranchers face many challenges and it is critical that we have leaders who understand the importance of agriculture to our state and who have the vision to help keep current and future generations of farmers and ranchers on the land. Gov. Heineman has been a friend to agriculture and Pete Ricketts will continue to carry the torch for Nebraska farmers and ranchers,” said Steve Nelson, Nebraska Farm Bureau president.

Defending agriculture from far reaching regulations was one of three key issues Nelson specifically outlined during the event.

“We continue to deal with the EPA and an Obama Administration that wants to regulate virtually everything in agriculture. The EPA’s “Waters of the U.S.” rule is the latest in a long line of proposals that would hurt farm families. We appreciate the governor’s willingness and his track record of standing up for farmers and ranchers against this regulatory onslaught and we know that Pete Ricketts will do the same,” said Nelson.

Property tax relief for farmers and ranchers was also among the issues Nelson highlighted.

“The property tax burden on Nebraska farm and ranch families is not sustainable. We need meaningful tax reform that provides a balanced approach to funding local schools and local government. There are clearly inequities in our property tax system that must be addressed. We’ve worked closely with Gov. Heineman over the years to lower the property tax burden on farm families and we appreciate his efforts. Pete Ricketts has made property tax relief for farmers and ranchers a pillar of his agriculture platform and we look forward to working with him to take the next steps to provide true reform,” said Nelson.

Nelson also touched on the need for Nebraska farmers, ranchers and elected officials to continue to defend and protect agriculture from anti-agriculture activists groups.

“The threats posed by activists groups against agriculture continue to grow, whether it’s opposition to new on-farm technologies that are developed through our university systems or opposition from animal rights groups like the Humane Society of the United States. Much like Gov. Heineman, we know Pete Ricketts will continue to provide strong leadership in these areas and push back on those that would seek to harm Nebraska farm and ranch families,” said Nelson.

“We’ve been fortunate to have a governor for the last 10 years who has made agriculture a priority. Pete Ricketts will continue to make agriculture a focal point of the Governor’s Office to the benefit of farmers, ranchers and all Nebraskans,” said Nelson.



Cedar Rapids, Newcastle farmers win grain rescue tubes for local fire department

Hundreds of Nebraska farmers selflessly signed up their local fire departments to win a grain rescue tube during the recent Husker Harvest Days event. The Nebraska Corn Board (NCB) and Nebraska Corn Growers Association (NeCGA) are proud to announce that two Nebraska farmers’ names were drawn this week to win a rescue tube for each of their local fire departments.

Bob Ziemba, Cedar Rapids, won a grain rescue tube for the Cedar Rapids Fire Department.  Ray Kneifl, Newcastle, won a grain rescue tube for the Newcastle Fire Department.  Tubes are being donated thanks to a partnership with GSI, Inc. and DuPont Pioneer.

Rescue tubes are an important tool for emergency rescue personnel to have on-hand in the case of an emergency. The goal of Nebraska Corn is to help fire departments across the state receive rescue tubes, as well as help them obtain training in the event that someone working in or around grain becomes engulfed. The chances of survival for that person are greatly increased if there is a grain rescue tube available to fire departments nearby. These efforts echo Nebraska Corn’s “Take a Second for Safety” theme at Husker Harvest Days and other events this year.

Events will be held on Wednesday, October 1st in Cedar Rapids and Newcastle where Ziemba and Kneifl, respectively, will help present the grain rescue tubes to their local fire departments. Schedule will be as follows:
 -    10:30 am at Cedar Rapids Volunteer Fire Department (W Main & 2nd Streets)
 -     3:00 pm at Newcastle Volunteer Fire Department (205 Mary Street)

Individuals involved in this project who will be in attendance include:
-    Emily Thornburg, NeCGA
-    Mat Habrock, DuPont Pioneer
-    Jerad Hutchens, GSI, Inc.
-    Bob Ziemba (Cedar Rapids event only)
-    Ray Kneifl (Newcastle event only)
-    Local Fire Department Fire Chiefs & Fire Members
-    State Fire Marshal members
-    Corn Grower and Corn Board representatives



Iowa pig farmers set to celebrate October Pork Month

October became known as Pork Month because it marked the time of year when hogs were traditionally marketed. Today, it serves as a celebration to thank pig farmers and share their stories with consumers.

