Thursday June 18 Ag News

QUARANTINE RELEASED AT KNOX COUNTY EGG FARM

Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) Director Greg Ibach today announced the release of a quarantine on a Knox County egg laying farm, after weeks of testing for highly pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza (HPAI) did not confirm an earlier presumptive positive test for the disease.

NDA issued the quarantine of the Knox County farm on May 27th after a preliminary test indicated the probable presence of HPAI. Subsequent testing did not confirm the presence of the disease, and the 3 million bird flock has been tested every day over the past three weeks. All tests have come back negative for HPAI, Ibach said.

"While the chance of a presumptive positive test ending up being negative is very uncommon, we have followed USDA protocol and the disease has not been found," Ibach said. "The release of the quarantine at this farm will allow the producer to resume business as usual. Testing and monitoring of this flock will continue as an additional precautionary measure."

The quarantine release of the farm also means NDA is releasing from quarantine the 27 additional Knox County locations that were quarantined because they were within 6.2 miles of the presumptive positive flock.

"I continue to urge all poultry operations - big and small - to exercise the strictest of biosecurity measures on their farms," Ibach said. "Eliminating the spread of the HPAI virus in Nebraska is something we all must work together to achieve."

Additional information on HPAI can be found online at www.nda.nebraska.gov.



RICKETTS NAMES DNR DIRECTOR

Today, Governor Pete Ricketts announced Jeff Fassett, P.E. as the new Director of the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources.

Fassett is the Director of the Water Rights Strategic Program for HDR Engineering, Inc., where he has been involved with water supply, water rights, and water resources development projects across several regions and states. During this time, he has also kept a water rights and water resources engineering practice in Wyoming and Colorado for a wide variety of municipal, state government, energy, mining, and private landowner clients.

Previously, Fassett operated Cheyenne-based Fassett Consulting, LLC, an engineering consulting firm that specialized in water rights, water resources engineering, and water policy matters.

From 1987-2000, Fassett served as the State Engineer and chief water resource official in the cabinet of the Governor of Wyoming for two administrations. As State Engineer, he served as the director of all policy, technical, and administrative responsibilities of the cabinet-level agency responsible for the appropriation, beneficial use, and general supervision and regulation of all waters in the state. His accomplishments as State Engineer include, among many others:
·      Implementation Committee Member of the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Species Recovery Program
·      Wyoming Commissioner for the Upper Colorado River Commission
·      Wyoming Commissioner for the Yellowstone River Compact Commission
·      Wyoming Commissioner for the Snake River Compact
·      Wyoming Commissioner for the Bear River Commission
·      Representative for settlement negotiations in the Nebraska v. Wyoming equitable apportionment litigation
·      Led the negotiation and implementation of the Platte River Cooperative Agreement

Fassett also served as Deputy State Engineer for the State of Wyoming from 1984-1987.

“I look forward to applying the knowledge gained from past experiences in this new capacity,” said Jeff Fassett. “Nebraska shares some similarities to the State of Wyoming, and I look forward to building a strategy for the department and the State of Nebraska.”

“Jeff’s leadership will ensure that the department continues to manage our state’s natural resources so that our state remains a great place for families to live, agribusinesses to grow, and tourism to thrive,” said Governor Ricketts. “His broad skills will aid the department in setting a strategy that properly balances the many interests in our natural resources.”

Fassett holds a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from the University of Wyoming. He is a registered professional engineer in Wyoming and Colorado.

The new director starts August 3, 2015 at a salary of $145,000.



Big Red Grain Marketing Breakfast – Wednesday, July 1

Corn and soybean producers are invited to a grain marketing breakfast on  July 1 at the Saunders County Extension office located at the University of Nebraska Agricultural Research and Development Center August N. Christenson Research and Education Building near Mead, NE.

According to Keith Glewen, UNL Extension Educator, “The event is sponsored by Nebraska Extension, the Saunders County Soybean Growers Organization, and the Saunders County Corn Growers Association. “   

Breakfast will be served from 7:45 a.m. – 8:15 a.m. 

