Cuming County Spreader Demo Day
Wednesday December 18th, 11:00am-4:00pm
Location: 7 miles west of West Point on Hwy 32 at Pat Meiergerd’s farm (bean field on North side of road)
•Dinner from 11:00-12:30 (prepared by the Cuming Co. Feeders & Graybeals)
•Short presentation from Spreader Representatives 12:30-1:30
•Demonstration of spreaders 1:30-3:00
•Customer questions 3:00-4:00
All regional manufacturers were invited to this demo day. Confirmed companies include: Tebbe from Greenfield Solutions, Sioux Automation, Hagedorn Hydro-Push from Mid States Equipment, Bunning from Onken Feedlots, Roda from K&R, Rief Manufacturing and MMI from Iron Wagon Truck and Equipment.
They’ll be demonstrating several types of manure (slop, dry, frozen) in addition to processing corn stalk bales.
NEBFARMPAC Endorses Chuck Hassebrook for Governor in Democratic Primary
Nebraska Farmers Union’s Political Action Committee, NEBFARMPAC, announced its unanimous endorsement of Chuck Hassebrook for election to Governor in the Democratic Primary.
Gale Lush of Wilcox, NEBFARMPAC President said, "Chuck Hassebrook has been a member of Nebraska Farmers Union for over 30 years. Over that time Chuck Hassebrook has been a champion on family farm agriculture, rural development, and renewable energy issues. His distinguished service as University of Nebraska Regent for the past 18 years, and his decades of service at the Center for Rural Affairs give him a well-known and solid track record on our issues.”
John Hansen, NEBFARMPAC Secretary said, “Chuck Hassebrook is up to speed on the issues that family farmers, ranchers, and rural Nebraskans face in their daily lives. In addition to being knowledgeable on our issues, he is open, accessible, a good listener, and has a positive track record working with a wide range of groups and being able to find common ground. He is a creative problem solver. Chuck Hassebrook has both the experience and the vision to help rural Nebraska realize our tremendous potential in renewable energy development. Given all the challenges rural Nebraskans face, our state needs a champion for our state’s largest single industry, agriculture including ethanol and wind energy development.”
NEBFARMPAC is the political action committee of the Nebraska Farmers Union, which is a non-partisan, not-for-profit general farm organization, founded in 1913 with a mission is to protect and enhance the quality of life and economic well-being of family farmers and ranchers and their rural communities. NEFU is the respected voice of family farm and ranch agriculture with more than 6,200 family memberships.
Talking with Millennials on Facebook about beef’s benefits
Kim Brackett, Cattlemen’s Beef Board vice chair and beef producer from Idaho, says the checkoff has invested in market research to better understand millennials — those consumers between the ages of 20 and 34 and now the largest generation. While you and Kim are managing your operations, your checkoff is reaching this technology-savvy generation of consumers through all types of social and online media.
Brackett says, “With our decreased checkoff collections and with our new target audience we have – our millennials - most millinnials gather their information digitally through technology. Most have smart phones or tablets or they get their information on their computers. So the checkoff has made sure that we have a web presence, a strong web presence – we’re looking at smart phone apps and we have online recipes, we’ve even strengthened our own ‘Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner.’ website.”
Kim herself is into social media sites and maintains a personal blog, BeefMatters.org. She says, “I have a blog and I get a lot of comments and emails from people asking questions. Being able to answer those questions, to me, has been a huge win.”
Kim says she has seen checkoff programs in action. “I have been amazed at the scope of programs that the checkoff works on. I am amazed at the different messaging points that we have with our consumers from advertising, retail, also into foreign markets back into animal handling. The checkoff is a touch point in so many areas. I’ve been out there with consumers and I’ve talked to them and I’ve seen the checkoff’s impact on their beef purchasing habits.”
For more about your beef checkoff investment, visit MyBeefCheckoff.com.
RFS COMMENT PERIOD AN OPPORTUNITY FOR IOWANS TO BE HEARD
Bill Northey, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture
The Obama administration’s recent proposal to significantly reduce the amount of clean-burning renewable fuels that must be included in the fuel supply in 2014 is a shocking capitulation to Big Oil that threatens to significantly damage our state’s economy, puts consumers at risk through higher prices at the pump and would hurt the environment.
The renewable fuels standard (RFS) was passed with strong bipartisan support to promote the development of a domestic renewable fuels industry. It requires an increasing amount of renewable fuels to be included in nation’s fuel supply, and it has worked extremely well.
Consumers have seen significant savings at the pump as renewable fuels have helped hold down the price of both gasoline and diesel. A study by Iowa State University and the University of Wisconsin found that in 2010, domestic ethanol production helped keep gasoline prices $0.89 lower per gallon than they otherwise would have been.
In addition, Iowa farmers, businesses and communities have invested heavily to support the development of the renewable fuels industry to help meet the standard and have seen tremendous benefits from having these facilities in their communities.
Iowa is fortunate to lead the nation in the production of ethanol and biodiesel with 42 ethanol refineries capable of producing over 3.8 billion gallons annually and 12 biodiesel refineries with a combined annual capacity of over 315 million gallons. We also have three cellulosic ethanol facilities under construction, all of which are associated with an existing corn ethanol plant.
Unfortunately, EPA’s proposal would move us backward on both the ethanol and biodiesel requirements for 2014. Specifically, the proposal lowers the “corn ethanol” level from 13.8 billion gallons in 2013 to only 13 billion gallons in 2014 and freezes the biodiesel level at 1.28 billion gallons despite the fact the biodiesel industry is currently operating at an annualized rate of 2 billion gallons.
The renewable fuels industry has the capacity to produce well beyond the levels set by the EPA. What they need now is fair access to the fuel distribution system, which is unfortunately controlled by the Big Oil companies.
In their opposition to the RFS, Big Oil refer to the “blend wall,” which is their effort to limit renewable fuels to just 10 percent of the fuel supply. This artificial ceiling is just another effort by the oil industry to prevent more lower-priced, clean-burning renewable fuels from entering the fuel supply. In fact, there are lots of opportunities for higher ethanol blends. The vast majority of cars, all of those made since 2001, can run on E15 (15 percent ethanol) and many cars, those that are flex-fuel, can run on E85 (85 percent ethanol).
It makes me scratch my head that an administration so focused on climate change would take action to limit access to renewable fuels that have been shown to significantly reduce greenhouse gas and other harmful emissions.
The oil industry wants to limit the fuel choices for consumers and keep them buying their high-price, non-renewable petroleum based fuels. It is wrong for the EPA to support them.
The EPA is currently accepting comments on the proposed changes and it is extremely important that Iowans take the time to comment and express their opposition to the EPA’s proposal. Comments can be submitted online at www.regulations.gov or via email at a-and-r-docket@epa.gov. All comments should reference Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2013-0479.
Iowa is fortunate to have a Governor who understands the importance of the renewable fuels industry and has created a website, ProtecttheRFS.com where you can sign a petition encouraging the EPA to support clean-burning, homegrown renewable fuels.
Now is the time to be heard. The renewable fuels standard needs to be protected and it is important that we as Iowans stand up and let the EPA know we don’t want to be held over a barrel by Big Oil.
“FUELING OUR FUTURE” FUNDS AVAILABLE TO INCREASE USE OF HIGHER BLENDS OF ETHANOL AND BIODIESEL
Iowa Governor Terry Branstad and Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey today encouraged Iowa petroleum retailers interested in participating in the “Fueling our Future” pilot project to consider applying for cost share funding. A total of $250,000 in federal funds are available through the Iowa Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Board to support projects that will increase the usage of higher blends of both ethanol and biodiesel.
“The renewable fuels industry has been a great asset to Iowa’s economy and making higher blends of renewable fuels will give customers greater access to clean burning, home-grown renewable fuels,” Branstad said. “It is important we help create opportunities for customers to see the benefits of higher blends of ethanol and biodiesel.”
The Fueling Our Future pilot project is designed to reduce particulate matter (PM-2.5) vehicle emissions by increasing the use of higher blends of bio-based fuels, specifically ethanol and biodiesel. Applications must be submitted by Feb. 7, 2014 and will be reviewed by the Iowa Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program board of directors at their quarterly meeting later that month.
All Iowa petroleum retailers offering fuel to the general public are eligible to apply. Applicants must provide a minimum 50% match and the total assistance available is capped at $250,000 of matching federal funds. Funds will be targeted equally to the most outstanding proposal focused on bio-diesel (B-5 blends and higher) and ethanol (especially E-30). A single proposal that includes both of these bio-renewable products on the same site could be selected.