"If you eat, you have a connection to a farmer every day," said Iowa Pork Producers Association President Jamie Schmidt, a hog farmer from Garner. "October Pork Month is an opportunity to refresh the connection consumers have with farmers. Our mission is to produce safe, nutritious food in a responsible manner for families across the United States and around the world."

In 2008, hog farmers adopted six We CareSM ethical principles at the National Pork Industry Forum. The pork industry follows the six guiding ethical principles of the We Care initiative to maintain a safe, high-quality pork supply. Farmers are committed to:
-    Producing safe food
-    Safeguarding natural resources in all industry practices
-    Providing a work environment that is safe and consistent with the industry's other ethical principles
-    Contributing to a better quality of life in communities
-    Protecting and promoting animal well-being
-    Ensuring practices to protect public health

"The ethical principles define our values and who we are," Schmidt said. "Consumers can be confident that the pork they eat was raised using these ethical principles."

Pork is the world's most widely eaten meat, representing 37 percent of all meat consumed, according to the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service. Some 81 percent of the population consumes pork in-home at least once in an average two-week period. As of May 2014, real per capita pork expenditures were up 7.5 percent for 2014 compared with the same time period a year ago.

According to retail scanner data from July 1, 2013, to June 30, 2014, the top five most popular pork cuts sold are boneless New York chops, back ribs, bone-in chops, spareribs and boneless tenderloin. In terms of sales, boneless New York Chops accounted for more than $847 million, back ribs more than $612 million, bone-in chops more than $404 million, spareribs more than $387 million and boneless tenderloin more than $369 million.

"Consumers recognize the versatility of serving pork in their homes," said Schmidt. "Cook pork until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit, followed by a three-minute rest. This will ensure flavorful and tender pork on the plate."



Red Meat Production Down 10 Percent From Last Year

Commercial red meat production for the United States totaled 3.80 billion pounds in August, down 10 percent from the 4.20 billion pounds produced in August 2013.

Beef production, at 2.02 billion pounds, was 10 percent below the previous year. Cattle slaughter totaled 2.50 million head, down 11 percent from August 2013. The average live weight was up 19 pounds from the previous year, at 1,329 pounds.

Veal production totaled 7.1 million pounds, 22 percent below August a year ago. Calf slaughter totaled 43,600 head, down 32 percent from August 2013. The average live weight was up 37 pounds from last year, at 277 pounds.

Pork production totaled 1.75 billion pounds, down 10 percent from the previous year. Hog slaughter totaled 8.27 million head, down 13 percent from August 2013. The average live weight was up 11 pounds from the previous year, at 282 pounds.

Lamb and mutton production, at 11.7 million pounds, was down 15 percent from August 2013. Sheep slaughter totaled 181,400 head, 13 percent below last year. The average live weight was 129 pounds, down 4 pounds from August a year ago.

Selected States  (Aug '14 prod in mil #s, % of Aug '13)
Nebraska .....:     610.2             96      
Iowa ............:     508.1             91      
Kansas .......:     432.9             90      

January to August 2014 commercial red meat production was 31.2 billion pounds, down 4 percent from 2013. Accumulated beef production was down 6 percent from last year, veal was down 12 percent, pork was down 2 percent from last year, and lamb and mutton production was down 1 percent.



NAWG Participates in McFadden Symposium on Wheat Improvement
The National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) attended the Edgar S. McFadden inaugural Symposium on Wheat Improvement this week honoring Edgar S. McFadden and other global leaders in wheat research.

NAWG was well represented at the inaugural event with Gordon Stoner, NAWG second vice president and Jim Palmer, NAWG CEO both taking part in the schedule of events. Stoner, a wheat farmer from Outlook, Mont. discussed the unique nature of wheat and the importance of increased wheat research funding. Palmer participated in a panel discussion with wheat leaders and experts on policy and international trade.

“Wheat accounts for 20 percent of caloric intake for people around the world, and as the world population continues to increase so will demand for wheat. We need to meet this demand. Increased and intensified wheat research is the first step in doing that,” commented Stoner.

