Wednesday June 7 Ag News

National Pork Board Elects New Officers
Nebraska pig farmer Terry O’Neel to lead the Pork Checkoff

Terry O’Neel, a pork producer from Friend, Nebraska, was elected as president of the National Pork Board at the organization’s June board meeting in Des Moines, Iowa. The National Pork Board is comprised of 15 farmer-directors representing America’s pig farmers.

“I am proud to represent our 60,000 pig farmers and I am both honored and humbled by the confidence that the board is placing in me,” O’Neel said. “From the farm, through food chain partnerships, to the consumer’s table, people care about how their food is produced. I look forward to helping to tell the story of real pig farming in the year ahead, and also to meet first hand with the leaders who deliver our product from farm to table.”

O’Neel and his wife Diane own and operate O’Neel Farms in Friend, Nebraska, a farrow-to-finish pig farm that markets 12,000 pigs annually. In addition to pigs, O’Neel Farms also grows corn and soybeans on 700 acres.

Serving with O’Neel on the executive officer team of the Pork Checkoff is vice president Steve Rommereim, a pork producer from Alcester, South Dakota, and, as treasurer, Brett Kaysen, a pig farmer from Nunn, Colorado. Jan Archer, a pork producer from Goldsboro, North Carolina, will serve as immediate past president. The four executive officers will serve one-year terms in their positions effective at the close of the June board meeting.

“As an industry, we stand ready to face our challenges and to celebrate our successes,” O’Neel said. “And we have so much going for us – from establishing our Secure Pork Supply plan to redesigning how we market our product. The Pork Checkoff is energized and we stand ready to roll up our sleeves and get to work in support of research, pork promotion and consumer and producer education.”



Pork Checkoff Builds Momentum for Secure Pork Supply Plan

The National Pork Board, with major support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is creating a Secure Pork Supply plan to help America’s pig farmers respond quickly and successfully to a major threat, such as a foreign animal disease (FAD). The plan will enhance communication and coordination of all pork chain segments to help producers keep their farms operating and all related business activities functioning.

“We’re thankful that our country has not experienced a disease such as foot-and-mouth (FMD) since 1929,” said Terry O’Neel, National Pork Board president from Friend, Nebraska. “However, if we get the news that FMD, African swine fever or another foreign animal disease has arrived, the Secure Pork Supply plan will pay big dividends by getting pork production back to normal much faster.”

An Iowa State University study estimates potential revenue losses to U.S. pork and beef industries from an FMD outbreak would run $12.8 billion per year or $128 billion over a 10-year period. Related losses to corn and soybean markets over a decade would be $44 billion and $24.9 billion, respectively.

The Secure Pork Supply plan will provide procedures that pork producers, processors and federal/state agencies agree are feasible should an FAD strike, according to veterinarian Patrick Webb, director of swine health programs for the Pork Checkoff. This would include the safe movement of animals from farms in an FAD control area to harvest channels or to other production sites as long as the pigs have no evidence of disease.

“The Secure Pork Supply plan will provide business continuity to producers who enroll prior to an outbreak, which will allow them to be back in business faster than those who do not participate,” Webb said.

Basics of the plan that will help producer achieve this include implementing sound biosecurity, using premises identification tags, keeping detailed production records and maintaining all necessary health papers and certificates.

“As a pork producer, I want to be ready when it’s time to sign up as a participant in the Secure Pork Supply program,” O’Neel said. “In the meantime, let’s all prepare by ramping up our farms biosecurity measures and other steps so we’ll be ready to go.”

The Secure Pork Supply plan is the result of ongoing collaboration between the USDA, the National Pork Board, the National Pork Producers Council, the American Association of Swine Veterinarians and academia as well as other state and federal partners.

“The National Pork Board and our producer leaders believe that investing in the Secure Pork Supply Plan now will help the entire industry in the face of a future FAD outbreak,” said Bill Even, National Pork Board CEO. “Pork producers are known for being innovative leaders, and through this work, the Pork Checkoff is taking a leadership role in being prepared.”



