Monday October 26 Ag News

NEBRASKA EXTENSION TO HOLD POST-HARVEST GRAIN MARKETING WORKSHOPS

    Nebraska Extension post-harvest grain marketing workshops will be offered at 10 sites across Nebraska in November and December to assist grain producers in creating a written post-harvest marketing plan that is right for them.

    Nebraska Extension educators will present location- and commodity-specific marketing information. Topics include developing a written marketing plan, and understanding basis and carrying charges. The workshops feature the Marketing in a New Era simulator and Decide NOW smartphone app.

    Register by visiting http://go.unl.edu/marketingworkshops or calling the number provided below for the desired location. Each workshop will begin at 9:30 a.m. and end at 3 p.m. Workshops are limited to 40 participants.

    Workshop locations:

    > Nov. 5 in Ogallala at the Arterburn Youth Cabin, 305 W. 10th St., Michael Eskelson, 308-284-6051

    > Nov. 17 in Holdrege at the Phelps County Extension Office, 1308 Second St., Todd Whitney, 308-995-4222

    > Nov. 18 in Hastings at the Adams County Fairgrounds, 947 S. Baltimore Ave., Ron Seymour, 402-461-7209

    > Nov. 24 in Davenport at the Little Blue Natural Resources District, 106 N. Juniper Ave., Jenny Rees, 402-762-3644

    > Nov. 30 in Hartington at Nissen Wine, 88973 Highway 57, Jim Jansen, 402-254-6821

    > Dec. 1 in Columbus at Pinnacle Bank, 310 E. 23rd St., Allan Vyhnalek, 402-563-4901

    > Dec. 2 in Arlington at the Washington County Fairgrounds, 23656 Highway 30, Steve Tonn, 402-426-9455

    > Dec. 10 in Syracuse at the Kimmel Ag Expo Center, 198 Plum St., Monte Vandeveer, 402-269-2301

    > Dec. 15 in Scottsbluff at the Panhandle Research and Extension Center, 4502 Ave. I, Jessica Groskopf, 308-632-1247

    > Dec. 16 in Sidney at the Cheyenne County Community Center, 627 Toledo St., Karen DeBoer, 308-254-4455

    Workshops are funded by the Nebraska Soybean Board, Nebraska Corn Board, North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center, USDA-NIFA and Nebraska Extension Innovation Funding.

    For more information or assistance, contact Jessica Groskopf, Nebraska Extension educator, at 308-632-1247 or jgroskopf2@unl.edu.



Date Set for Nebraska Sheep and Goat Producers Annual Meeting and Convention

The 2015 Nebraska Sheep and Goat Producers Annual Meeting and Convention will be held November 20th and 21st in Wahoo Nebraska.

Friday, November 20th will start at noon with a tour of sheep and goat producers in the area and will finish around 5:00 pm.  We will meet at the Heritage Inn at noon before leaving for the tour.

This year the youth will be able to participate in a wool/meat judging clinic and a showmanship clinic at the Annual meeting.  After they are finished with the clinics the youth will then be able to put together a board to represent them and work side by side with the NS&GP board.

The educational program will be held in Wahoo Nebraska at the Wahoo Heritage Inn. The cost to attend the program is $25 for members or $35 for member families and nonmembers at $35 per person or $45 per family.  A block of rooms have been reserved until October 30th.  The phone number is 866-443-1288 to reserve a room (mention Nebraska Sheep and Goat Producers to get the discount).

Speakers for Saturday November 21st are:
·         Katy Whitman DVM, MS UNL-Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center, Clay Center, NE – Veterinarian Feed Directives Effect on Producers of Small Ruminants
·         Cody Chambliss, Sheep Producer from Gerdes SD – Will talk about his large flock of Merinos ewes and wool value in sheep flocks
·         Kiley Hammond, Sheep Producer – will discuss what he learned at Pipestone Sheep for Profit School
·         Ivan Rush and Roy Gerkins, Sheep Producers - will discuss the carcass results of the State Fair pen of three
·         Randy Saner Nebraska Extension Educator – will discuss Scrapies in sheep and goats and state requirements for producers.
·         Rusty Burgett – National Sheep Improvement Program Director, from Harlan Iowa – will discuss the National Sheep Improvement Program and how it will benefit the sheep industry.