The Symposium was held to honor Edgar McFadden and his wheat research breakthrough in conferring genetic resistance to stem rust at South Dakota State University (SDSU) in Brooking, S.D.

To recognize the important contribution of McFadden and to continue his legacy, SDSU has established the Edgar S. McFadden Endowment for Wheat Improvement to continue research on new varieties and other technologies that serve wheat producers.

“The farmer leadership of NAWG and the National Wheat Foundation (NWF) are committed to working with wheat industry stakeholders to expand the industry,” stated Palmer. A few short years ago NAWG, NWF, U.S. Wheat Associates, the North American Millers Association and the American Bakers Association with the support from industry started a collaborative group in the creation of the Wheat Innovation Alliance (WIA). WIA is committed to responsibly advancing innovation in wheat production to help grow more and better wheat.”



U.S. Soybean Farmers Witness Direct Impact of Soy Checkoff’s Efforts

Ten U.S. soybean farmers participated in the United Soybean Board’s (USB's) 2014 See for Yourself program to learn about their customers beyond the elevator and the soy checkoff’s role in marketing U.S. soy to those customers. This year, the farmers visited St. Louis, Panama and Ecuador, from Aug. 14-22. A total of 70 farmers have taken advantage of this unique opportunity over the past seven years.

“Before I went on the See for Yourself program, I knew the checkoff was important, but I really couldn’t put a finger on exactly why,” says LaVell Winsor, See for Yourself participant and farmer from Grantville, Kansas. “I feel like I have a much greater understanding now of how checkoff dollars are used, and where the investments are both at home and abroad. I think it is money well spent by U.S. farmers.”

See for Yourself invites farmers to see their funds and the checkoff’s efforts in action. The stops on the program examined domestic and international transportation, high oleic soybeans, biodiesel and the use of soybean meal for animal feed.

Domestic Transportation
The program started with a visit to a barge-loading facility on the Mississippi River. The efficiency and reliability of the U.S. transportation system give U.S. soybean farmers a distinct advantage over other soybean-growing counties. The group heard about the need to upgrade U.S. highways, railways and waterways to keep the infrastructure in good repair and maintain this competitive edge.

High Oleic Soybeans
Next, the group visited Monsanto’s research campus outside St. Louis to hear about the checkoff’s investment in high oleic soybeans and see other research in action. The checkoff’s high oleic commitment allows seed companies DuPont Pioneer and Monsanto to expand breeding programs and bring more varieties to the market in a shorter time frame. High oleic varieties have the ability to recover lost food-oil demand for U.S. soybean farmers. Additionally, these innovative varieties can help gain new customers by expanding into new markets.

Biodiesel
The last domestic stop was Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, which uses biodiesel in much of its on-site equipment. The facility utilizes a B20 blend (20 percent biodiesel, 80 percent petroleum diesel) in nearly all of its stationary generators, airport equipment, and rescue and firefighting equipment. Soybean oil remains the primary feedstock for U.S. biodiesel production, using the oil from more than 400 million bushels of soybeans in 2013.

International Transportation
In Panama City, Panama, the farmers observed the inner workings of the Panama Canal. Soybeans are the No. 1 ag commodity that utilizes the Panama Canal; 560 million bushels of U.S. soybean exports passed through the canal in 2012. Plans for an expansion of the canal, scheduled to be complete in 2015, could make soybean exports even more cost-efficient and beneficial to U.S. farmers’ bottom lines.

Animal Agriculture
Ecuador was the final stop in this year’s program. There, the group learned how and why soybean meal is used by animal agriculture and aquaculture producers throughout the country. They visited a shrimp farm in Guayaquil, and a poultry producer in Quito. In the United States and abroad, animal agriculture is the largest customer of U.S. soybean meal. In fact, U.S. soybean meal has 85 percent market share in Ecuador, according to the checkoff-funded U.S. Soybean Export Council.

“I think our participants received an eye-opening look at the ways the checkoff works for them and how their soybeans are used domestically and internationally,” says Keith Tapp, vice chair of USB’s Audit and Evaluation Committee, which supports See for Yourself.  “And, as a member of USB, the See for Yourself program allows me to hear firsthand feedback about checkoff investments from farmers located around the country. The program is beneficial for both the farmer-participants and USB.”