NE, KS, OK, & MO Beef Checkoff Hosts Nutrition Adventure 2017

The Nebraska Beef Council, in partnership with the Kansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri beef councils, hosted a select group of 27 registered dietitians from 10 states in Kansas City, for Nutrition Adventure 2017. The checkoff-funded event, held the last week of May, emphasized beef’s nutritional profile and culinary versatility through practical applications and immersion experiences.  The attendees were selected given their high level of involvement on social media and blog platforms.

Attendees at the checkoff-funded event learned about beef nutrition, including lean cuts of beef, optimal protein levels in the diet and emerging human nutrition research. Registered dietitian Holley Grainger provided the group with practical solutions to help families prepare for mealtime through interactive demonstrations. Afterward, the dietitians were tasked with utilizing unique and trendy ingredients to maximize taste, flavor, and eating experience during a hands-on beef cooking competition.

The group also took part in a hands-on session covering food photography, live videos and promotion to showcase recipes on their blogs.  For Cheryl Mussatto, dietitian and columnist at Eat Well to Be Well, the program emphasized beef’s nutritional value.  “We don’t need to be scared of beef.  There are nearly 40 cuts of lean beef and it’s leaner than it used to be.  Beef is such a high-quality food with so many nutrients, consumers don’t need to be afraid of beef.  They can buy it for their family and serve it at home.”

A highlight of the event was a tour of Tailgate Ranch near Tonganoxie, Kansas. There, the group visited with area beef producers and participated in a panel discussion with Kirk Sours, a cow-calf producer and manager of Tailgate Ranch; Dan Thomson, a veterinarian from the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine; Jack Klosterman, a feedyard operator with Grass Valley Feeders in David City, Nebraska; and Angie Siemens, vice president of food safety, quality and regulatory with Cargill Meat Solutions in Wichita. A variety of topics were addressed including factually defining conventional, organic, natural and grass-finished beef and the use of growth hormones in cattle.

For the attendees, the panel discussion provided insight to the beef production cycle.  “We have a disconnect with our food.  We sat next to farmers and saw first-hand what was going on,” said Jana Mowrer, dietitian from Fresno, California.  “It’s completely opposite of what’s in the media and documentaries.”  She added that the experience would help her when interacting with clients. “Dietitians are the ones working with people to help make their diets and create meal plans. We have to be able to provide correct information to consumers.”

 

Animal Disease Traceability Public Meetings in July

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), in collaboration with local State Animal Health Officials, is hosting two additional meetings regarding the Animal Disease Traceability (ADT) system with the primary focus of traceability in the cattle and bison sectors. The initial ADT framework contained basic traceability components and was supported by the January 2013 regulation, "Traceability for Livestock Moving Interstate." APHIS and State Officials will provide information on what has been accomplished as well traceability gaps or shortfalls. The purpose of the meetings, however, is to hear from the industry on their experiences with ADT: What areas are working well? What aspects are challenging, confusing, or problematic? How can these obstacles can be rectified? In addition APHIS would like to obtain stakeholder views on the longer-term issues; in particular, what is the level of traceability that should be considered if we are to move beyond the basic traceability framework.

The upcoming meetings will be held on July 18 and 20 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (local time) each day. The public meetings will be held in the following locations:

- July 18: Embassy Suites Omaha Downtown, 555 South 10th Street, Omaha, Neb.

- July 20: Dallas/Fort Worth Marriott Hotel & Golf Club at Champions Circle, 3300 Championship Parkway, Fort Worth, Texas.

If you plan to attend a meeting, you are asked to register in advance by visiting www.aphis.usda.gov/animal-health/adt-meeting-registrations. Same-day registration will also be available at each meeting site. The USDA will accept written statements regarding the ADT system until July 31. You may also submit written statements using one of the following methods:

- Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov/#!docketDetail;D=APHIS-2017-0016.