For more information contact Charlene Hawkins at ne.sheep.goat@gmail.com or by phone at 402-967-3012.



IS MY ALFALFA SAFE TO GRAZE
Bruce Anderson, UNL Extension Forage Specialist

               One question I am asked every fall is “Is my alfalfa safe to graze?”.  Do you sometimes have that question?

               Is my alfalfa safe to graze?  When I hear that question I can almost imagine the scenarios from which it comes.  Usually corn stalks are ready to be grazed.  It would be convenient and useful to include an adjacent alfalfa field for extra grazing and protein.  The other scenario has grazing ending on summer range but the final growth of alfalfa is still standing in the field.

               Usually the alfalfa is still quite green, despite several nights with low temperatures in the twenties or even teens.  There may be some wilting and yellowing but most leaves still are attached to the plant stems.

               The real question often being asked is “Can I be sure my cows won’t bloat and die if they graze my alfalfa?”.  To be quite honest, you never can be 100 percent certain that alfalfa won’t cause bloat.  I remember back to my father’s small dairy farm.  Over the years that I helped on his farm, my dad had two cows that would bloat even when eating dry alfalfa hay.  Since they were good milkers he didn’t want to cull them.  So those cows were hand fed small amounts of alfalfa hay at a time so their bloat could be minimized.

               Thus, the only true answer to questions about grazing alfalfa safety is ‘probably’.  But still use good animal husbandry methods to reduce the risk.  Have cows full before turning out to alfalfa.  Wait until mid-day, after frost or dew is gone, before turning out.  Provide other dry, palatable feeds or even bloat retardants.  And keep a close eye on them for at least the first couple days.

               Alfalfa can be grazed safely.  Just be careful and realistic.



Green Plains Acquires Hopewell Ethanol Facility

Omaha-based Green Plains Inc. (NASDAQ:GPRE) today announced that it has acquired an ethanol production facility in Hopewell, Virginia, located approximately 20 miles south of Richmond, from Future Fuels LLP. Operating at full capacity, the facility's dry mill ethanol plant will increase the company's annual production capacity by approximately 60 million gallons to nearly 1.1 billion gallons per year.

"We are confident in our ability to significantly improve the plant's production economics by applying our operational and commercial expertise," said Todd Becker, president and chief executive officer. "We plan to make several capital investments before restarting the plant to increase its operational efficiency and production volume. In addition, we anticipate using the site to transload distillers grains that are produced locally and at our other plants located on the Norfolk Southern rail line into containers destined for export markets to further enhance the property's profitability."

Production is expected to resume by the end of the year and corn oil processing is expected to be operational during the second quarter of 2016. When the plant is fully operational, Green Plains expects to offer the Hopewell plant's transportation and storage assets to its master limited partnership, Green Plains Partners LP (NASDAQ:GPP).



Outstanding, Creative County Farm Bureau Programs Recognized

Twenty-eight county Farm Bureaus nationwide were recognized by the American Farm Bureau for innovative program ideas in this year’s County Activities of Excellence Awards program. The winners will be highlighted during AFBF’s 97th Annual Convention and IDEAg Trade Show, Jan. 8-13, 2016, in Orlando, Florida.

“A genuine commitment to improving county programming was clearly demonstrated by this year’s entries,” said AFBF President Bob Stallman. “Grassroots Farm Bureau members continue to find creative ways to enrich their communities by sharing information about today’s food and farming,” he said.