“Iowa is fortunate to have many fuel retailers committed to renewable fuels and this pilot program is an exciting opportunity for them to demonstrate their ideas for creating a modern fueling site focused on higher blends of renewable fuels,” Northey said. “Higher blends of both ethanol and biodiesel have the potential to bring significant benefits to consumers, the environment and our rural economy and I’m excited to see the proposals that come forward.”
Applicants may also be eligible for grants through the current Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program which awards up to $50,000 – or 70% of total installation costs toward ethanol and biodiesel installations.
Applicants should be aware that there will be a significant research component for this pilot project. Data collected will be assessed and used to assist with determining optimal market effectiveness of mid-level renewable fuel blends. As a result, fuel sales data from the selected site will be required and in the event of the conversion of a current retail fueling site, data access to previous sales volume will be requested. Access to the site for consumer surveys will be required.
All applicants will need to complete the formal application for the project and will need to attach a short project outline. Applicants may also be asked to present on their proposal at the Board’s February meeting.
A copy of the application and additional information can be found at www.IowaAgriculture.gov by clicking on the “Renewable Fuels Infrastructure Program” link under “Hot Topics.” For more information, interested parties can also contact Harold Hommes with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship at Harold.Hommes@IowaAgriculture.gov or by calling 515-242-6237.
FY 2014 Exports Forecast at $137.0 Billion; Imports at a Record $109.5 Billion
(USDA Economic Research Service)
Fiscal 2014 agricultural exports are forecast at $137 billion, up $2.0 billion from the August forecast but $3.9 billion below fiscal 2013’s record high. Compared with the August forecast, grain and feed exports are forecast down $700 million, mostly due to lower unit values for wheat and certain feed products. The fiscal 2014 forecast for oilseed exports is up $2.4 billion on higher unit values and record early-season sales of soybeans and soybean meal. Cotton exports are forecast down $700 million this quarter as market reactions to expected changes in China’s reserve policy have resulted in lower prices. Horticultural exports are unchanged at a record $34.5 billion. The forecast for combined livestock, poultry, and dairy is raised $700 million to a record $31.8 billion on higher pork, dairy, and beef exports.
U.S. agricultural imports are forecast at a record $109.5 billion, down $3.7 billion from August, but $5.7 billion higher than in fiscal 2013. Increases in import value are expected for most products in 2014, with the largest gains in horticultural products and sugar and tropical products. The U.S. agricultural trade surplus is expected to fall by $9.6 billion in fiscal 2014, to $27.5 billion. This would be the smallest surplus since 2009.
Industry Leaders Discuss Improved Testing of Liming Materials to Better Predict Soil pH Change
On 12 November 2013, members of the U.S. agricultural lime industry met near Iowa State University to discuss improving the measurement of limestone reactivity to better predict pH changes in soils. The goal of this conference was to compare current practices with other developed methodologies to determine if there are opportunities to improve measuring limestone reactivity in soils among a variety of liming materials. Research has shown that optimizing soil pH levels can help producers improve their yields while lowering environmental impacts in support of the Nutrient Management Strategy. In attendance were key leaders from the lime industry, academia and USDA.
Reactivity testing describes the capacity of agricultural lime to raise soil pH. Accurate testing methods for lime reactivity are essential for determining how much and how often liming materials should be applied. "The current method for determining the capacity of an agricultural liming material to change pH deserves re-evaluation, as the full effect of a material's degree of fineness may be understated. A related issue that also deserves re-evaluation is the equations used to prescribe the amount of lime needed to raise pH to a desired level." stated Dr. Antonio Mallarino, Professor, Soil Fertility and Nutrient Management, at Iowa State University.
According to conference presenters, current U.S. methods for testing liming material reactivity involve strong acids that may not reflect how they behave in soil environments. The methods are quick and repeatable, but the accuracy of these methods to describe a given material's behavior in soil is unknown. It may be possible that the neutralizing capacity determined by these methods overestimates the actual reactivity of liming materials in the soil, which indicates the need for further investigation of improved methods. Further, current methods that don't predict soil-based reactivity with accuracy are not compatible with advancements in precision ag technology.
Keynote speaker, Dr. Hans-Siegfreid Grunwaldt, from the University of Applied Science in Kiel, Germany, has spent the last 40 years investigating the reactivity of lime materials based on their chemical composition and how they react in soil to better predict impacts on soil pH, which has obvious implications on long term soil health and nutrient utilization.
Grunwaldt's research team has proven that the lime score currently used in the U.S. is not transferrable from lime source to lime source. In other words, using the lime scoring method does not accurately show the effectiveness of a particular lime material to change soil pH under field conditions. Based on his work, it was clear that conducting a reactivity/dissolution test with a weak acid that may more accurately portray a soil environment improves the assessment of a lime material's ability to change soil pH in the field.
"Research has shown that the most important factors when liming are your pH goal, material source, its particle size, and placement in the field," said Dr. Andrew Hoiberg, Director of Research and Development at Calcium Products. "There's a wide range of purity between various types of limestone and their ability to dissolve in the soil solution. We know that smaller particles react faster in the soil, but the overall reactivity is still very dependent on the source of the material."
Dr. Dan Olk, Research Soil Scientist with the USDA-ARS National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment reported that the current U.S. lime methods only measure the potential reactivity. These methods appear unlikely to tell the grower the rate of reactivity of agricultural lime materials based on the chemical composition of the limestone, soil type and soil pH. By contrast, reactivity-based test methods could inform producers how quickly a specific lime source will actually react to increase soil pH. Successful implementation of such methods would allow growers to make better use of fertilizer inputs and reduce excess nutrients lost to the environment.
"We need to look at lime reactivity differently to understand how lime really reacts in the soil. We know that not all lime behaves the same across all soil," stated Dr. Jerry L. Hatfield, Director of the USDA-ARS National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment. "We want to know that when a lime is used that it really translates to an increased benefit in yield, and ultimately, how the reactivity affect soil processes that have downstream environmental impacts."
The conference was put together to bring the liming industry, academia, and the USDA together to join forces that will affect change in the way liming materials are evaluated and marketed. Conference coordinators and agricultural lime industry representatives are working to schedule similar conferences in other regions of the world. Presentations can be found at www.reactivelime.org .
"At the end of the day it's about making a good recommendation to producers, stated Dr. Antonio Mallarino, Professor, Soil Fertility and Nutrient Management, at Iowa State University.
Biofuel Tax Credit Extension Sought
More than 60 advanced biofuel companies and four leading trade organizations on Monday wrote to leaders of the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees, encouraging Congress to extend tax provisions set to expire at the end of this month that they deem critical for the renewables industry.
The Advanced Ethanol Council, Advanced Biofuel Association, Algae Biomass Organization and Biotechnology Industry Organization delivered the letter to Reps. Dave Camp, R-Mich.; Sander Levin, D-Mich.; Sens. Max Baucus, D-Mont.; and Orrin Hatch, R-Utah; on behalf of 63 member companies.
"The advanced biofuels industry is at a critical stage of development. The industry has made great strides in reducing the cost of production and developing first-of-kind technologies and bio-refining operations to deploy the most innovative fuel in the world. In a difficult financial market, we are now operating commercial plants all across the country and continue to make progress on dozens of additional projects in the final stages of development. As was the case with the conventional biofuels industry, these groundbreaking production processes can be replicated rather quickly once the technology is proven at commercial scale," the organizations and companies wrote.
Three tax credits are slated to expire by the end of this year including:
The Second Generation Biofuel Producer Tax credit expires Dec. 31, allowing up to $1.01 gallon of second generation biofuel that is sold or used for motor vehicle fuel. If the second-generation biofuel mixture also qualifies for alcohol fuel tax credits, the credit amount is 46.0 cents per gallon for ethanol and 41.0 cents per gallon for fuel that is not ethanol. Second-generation biofuels are defined as liquid fuel produced from lignocellulolsic or hemicellulosic matter that is available on a renewable basis or any cultivated algae, cyanobacteria or lemna.
The Second Generation Plant Depreciation Deduction Allowance, for any second generation biofuels placed into service between Dec. 20, 2006, and the end of this year may be eligible for an additional depreciation tax deduction equal to 50% of the adjusted basis of the property.
Finally, at the start of the year, Congress approved The Biodiesel and Renewable Diesel Tax Credit for 2013, authorizing the U.S. Treasury to reinstate a blender's credit for the biodiesel industry for 2013 that expired at the end of 2011 while making it retroactive for 2012. The credit pays $1 gallon for blending biodiesel and renewable diesel, also advanced biofuels, into petroleum-based diesel fuel. The credit expires Dec. 31.