The 8:15 – 10 a.m. program includes what to expect the rest of the growing season and into harvest weather-wise with Al Dutcher, Nebraska state climatologist.  Learn about upcoming grain market forecasts and strategies from Casey Potter, Manager, ADM – Columbus, NE and Cory Walters, Nebraska Extension Economist and Grain Marketing Specialist.  An FSA office update will be also be provided.

Preregistration is requested for meal planning purposes by noon June 30.  For more information or to register, contact Nebraska Extension at (402) 624-8030, (800) 529-8030, e-mail Keith Glewen at kglewen1@unl.edu.

Nebraska Extension is in the university's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.



BQA Award Deadline Extended

Award applications for the 10th annual checkoff-funded National Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Award continue to be accepted. The 2016 National BQA Awards recognize five winners in the areas of beef, dairy, marketing and education.

To submit an application, click here.... www.bqa.org/2016awardapplications.aspx.   The entry deadline has been extended. Applications are due via the online submission form by June 25, 2015.

For more information about your beef checkoff investment, visit MyBeefCheckoff.com.



Smith Applauds Trade Promotion Authority Passage

Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement today after voting in favor of H.R. 2146 to give Congress the authority to direct and oversee Presidential trade negotiations through Trade Promotion Authority (TPA).  The legislation passed the House and will now go to the Senate for consideration.

“Today the House took the necessary first step to open more markets to Nebraska exporters and ensure trade agreements reflect the priorities of the American people,” Smith said.  “TPA is a crucial oversight measure to rein in the President’s authority and require the administration’s negotiating process to be directed by Congress.  This vote shows the world we are serious about getting the best possible trade agreements, asserts American leadership in the global economy, and sets the stage for greater opportunity for our agriculture producers, manufacturers, and consumers.”

Nebraska Congressmen Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) and Brad Ashford (D-NE) also voted in favor of TPA. 



Regarding House Passage of Trade Promotion Authority
Steve Nelson, Nebraska Farm Bureau President

“Today we moved one step closer to final passage of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), a critical piece of legislation that will help ensure future opportunities for Nebraska agriculture commodities and agriculture products to reach international markets.”

“The U.S. House of Representatives passage of stand-alone TPA legislation is welcomed by Nebraska farm and ranch families and we thank Congressmen Fortenberry (R-Dist.1), Ashford (D-Dist.2) and Smith (R-Dist.3) for their votes in support. We now call on the Senate to follow suit and pass this legislation to help ensure it gets to the President’s desk as soon as possible.”

“Nebraska agriculture exports reached an estimated $6.6 billion in 2013, as agricultural trade continues to grow in importance as a means to boost farm prices and farm income, which in turn helps support our rural communities and Nebraska’s overall economy. Having had the opportunity to travel with the Governor as part of his trade mission to Europe, we witnessed firsthand the great interest from our European partners in strengthening our relationships through trade.”

“With negotiations underway on major trade agreements like the Trans-Pacific Partnership, involving nations throughout the Asia Pacific region and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the European Union, TPA approval is vital to ensuring the United States’ ability to reach consumers outside our borders.”

Note:    Trade Promotion Authority allows Congress to work with the President to set negotiating objectives and ensures that long-negotiated trade agreements are not subject to numerous Congressional amendments and conditions that must then be taken back and forth to the negotiating table. 


ASA Looks to Senate Following House Passage of Trade Promotion Authority

The American Soybean Association (ASA) welcomed a vote from the House today that would extend trade promotion authority, or TPA, to President Barack Obama. The bill now moves to the Senate, and is part of an effort by congressional leadership to put TPA back on track following an unexpected defeat of Trade Adjustment Assistance last week that put the legislation in jeopardy.

ASA President Wade Cowan, a soybean farmer from Brownfield, Texas, pointed to the bill as one that would empower the administration, in the form of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), to better represent producers of the nation’s largest farm export heading into finalization of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and other critical negotiations.