This year’s CAE award winners come from 11 states: California, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Carolina and Texas. The winners (listed by state and county Farm Bureau) are:

Education and Ag Promotion
    Delaware
    Farm-to-Fork Dinner, Kent
    Georgia
    Farm Bureau Farmer’s Market, Paulding
    Illinois
    Grain for Growth Wagon, Effingham
    Farm Trek 2015, Hancock and McDonough
    Farm Camp, Whiteside
    Indiana
    Fair Scavenger Hunt, Fulton
    Kansas
    A Slice of Ag in Every Pizza, Stafford
    Missouri
    Our Many Ways to Thank A Farmer, Wright
    Nebraska
    School Beef Program, Cheyenne
    Once Upon a Farm, Douglas
    Ohio
    Agriculture Awareness Day, Athens-Meigs
    The Life of a Cow, Auglaize, Logan, Darke and Clark
    Breakfast on the Farm, Fulton
    Family Agriculture Education Tents, Medina
    Texas
    Grain Bin Safety Training/Demonstration, Lamar

Member Services
    California
    A Partnership for Successful Resource Planning, Modoc
    Illinois
    Manure Pit Safety/Rescue Training, Mercer
    Nebraska
    Ag Night at the Ball Park, Lancaster
    Ohio
    Nutrient Management Record Keeper, Knox
    Farm-er-taining Ag Tour/Annual Meeting, Pike

Public Relations & Information
    California
    Stanislaus Rural Crime Alert Facebook Page, Stanislaus
    Illinois
    Grocery Giveaway, Cook
    Ohio
    Annual Thanksgiving Food Basket Giveaway, Clermont
    South Carolina
    Ag Works – Farm Eye for the City Guy, Lexington

The CAE program acknowledges and shares successful county Farm Bureau programs and activities. The awards are based on county Farm Bureau membership. Counties compete for recognition in five different groups. Those groups are county Farm Bureaus with membership of less than 1,000 members, 1,001-3,000 members, 3,001-5,000 members, more than 5,001 members, and a new category this year for collaborative multi-county activities regardless of membership size.



NRCS' Peterson Named Regional Soil Health Specialist

Doug Peterson, former Missouri Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) state soil health conservationist, was named NRCS regional soil health specialist for the states of Missouri and Iowa. One of 16 regional soil health specialists in the nation, Peterson began his new role with the agency last week.

"Doug is well-versed and very knowledgeable in soil health," State Conservationist J.R. Flores said. "It came as no surprise to me that he was selected as regional soil health specialist. Doug served as Missouri's soil health conservationist for three years and was an excellent resource for our employees. Soil health is an important topic of discussion across the nation and it's nice to see that Doug will be leading the charge in such an exciting and evolving field."

With the establishment of the National Soil Health Division at NRCS headquarters, regional soil health specialists, four in each region, provide assistance to all 50 states and territories. Peterson, who began his career with NRCS in 1987, will divide his time between Missouri and Iowa while also dedicating energy to regional and national efforts.

"I'm excited to continue my soil health work in Missouri while also providing assistance to Iowa NRCS staff and producers," Peterson said. "It's important to help people recognize and understand how improving their state's soil health can help their natural resources and profitability."



USDA Issues Safety-Net Payments to Farmers Facing Market Downturn

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that beginning today, nearly one half of the 1.7 million farms that signed up for either the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs will receive safety-net payments for the 2014 crop year.

"Unlike the old direct payments program, which paid farmers in good years and bad, the 2014 Farm Bill authorized a new safety-net that protects producers only when market forces or adverse weather cause unexpected drops in crop prices or revenues," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "For example, the corn price for 2014 is 30 percent below the historical benchmark price used by the ARC-County program, and revenues of the farms participating in the ARC-County program are down by about $20 billion from the benchmark during the same period. The nearly $4 billion provided today by the ARC and PLC safety-net programs will give assistance to producers where revenues dropped below normal."

The ARC/PLC programs primarily allow producers to continue to produce for the market by making payments on a percentage of historical base production, limiting the impact on production decisions.