- Postal Mail/Commercial Delivery: Send your comment to Docket No. APHIS-2017-0016, Regulatory Analysis and Development, PPD, APHIS, Station 3A-03.8, 4700 River Road Unit 118, Riverdale, MD 20737-1238.

For more information you may contact Dr. Sunny Geiser-Novotny, Cattle Health Staff/ADT Veterinarian, Surveillance, Preparedness, and Response Services, VS, APHIS, 2150 Centre Avenue, Building B, Mailstop 3E13, Room 3E97, Fort Collins, CO 80526, (970) 494-7372.



FFA Award Winners Tour Ireland, Gain Perspective on Global Agriculture

As the agricultural community becomes increasingly global, it is crucial that young people considering careers in the industry understand the opportunities and challenges of international trade. A group of 52 national FFA award winners will tour agricultural sites in Ireland this summer and compare the industries of Ireland and the United States. Following an orientation session in New York City on June 8, the group will depart for a nine-day tour.

Participants were selected from the 188 National FFA Agricultural Proficiency Award finalists and the 16 American Star Award national finalists named last October at the 89th National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis. The international experience, as well as cash awards and plaques, are made possible by business and industry contributions to the National FFA Foundation.

Students participating in the trip include:
Nebraska: Brent Miller of Lyons and Jordan Paine of Oxford
Iowa: Marta Grant of Preston
South Dakota: Shane Mueller of Garretson and Liz Renner of Garretson
Kansas: Natalie Harris of Abilene and Tyler Phillips of Emporia

Through June 16, participants will visit dairy, sheep, mussel and potato farms and a water buffalo dairy. In addition, they will visit a beef farm, which is one of the original members of the West Cork Beef Producers' Group, and the Irish National Stud Thoroughbred Horse breeding facility. FFA members will also visit Blarney Castle, experience the famed Ring of Kerry, view famous mountains and lakes and visit the dramatic 650-foot Cliffs of Moher. 

During the trip, students have an opportunity to experience global agriculture and the culture of the Emerald Isle. The international travel experience is an educational study trip designed to introduce award participants to agriculture as it is practiced in other countries.



30th annual ACE conference highlights market momentum

The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) conference coming up Aug. 15-17 in Omaha features retailers, fuel marketers and ethanol plants helping grow nationwide availability of higher ethanol blends.

“This year’s conference again showcases people who are doing the actual work of developing new markets for ethanol,” said Ron Lamberty, senior vice president of ACE. “The real-world experience these speakers bring to our conference can be a valuable learning opportunity for ACE conference attendees.”

Two fuel marketers will talk about steps they’ve taken to make higher blends available to more drivers during one of the conference’s general session discussions. Charlie Bosselman of Bosselman Enterprises and Pump & Pantry c-stores will be joined by JETZ Convenience Centers owner Bob O’Connor to explain how they’re adding E15 and flex fuel locations and how those new fuels impact their bottom lines.

“I am excited about telling ACE conference attendees why Jetz became the first retailer in Milwaukee to offer E15 and flex fuels,” O’Connor said. “Milwaukee is a low-RVP [Reid vapor pressure] market, so we can promote and sell E15 year-round, and the higher octane and lower price of E15 is bringing in new business. There are challenges, but I look forward to discussing the upside of marketing higher blends at the ACE Conference.”

Retailers like Bosselman and O’Connor know the importance of promoting new fuels with successful retail grand openings and re-openings. This year’s conference will include a breakout session in which leadership from ethanol plants Glacial Lakes Energy and Siouxland Ethanol will detail how they have pulled off effective retail introductions of E15 and E30 with well-executed retail promotions.

ACE’s 30th annual conference also features a breakout session with Bosselman Enterprises and Husker Ag. They’ll explain how they are growing their volume by supplying ethanol directly to retailers by passing on Renewable Identification Number (RIN) value and promoting ethanol’s other marketplace advantages. Attendees will leave the conference with an understanding of how ethanol producers and fuel marketers can make more competitively priced ethanol available to drivers through direct marketing to station owners.