“We are again encouraged by the House’s commitment to TPA and encourage the same commitment from the Senate,” Cowan said. “For the better part of a decade, our partners at USTR have been charged with baling a cake without having access to the full complement of ingredients, if you will. TPA would give them the authority and the resources they need to represent most completely the needs of American farmers in global trade agreements.”

Cowan also highlighted that TPA is a vital component to completing the pending TPP, as well as upcoming negotiations with Europe.

“TPA has always been step one as we look to forge strong agreements that help to make American agriculture—and soybean farmers in particular—so competitive in international markets,” Cowan said. “With TPA in hand, we now turn our attention to finalizing an agreement in the Trans-Pacific Partnership that includes vital export markets for U.S. soybeans and meat products, as well as the developing markets that grow in their demand for American soy every day. We look to the Senate to take up and pass this legislation as quickly as possible.”



We are one step closer on trade

The following is a statement from National Corn Growers Association President Chip Bowling regarding the vote in the House of Representatives to advance Trade Promotion Authority legislation.

“We must break down trade barriers and give America’s farmers, livestock producers, and businesses greater access to the world’s consumers. We are one step closer to that goal today. Trade Promotion Authority is essential to negotiating the kinds of global trade agreements that will increase demand for American agricultural products. Thank you to the House for passing this critically important legislation. We look forward to a swift resolution in the Senate.”



House Again Passes Trade Promotion Authority

With today’s passage by the House of legislation granting the president authority to enter and finalize free trade agreements, the National Pork Producers Council called on the Senate to take up and pass the measure.

House lawmakers voted 218-208 to approve Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), which defines objectives and priorities for trade agreements the United States negotiates and establishes consultation and notification requirements for the president to follow throughout the negotiation process. Once trade negotiators finalize a deal, Congress gets to review it and vote – without amendments – yes or no on it. Congress has granted TPA to every president since 1974, with the most recent law being approved in August 2002 and expiring June 30, 2007.

It was the second time in a week that the House passed TPA. The lower chamber last Friday voted 219-211 to approve TPA as part of a package of trade measures, but it defeated a Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) bill, thus preventing TPA from moving forward. This time, TPA and TAA were considered as stand-alone bills. While the Senate passed a TPA-TAA package May 23, it, too, now must take up separate bills.

“We applaud the House for approving TPA, which is imperative for finalizing free trade agreements that boost U.S. exports and create U.S. jobs,” said NPPC President Dr. Ron Prestage, a veterinarian and pork producer from Camden, S.C. “Now we need the Senate to approve it, so that U.S. trade negotiators can get the best trade deals possible from other countries.

“Of course, our immediate objective is to finalize the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiation, which would be the most significant regional trade agreements ever.”

A good TPP agreement, which includes the United States and 11 Pacific Rim countries, would result in exponential growth in U.S. pork exports and generate 10,000 U.S. jobs tied to those exports, according to Iowa State University economist Dermot Hayes.

“U.S. trade negotiators now have the leverage they need to close the TPP negotiations,” Prestage said. “The U.S. pork industry needs TPP to continue growing our exports.”

Since 1989 – the year the United States began using bilateral and regional trade agreements to open foreign markets – U.S. pork exports have increased 1,550 percent in value and 1,268 percent in volume. The United States shipped more than $6.6 billion of pork to foreign destinations in 2014. The U.S. pork industry ships more pork to the 20 nations with which the United States has Free Trade Agreements than to the rest of the world combined.



Trade Promotion Authority Passes House
 
The U.S. House of Representatives passed Trade Promotion Authority today with a vote of 218 to 208, as stand-alone legislation. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association strongly supports TPA and applauds the House for taking this necessary step to securing future free trade deals that will boost American exports.

“Trade Promotion Authority gives Congress the ability to set definitive goals for the President in negotiations, and then requires any deal be brought back for final approval,” said Philip Ellis, NCBA President. “TPA does not give the President free rein to make trade deals. Without TPA, it would be virtually impossible to negotiate future agreements with other countries, which would hinder our ability to gain greater access into foreign markets.”