Nationwide, 96 percent of soybean farms, 91 percent of corn farms, and 66 percent of wheat farms elected the ARC-County coverage option. Ninety-nine percent of long grain rice and peanut farms, and 94 percent of medium grain rice farms elected the PLC option. Overall, 76 percent of participating farm acres are protected by ARC-County, 23 percent by PLC, and 1 percent by ARC-Individual. For data about other crops, as well as state-by-state program election results, final PLC price and payment data, and other program information including frequently asked questions, visit www.fsa.usda.gov/arc-plc.

Crops receiving assistance include barley, corn, grain sorghum, lentils, oats, peanuts, dry peas, soybeans, and wheat. In the upcoming months, disbursements will be made for other crops after marketing year average prices are published by USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Any disbursements to participants in ARC-County or PLC for long and medium grain rice (except for temperate Japonica rice) will occur in November, for remaining oilseeds and also chickpeas in December, and temperate Japonica rice in early February 2016. ARC-individual payments will begin in November. Upland cotton is no longer a covered commodity.

The Budget Control Act of 2011, passed by Congress, requires USDA to reduce payments by 6.8 percent. For more information, producers are encouraged to visit their local Farm Service Agency office.



WHO Considers Risk In Classifying Carcinogens

For the first time, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) included in a report on agents causing cancer the relative risk of getting the disease, a significant development, according to numerous observers at a recent meeting of the group.

The World Health Organization agency at an Oct. 6-13 meeting in Lyon, France, concluded that the relative risk of contracting cancer from consuming red or processed meat is low. It did classify processed meat as a cause of colorectal cancer and a possible cause of gastric cancer and red meat as a probable cause of colorectal cancer and a possible cause of pancreatic and prostate cancer. IARC previously has classified as carcinogens such things as sunlight, alcoholic beverages and being a barber.

“You know, my mother used to say, ‘Everything in moderation,’” said National Pork Producers Council President Dr. Ron Prestage, a veterinarian and pork producer from Camden, S.C. “She was a very smart woman, and the smart people out there know you don’t eat a pound of anything every day. So take this IARC report with a grain of salt, but not too much salt because that would be bad for you.”

The IARC classifications on meat, said NPPC, were reached after including studies that did not have statistically significant results, meaning the conclusions are questionable. In fact, IARC’s conclusions were based on “relatively weak statistical associations from epidemiological studies that were not designed to show cause and effect.” In many of the studies, cancer risks were only associated with high levels of consumption.

In a May 2015 review of epidemiological studies on cancer and meat, David Klurfeld, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, found: “Most observational studies report small, increased relative risks [of cancer]. However, there are many limitations of such studies, including inability to accurately estimate intake, lack of pre-specified hypotheses, multiple comparisons, and confounding from many factors – including body weight, fruit/vegetable intake, physical activity, smoking, and alcohol – that correlate significantly either positively or negatively with meat intake and limit the reliability of conclusions from these studies.”

IARC did note that most colorectal cancers are caused by more than one agent and that cancer trends are related to the amount of an agent or agents consumed. A monograph on the agency’s conclusions is expected to be published next summer or fall.

NPPC, which had a representative at the IARC meeting, said many studies show that eating lean, protein-packed and nutrient-dense processed meats such as ham can help fight obesity, which is universally accepted as one of the leading causes of cancer.

According to the National Institutes of Health’s National Cancer Institute, obesity and physical inactivity may account for 25 to 30 percent of several major cancers, including colon cancer. The institute has noted that a 2002 “major” review of observational trials showed that physical activity reduced colon cancer risk by 50 percent: www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/obesity/obesity-fact-sheet.



Science Does Not Support International Agency Opinion on Red Meat and Cancer

An international committee assigned to review all of the available evidence on red meat and cancer risk were divided on their opinion whether to label red meat a “probable” cause of cancer, according to the Beef Checkoff nutrition scientist and registered dietitian who observed the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) process. After seven days of deliberation in Lyon, France, IARC was unable to reach a consensus agreement from a group of 22 experts in the field of cancer research, something that IARC has proudly highlighted they strive for and typically achieve. In this case, they had to settle for “majority” agreement.