Since these three credits are "vital to the ongoing development of the domestic advanced biofuels industry," the groups further urged the members of Congress to extend current tax provisions for multiple years to ensure stability in the marketplace.
The letter continued, "Accelerated depreciation allowances, technology specific deductions and production-related tax credits are currently offered to incumbent fossil energy industries on a permanent basis. As such, similar tax provisions made available to the advanced and cellulosic biofuels industry level the playing field with fossil fuels and are critical to our efforts to compete for project capital given that these types of incentives are available to our primary competitors."
NEW RESEARCH REVEALS INSIGHTS ON CONSUMER DEMANDS FOR TRANSPARENCY ON FOOD
Transparency in the food industry is a growing topic of conversation and, in order to continue to effectively communicate with consumers about the food they grow and raise, the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance® (USFRA®) conducted research to hone in on the topic of food transparency, specifically how important it is to American consumers.
According to the survey, food transparency is very important. Fifty-nine percent of respondents report it is extremely important (rated it as an 8-10 on a 10 point scale) for grocery stores and restaurants to provide information about the way the food they sell is grown and raised. And over 50 percent say they want more information than they are currently getting.
The good news is that farmers and ranchers across the country have the information consumers are asking for. However, it needs to be shared.
“The call for transparency from the American consumer is real,” said Katie Pratt, an Illinois farmer and one of USFRA’s Faces of Farming and Ranching. “However, as an agriculture community, we have the tools, the real-life experiences and the stories to share with those who purchase the food we grow and raise. And we can continue to increase consumer confidence in our great systems of American agriculture.”
“Information about how a food product was grown and raised is important for consumers. It’s almost as important as the price,” said Bob Stallman, President, American Farm Bureau Federation and USFRA Chairman. “The research found that when asked which is more important when making purchasing decisions, how much a food item costs or how much information is available about how it was grown or raised, 45 percent of total survey respondents chose information and 55 percent chose cost. That is significant.”
Not only is the statistic significant, but it is not going away any time soon. In fact, the research found that younger shoppers (ages 21-29) are more likely to purchase one food item over another based on which item includes more information about its origin. And, the findings show that most consumers do not believe they are currently provided enough information about food when making purchasing
The research findings encourage a shift in how the agriculture community can think about transparency; this can happen through a transition to “Transparency 2.0.” For the American consumer, trust in the agriculture community is based in truth and all farmers and ranchers have a narrative to share. There is a truthful and transparent story to tell in how all farmers and ranchers grow and raise food.
For more information on “Transparency 2.0” and the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance, as well as to join in the conversation of how food is grown and raised in the U.S. today, visit www.FoodDialogues.com.
Promoting Food Security, Facilitating Competition, Enhancing Exports
Agriculture and trade in agricultural goods support families and communities around the world – and agriculture is a key part of almost every World Trade Organization Member’s trade. The new multilateral agreement struck by the WTO Membership at the 9th Ministerial Conference in Bali, Indonesia takes important steps to address some key issues with regard to agricultural trade.
The United States has put food security – including increasing the productivity and trade of agricultural products – front and center on the global development agenda. This commitment of the United States to enhancing global food security has been enshrined in efforts from the L’Aquila initiative, which mobilized over $20 billion for food security, to the Feed the Future initiative to the New Alliance on Food Security and Nutrition. In the WTO, the United States has been highlighting and discouraging the use of trade distorting policies that can undermine the food security of other nations. Because of the trade-distorting nature of market price supports to farmers, the WTO has clear criteria and limits on such support, including when farmers are offered an administered price for crops used as part of a program of public stockholding of food. But a number of developing countries utilize this type of support to create stockpiles of staple foods for feeding programs, and spending on these programs has increased. A new decision by WTO Members will now provide developing country Members who may be in danger of breaching their domestic support limits for these programs freedom from legal challenge, to give them time to bring their policies in line with their WTO commitments. But the United States worked to ensure that this freedom from challenge is only available to Members if their programs do not distort trade, and if they meet certain transparency conditions to share the details of their support mechanisms.
Export competition in the WTO covers ag export subsidies, ag export credits, food aid, and the operation of agricultural exporting state trading enterprises (STEs). WTO export competition rules aim to preserve well-functioning markets by facilitating competition amongst market actors. The new Ministerial decision on export competition will require transparency to help Members understand how their trading partners are proceeding toward this commitment; this is most meaningful with regard to state trading enterprises, where transparency is currently limited. The MC9 export competition result also ensures a balanced approach across all forms of export competition, including export subsidies, export credits, food aid, and STEs. A key priority for the United States, it also provides an important impetus for Members to resume the WTO agriculture negotiations, addressing the other pillars of these negotiations – market access and domestic support – along with export competition.
WTO Members have also reached an understanding on the administration of Tariff Rate Quotas (TRQ) that facilitates increased opportunities for U.S. farmers, ranchers, workers, and food processors to enhance exports to a number of WTO Member countries, including the European Union, Japan, Norway, and Switzerland. This understanding provides American agricultural producers more market access by addressing the issue of chronically low fill rates in Members’ WTO bound TRQs. Further, the Understanding provides an increased level of transparency regarding how Members are filling their TRQs.
WTO Bali Ministerial Provides Pathway to Post-Doha Round
Following difficult negotiating sessions, World Trade Organization (WTO) members agreed to adopt multilateral agreements on efforts to reduce barriers at borders as well as several agricultural provisions. U.S. Grains Council Director of Trade Policy Floyd Gaibler was on the scene defending the interests of U.S. feed grains and co-product producers.
"Trade facilitation measures that reduce transaction costs and red tape should improve overall trade benefits, including agriculture related products,” Gaibler said.
WTO members established an interim food security program that will allow countries with existing food stockholding programs to continue to operate those existing programs even if they exceed or will result in exceeding their allowable domestic subsidies for an interim period until a final agreement is reached.
"While the agreement sets a target for reaching a final solution in four years at the 11th WTO Ministerial, it is not a binding duration."
Gaibler went on to say, however, that the agreement requires strong transparency and safeguard provisions, including protections to ensure that the operation of food stockholding programs will not distort trade or food security of other countries.
"Importantly, countries will be allowed to participate in the work program to ensure that the transparency and safeguard provisions are met, and they will have input in development of a permanent solution," he said.
An agreement was also reached on provisions that will improve the administration of tariff rate quotas and reconfirm the commitment to complete elimination of export subsidies and reductions in export guarantee programs that were agreed to at the 2005 Hong Kong Ministerial.
Gaibler concluded by saying, "Most importantly, the 9th Ministerial agreement provides a pathway for broader post-Doha multilateral negotiations. These will encompass the remaining agricultural pillars—domestic subsidies and market access—that have been delayed since the suspension of the Doha negotiations in 2008."
Animated REAL® Seal Character DairyUS Encourages Holiday Use of Real Dairy Foods
’Tis the season to enjoy real dairy products such as butter, cheese, whipped cream, and eggnog, according to DairyUS, the animated character based on the iconic REAL® Seal logo, who shares that perspective in a new video that was released today by the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF).
Visitors to the REAL® Seal website www.realseal.com will be greeted by an animated DairyUS throughout the holiday season. Flying over snowy rooftops in a sleigh pulled by festive dairy cows instead of reindeer, DairyUS and his industrious little elf remind consumers that December is the perfect time to incorporate real dairy products into their holiday recipes.
DairyUS was created earlier this year to help a new generation of consumers distinguish between genuine U.S. dairy products and a growing list of list of imitations. A contest was held in the fall to select his name, with the winner being announced at NMPF’s annual meeting in Phoenix last month. In addition to his presence on the REAL® Seal website, he also has made appearances on the REAL® Seal Facebook page as well.
“DairyUS will help both kids and adults learn about foods made with real dairy products,” NMPF’s incoming President & CEO Jim Mulhern explained. “The REAL® Seal means a product is a real dairy product, made with milk from cows on U.S. dairy farms and without imported, imitation, or substitute ingredients. That’s an important distinction consumers can make when they’re browsing the grocery store aisles.”
The animated character has already appeared in other short videos this year. He will continue to do so in 2014 to highlight topical and seasonal events, such as holidays and sporting events, providing consumers with easy tips to incorporate more real dairy foods into their everyday meals.
Registration opens for country’s largest organic farming conference
Registration is open now for the 25th MOSES Organic Farming Conference, which takes place Feb. 27 through March 1 at the La Crosse Center in La Crosse, Wis.
This is the 25th anniversary of the MOSES Conference, which is put on by the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES). MOSES is marking the occasion with contests, awards, historical exhibits and an anniversary celebration on Friday evening during the conference.