Over 12 million American jobs depend on exports, and with the renewal of TPA, valuable free trade agreements such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership can move forward. In 2014, U.S. beef exports accounted for over $7 billion in total sales and added over $350 in value for every head of cattle sold. That is value that is brought back to all segments of the industry and Ellis, a cow/calf producer from Wyoming, said that is a lot of added value to his bottom line.

“The fact is, over 96 percent of the world’s population lives outside our borders,” said Ellis. “Consumers around the world want more beef in their diet and other countries are aggressively seeking trade agreements to give their products a competitive advantage. TPA is the foundation for us to negotiate increased market access and tariff elimination through free trade agreements.”

Today’s vote represents the second time in a week that the House has voted in favor of TPA legislation. The vote last Friday, as part of a trade package, included Trade Adjustment Assistance. Today’s vote was on TPA legislation alone. Due to its separation from the trade package, TPA legislation must now go back to the full Senate for reconsideration, as early as next week. NCBA urges the Senate to act swiftly in sending this legislation to the President’s desk.

Trade Promotion Authority was enacted in 1974 to build the framework for the Administration to negotiate trade agreements that support jobs, eliminate barriers and stop unfair trade. Once signed by the President, Trade Promotion Authority will be reauthorized for five years.



Dairy Groups Commend House for Resuming Progress on TPA Legislation

The National Milk Producers Federation and the U.S. Dairy Export Council today thanked the House of Representatives for resuming progress on Trade Promotion Authority by sending stand-alone TPA legislation to the Senate.

The two groups pledged to keep working with both the House and Senate to enact TPA and the important complementary legislation, Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA). They said Trade Promotion Authority in particular is key to negotiating a better deal for dairy farmers in the pending Trans-Pacific Partnership and future free trade agreements.

“Trade promotion authority is crucial to concluding trade agreements that will open foreign markets to more U.S. dairy products,” said NMPF President and CEO Jim Mulhern. “In the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations, getting TPA in place is essential to increasing pressure on Japan and Canada to improve their offers. It will signal that the United States is serious about trade negotiations.”

USDEC President Tom Suber said, “Knowing that a trade agreement will be considered by Congress under Trade Promotion Authority paves the way to press our negotiating partners to make offers on the most sensitive issues that are commensurate with new and meaningful access. Clearly, dairy exports fall into that category, and the U.S. needs all the tools it can muster to get acceptable terms from Japan and Canada that ensure the U.S. is able to secure expanded market access opportunities for all types of dairy products under TPP. Given this, we welcome today’s strong step forward toward bringing TPA into law.”

TPA, which expired in 2007, is important to the U.S. dairy industry because the United States now exports the equivalent of one-seventh of its milk production. NMPF and USDEC have also supported TAA as a key portion of the U.S. legislative trade package. 



Wheat Growers Applaud TPA Passage

NAWG praised the U.S. House of Representatives for reauthorizing Trade Promotion Authority that passed with a 218-208 vote. NAWG President Brett Blankenship issued the following statement:

“Trade Promotion Authority is undeniably important to the U.S. wheat industry and American agriculture. On behalf of U.S. wheat growers, we applaud the House for their commitment to increasing trade opportunities for our growers. Providing our trade negotiators with the tools to finalize trade negotiations is critical to keeping America in the lead on trade talks and wheat growers at the table. Support for TPA is support for American agriculture. I’m hopeful that Congress can finish this process quickly and send this important legislation to the President’s desk.”



May Milk Production in the United States up 1.4 Percent

Milk production in the United States during May totaled 18.4 billion pounds, up 1.4 percent from May 2014, according to USDA's Thursday report.  Production per cow in the United States averaged 1,971 pounds for May, 15 pounds above May 2014.  The number of milk cows on farms in the United States was 9.31 million head, 58,000 head more than May 2014, and 3,000 head more than April 2015.