“Cancer is a complex disease that even the best and brightest minds don’t fully understand,” says Shalene McNeill, PhD, RD. “Billions of dollars have been spent on studies all over the world and no single food has ever been proven to cause or cure cancer. The opinion by the IARC committee to list red meat as a probable carcinogen does not change that fact. The available scientific evidence simply does not support a causal relationship between red or processed meat and any type of cancer.”

Most scientists agree that it is unrealistic to isolate a single food as a cause of cancer from a complex dietary pattern further confounded by lifestyle and environmental factors.
“As a registered dietitian and mother, my advice hasn’t changed. To improve all aspects of your health, eat a balanced diet, which includes lean meats like beef, maintain a healthy weight, be physically active and, please don’t smoke,” says McNeill.

While IARC represents a select group of opinions, it doesn’t always represent consensus in the scientific community.

A large meta-analysis, published online in May in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, analyzed the relationship between red meat intake and risk for colorectal cancer and concluded “red meat does not appear to be an independent predictor of CRC risk,” according to Dominik Alexander, PhD, MSPH, the epidemiologist who conducted the research on behalf of the Beef Checkoff.

“There are a constellation of factors that are associated with the probability of getting cancer, which include age, genetics, socioeconomic characteristics, obesity, lack of physical activity, where you grew up, alcohol consumption, smoking and even your profession,” says Alexander. “The bottom line is the epidemiologic science on red meat consumption and cancer is best described as weak associations and an evidence base that has weakened over time. And most importantly, because red meat is consumed in the context of hundreds of other foods and is correlated with other behavioral factors, it is not valid to conclude red meat is an independent cause of cancer.”

According to Alexander, studies in nutritional epidemiology can be highly prone to bias such as self-reported dietary intake, for which habits may change over time. Because of this, associations reported in nutritional epidemiology may be surrounded by uncertainty. For
instance, most, if not all, of the observational studies with red meat are limited by confounding factors; for example, studies have shown that people who consume the most red meat are the most likely to smoke, eat fewer fruits and vegetables and be overweight or obese – all of which may confound the relationship between eating red meat and risk of cancer.

Also, more recent studies in large cohorts are now finding either no association or non-significant findings between red meat and cancer. For example, a recent study out of Harvard using the well known The Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) and The Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS) found unprocessed meat intake had an inverse association with distal colon cancer and a weak, statistically non-significant, positive association with risk of proximal colon cancer.

In addition, gold standard nutrition evidence, such as the Women’s Health Initiative and the Polyp Prevention Trial, two large, multi-year randomized controlled dietary interventions, found that a 20 percent reduction in red meat consumption did not reduce the risk of colorectal cancer and/or had no effect on adenoma recurrence in the large bowel. These studies were disregarded from the IARC review.

“Given the weak associations in human studies and lack of evidence in animal studies it is hard to reconcile the committee’s vote,” says nutritional toxicologist James Coughlin, PhD, CFS. “Of more than 900 items IARC has reviewed, including coffee, sunlight and night shift work, they have found only one ‘probably’ does not cause cancer according to their classification system.”

Coughlin, a toxicologist with more than 40 years of experience in meat and cancer, is critical of the IARC review process due to the lack of transparency, selective inclusion or exclusion of studies and broad interpretation of study results that are inconsistent with the conclusions of the study authors.

“In my experience as an observer to an IARC working group, the process typically involves scientists who have previously published research on the substance being reviewed and may have a vested interest in defending their own research” says Coughlin. “In the case of red and processed meat, the overall scientific evidence simply does not support their conclusion.”



Soil Health Partnership farmer leader earns White House award

Tim Smith remembers driving a Model G two-cylinder tractor to plow his family’s farm in North Central Iowa. Today, still farming that same land, he is a leader in adopting advanced agricultural practices to improve soil health. Doing so protects the water that ends up in the Gulf of Mexico.

In recognition of his commitment to adopting new practices and teaching others, Smith received the White House Champions of Change award on Oct. 26 in Washington, D.C. The Soil Health Partnership and Iowa Soybean Association both nominated Smith for the award.