The first conference in 1990, the year the federal government established the National Organic Standards, included 90 participants. Today, this annual event has more than 3,000 participants, and is the country’s largest conference for farmers, educators, researchers, and professionals involved in organic and sustainable agriculture.
“The growth of the conference over the past 25 years mirrors the growing interest in organic food and sustainable farming,” said Faye Jones, MOSES Executive Director. “Some people come to the conference to see what ‘organic’ is about, and what it would take for them to switch to organic production. Others say they wouldn’t miss it because this is where they come to get energized for the growing season.”
The conference features 65 workshops, 10 pre-conference all-day courses, more than 170 trade show exhibitors, nationally known keynote speakers, and—something unique to this conference—all organic food.
The new MOSES Conference App provides details about workshops, presenters, the Exhibit Hall, and more. Users can create personal schedules and interact with others at the conference. The free app is available for all mobile devices and desktop browsers. To learn more, see mosesorganic.org/conference/app.
This year’s keynote presenters are best-selling author and sustainable food advocate Anna Lappé, “renegade” farmer and permaculture guru Mark Shepard, and journalist Alan Guebert, who writes the syndicated ag column “The Farm and Food File.”
Workshops at the MOSES Conference fall into a number of farming categories, such as livestock, field crops, and market farming, plus broader categories like business and environmental issues. A track of workshops is geared specifically for beginning farmers under the banner of New Organic Stewards. The conference also highlights current research in organic and sustainable agriculture through a workshop track and poster sessions.
Registration is available online at mosesorganic.org/conference, by mail, or through the mobile app. See the MOSES website (mosesorganic.org) or call 715-778-5775 for more information.
Welcome to the KTIC Agriculture Information blog!!! Check back here for the latest in ag news and information, from local events to international happenings and government reports that affect your operation. Please email with suggestions! -Chad Moyer, Farm Director, KTIC Radio
Monday, December 9, 2013
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Friday December 6 Ag News
Heineman Announces Rice as Acting Director of Environmental Quality
Gov. Dave Heineman today has named Pat Rice of Lincoln as the Acting Director of the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, effective Dec. 20.
Rice, 61, has most recently served as the Assistant Director at the Department of Environmental Quality. He has held that position for the last 19 years. Before coming to the Department, he served for 18 year as the Director of the Division of Technical and Support Services for the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
“I am honored that Governor Heineman asked me to serve as Acting Director of the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality,” Rice said. “I have worked the last 37 years in the environmental arena and look forward to continuing the important work of protecting Nebraska’s air, land, and water resources.”
Rice earned a Bachelor of Science in civil/environmental engineering from South Dakota State University. He is completing his third term as a national board member of the Association of Clean Water Administrators and has served as a commissioner on the Southwestern Low-Level Radioactive Waste Commission.
The primary role of the Department of Environmental Quality is to ensure the State’s natural resources are protected from contamination. The more than 200 employees of the Department of Environmental Quality work with businesses, communities and individuals toward the common goal of protecting the environment. The department’s permitting, compliance, remediation, monitoring, and assistance programs are designed to help achieve this goal.
Rice and his wife Donlynn have two sons. Rice will be paid an annual salary of $120,000.
Early Freeze in Iowa Prompts Manure Application Questions
Calls to DNR field offices about manure application on frozen ground are up this year, especially in northern Iowa.
The DNR is reminding producers they must meet separation distances if they are unable to inject or incorporate the manure.
"The ground froze earlier than usual, so a lot of barns did not have their manure pits emptied yet," said Cindy Martens of the DNR's Spencer field office.
Limits on applying manure on frozen ground kick in on Feb. 1, while limits on applying on snow-covered ground start Dec. 21, unless it's an emergency. These limits apply to confinement (totally roofed) facilities with liquid manure that have 500 or more animal units.
The state law limiting application on frozen or snow-covered ground does not apply to manure from open feedlots or dry manure.
However, all producers must follow setbacks if surface applying manure.
"They can still go ahead and land apply as long as they maintain separation distances. Normally if they are injecting or incorporating the manure so that it's placed under the soil, there is no separation distance. But, if they are surface applying, they need to be at least 200 feet from wells and water, 800 feet from some waters. And, liquid manure needs to be 750 feet from residences and other buildings," she says.
Producers can check the separation distances that apply at www.iowadnr.gov/afo/ by looking under AFO Resources, Fact Sheets.
Construction permits for a few confinement producers require no surface application. Producers who have that condition in their permit should call the nearest DNR field office at www.iowadnr.gov/.
Deadline Nears for Iowa County Animal Confinement Site Evaluations
Counties interested in evaluating proposed sites of animal confinements that need a construction permit must sign up by Jan. 31, 2014.
The board of supervisors in counties that would like to participate must adopt and file a construction evaluation resolution and submit it to the DNR between Jan. 1 and 31.
Confinements in counties that file the resolutions must meet higher standards than other permitted sites. They must earn points on the master matrix by choosing a site and using practices that reduce impacts on the environment and the community.
"Adopting a construction evaluation resolution and properly using the master matrix process is the primary method counties have to work with livestock producers on proposed confinement operations," said Gene Tinker, coordinator of the DNR animal feeding section. "County supervisors or staffs have the opportunity to review master matrix applications to determine if the site characteristics and management practices selected are appropriate to receive points needed for a passing score."
Counties that participate in the master matrix process may send staff to accompany the DNR on site visits to proposed locations. The county board of supervisors may also appeal the DNR's preliminary approval of a permit to the Environmental Protection Commission.
Approximately 86 counties have filed resolutions each year since the master matrix went into effect in 2003.
Counties that have adopted a resolution should mail it to Jerah Sheets at the DNR, 502 E. Ninth St., Des Moines, IA 50319 or fax it to 515-281-8895. Sign-ups occur annually during the month of January for the upcoming February through January.
Most confinement feeding operations that need to apply for a permit are subject to the matrix. For more information on which operations are affected, check the DNR website under animal feeding operations at www.iowadnr.gov/AFO/.
Additional information for counties is available on the Iowa State Association of Counties website at www.iowacounties.org/ under master matrix -- construction evaluation.
Hill Reelected Iowa Farm Bureau President
Craig Hill of Milo was re-elected president of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) at the organization's 95th annual meeting in Des Moines. Delegates also re-elected three district directors to the board. They include Doug Gronau of Vail, Nick Podhajsky of Traer and Calvin Rozenboom of Oskaloosa.
Hill's service to the Iowa Farm Bureau started at the county level. He was involved in various positions with the Warren County Farm Bureau board of directors. In 1989, he was elected as the District 8 representative on the state board of directors. He then served as the organization's vice president from 2001-2011 before being elected president.
As president, Hill serves as chairman of the board of FBL Financial Group, Inc., and serves on the American Farm Bureau board of directors. In addition, he serves on the Rain & Hail LLC board of directors.
Throughout his years on the IFBF board, Hill has been involved in a variety of projects. He was instrumental in the development of Revenue Assurance, a revenue-based crop insurance for corn and soybean farmers. He also served as the first chairman of the Iowa Ag State Group, which consists of representatives from all sectors of Iowa's agriculture, and on the U.S. Grains Council. Hill was also appointed to Governor Vilsack's Strategic Planning Council in 1999 to help Iowa prepare for the future of our state in 2010. In 2003, the AFBF named Hill to a 23-member national committee, Making Agriculture Productive and Profitable (MAPP). The committee develops policy options for Farm Bureau to consider.
He and his wife, Patti, have two children. Their son, Adam, is involved on the family grain and livestock operation. Their daughter, Abbie, is an associate attorney with Gross & Welch in Omaha, Neb.
Gronau represents District 4, which consists of 11 counties in west central Iowa. He was elected to the position in 2001. Prior to his election to the board, he was vice chairman of the internal study committee. Gronau has served in numerous Crawford County Farm Bureau leadership capacities. He has served on several statewide environmental committees representing IFBF and was also a member of the IFBF Speaker Corps. He has also been appointed to the Farm Bureau Life Insurance Board of Directors. He currently serves on the Leopold advisory board.
Podhajsky represents District 6, which consists of 11 counties in eastern Iowa. He was elected to the position in 2011. Podhajsky was a 2010 Iowa delegate representative for the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting and has served in many other elected positions in his county Farm Bureau office, including president and county voting delegate.
Rozenboom represents District 8, which consists of 10 counties in south central Iowa. He was elected to the position in 2001. Before that, he was very active in the Mahaska County Farm Bureau where he served as president and vice president. He has also served as chairman of the IFBF swine advisory committee and as a member of the IFBF resolutions committee. He was also a member of the AFBF swine advisory committee. He has spent six years on the board of directors of CRWRC, an international relief agency which currently serves in 28 countries, primarily providing community development, health education, literacy services and disaster relief.