NCGA Brings a Corn Farmer's Perspective to Climate Conversation

National Corn Growers Association Corn Board member Paul Taylor, a farmer from Esmond, Ill., participated in the inaugural meeting of the Global Alliance for Climate-Smart Agriculture. The meeting brought together partners of the alliance to discuss the organization of the alliance in its inception year and a program of work.

The meeting followed the official launch of the alliance on Tuesday at the United Nations Secretary General's Climate Summit.

"With increasing public focus turning to the climate, farmers must take a seat at the table to ensure our interests and concerns on this topic are accurately represented," said Taylor. "American corn farmers have a dynamic story of constant improvement to share. We have a long history of finding innovative ways to meet ever-evolving challenges and activities such as this help us engage in a productive dialogue about this issue."

As currently established, Global Alliance for CSA members recognize the urgent need to act at scale and to contribute towards three "aspirational outcomes": sustainable and equitable increases in agricultural productivity and incomes; greater resilience of food systems and farming livelihoods; and reduction and/or removal of greenhouse gas emissions associated with agriculture (including the relationship between agriculture and ecosystems) where possible.

This meeting, only one of an extensive list taking place in conjunction with Climate Week NYC, brought international leaders in agriculture together to address issues important to the future of the industry. In its sixth year, Climate Week NYC provides a global summit for government, business and thought leaders to drive innovation, build coalitions and deliver practical solutions.

In addition to Taylor, representatives from American Farm Bureau Federation, the American Soybean Association and the National Farmers Union also participated on behalf of U.S. farmers. U.S. participants in the meeting were organized by 25 x '25.



USDA Unveils Key New Programs to Help Farmers Manage Risk

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack today unveiled highly anticipated new programs to help farmers better manage risk, ushering in one of the most significant reforms to U.S. farm programs in decades.

Vilsack also announced that new tools are now available to help provide farmers the information they need to choose the new safety net program that is right for their business.

"The 2014 Farm Bill represented some of the largest farm policy reforms in decades. One of the Farm Bill's most significant reforms is finally taking effect," said Vilsack. "Farming is one of the riskiest businesses in the world. These new programs help ensure that risk can be effectively managed so that families don't lose farms that have been passed down through generations because of events beyond their control. But unlike the old direct payment program, which paid farmers in good years and bad, these new initiatives are based on market forces and include county – and individual – coverage options. These reforms provide a much more rational approach to helping farmers manage risk."

The new programs, Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC), are cornerstones of the commodity farm safety net programs in the 2014 Farm Bill, legislation that ended direct payments. Both programs offer farmers protection when market forces cause substantial drops in crop prices and/or revenues. Producers will have through early spring of 2015 to select which program works best for their businesses.

To help farmers choose between ARC and PLC, USDA helped create online tools that allow farmers to enter information about their operation and see projections about what each program will mean for them under possible future scenarios. The new tools are now available at www.fsa.usda.gov/arc-plc. USDA provided $3 million to the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) at the University of Missouri and the Agricultural and Food Policy Center (AFPC) at Texas A&M (co-leads for the National Association of Agricultural and Food Policy), along with the University of Illinois (lead for the National Coalition for Producer Education) to develop the new programs.

"We're committed to giving farmers as much information as we can so they can make an informed decision between these programs," said Vilsack. "These resources will help farm owners and producers boil the information down, understand what their options are, and ultimately make the best decision on which choice is right for them. We are very grateful to our partners for their phenomenal work in developing these new tools within a very short time frame."

Starting Monday, Sept. 29, 2014, farm owners may begin visiting their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices if they want to update their yield history and/or reallocate base acres, the first step before choosing which new program best serves their risk management needs. Letters sent this summer enabled farm owners and producers to analyze their crop planting history in order to decide whether to keep their base acres or reallocate them according to recent plantings.

The next step in USDA's safety net implementation is scheduled for this winter when all producers on a farm begin making their election, which will remain in effect for 2014-2018 crop years between the options offered by ARC and PLC.