“If you want to sell more ethanol, the easiest, most cost-effective way is by listening to the people who are already out there getting it done,” Lamberty said. “We’re proud that again this year, some of those people will be joining us and helping ethanol producers, fuel retailers and others understand how they can move more ethanol gallons.”  

Register online for the conference at http://www.regonline.com/aceconference30. More details on this year’s conference agenda can be found at https://ethanol.org/events/conference.



Gov. Reynolds, Iowa Soybean Association to participate in July ag trade mission to China

Iowa Soybean Association (ISA) representatives will accompany Gov. Kim Reynolds and more than 20 agricultural leaders for a historic trade mission to China July 19-28 to boost demand for Iowa-grown grains, meat, milk and eggs.

The delegation representing Iowa’s soybean, corn, beef, turkey, dairy, poultry and pork industries will be greeted in the country of nearly 1.4 billion by Terry Branstad, Iowa’s former governor and new U.S. trade ambassador to China.

“It’s my sixth trade mission to China because the country is a priority for Iowa and our farm families,” says Reynolds. “One of every six jobs in Iowa is tied to trade, benefiting every sector of the state’s economy.

“The Iowa brand is meaningful and carries to all markets across the world,” she added. “Growing markets ultimately improve Iowa’s economy and you do that by building relationships and meeting customers in their countries to better understand their needs.”

ISA CEO Kirk Leeds, who has traveled to China 20 times on behalf of the soybean industry, reaffirmed the country’s importance as a trading partner and thus a frequent destination for Iowa business leaders. China has 10 percent of the world’s arable land and 20 percent of the global population, he said.

“An estimated 300-400 million Chinese will join the middle class in the next decade, a number equal to the population of the United States,” Leeds said. “This growing affluence will increase demand for protein.”

China, which wasn’t in the market for soybeans 15 years ago, currently accounts for 60 percent of global soybean imports – and growing.

“We’re honored to be part of the mission and looking forward to meeting Ambassador Branstad when we arrive in China,” Leeds added. “It’s truly a great day for agriculture to have Gov. Reynolds leading an agricultural delegation united in its mission of increasing market opportunities for Iowa farmers.”

While in China, the delegation will make stops in Shanghai, Xi’an and Beijing. They’ll tour of an aquaculture demonstration farm funded by Iowa soybean farmers and the soybean checkoff, attend industry briefings on China’s market and demographic trends and participate in meetings with Chinese government officials. The group will also attend an evening reception hosted by Ambassador Branstad.

Trade with China is a big deal for Iowa and U.S. soybean farmers, said ISA President Rolland Schnell. One of every four rows of soybeans grown in Iowa is destined for China.

“It’s a vital market and an historic trip,” he said. “Relationships matter for the Chinese. Rarely do they do business with people they don’t know.”

ISA leaders joining Schnell and Leeds on the delegation are District 7 Director Jeff Jorgenson of Sidney, COO Karey Claghorn, Market Development Director Grant Kimberley and Sr. Communications Manager Joe Murphy.

“Personally, I want to gauge the strength of the Chinese market for soybeans,” said Kimberley. “While reading reports and listening to advisors can be helpful, you really don’t have a full scope of the market until you’re there, can verify the situation first-hand and visit directly with the people who buy, process and trade agricultural commodities.”

“The delegation will further solidify with the leaders of China that we are partners in meeting mutual goals in food security, safety and sustainability.”