“American agriculture is more advanced and efficient than ever, but making deeper changes in the business of farming will enable us do even better for long-term sustainability,” Smith said. “Losing precious soil is not sustainable. Farmers are becoming more aware of this and the impact it has.”

Smith farms near Eagle Grove, Iowa, in the Boone River Watershed. In 2011, he signed up for a federal program that identified the watershed as a priority for reducing nitrate and phosphorous levels in the Gulf of Mexico. In 2014, he joined the newly formed Soil Health Partnership, which over a five-year period will identify, test and measure farm management practices that improve soil health and benefit farmers.

The practices Smith has changed on his farm include:
-    Scientific nutrient management, using the latest technology to help measure and optimize the application of fertilizer on his crops.
-    Installing a bioreactor on his farm, a trench filled with a carbon source, like wood chips, which serves as a food source for microorganisms that break down nitrate in the water.
-    Using strip-till to prepare his land for planting, a less-intensive method of tillage. By utilizing less intensive tillage on his land, beneficial fungi and bacteria can thrive, soil gas exchanges improve, water holding capacity increases and nutrient use efficiency can improve.
-    Growing cover crops like cereal rye on 550 of his 800 acres. Cover crops help store excess nitrates that might otherwise leach into groundwater. They also help prevent erosion.  

“Tim Smith truly believes in creating lasting change, and has generously used the knowledge he’s gained to teach others,” said Nicholas Goeser, director of the SHP. “He has shown hundreds if not thousands of farmers, students and others how environmental stewardship can protect the watershed, optimize yields, enhance profits and improve the soil’s overall profile for years to come.”

Smith tells other farmers that it’s not hard to change practices. He shows photos of his father using a moldboard plow years ago, saying at one time, “…we thought we couldn’t farm without a plow.”

“Change is nothing to fear,” Smith said. “Farming practices have always evolved, and will continue evolving.”

The Champions of Change award recognizes ordinary Americans doing extraordinary things in their communities. Smith was recognized with several others in the “Sustainable and Climate-Smart Agriculture” category.



FFA Members Amplify Their Voices at 88th National FFA Convention & Expo

This week, FFA members from across the country will arrive in Louisville, Ky., to celebrate the 88th National FFA Convention & Expo. It is a time when students, advisors and guests will celebrate the top achievers in the organization, give back to the community and work together to promote the message of agriculture and agricultural education.

Convention events will take place at several venues in downtown Louisville, the city’s suburbs and beyond. Nine general sessions through Saturday, Oct. 31 will bring together thousands of FFA members under one roof at the Kentucky Exposition Center. Students will have countless opportunities to engage exhibitors from more than 450 corporations, organizations and colleges Oct. 28-30 at the expo, inside the center.

The convention and expo will kick off on Tuesday, Oct. 27 with the Welcome Lunch at 11:30 a.m. in the Kentucky Exposition Center, where present and former FFA members will share how FFA has impacted their lives.

On the afternoon of Wednesday Oct. 28, the first general session will feature a video tribute to the 85th anniversary of the FFA Creed. Special thanks to Jackson Tiffany, Jimmy Carter, the Georgia FFA Association and Branch Carter, Easton Corbin, Travis Bradshaw and the FFA members who helped make the tribute a reality.

The evening of Thursday, Oct. 29, USDA Deputy Secretary Krysta Hardin will give remarks during the third general session. The four American Star Awards will also be presented to FFA members who demonstrate outstanding agricultural skills and competencies through completion of a supervised agricultural experience program.

Throughout the week, students will attend more than 70 leadership and personal growth workshops. FFA members will also tour industry destinations. In addition, students will roll up their sleeves and participate in several planned community service initiatives during the week, as part of the National Days of Service.

The convention and expo will conclude on Saturday, Oct. 31 with the conferring of the American FFA Degree in the morning and the election of the 2015-16 National FFA Officers in the afternoon.