Today's announcement was made possible through the 2014 Farm Bill, which builds on historic economic gains in rural America over the past five years, while achieving meaningful reform and billions of dollars in savings for the taxpayer. Since enactment, USDA has made significant progress to implement each provision of this critical legislation, including providing disaster relief to farmers and ranchers; strengthening risk management tools; expanding access to rural credit; funding critical research; establishing innovative public-private conservation partnerships; developing new markets for rural-made products; and investing in infrastructure, housing and community facilities to help improve quality of life in rural America. For more information, visit www.usda.gov/farmbill.



Study Monitors Long-Term Impacts of Feeding GM Crops to Livestock

Recently, Dr. Alison Van Eenennaam and research assistant Amy E. Young completed the most comprehensive study of genetically modified (GM) crops ever, set to be published in the Journal of Animal Science after Oct. 1. It represents the longest-term monitoring of the health-impact of GM crops in history as it examines at 29 years of livestock productivity and health data from both before and after the introduction of GM crops into animal feed formulations.

“The broiler information set is the most powerful because we looked at 9 billion birds that were fed mostly GM crops,” Van Eenennaam said. “There was improved feed-to-gain ratios and decreased age to market, which suggests that feeding GM crops did not having any detrimental effects to the birds’ health.”

The U.S. Grains Council uses studies like this one to encourage policymakers around the world to develop biotechnology policies that are science-based, risk-appropriate and consistent. The new findings could have implications for the international marketplace as some countries continue to reject GM crops based on non-science based safety concerns.

“We are going to have more rejections (for unapproved biotech events) in the future and the potential for trade disruptions is going to increase,” Van Eenennaam said. “This is going to increase the cost of food everywhere, which has real implications for food security.”

Asynchronous approvals result when countries approve biotech traits at different rates. Van Eenennaam believes that the problem of asynchronous approvals will continue to grow as more GM crops, including those optimized for animal feed, are released for commercial use.



National Pork Producers Council Statement On The Transpacific Partnership Negotiations

The National Pork Producers Council thanks U.S. trade officials for diligently working to achieve an outcome in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations that would benefit all sectors of our nation’s economy, including agriculture. At the same time, we must also express our deep disappointment in Japan’s continuing rejection of the fundamental terms of a successful TPP agreement, as agreed upon by leaders of all participating TPP nations prior to Japan’s entry into the negotiations last year.

Japan continues to demand exemptions from tariff elimination for an unprecedented number of agricultural products. Its negotiators have declared that products such as pork, dairy, beef, wheat, barley, sugar and rice are “sacred” and cannot be opened to free trade in the TPP. Japan has employed this or similar arguments in all of its prior free trade agreements, so it is not surprising that some in the United States might accept this as reality, submit to Japan’s demand and accept the crumbs from its table.

Acquiescing to Japan’s demand would represent a radical departure from past U.S. trade policy, which has held to the principle that free trade agreements must cover virtually all trade between the parties. The exemptions from tariff elimination demanded by Japan would be more than all of the tariff line exemptions contained in the previous 17 FTAs combined the United States has implemented this century. Pork never has been excluded from tariff elimination in a U.S. free trade agreement.

It also would diminish the overall outcome in the TPP since negotiators from the other 11 participating nations will not want to explain to producers of sensitive products in their countries why they are not being provided similar exemptions. Furthermore, exemptions, whether in agriculture or in other sectors, will become normative in the TPP and will be taken for granted by future acceding nations when TPP expands. Moreover, the outcome on rules and other areas of the TPP negotiation undoubtedly will be affected by Japan’s market access package. Every nation will examine the overall package and will have to balance its obligations with the concessions it receives.

In addition to prompting the unraveling of the TPP as a “gold standard” agreement, submitting to Japan’s demand will signal to the European Union that the same – or more likely a bigger – basket of U.S. products can be exempted from full tariff liberalization in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) talks and that this will be acceptable to the United States.

Creating a precedent in the TPP that shelters the agriculture sector from competition and, therefore, puts upward pressure on global food prices has national security implications. Governments rise and fall based on the price of food. The correlation between political unrest and food prices is axiomatic. The protectionist farmers in Japan are not thinking about the global security implications of adding 3 billion people to the world’s population in the next 30 years. But someone better be thinking about this. What may be politically appealing today may be catastrophic tomorrow.