Additional facts about China:
-    The U.S. soy family (through national and state checkoff dollars) has invested $1.3 million in an In-Pond Raceway System technology.
-    Since 2014, the China Ministry of Agriculture and private industry have invested over $200 million dollars in pond renovation.
-    China produces more farm-raised seafood than the rest of the world combined. In 2015, China increased production by 4 percent with a total of just under 50 million metric tons of aquaculture products.
-    Total aquafeed use in China was around 36 million metric tons with the soy product use for aquafeed estimated at around 8.8 million metric tons in 2015. This equals 408 million bushels of soybeans.
-    China is by far the largest soybean importer projected at 83 million metric tons, or a little more than 3 billion bushels.
-    U.S. market share of China’s soybean demand is 36.5 percent (nearly 1.1 billion bushels).
-    About one out of every four rows of Iowa soybeans is exported to China.
-    Soybeans are crushed into soybean meal in China to feed its 730 million pigs. Chickens are the second largest consumer of meal. China is the world’s No. 1 egg producer. Soybean oil is needed for cooking.



DYK Beef Shorts – The latest news from the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion & Research Board

Did you know ... alternative proteins, including vegetable products and laboratory-produced “meat,” are consistently in the media spotlight as millennials explore new protein options and food trends? Often, this media coverage suggests that alternative proteins are better for consumers. Nutrition research, however, shows that lean beef, can be just as nutritious as plant-based proteins. Because of these findings and the media landscape, the checkoff-funded Issues Management and Media Relations team created and shared a blog post on Facts About Beef titled Alternative Proteins: Better Than Real Beef? to help offer science-based comparisons of alternative plant proteins and real beef. The article highlights the protein power of beef while pointing out the caloric load of some non-meat proteins. 

Did you know ... the checkoff-funded Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program, in partnership with the National Dairy FARM Program, announced the release of a stockmanship training video as part of the ongoing collaboration between both programs? The 27-minute video is divided into several chapters, including “Point of Balance,” “Understanding the Flight Zone” and “Utilizing Tools to Effectively Move Cattle.” Each segment contains reminder points and multiple-choice questions to test viewers on the content. The video can serve as a training resource to satisfy the FARM Animal Care Version 3.0 requirement for annual employee training. The video is available on the FARM Program website and YouTube page in both English and Spanish. 

Did you know ... the BQA program, as a part of ongoing efforts to reach a broader audience of beef producers, is supporting a multispecies youth quality assurance training platform: Youth for the Quality Care of Animals? The checkoff-funded BQA program was involved in creating the training curriculum and content during the development phase, and now supports the program through its online and in-person training components. The curriculum is designed for youth ages 8 to 21 who raise livestock. Key quality assurance standards and guidelines are touched on through interactive online training activities and in-person, hands-on trainings. Fairs and shows across the country are expressing support for the platform as they find many of their youth exhibitors showing animals across multiple species. For information and training, visit www.YQCA.org.

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



EIA: Ethanol Stocks, Production Down

Energy Information Administration data for the week-ended June 2 shows a drawdown in domestic fuel ethanol inventories while plant production and implied demand also dropped.

The EIA's Weekly Petroleum Status Report for the week profiled shows fuel ethanol stockpiles dropped by roughly 800,000 barrels (bbl), or 3.5%, to 22.0 million bbl, yet stocks were nearly 9% higher than the same week in 2016.

Domestic plant production fell 21,000 barrels per day (bpd), or 2.1%, to 999,000 bpd last week, while 7,000 bpd lower than a year ago. For the four weeks ended last week, ethanol production averaged 1.014 million bpd, 49,000 bpd higher than the same four-week period in 2016.

Net refiner and blender inputs, a gauge for ethanol demand, dropped 41,000 bpd, or 4.3%, to 909,000 bpd during the week-ended June 2, yet were 5,000 bpd higher than a year ago. For the four-week period ended June 2, blending demand averaged 939,000 bpd, up 24,000 bpd from the corresponding four-week period in 2016.



Fertilizer Prices Remain Firm

As in recent weeks, retail fertilizer prices continued steady during the last week of May 2017, according to retailers surveyed by DTN.