Nine delegates were elected to represent Iowa at the AFBF annual meeting in San Antonio, Texas, Jan. 12-15. They include: IFBF President Craig Hill, Vice President Joe Heinrich of Maquoketa, Doug Boland of Williamsburg, Cal Rozenboom of Oskaloosa, Dallas Johnston of Kent, Dave Kronlage of Dyersville, Gary Rayhons of Garner, Paul Gieselman of Morning Sun, and Dan Chism of Emmetsburg.
Dave Seil of Gowrie (Webster County) was elected to a three-year term on the IFBF internal study committee. The internal study committee serves as a liaison between the county Farm Bureau voting delegates and the state board of directors.
October Beef Exports Continue Surge; Pork Export Value Highest of 2013
Beef exports remained on a record-setting pace in October while pork exports put up one of their strongest performances of the year, yet remain behind 2012’s record-high levels, according to statistics released by the USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF).
Top beef export markets Japan and Mexico both increased the volume of their U.S. beef purchases in excess of 40 percent for the month, while sales to the booming Hong Kong market skyrocketed 148 percent. Overall, October U.S. beef exports reached 107,471 metric tons valued at $564.5 million, increases of 6 and nearly 14 percent, respectively.
Pork exports in October were the largest of the year on a value basis at $539.9 million, and second-largest in volume at 186,637 metric tons, but still declined 11 and 14 percent, respectively, from last October’s all-time single-month highs for both volume and value. Both the ASEAN and the Central and South America region recorded double-digit increases, as they have all year, but other key markets trailed 2012’s historic highs.
“The ebbs and flows of export markets require us to make continual adjustments,” said Philip Seng, USMEF president and CEO. “For example, Japan remains the United States’ top value market for pork exports, but relentless competition from other international suppliers is making it tougher for us to maintain our market share."
Seng also noted while the U.S. Congress continues to debate budget cuts that could affect spending on programs like the Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development (FMD) program that support U.S. agricultural exports, the European Commission has proposed more than tripling its spending to support EU agricultural and agri-food sector products.
“There is no question that exports create jobs and support a positive balance of trade,” said Seng. “The European Commission sees that link and is looking to put significantly more resources into their export initiative, so we can expect to face even heavier competition in the top value markets going forward.”
Top Beef Markets
Increased exports to leading markets Japan and Mexico – along with sharp increases in sales to Hong Kong – continue to drive U.S. beef sales to higher levels. For the year, total U.S. beef exports (muscle cuts plus variety meat) stand at 969,186 metric tons (up 2 percent) valued at nearly $5.1 billion (up 11 percent), and are expected to easily top 2012’s record value of $5.51 billion.
Export value per head of fed slaughter averaged $251.06 in October, up $29 from last year. Exports accounted for 11 percent of muscle cuts and 13.5 percent of total beef exports (muscle cuts plus variety meat) for the month, up from 10 and 12.6 percent, respectively, last year.
Top-performing beef export markets in October were:
- Japan: 18,004 metric tons (up 40 percent) valued at $106.3 million (up 16 percent)
- Mexico: 21,983 metric tons (up 53 percent) – Mexico’s largest volume of U.S. beef imports since December 2011 – valued at $95.3 million (up 50 percent)
- Hong Kong: 15,403 metric tons (up 148 percent) – a new record volume – valued at $98.1 million (up 184 percent)
- South Korea: 9,509 metric tons (up more than 25 percent) valued at $60.6 million (up close to 75 percent)
- Central/South America: 3,560 metric tons (up 61 percent) valued at $15.5 million (up nearly 54 percent)
“Hong Kong is clearly emerging as a major beef market, and USMEF’s initiatives there cover retail, food service and trade sectors in this highly competitive and progressive market,” said Seng. “We are the second-largest supplier to Hong Kong, trailing only Brazil, but we are continuing to miss out on even larger opportunities in mainland China, where we have not had access since 2003.”
Mainland China’s beef imports through the first 10 months of this year have reached 253,196 metric tons valued at nearly $1.1 billion – increases of 562 percent in volume and 595 percent in value over last year, according to the Global Trade Atlas. Australia holds better than a 50 percent market share there in the United States’ absence.
Top Pork Markets
Mexico, the leading volume market for U.S. pork, dipped 2 percent in volume during October (55,152 metric tons) while the value increased 5.6 percent to $114.6 million. Through the first 10 months of the year, export volume to Mexico (501,979 metric tons) was steady with last year’s record pace and export value ($964.4 million) was 4 percent higher.
October sales to the top value market, Japan, slipped nearly 8 percent in value ($173.5 million) on 15 percent lower volume (38,322 metric tons). For January through October, exports were down 9 percent in volume (356,032 metric tons) and 6 percent in value ($1.58 billion).
U.S. pork export value in October averaged $51.79 per head, down 7 percent from last year. Exports accounted for 20 percent of pork muscle cuts and nearly 24 percent of total pork production, compared to 23 and 27.4 percent last year.
Other key pork export results in October were:
- China/Hong Kong region: 36,531 metric tons (down nearly 6 percent) valued at $80.9 million (down 4 percent)
- Canada: 18,831 metric tons (down 7 percent) valued at $69.3 million (down 6 percent)
- Central/South America: 13,040 metric tons (up more than 23 percent) valued at $33.9 million (up 30 percent) – led by a 65 percent increase in volume to Colombia (3,916 metric tons) and 66 percent jump in value ($10.7 million)
- South Korea: 5,566 metric tons (down 60 percent) valued at $16 million (down 57 percent)
- ASEAN: 6,912 metric tons (up more than 17 percent) valued at $15.2 million (up more than 15 percent)
Lamb exports
Lamb exports in October were down to top market Mexico, but increased for next-largest markets Canada and the Caribbean. For the month they equaled 855 metric tons, down 36.5 percent, while the value of exports dipped 11.7 percent to nearly $2.2 million.
For the year, lamb exports remain up 7 percent in value at $23.6 million on 7 percent lower volumes (10,575 metric tons).
ASA DuPont Young Leader Completes 30th Anniversary Class
During the first-phase of a two-part leadership program, the 30th class of ASA DuPont Young Leaders began their journey last week at Pioneer’s headquarters in Johnston, Iowa.
Representatives from 22 states and Canada participated in training that included a communications workshop, DiSC workplace assessment, soybean issues panel discussion and soybean pipeline update. The Johnston training session was the first phase of a program designed to identify new and aspiring leaders and provide them with opportunities to enhance their skills and network with other growers.
“The ASA DuPont Young Leader Program is truly helping shape the future of the soybean industry,” said ASA President Danny Murphy, a soybean farmer from Canton, Miss. “By identifying new and aspiring leaders and providing participants with a training opportunity that enhances their skills while growing their peer network, the Young Leader program builds a more collaborative industry that better represents their local, state and national organizations and agricultural interests.”
The 2014 class of ASA DuPont Young Leaders participating in the first phase of training included: James Hereford, Ala.; Adam Cloninger, Ark.; Andrew & Savannah Moore, Ga; Drew DeSutter, Ill.; Matt & Carla Schenk, Ind.; Tim Couser, Iowa; Kregg Rennie, KS; Quint & Leah Pottinger, Ky.; Matt Hinderer, Mich.; Michael Petefish, Minn.; Pierce Brown, Miss.; Kellen Bounous, Mo.; Matt & Brandy King, Neb.; Bryant & Courtney Jennings, NC.; Joe & Rachael Ericson, SD.; Jeff Adams, Ohio.; Cody & Ashley Sloan, Okla.; Charles Rogers, SC.: Scott Biskeborn, SD; Jay & Alice Yeargin, Tenn.; Tyler Franklin, Va.; Johnathan Gibbs, Wis. and Rob & Cindy Foster, Canada.
“Agriculture faces many challenges and opportunities as American farmers work to help meet the growing global demand for food. We are proud to support the young leader program, which is developing the future growers needed to capture those opportunities and meet those challenges,” said Randy Wanke, Sr. Manager Industry Relations, Pioneer.
USB Grows to 70; New Directors Sworn In, New Leadership Elected
With the growth in soybean acres, the United Soybean Board (USB) has added a new farmer-leader. That new director, from Mississippi, was sworn in yesterday with 12 other new and 22 reappointed directors at USB’s Annual Meeting. Shortly after being sworn in, these directors took part in electing new leadership to begin the strategic-planning process for the next year.
The board elected Jim Call, soybean farmer from Madison, Minn., to lead the board as USB Chairman in 2014.