The United States should not accept an offer from Japan that is anything less than what it has demanded of, and received from, its other FTA partners, including many developing countries. Most of those nations had, and continue to have, serious sensitivities in agriculture, and they must wonder why Japan, one of the most advanced nations on Earth, is more deserving of such privileged treatment. The TPP, as with other FTAs, should not be about whether to move to free trade in virtually all products but how and when.

The U.S. pork industry has benefitted enormously from prior trade agreements, which are the major reason U.S. pork exports have quadrupled since 2000. The TPP could result in even greater gains for U.S. pork, but Japan is the key. It must be willing to phase out its tariffs over a reasonable transition period and abolish its trade-distorting Gate Price system. The difference between Japan’s offer as reported in the Japanese press and the elimination of the Gate Price and tariffs on pork is eye popping. When the impact on all the “sacred” agriculture products is added, both in Japan and in future FTAs, the loss of exports and jobs in the United States is staggering.

There is a long history of fraud and criminal activity related to the Gate Price – with some Japanese importers inflating invoices to prices above the Gate Price to minimize import duties – which has been well documented in the Japanese press. [Click here to read news articles on Gate Price fraud.] We find it odd (to say the least) that anyone in the Japanese government would defend a system that generates fraud and criminal behavior. More than 20 years of fraudulent activity demonstrates that the system is unworkable.

In the United States, some may countenance Japan’s demand since an agreement between the two countries, even with significant exemptions by Japan, would be a net plus for the United States. Japan no doubt is hoping that the United States will buy into the idea that “meaningful market access” should be the metric in evaluating its market access package. We should not. Had the United States been willing to accept half a loaf in past FTA negotiations, U.S. exports would be much lower and its FTAs would look more like the FTAs of Japan and the European Union. But the deal being offered by Japan is not even a half loaf for U.S. pork and the other “sacred” commodities. The U.S. trade policy metric that has governed all past U.S. FTAs must continue to govern the TPP negotiation: elimination of tariffs.

The tail is wagging the dog in Japan. A small protectionist group of farmers is holding hostage a 12-nation regional trade negotiation. It is incumbent on others in Japan to overcome the opposition of this small group of farmers, which is keeping Japanese food prices among the highest in the world. Economic studies show that Japan will benefit tremendously from the TPP. Among other things, consumers will spend less of their income on food. The politics of trade – and food in particular – are always difficult. Korea and other past U.S. FTA partners, many of which were developing nations, had sensitivities in agriculture equal to or greater than those in Japan.

Multilateral trade negotiations in the World Trade Organization are on life support. The United States has the unprecedented opportunity to set the bar high on a regional FTA that has the potential to become the platform for global trade liberalization for the next 30 years. Japan should not expect the United States to hand the keys to the bus to a bunch of protectionist farmers who want the United States to depart from its longstanding approach to trade policy and to create a precedent that will diminish U.S. exports and jobs for the next 30 years.

Finally, Japan needs to understand that the U.S. Congress must approve any FTA and that members have no stomach for extending special treatment to Japan and accepting a TPP deal that has a substandard market access package from Japan and that would be a step back from the high-standard deals recently implemented with Colombia, Korea and Panama.

The solution is very simple: Japan must be held to the same high standard as all other U.S. FTA partners. The ball has been, and continues to be, in Japan’s court. Either Japan will agree to do what all other TPP nations are prepared to do – eliminate tariffs on virtually all products – or the standoff will continue. If Japan continues to refuse, the United States and the other TPP countries should close the negotiation without Japan.

Before we undermine longstanding U.S. trade policy, before we see an unraveling of the TPP and before we face accepting future FTAs on similar terms, the talks with Japan in the TPP should be suspended and an agreement with the other TPP nations sent to Congress. Japan, when it is ready, can be invited to begin negotiations again with a second group of nations from the Americas and Asia.



NMPF Provides Narrated Slide Presentation Explaining How Farmers Can Take Advantage of New Dairy Safety Net
The National Milk Producers Federation has posted a slide presentation on YouTube to help dairy farmers understand the new federal dairy safety net, known as the Margin Protection Program (MPP), as part of its ongoing effort to educate farmers about the new program.