Of the eight major fertilizers, half were just slightly higher compared to a month earlier. These were DAP, MAP, potash, and UAN28. DAP had an average price of $436/ton, MAP $471/ton, potash $340/ton and UAN28 $248/ton.

The remaining four fertilizers were slightly lower in price from last month. Urea had an average price of $339/ton, 10-34-0 $436/ton, anhydrous $503/ton and UAN32 $280/ton.

On a price per pound of nitrogen basis, the average urea price was at $0.37/lb.N, anhydrous $0.31/lb.N, UAN28 $0.44/lb.N and UAN32 $0.44/lb.N.

Retail fertilizers are lower compared to a year earlier. Half of the eight major fertilizers are still double digits lower.

10-34-0 is 22% lower from a year ago, anhydrous is 13% less expensive, UAN32 is 11% lower and urea is down 10%. DAP is 8% less expensive, UAN28 is 7% lower and both MAP and potash are 6% less expensive.



NCGA Applauds Trump for Prioritizing Infrastructure

The National Corn Growers Association applauded President Trump’s pledge today to make rebuilding America’s infrastructure a national priority and committed to work with his Administration on the issue.

“It's time to recapture our legacy as a nation of builders, and to create new lanes of travel, commerce, and discovery,” President Trump said at a speech in Cincinnati on the backdrop of the Ohio River.

Ken Hartman, chair of the NCGA Market Access Team, thanked the President for calling attention to infrastructure issues.

“Farmers rely on our national infrastructure every day to get our products to market quickly, safely, and efficiently. Waterways, roads, and bridges are central to farmers' efforts to feed and fuel the world, and we must invest in all of them,” said Hartman, a farmer from Waterloo, Illinois.

In his remarks, President Trump specifically called for upgrading the nation’s aging system of locks and dams—making him the first modern president to focus on this critical piece of the infrastructure puzzle.

“These critical corridors of commerce depend on a dilapidated system of locks and dams that is more than half a century old, and their condition… is in very, very bad shape. It continues to decay,” Trump said.

Nearly three-quarters of U.S. grain exports are transported to port via the U.S. river system, but most of the nation’s locks and dams have outlived their intended 50-year lifespans. Breakdowns in the river infrastructure add to transport costs, some of which are passed on to farmers. Meanwhile, rural areas rely disproportionately on federal funding for infrastructure projects, underscoring the need for robust federal investment.

“We especially appreciate the President's interest in inland waterways and in the unique infrastructure challenges facing rural areas,” said Hartman. “We look forward to working with the Trump Administration to invest in our nation's waterways, roads, and bridges, and we thank the President for making this issue a top priority.”



NCGA Launches Open Innovation Challenge to Find the Next Big Thing for Corn
   
The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), along with innovation facilitator NineSigma, today announced the launch of a global competition to identify new and innovative uses for field corn as a renewable feedstock for making sustainable chemicals with significant market demand.

Growing interest in America's emerging bio-economy and continued improvements in sustainable corn production underscore the versatility and potential of this crop.  The "Consider Corn Challenge" is a starting point to help industry realize corn's full potential.

"Corn has a history of being an abundant, cost-effective, and sustainable feedstock for chemicals used in thousands of products. This challenge is geared to inspire new concepts, approaches and technologies that will help drive innovation," said Larry Hoffmann, a farmer from Wheatland, North Dakota and chairman of NCGA's Corn Productivity and Quality Action Team. "In addition to researchers who have increased the spectrum of renewable chemicals from corn to date, we are reaching out to the global innovation community that is largely untapped regarding new product frontiers for corn."

United States corn production has increased from 105.5 million metric tons in 1970 to 345.5 million metric tons in 2015. NCGA is inviting innovators around the world from industry, academia and other research institutions to consider new ways to utilize corn and maximize its contributions to the economy.

Up to six winning proposals will be selected and winners will each receive US$25,000. Winners will be announced in February 2018. NCGA may also explore funding or other support of an entry for further development and/or commercialization, even if the entry is not a prize winner.