“I’ve been proud to be a part of USB as it takes its work to a new level,” says Call. “The checkoff’s research to improve and grow demand and preference for U.S. soy really benefits all U.S. soybean farmers.”
Call won’t be by himself in continuing to move the soy industry forward in the areas of meal, oil, freedom to operate and customer focus. He’ll be joined by the executive committee, consisting of:
Vice Chairman: Bob Haselwood, Berryton, Kan.
Secretary: Lewis Bainbridge, Ethan, S.D.
Treasurer: Jared Hagert, Emerado, N.D.
Meal Action Team Chair: Laura Foell, Schaller, Iowa
Oil Action Team Chair: Lewis Bainbridge, Ethan, S.D.
Freedom to Operate Action Team Chair: Richard Fordyce, Bethany, Mo.
Customer Focus Action Team Chair: John Motter, Jenera, Ohio
International Opportunities Target Area Coordinator: Dwain Ford, Kinmundy, Ill.
Supply Target Area Coordinator: Gregg Fujan, Weston, Neb.
Communications Target Area Coordinator: Jimmy Sneed, Hernando, Miss.
Past Chairman: Jim Stillman, Emmetsburg, Iowa
Additionally, Jim Schriver, soybean farmer from Blufton, Ind., will serve as Domestic Opportunities Target Area Coordinator and David Hartke, soybean farmer Teutopolis, Ill., will chair USB’s Audit and Evaluation committee.
At the annual meeting, farmer leaders also elected the Strategic Management Committee (SMC) to track the progress of checkoff-funded activities to ensure they remain consistent with USB’s long-range strategic plan. Farmer-leaders who will serve on the SMC include:
Bob Haselwood, Berryton, Kan.
Todd Gibson, Norborne, Mo.
Nancy Kavazanjian, Beaver Dam, Wis.
Ron Ohlde, Palmer, Kan.
Jim Stillman, Emmetsburg, Iowa
New USB directors who were sworn in include:
Wilfrid Bibus, Chesterfield, N.J.
James Domagalski, Columbus, Mich.
Daniel Farney, Morton, Ill.
Cameron Gibson, Orange, Va.
Gregory Greving, Chapman, Neb.
Derek Haigwood, Newport, Ark.
Ralph Lott II, Seneca, N.Y.
Douglas Simmons III, Leland, Miss.
David Wansley, Vicksburg, Miss.
Grant Watermann, Vona, Colo.
David Williams, Elsie, Mich.
Kevin Wilson, Walton, Ind.
Dallas Wright, Millsboro, Del.
Reappointed directors include:
Lewis Bainbridge, Ethan, S.D.
Bill Beam, Elverson, Pa.
Charles Cannatella, Melville, La.
Delbert Christensen, Audubon, Iowa
Bob Derr, Marshall, Wis.
John Dodson, Halls, Tenn.
Richard Fordyce, Bethany, Mo.
Gregg Fujan, Weston, Neb.
Paul Fruendt, Cuthrie, Okla.
Jared Hagert, Emerado, N.D.
Robb Hanks, LeRoy, Minn.
Bob Haselwood, Berryton, Kan.
Nancy Kavazanjian, Beaver Dam, Wis.
Keith Kemp, West Manchester, Ohio
Steve Moore, Sudlersville, Md.
Ron Ohlde, Palmer, Kan.
Jacob Parker, Columbia, N.C.
Dale Profit, Van Wert, Ohio
Jim Schriver, Bluffton, Ind.
Joel Thorsrud, Hillboro, N.D.
Jim Willers, Beaver Creek, Minn.
Doug Winter, Mill Shoals, Ill.
The 70 farmer-directors of USB oversee the investments of the soy checkoff to maximize profit opportunities for all U.S. soybean farmers. These volunteers invest and leverage checkoff funds to increase the value of U.S. soy meal and oil, to ensure U.S. soybean farmers and their customers have the freedom and infrastructure to operate, and to meet the needs of U.S. soy’s customers. As stipulated in the federal Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight responsibilities for USB and the soy checkoff.
NCBA Announces Impressive Speaker Lineup for 2014 Cattle Industry Convention
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is pleased to announce the lineup of speakers for the 2014 Cattle Industry Annual Convention in Nashville, Tenn. Captain Richard Phillips will kick off the convention with keynote remarks during the general opening session, scheduled for Feb. 4 at 3 p.m. and sponsored by Boehringher Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc.
Captain Richard Phillips is the inspiration for the movie, “Captain Phillips”, starring Tom Hanks. The movie is based on Phillips’s book, “A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy Seals and Dangerous Days at Sea,” a fascinating and suspenseful recounting of the first hijacking of a U.S. ship in more than 200 years.
It’s the incredible story of a regular man who found the courage to lead his ship and save his crew while besieged by Somali pirates for five days. Phillips not only shares his compelling story as a “floating CEO” in charge of the day-to-day operations of a multi-million dollar ship and its crew, he also draws lessons from the dramatic events that can help you survive and thrive. He will discuss the vital importance of leadership and teamwork, combined with a belief in the power and potential of yourself and your team, as seen through the eyes of an unassuming hero who conquered one of the world’s most extraordinary challenges.
General Session II, sponsored by Bayer Animal Health, takes place Feb. 6 at 9:30 a.m. and features all-American and NFL quarterback Archie Manning, who transcends his athletic achievements. People far and wide have been inspired by his warm personality, his drive, and sense of humor.
Recognized as a 14-year veteran quarterback and father of two Super Bowl champion quarterbacks, Peyton and Eli, Manning believes the greatest rewards don’t come from winning the game – they come from playing the game. His other principles for success are leadership, depending on others and being flexible. Manning takes these lessons, along with countless others, to inspire audiences to achieve greatness in their journey for personal and professional success.
On Feb. 5 at 8 a.m, Purina Animal Nutrition LLC and Zoetis are sponsoring the Cattlefax outlook seminar. This session will explore the factors that influence the profitability of your operation, and provide a look forward to what cattle, beef and feed prices might look like in the future. To top it off, Art Douglas, Ph.D., of Creighton University will provide a long-term weather outlook.
“Convention attendees can expect inspirational and thought-provoking speeches from each of our keynote speakers,” said NCBA President Scott George. “We are thrilled to have Captain Phillips and Archie Manning join us in Nashville to help set the tone for a productive and engaging week ahead.”
For more information on the 2014 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show, visit www.beefusa.org.
CropLife Foundation Report Examines Immense Value of Seed Treatment for Agriculture
CropLife Foundation (CLF) today releases “The Role of Seed Treatment in Modern U.S. Crop Production,” an in-depth report detailing the uses of seed treatments, primarily fungicides and insecticides, and the resulting benefits for growers, consumers and the environment. The report highlights the role of modern seed treatments in producing healthier, more uniform crops; increasing crop value; and allowing growers to plant earlier in the season, all while reducing potential environmental exposure through an increasingly precise application method.
Seed treatment refers to the direct application of crop protection products to the surface of a seed prior to planting. This method of crop protection suppresses, controls and repels pathogens, insects and other pests that threaten to limit seed viability and health from the time that the seed enters the soil through its development. Seed treatment also helps protect high-quality seed that has been enhanced through other agricultural technologies, such as hybrid or genetically modified seed, resulting in added value to growers.
The CLF report cites research conducted throughout the country on some of the measurable, beneficial impacts of seed treatment:
Grower benefits:
- Fungicide seed treatments active against the fungus Thielaviopsis produced a 65 percent increase in cotton stands in California compared to untreated cotton seed;
- Seed treatment insecticides applied to rice seed in Arkansas reduced damage from grape colapsis larvae by up to 83 percent;
- Yields of spring wheat and spring barley increased by 25 percent following the application of seed treatment, according to trials conducted at Montana State University;
- Neonicotinoid seed treatments more than doubled stands of sorghum in Louisiana research trials.
Environmental benefits:
- Potential soil surface exposure is reduced by up to 90 percent compared to other application methods such as in-furrow applications or broadcast sprays;
- Seed treatment technology has improved from application of ounces per hundred weight of seed (cwt) to milligrams per individual seed.
Economic benefits:
- Through increased protection and greater crop yields, seed treatment helped contribute to nearly $80 billion worth of value to American corn growers in 2011;
- Seed varieties developed through modern breeding techniques, combined with effective seed treatments, provide nearly 100 percent crop stand – almost every seed produces a mature plant.
CLF held a press event this morning at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., which included presentations from Jay Vroom, CLF’s chair of the board of directors; Andrew W. LaVigne, president and CEO of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA); and Tim Burrack, farmer and vice chair of the board of directors of Truth About Trade & Technology (TATT).