There are links to the narrated presentation on both the NMPF website, and the Future for Dairy website serving as NMPF’s information hub for the new MPP program, which was launched by the U.S. Department of Agriculture September 2nd.

The 21-minute, 34-slide presentation walks the viewer through the details of the program, including who is eligible, how to sign up, and what the fees and payments might look like under various scenarios. Also covered are the basic concept of the program, what it replaces, and how it compares to the previous dairy safety net. This narrated presentation is a video file to accompany a more basic, slides-only version already available online.

“Dairy farmers are now making their decisions on participation in the new program,” said NMPF President and CEO Jim Mulhern, who narrates the slide presentation. “Along with other tools NMPF has developed, this presentation should help them make the best choices for their individual circumstances.”

Meanwhile, dairy producers attending next week’s World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin, can find out what they need to know about the new dairy safety net at a special, 90-minute briefing set for Thursday morning, October 2nd.

Sponsored by NMPF, the briefing will feature Mulhern along with noted University of Missouri dairy economist Scott Brown. It will start at 8:30 a.m. in Mendota Room No. 4, at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison.

Held each fall, World Dairy Expo attracts more than 70,000 dairy producers and industry experts from 90 counties. The five-day event has long been recognized as the premier annual meeting for the global dairy industry.

The briefing is titled “Covering Your Assets: Why Farmers Need to Enroll in the Margin Protection Program.” In addition to the briefing and the narrated slide presentation available through www.nmpf.org and www.futurefordairy.com, NMPF has produced a five-page written summary of the new program, and an online calculator to help farmers select their coverage levels.

The new dairy safety net was included in the 2014 farm bill. It allows producers to protect their margin – the difference between milk prices and feed costs – rather than supporting milk prices.

Producers have until November 28th to sign up for the program for the remainder of 2014, all of 2015, or both.

NMPF was instrumental in constructing the new safety net. The organization developed the program after extensive discussions with farmers in 2009 and 2010, and then worked with Congress to include the plan in the 2014 farm bill. More recently, NMPF worked closely with Agriculture Department on implementation issues.



Merck Animal Health Releases New Dairy Care365TM Training Module

     Merck Animal Health today introduced its newest training module in its Dairy Care365™ series. “Handling Dairy Calves and Heifers: A Low-Stress Way to a Profitable Herd” focuses on helping dairies create and maintain a low-stress animal handling approach, as well as a safe, positive environment for young animals. A low-stress approach is not only better and safer for the animal, but it also reduces the risk of injury to the handler.

     Specifically, the new module will address training calves to move and adjust to new situations, knowing how to move, process and handle heifers safely and efficiently, and learning how to train fresh heifers to be milked.

     “In addition to safety and animal well-being, using low-stress handling when working with youngstock positively impacts the performance of those animals,” said Mike Bolton, D.V.M., technical services manager for Merck Animal Health. “In fact, research results have shown the connection between handling stress and milk production. Heifers experiencing stress while entering the milking parlor produced three pounds less milk per day, lost 30 pounds more weight and experienced more lameness. Results also showed that dairy cattle’s fear of humans can result in a 30 to 50 percent difference in the level of milk production between herds.”1

     This module was developed in partnership with Ben Bartlett, D.V.M., well-known Michigan State University extension educator, who noted that this training is an ideal resource for dairies that are committed to making continuous improvement in their herds’ performance.

     “For dairies to perform at their best, it’s vital to have a unified animal handling approach that is shared by owners, managers and workers, and is based on handling cattle safely, efficiently and in a low-stress manner,” Dr. Bartlett explained.

     This training module presents the information in an easy-to-understand format that explains how to raise calves that respect people and respond to handler movement requests. It is available in English or Spanish and takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. At the end of the course, participants can take a short quiz to test their knowledge. Dairy managers also can use the results of the training to help identify areas for improvement.       

     Merck Animal Health developed Dairy Care365™ to train, equip and support dairy farmers and their employees so they’re able to provide the best possible care for dairy animals every day. The new module and previous Dairy Care365™ courses, including “Introduction to Dairy Stockmanship” and “Milk Parlor Handling,” are available by sending an email to info@DairyCare365.com.