IOWA:  Milk production in Iowa during May 2015 totaled 425 million pounds, up 4 percent from May 2014 according to the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service – Milk Production report. The average number of milk cows during May, at 212,000 head, was unchanged from last month but 5,000 more than a year ago. Monthly production per cow averaged 2,005 pounds, up 40 pounds from last May. This is the first time that monthly milk per cow has exceeded 2,000 pounds.



Hearing Shows Bipartisan Momentum on National Labeling Efforts

Today, the National Corn Growers Association applauded the House Energy and Commerce Health subcommittee for holding an important hearing on the bipartisan Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act and demonstrating the urgent need for legislation that would establish uniform, science-based food labeling standards. Introduced by Congressmen Mike Pompeo and G.K. Butterfield, the bill has already attracted 60 co-sponsors, including 12 Democrats.

Entitled “A National Framework for the Review and Labeling of Biotechnology in Food,” the hearing provided members with an opportunity to learn about the role genetic engineering plays in our nation’s food supply. Additionally, the hearing delved into state-specific labeling regulations and their potential impact on interstate commerce and consumers.

“America’s corn farmers are pleased that the bill is receiving support from both political parties and from Members of Congress representing broad and diverse constituencies,” said NCGA Trade Policy and Biotechnology Action Team Chair John Linder, a farmer from Ohio. “We understand that, in this era of limited bipartisan agreement, the fact that support for this bill continues to grow is unique, and we believe this type of support indicates this common sense, consumer-friendly legislation can still advance through the legislative process. From farmers to food manufacturers, 400-plus organizations from all 50 states, representing every part of the food value chain, have publicly voiced ardent support for this bill. The time to move forward, for the sake of farmers and consumers alike, is now.”

The panel testifying during the hearing included: Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals President and Chief Executive Officer Rick Blagden; Office of the Vermont Attorney General Assistant Attorney General Todd W. Daloz; GROWMARK, Inc. Chairman of the Board and President John Reifsteck; Center for Science in the Public Interest Biotechnology Project Director Gregory Jaffe; and Information Technology & Innovation Foundation Senior Fellow L. Val Giddings.

In reference to the hearing, Rep. Pompeo commented, “We are proud of the continued progress we have made on this important legislation and look forward to advancing this bill through the committee. This bill helps to provide clarity in food labeling so consumers, states, and food producers have a consistent framework, while supporting innovation that helps keep the price of food affordable here in America and help us to ensure that we can feed a rapidly growing world.” 

The Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act will ensure that food labeling in the United States is consistent across state lines and based on sound science.  The bill increases coordination between the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, guaranteeing that our nation’s foremost experts on food and agricultural safety are in charge of labeling decisions.  The legislation also establishes a transparent, consistent GMO-free certification program, bringing clarity to those who choose to purchase GMO-free foods.



Congressional Hearing Focuses On Need for National GMO Labeling Requirements

The National Milk Producers Federation said today that a hearing in the House of Representatives reinforces the benefits of a national standard for labeling foods with genetically modified ingredients, over a patchwork of state requirements that would confuse consumers and frustrate food marketers.

"State-by-state GMO labeling is simply not an option, as testimony at today’s hearing and earlier hearings has shown,” said Jim Mulhern, NMPF president and CEO. “A better approach is federal legislation endorsed by NMPF that would set up voluntary regulations for labeling foods with GMO ingredients.” That legislation, the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act, was reviewed Thursday by the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, during a hearing on developing a national framework for the labeling of foods make through biotechnology.

In March, Vermont dairy farmer Joanna Lidback and Land O’Lakes Chief Executive Office Chris Policinski testified on GMO labeling before the House Agriculture Committee. Lidback said genetically modified seeds keep her farm’s feed bills low and allow her to use less fertilizer and pesticides. Her state has enacted a mandatory GMO labeling bill that is scheduled to go into effect next year. Policinski said state GMO labeling “would be a logistical nightmare, creating dozens of different standards, different definitions, and different exemptions.”