The convention and expo will bring an estimated economic impact of $40 million, making it the largest convention for Louisville this year. Attendees will stay in 136 hotels within a 60-mile radius of Louisville. This will be the last year for the event to be in Louisville, as the convention and expo will be in Indianapolis from 2016-2024.

For daily updates on the convention and expo, visit FFA.org, or sign up to receive email alerts at FFA.org/subscribe.



Roberts, Klobuchar Bill to Help Farmers Purchase New Equipment

U.S. Senators Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced bipartisan legislation to help farmers purchase new equipment and replace worn-out machinery by amending the U.S. tax code to permanently set a five-year depreciation schedule for certain agricultural equipment. The current tax code sets a seven-year depreciation cost recovery period for agricultural equipment. Changing the depreciation schedule for agricultural equipment to five years would make the tax code more consistent and support rural development by aligning the length of time that farmers can take a depreciation deduction with the average useful life of that property.

"This commonsense legislation will give farmers and ranchers the certainty they need to invest in new, more modern equipment so they can create more jobs and growth in our communities," said Roberts, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee. "A five year depreciation schedule allows for predictability and fairness in our overly complex tax code, giving the agriculture community the ability to produce more efficiently and at a lower cost."

"Agriculture is cyclical in nature with producers making large investments in their crops, livestock, buildings, and equipment," Klobuchar said. "We need to ensure our tax code is fair for farmers so that they can purchase the modern equipment that will allow them to produce more while spending less. This commonsense legislation will put money back in the pockets of our farmers and ranchers and enable them to grow our agricultural economy and strengthen our rural communities."

Under the tax code, taxpayers are allowed a depreciation deduction to allow them to recover the costs of investing in certain property, like farm machinery and farm-use motor vehicles. The recovery period for the deduction should match the useful life and financing of that property. According to surveys from the USDA's Farm Service Agency, on average farmers and ranchers finance farm equipment and machinery for five years.

This bill is supported by the American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Farmers Union.



Vilsack Announces Additional Progress in Addressing Childhood Hunger, Applauds Pediatricians for their Commitment

Today at the American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference and Exhibition, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that with the current school year underway, 97 percent of schools now report successfully meeting updated nutrition standards, and the number of eligible high-poverty schools utilizing USDA's Community Eligibility Provision has increased by 20 percent since last year. The Community Eligibility Program ensures universal access to healthy food for all children attending high-poverty schools, and this is the second school year that it has been available nationwide. Secretary Vilsack made this announcement before the members of the American Academy of Pediatrics which just this weekend demonstrated their commitment to improving child nutrition by releasing a policy statement calling for pediatricians across the country to play a role in reducing childhood food insecurity.

"The numbers released today, and the actions of these pediatricians, are a reflection of the commitment by thousands of schools, communities, physicians and nutrition leaders across the country to ensuring a healthier next generation," said Secretary Vilsack. "Thanks to the improvements we have made in school nutrition, our nation's children show up each day to healthier school environments, where they can easily get the nutrients they need for academic success and healthier futures. It is imperative that Congress moves quickly to reauthorize child nutrition legislation to give these men and women predictability in the work they are doing, and most importantly so that we do not reverse the progress made to date in improving the health and future well-being of America's children."

More than 15 million American children live in food-insecure households, without consistent access to sufficient food. In high-poverty schools, where a large percentage of students are in households receiving certain types of means-tested assistance, the Community Eligibility Provision allows schools to provide free meals to all students through a cost sharing model where part of the cost is covered by the federal government and the rest is picked up by the school. To date, more than 17,000 schools in high-poverty areas are offering nutritious meals to about 8 million students at no direct cost to the students through this provision.

Across the country, schools participating in CEP are making great strides in the fight against childhood hunger. They're also experiencing a number of other positive effects, such as significantly lower erroneous payments, decreased administrative burden for schools and parents, and increased participation in meal programs. This is, in part, because CEP works well with alternative breakfast models -- such as breakfast in the classroom, grab-n-go and second chance breakfasts -- that incorporate breakfast into the school day. The meals they serve are healthier than ever; nationwide, 97 percent of schools are now meeting the updated nutrition standards, and, as a result, students are trying new foods and eating more fruits and vegetables.