Vroom highlighted key findings of the report and emphasized the value of seed treatment for farmers in the U.S., including the class of neonicotinoid insecticides. “CLF’s new report includes detailed information on an array of seed treatment solutions, including neonicotinoid insecticides, which provide excellent control of many insect pests, and have also been shown to improve plant health,” Vroom noted. “These products are strictly regulated in the U.S. by the EPA, and under science-based regulations, American farmers continue to reap the benefits of these products. Seed treatment is a vital component in the array of technologies that American farmers select in order to produce food, feed, fiber and fuel for their communities.”
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) current regulatory process for neonicotinoids and other crop protection products establishes protection levels for both humans and wildlife on the basis of numerous scientific tests. Strict product labeling standards established by EPA also ensure that products are used responsibly. Through a periodic review process, EPA continues to assess any potential risks of neonicotinoids and other crop protection products.
To download the full report, visit http://croplifeamerica.org/seedtreatment.
A New Report Shows the Critical Benefits of Farm Bill Conservation
Tom Vilsack, USDA Secretary
America’s farmers, ranchers and landowners have led the way in recent years to conserve and protect our soil, water and wildlife habitat.
With the help of Farm Bill programs, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has worked with a record number of producers since 2009 – more than 500,000 of them – to get this important work done.
Ever since the Dust Bowl, we’ve known that investments in conservation on working lands and other wild areas is important. And this week, a new report amplified our understanding for the critical importance of the Farm Bill in protecting natural resources in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
The report showed that over the past seven years, conservation efforts have reduced the amount of nitrogen leaving fields by 48.6 million pounds each year – about 26 percent – and reducing phosphorus by 7.1 million pounds, or 46 percent.
These conservation practices are also preventing soil erosion, helping to ensure that our farm fields across the Chesapeake Bay Watershed remain vibrant and productive in the years to come. Conservation practices have lowered the estimated amount of eroded soil by about 15.1 million tons every year, or 60 percent. Put another way, that’s enough soil to fill about 150,000 railcars.
In addition to ensuring healthy cropland and clean water, these programs strengthen wildlife habitat that boosts outdoor recreation. From hunting and fishing, to camping and hiking, outdoor recreation adds more than $640 billion in benefits to our economy each year.
The Chesapeake Bay watershed initiative is just one of many landscape-scale initiatives undertaken by USDA in recent years. From the Mississippi River Basin to the Ogallala Aquifer, USDA has worked with producers to enroll millions of acres in targeted landscape initiatives – and today’s report once again highlights the positive impact this work can have across the nation.
From clean soil to healthier water, the benefits of conservation impact every American – and they’re one reason why USDA is pressing Congress this fall to provide a comprehensive, multiyear Food, Farm and Jobs Bill that continues our record conservation efforts.
A new Farm Bill would continue targeted conservation efforts on working lands that ensure soil quality, water quality, erosion control, forest restoration, and wildlife habitat. It would continue major working land programs such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and Conservation Stewardship Program, through which USDA has provided more than 190,000 landowner contracts since 2009, as well as the Conservation Reserve Program under which we have held a signup each year during this Administration. A new Farm Bill would also ensure that tens of millions of acres remain in conservation practices by linking crop insurance compliance to conservation program participation.
Across the nation, our farmers, ranchers and landowners are stepping up to protect our natural resources. They deserve our support – and the most important thing that can happen today is for Congress to achieve passage of a new Food, Farm and Jobs Bill that stands by producers and continues our long legacy of conservation.
Deere to Repurchase $8 Billion of its Common Stock
The Deere & Company Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to $8 billion of additional common stock. The board also declared a regular quarterly dividend of $.51 a share on common stock, payable February 3, 2014 to stockholders of record on December 31, 2013.
"Today's action reflects our confidence in the company's long-term future growth opportunities," said Samuel R. Allen, chairman and chief executive officer. "The decision exemplifies our commitment to creating superior long-term value for investors."
The repurchase program will supplement the existing $5 billion share authorization announced in May 2008. On October 31, 2013, there was approximately $1 billion remaining under the prior authorization. Repurchases will be made at the company's discretion in the open market. Deere had approximately 375 million shares outstanding on October 31, 2013.
Since early 2004, the company has repurchased about $11 billion of common stock through its share buyback program.
Gov. Dave Heineman today has named Pat Rice of Lincoln as the Acting Director of the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, effective Dec. 20.
Rice, 61, has most recently served as the Assistant Director at the Department of Environmental Quality. He has held that position for the last 19 years. Before coming to the Department, he served for 18 year as the Director of the Division of Technical and Support Services for the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
“I am honored that Governor Heineman asked me to serve as Acting Director of the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality,” Rice said. “I have worked the last 37 years in the environmental arena and look forward to continuing the important work of protecting Nebraska’s air, land, and water resources.”
Rice earned a Bachelor of Science in civil/environmental engineering from South Dakota State University. He is completing his third term as a national board member of the Association of Clean Water Administrators and has served as a commissioner on the Southwestern Low-Level Radioactive Waste Commission.
The primary role of the Department of Environmental Quality is to ensure the State’s natural resources are protected from contamination. The more than 200 employees of the Department of Environmental Quality work with businesses, communities and individuals toward the common goal of protecting the environment. The department’s permitting, compliance, remediation, monitoring, and assistance programs are designed to help achieve this goal.
Rice and his wife Donlynn have two sons. Rice will be paid an annual salary of $120,000.
Early Freeze in Iowa Prompts Manure Application Questions
Calls to DNR field offices about manure application on frozen ground are up this year, especially in northern Iowa.
The DNR is reminding producers they must meet separation distances if they are unable to inject or incorporate the manure.
"The ground froze earlier than usual, so a lot of barns did not have their manure pits emptied yet," said Cindy Martens of the DNR's Spencer field office.
Limits on applying manure on frozen ground kick in on Feb. 1, while limits on applying on snow-covered ground start Dec. 21, unless it's an emergency. These limits apply to confinement (totally roofed) facilities with liquid manure that have 500 or more animal units.
The state law limiting application on frozen or snow-covered ground does not apply to manure from open feedlots or dry manure.
However, all producers must follow setbacks if surface applying manure.
"They can still go ahead and land apply as long as they maintain separation distances. Normally if they are injecting or incorporating the manure so that it's placed under the soil, there is no separation distance. But, if they are surface applying, they need to be at least 200 feet from wells and water, 800 feet from some waters. And, liquid manure needs to be 750 feet from residences and other buildings," she says.
Producers can check the separation distances that apply at www.iowadnr.gov/afo/ by looking under AFO Resources, Fact Sheets.
Construction permits for a few confinement producers require no surface application. Producers who have that condition in their permit should call the nearest DNR field office at www.iowadnr.gov/.
Deadline Nears for Iowa County Animal Confinement Site Evaluations
Counties interested in evaluating proposed sites of animal confinements that need a construction permit must sign up by Jan. 31, 2014.
The board of supervisors in counties that would like to participate must adopt and file a construction evaluation resolution and submit it to the DNR between Jan. 1 and 31.
Confinements in counties that file the resolutions must meet higher standards than other permitted sites. They must earn points on the master matrix by choosing a site and using practices that reduce impacts on the environment and the community.
"Adopting a construction evaluation resolution and properly using the master matrix process is the primary method counties have to work with livestock producers on proposed confinement operations," said Gene Tinker, coordinator of the DNR animal feeding section. "County supervisors or staffs have the opportunity to review master matrix applications to determine if the site characteristics and management practices selected are appropriate to receive points needed for a passing score."
Counties that participate in the master matrix process may send staff to accompany the DNR on site visits to proposed locations. The county board of supervisors may also appeal the DNR's preliminary approval of a permit to the Environmental Protection Commission.
Approximately 86 counties have filed resolutions each year since the master matrix went into effect in 2003.
Counties that have adopted a resolution should mail it to Jerah Sheets at the DNR, 502 E. Ninth St., Des Moines, IA 50319 or fax it to 515-281-8895. Sign-ups occur annually during the month of January for the upcoming February through January.
Most confinement feeding operations that need to apply for a permit are subject to the matrix. For more information on which operations are affected, check the DNR website under animal feeding operations at www.iowadnr.gov/AFO/.
Additional information for counties is available on the Iowa State Association of Counties website at www.iowacounties.org/ under master matrix -- construction evaluation.
Hill Reelected Iowa Farm Bureau President
Craig Hill of Milo was re-elected president of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) at the organization's 95th annual meeting in Des Moines. Delegates also re-elected three district directors to the board. They include Doug Gronau of Vail, Nick Podhajsky of Traer and Calvin Rozenboom of Oskaloosa.