"Many industries are adopting an open innovation approach because of its success in accelerating access to new solutions and innovation partners. In working with NineSigma we are leveraging their established expertise in open innovation and global database of solution providers to help find the next big thing for corn," said Hoffmann. 

The National Corn Growers Association's strategic plan includes a goal to establish three new uses that each utilize 25 million bushels or more by 2020. The concept of open innovation provides a path to add value to corn and problem solve creatively and rapidly.

Responses to the Consider Corn Challenge are due by September 28, 2017 at 5:00 PM US EDT. Solution providers can submit proposals through NineSigma's Open Innovation community NineSights.com. For more information and updates on the challenge, please visit https://ninesights.ninesigma.com/web/consider-corn



 Wheat Industry Stresses Importance of Food Aid at Farm Bill Hearing

Today, the House Committee on Agriculture held a Full Committee hearing on “The Next Farm Bill: The Future of International Food Aid and Agricultural Development.” On behalf of the wheat industry, Mr. Ron Suppes, a wheat grower from Dighton, KS, testified on food aid and a recent trip to Tanzania where he saw programs that utilized wheat.

“In Tanzania, I saw first-hand how wheat farmers can play a significant role in international food aid programs,” Suppes said. “These programs involve a significant amount of wheat, a fact not lost on farmers with full grain bins and more wheat piled on the ground from last year’s historically high harvest. It is a year when the U.S. needs to be a world leader in helping provide for those in need with these ample supplies.

“Food aid can also generate goodwill with other countries. By encouraging agricultural development in Tanzania, we’re ultimately spurring economic growth, which means Tanzania is more likely to be a stronger trading partner in the future. And the tangible presence of U.S. wheat in that equation is a symbol that cash can’t match.

“U.S. commodities play a key role in helping regions unable to produce wheat and other commodities on their own due to drought, conflict or other circumstances. We have enough surplus that no one should be going hungry.

“I commend the House Committee on Agriculture for recognizing and highlighting the valuable role that the agricultural industry plays in international food aid.”

National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) President David Schemm, a wheat grower from Sharon Springs, KS, made the following statement:

“The U.S. is producing enough wheat to meet global demand and still have a surplus. In 2017, USDA projects that global production of wheat will reach an all-time high of 751.3 million metric tons with stockpiles at a record high of 258.3 million tons.

“Wheat can play a significant role in the fight to end hunger. Not only for humanitarian reasons but for global security as well. Even if located on the other side of world, food-insecure nations are prone to enter civil unrest which can impact us right here at home.

“As a wheat farmer from Kansas, I am proud to play a role in helping to feed those who cannot provide for themselves.

For more information about wheat industry policy positions on food aid, visit http://www.wheatworld.org/policy-action/issues/food-aid/ or http://bit.ly/2fD8X06.

Additional panelists at the hearing included Ms. Margaret Schuler, Senior Vice President of the International Programs Group at World Vision; Ms. Navyn Salem, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Edesia Nutrition; Mr. Brian W. Schoeneman, Political and Legislative Director of the Seafarers International Union (AFL-CIO), on behalf of USA Maritime; and Dr. Thomas S. Jayne, University Foundation Professor at Michigan State University, on behalf of the Farm Journal Foundation.



R-CALF Seeks U.S. Probe into JBS Corruption Scandal

R-CALF USA sent a comprehensive, 11-page request to President Trump, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue for a full investigation and strict antitrust enforcement action in the wake of the unfolding corruption charges against JBS.

Citing news reports that JBS admitted bribing nearly 2,000 politicians, R-CALF USA wrote that JBS's business model included unlawful practices to influence policy makers and it was as likely as not that JBS deployed that same corrupt business model in the United States.

"A full and complete investigation is needed to determine the full scope of JBS's potentially unlawful activities in the United States and the impact that any such unlawful activities have had on the single largest segment of American agriculture - the U.S. live cattle industry," the group wrote.