 CWT Assists with 1.5 million Pounds of Cheese Export Sales

Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has accepted 14 requests for export assistance from Dairy Farmers of America, Northwest Dairy Association (Darigold) and Tillamook County Creamery Association who have contracts to sell 1.524 million pounds (692 metric tons) of Cheddar and Gouda cheese to customers in Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and Oceania. The product has been contracted for delivery in the period from October 2015 through April 2016.

Year-to-date, CWT has assisted member cooperatives who have contracts to sell 51.797 million pounds of cheese, 25.671 million pounds of butter and 35.080 million pounds of whole milk powder to thirty-five countries on six continents. The amounts of cheese, butter and whole milk powder in these sales contracts represent the equivalent of 1.308 billion pounds of milk on a milkfat basis.

Assisting CWT members through the Export Assistance program, in the long-term, helps member cooperatives gain and maintain market share, thus expanding the demand for U.S. dairy products and the U.S. farm milk that produces them. This, in turn, positively impacts all U.S. dairy farmers by strengthening and maintaining the value of dairy products that directly impact their milk price.



NMPF Board Advances Phase-Out of Tail Docking

The board of the National Milk Producers Federation today set January 1, 2017, as the date for dairy farmers participating in the industry’s Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) Animal Care Program to phase out the routine practice of tail docking.

At the Federation’s annual meeting here, the board approved a resolution hastening by five years the previously established 2022 deadline for discontinuing tail docking.  The resolution will be incorporated into the dozens of animal care measures designed for the FARM Program to ensure the consistent, optimal care of dairy cows in the United States.

“On this issue, the science, the advice of our technical experts and requests from our dairy customers and consumers are all aligned,” said NMPF President and CEO Jim Mulhern. “Today’s action demonstrates that dairy producer-leaders want to be proactive, yet pragmatic, in addressing animal care concerns.”

NMPF started the FARM Animal Care Program in 2009 to highlight how much the dairy industry is doing to improve animal care. Dairy farmers supplying milk to dairy cooperatives and processors representing more than 90 percent of the nation’s milk supply now participate. The program demonstrates the commitment dairy producers have to providing quality care to their cows.

Also at the NMPF annual meeting, the FARM Animal Care Program unveiled new communications resources, including a revamped website and stepped-up social media engagement on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The new resources will help share stories of dedicated farmers, healthy cows and wholesome milk.

“While tail docking may be contentious for some, our producers have a great story to tell when it comes to animal care,” said Mulhern. “It is crucial that we share these stories and discuss animal care in a way that connects our values with those of our customers and consumers.”

The annual meeting will also feature on Tuesday an animal care panel discussion that includes representatives from Chobani, Walmart, Starbucks and Kroger.



Court Hears Arguments in EPA Data Release Lawsuit

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit in St. Louis heard oral arguments last week in a lawsuit brought by National Pork Producers Council and the American Farm Bureau Federation over the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's release to environmental activists of personal data on thousands of livestock farmers. The groups are asking the Court of Appeals to reverse a U.S. District Court's decision to dismiss their lawsuit against EPA.

The lower court ruled that NPPC and AFBF lacked "standing" to bring the case since, according to the court, they suffered no harm from EPA's February 2013 release of information from farms in 30 states to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Earth Justice and the Pew Charitable Trusts under Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests the groups filed.

In some instances, the data contained farmers' home addresses, phone numbers, e-mail addresses and personal medical information.

After objections from NPPC, AFBF and other farm groups, EPA requested that the environmental organizations return the data but reissued it after redacting some of the information. The reissued data still contained some personal information on farmers.

In July 2013, the agency was set to release more data when the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota court issued a restraining order. That court in April dismissed the case. It's unclear when the Court of Appeals will issue its ruling.