The federal legislation endorsed by NMPF was introduced this spring by Reps. Mike Pompeo (R-KS) and G.K. Butterfield (D-NC). It requires the Food and Drug Administration to set standards for companies wishing to label products as either containing or not containing GMOs.

“The Pompeo-Butterfield bill would deal with GMO labeling at the national level,” Mulhern said. “It would set uniform rules and provide a national certification program for foods that have been produced without bioengineering.”

GMOs have been proven safe by nearly 2,000 studies from the leading scientific bodies in the world, including the World Health Organization and the American Medical Association. Agencies including the FDA, the U.S. Agriculture Department, the National Academy of

Sciences, and the World Health Organization have found no negative health effects from consuming GMOs.

Currently, up to 80 percent of the food available in the United States contains genetically modified ingredients.



Brazil To Set New Corn Export Record In 2015

 Brazil has started harvesting a record second corn crop and plans to place a lot of it on the international market.

Virtually perfect weather conditions over the last three months will allow Brazilian farmers to harvest over 52.5 million metric tons in June and July, up from 48 mmt in 2014, according to Andre Pessoa of Agroconsult, a local farm consultancy.

The excess will be exported, causing shipments to rise from 20.1 mmt in 2014 to 27.1 mmt in 2015, creating distance between Brazil, the world's No 2 exporter, and the Ukraine in third place.



NAWG Applauds House Subcommittee for Highlighting Need for Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act

Today NAWG applauded the House Energy and Commerce Health subcommittee for holding an important hearing on the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act and demonstrating the urgent need for legislation that would establish uniform, science-based food labeling standards.

“The current situation of individual states having unique labeling requirements is not workable or sustainable. NAWG supports facilitating interstate commerce by having a common labeling rule set by Congress. We are pleased the bill is receiving bipartisan support,” said NAWG President, Brett Blankenship, wheat grower from Washtucna, Wash. “In a time of limited bipartisan agreement, support for this showcases the fact that common sense, consumer-friendly legislation can still advance through the legislative process. NAWG will continue to support this important piece of legislation as it moves towards final passage.”

The Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act will ensure that food labeling in the United States is consistent across state lines and based on sound science. The bill increases coordination between the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), guaranteeing that our nation’s foremost experts on food and agricultural safety are in charge of labeling decisions. The legislation also establishes a transparent, consistent GMO-free certification program, bringing clarity to those who choose to purchase GMO-free foods. Introduced by Congressmen Mike Pompeo and G.K. Butterfield, the bill has attracted 60 cosponsors.



Seed Industry Launches SeedFirstPAC

As members of the American Seed Trade Association prepare to "Storm the Hill" in Washington, D.C., this week as part of the association's annual convention, the industry is also formally launching a non-connected political action committee, the SeedFirstPAC.  John Latham of Latham Hi-Tech Seeds, who is chair of the SeedFirstPAC, says the need for such a group has been talked about for a number of years as federal legislation increasingly impacts the seed industry.

John Schoenecker of HM.CLAUSE and the current chairman of ASTA is also serving as a SeedFirstPAC board member and is very supportive of the new energy being concentrated in this area. As part of ASTA's tradition, the chairman gets to select the conference theme and this year's is "Make Your Voice Heard."

One issue that the industry has been working to educate policymakers on is the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA). "It's vital that the United States ratify the treaty," Schoenecker says. "We need to have a seat at the table and be able to help influence what's happening with regard to the exchange of germplasm and access and benefit sharing at the international level."

Latham also cites GMO labeling as an area that has hit home for the seed industry, the current pollinator discussions and trade with the Trans-Pacific Partnership and trade promotion authority.

SeedFirstPAC is guided by a board of seed industry leaders led by Latham and vice chair Fred Mohr, turf seed business manager at Seedway. Alice Gomez of Cornerstone Public Affairs will manage the independent PAC and also serve as its treasurer. Jane DeMarchi, vice president of government and regulatory affairs for ASTA will serve as the vice-treasurer.