JBS is the second-largest beef packer in the United States and owns the nation's largest cattle feeding company, which the group contends was used by JBS, in conjunction with imported cattle and beef, to manipulate the cattle markets in 2015 and 2016, causing fed cattle prices to fall by more than $850 per head.

The group called JBS a powerful influence on Capitol Hill and alleged that U.S. officials helped JBS build a monopolistic, American empire in the U.S. protein market with the company's ill-gotten gains. It also said the market power amassed by JBS has facilitated antitrust violations and unlawful conduct that threatens both domestic food safety and food security.

Since 2008 the group has repeatedly requested the U.S. Department of Justice (Justice Department) to enforce U.S. antitrust laws each time JBS proposed a new acquisition of U.S. cattle and beef industry assets, but its requests went unheeded with one exception - JBS's attempt to acquire National Beef Packing Company. Joined by 17 state attorney's general, the Justice Department did block that proposed acquisition. But in today's letter, the group called that a token enforcement action that had little impact on JBS's market power abuses.

In addition to alleging that the Justice Department's approval of all but one of JBS's numerous acquisition proposals raises the specter that decisions involving JBS were based on inappropriate considerations, the group contends that other federal agencies and Congress facilitated JBS's ability to reshape the cattle industry's legal framework. Examples cited by the group include JBS's success at convincing Congress to repeal country of origin labeling (COOL) and forestalling the implementation of rules intended to implement the Packers and Stockyards Act, preventing reforms to the beef checkoff program, and convincing the U.S. Department of Agriculture to systematically relax import restricts established to prevent the introduction of foot-and-mouth disease.

The group's letter contends that all of these policy positions were likely based on JBS's considerable and inappropriate influence on policy makers.

In conclusion, the group states that "if it is found that JBS has, indeed, built its monopolistic U.S. livestock and meat empire through unlawful means, then every U.S.-based asset owned by JBS should be immediately divested. Similarly, if it is found that JBS engaged in unlawful conduct to curry public policy favors from Congress, federal agencies, and state governments (e.g., repeal of COOL, defeat of GIPSA rules and relaxation of disease protections) then those policy positions should be immediately revisited, if not reversed."



NFU Urges Immediate Adoption of Farmer Fair Practices Rules

The Farmer Fair Practices Rules, a set of three rules that provide very basic protections for farmers and ranchers, were released in December 2016 to address the most anti-competitive and abusive practices levied against family farmers by meatpackers and processors. Because the rules are being reviewed by the new administration, National Farmers Union (NFU) is urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to finalize them.

“Chicken growers and livestock producers operate in an extremely consolidated agricultural marketplace, where lack of competition provides the major meat companies with tremendous power,” said Johnson. “And sometimes this power can be unfairly levied against the individual farmers and ranchers who have little to no market power. This has led to egregious practices that have no place in agriculture, and that are prohibited by the Farmer Fair Practices Rules. We urge the USDA to finalize the rules immediately on behalf of our nation’s family farmers and ranchers.”

NFU President Roger Johnson submitted public comments to the USDA today, advocating for the agency to finalize the interim final rule on “competitive injury.” The rule addresses plainly restates the intent of the Packers and Stockyards Act to provide individual farmers and ranchers with protection from the most egregious abuses by meatpackers. In some courts, contract poultry growers have had to prove harm to the entire $48 billion chicken industry rather than harm to themselves when seeking relief from poultry companies for abusive contract practices.

“The competitive injury rule eliminates that burden so that farmers who have been wronged under the law can sue for harm only to themselves, rather than the entire industry,” noted Johnson. “While this won’t substantially change the industry, it will make sure that packers and poultry companies who violate the law are held accountable for their actions by providing greater clarity and desired consistency across the industry.”

“Granting family famers these legal rights is not designed to encourage lawsuits, in fact it will likely result in a more transparent and business-like relationship between farmers and the meat and poultry processing giants,” he added.