Hill's service to the Iowa Farm Bureau started at the county level. He was involved in various positions with the Warren County Farm Bureau board of directors. In 1989, he was elected as the District 8 representative on the state board of directors. He then served as the organization's vice president from 2001-2011 before being elected president.
As president, Hill serves as chairman of the board of FBL Financial Group, Inc., and serves on the American Farm Bureau board of directors. In addition, he serves on the Rain & Hail LLC board of directors.
Throughout his years on the IFBF board, Hill has been involved in a variety of projects. He was instrumental in the development of Revenue Assurance, a revenue-based crop insurance for corn and soybean farmers. He also served as the first chairman of the Iowa Ag State Group, which consists of representatives from all sectors of Iowa's agriculture, and on the U.S. Grains Council. Hill was also appointed to Governor Vilsack's Strategic Planning Council in 1999 to help Iowa prepare for the future of our state in 2010. In 2003, the AFBF named Hill to a 23-member national committee, Making Agriculture Productive and Profitable (MAPP). The committee develops policy options for Farm Bureau to consider.
He and his wife, Patti, have two children. Their son, Adam, is involved on the family grain and livestock operation. Their daughter, Abbie, is an associate attorney with Gross & Welch in Omaha, Neb.
Gronau represents District 4, which consists of 11 counties in west central Iowa. He was elected to the position in 2001. Prior to his election to the board, he was vice chairman of the internal study committee. Gronau has served in numerous Crawford County Farm Bureau leadership capacities. He has served on several statewide environmental committees representing IFBF and was also a member of the IFBF Speaker Corps. He has also been appointed to the Farm Bureau Life Insurance Board of Directors. He currently serves on the Leopold advisory board.
Podhajsky represents District 6, which consists of 11 counties in eastern Iowa. He was elected to the position in 2011. Podhajsky was a 2010 Iowa delegate representative for the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting and has served in many other elected positions in his county Farm Bureau office, including president and county voting delegate.
Rozenboom represents District 8, which consists of 10 counties in south central Iowa. He was elected to the position in 2001. Before that, he was very active in the Mahaska County Farm Bureau where he served as president and vice president. He has also served as chairman of the IFBF swine advisory committee and as a member of the IFBF resolutions committee. He was also a member of the AFBF swine advisory committee. He has spent six years on the board of directors of CRWRC, an international relief agency which currently serves in 28 countries, primarily providing community development, health education, literacy services and disaster relief.
Nine delegates were elected to represent Iowa at the AFBF annual meeting in San Antonio, Texas, Jan. 12-15. They include: IFBF President Craig Hill, Vice President Joe Heinrich of Maquoketa, Doug Boland of Williamsburg, Cal Rozenboom of Oskaloosa, Dallas Johnston of Kent, Dave Kronlage of Dyersville, Gary Rayhons of Garner, Paul Gieselman of Morning Sun, and Dan Chism of Emmetsburg.
Dave Seil of Gowrie (Webster County) was elected to a three-year term on the IFBF internal study committee. The internal study committee serves as a liaison between the county Farm Bureau voting delegates and the state board of directors.
October Beef Exports Continue Surge; Pork Export Value Highest of 2013
Beef exports remained on a record-setting pace in October while pork exports put up one of their strongest performances of the year, yet remain behind 2012’s record-high levels, according to statistics released by the USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF).
Top beef export markets Japan and Mexico both increased the volume of their U.S. beef purchases in excess of 40 percent for the month, while sales to the booming Hong Kong market skyrocketed 148 percent. Overall, October U.S. beef exports reached 107,471 metric tons valued at $564.5 million, increases of 6 and nearly 14 percent, respectively.
Pork exports in October were the largest of the year on a value basis at $539.9 million, and second-largest in volume at 186,637 metric tons, but still declined 11 and 14 percent, respectively, from last October’s all-time single-month highs for both volume and value. Both the ASEAN and the Central and South America region recorded double-digit increases, as they have all year, but other key markets trailed 2012’s historic highs.
“The ebbs and flows of export markets require us to make continual adjustments,” said Philip Seng, USMEF president and CEO. “For example, Japan remains the United States’ top value market for pork exports, but relentless competition from other international suppliers is making it tougher for us to maintain our market share."
Seng also noted while the U.S. Congress continues to debate budget cuts that could affect spending on programs like the Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development (FMD) program that support U.S. agricultural exports, the European Commission has proposed more than tripling its spending to support EU agricultural and agri-food sector products.
“There is no question that exports create jobs and support a positive balance of trade,” said Seng. “The European Commission sees that link and is looking to put significantly more resources into their export initiative, so we can expect to face even heavier competition in the top value markets going forward.”
Top Beef Markets
Increased exports to leading markets Japan and Mexico – along with sharp increases in sales to Hong Kong – continue to drive U.S. beef sales to higher levels. For the year, total U.S. beef exports (muscle cuts plus variety meat) stand at 969,186 metric tons (up 2 percent) valued at nearly $5.1 billion (up 11 percent), and are expected to easily top 2012’s record value of $5.51 billion.
Export value per head of fed slaughter averaged $251.06 in October, up $29 from last year. Exports accounted for 11 percent of muscle cuts and 13.5 percent of total beef exports (muscle cuts plus variety meat) for the month, up from 10 and 12.6 percent, respectively, last year.
Top-performing beef export markets in October were:
- Japan: 18,004 metric tons (up 40 percent) valued at $106.3 million (up 16 percent)
- Mexico: 21,983 metric tons (up 53 percent) – Mexico’s largest volume of U.S. beef imports since December 2011 – valued at $95.3 million (up 50 percent)
- Hong Kong: 15,403 metric tons (up 148 percent) – a new record volume – valued at $98.1 million (up 184 percent)
- South Korea: 9,509 metric tons (up more than 25 percent) valued at $60.6 million (up close to 75 percent)
- Central/South America: 3,560 metric tons (up 61 percent) valued at $15.5 million (up nearly 54 percent)
“Hong Kong is clearly emerging as a major beef market, and USMEF’s initiatives there cover retail, food service and trade sectors in this highly competitive and progressive market,” said Seng. “We are the second-largest supplier to Hong Kong, trailing only Brazil, but we are continuing to miss out on even larger opportunities in mainland China, where we have not had access since 2003.”
Mainland China’s beef imports through the first 10 months of this year have reached 253,196 metric tons valued at nearly $1.1 billion – increases of 562 percent in volume and 595 percent in value over last year, according to the Global Trade Atlas. Australia holds better than a 50 percent market share there in the United States’ absence.
Top Pork Markets
Mexico, the leading volume market for U.S. pork, dipped 2 percent in volume during October (55,152 metric tons) while the value increased 5.6 percent to $114.6 million. Through the first 10 months of the year, export volume to Mexico (501,979 metric tons) was steady with last year’s record pace and export value ($964.4 million) was 4 percent higher.
October sales to the top value market, Japan, slipped nearly 8 percent in value ($173.5 million) on 15 percent lower volume (38,322 metric tons). For January through October, exports were down 9 percent in volume (356,032 metric tons) and 6 percent in value ($1.58 billion).
U.S. pork export value in October averaged $51.79 per head, down 7 percent from last year. Exports accounted for 20 percent of pork muscle cuts and nearly 24 percent of total pork production, compared to 23 and 27.4 percent last year.
Other key pork export results in October were:
- China/Hong Kong region: 36,531 metric tons (down nearly 6 percent) valued at $80.9 million (down 4 percent)
- Canada: 18,831 metric tons (down 7 percent) valued at $69.3 million (down 6 percent)
- Central/South America: 13,040 metric tons (up more than 23 percent) valued at $33.9 million (up 30 percent) – led by a 65 percent increase in volume to Colombia (3,916 metric tons) and 66 percent jump in value ($10.7 million)
- South Korea: 5,566 metric tons (down 60 percent) valued at $16 million (down 57 percent)
- ASEAN: 6,912 metric tons (up more than 17 percent) valued at $15.2 million (up more than 15 percent)
Lamb exports
Lamb exports in October were down to top market Mexico, but increased for next-largest markets Canada and the Caribbean. For the month they equaled 855 metric tons, down 36.5 percent, while the value of exports dipped 11.7 percent to nearly $2.2 million.
For the year, lamb exports remain up 7 percent in value at $23.6 million on 7 percent lower volumes (10,575 metric tons).
ASA DuPont Young Leader Completes 30th Anniversary Class
During the first-phase of a two-part leadership program, the 30th class of ASA DuPont Young Leaders began their journey last week at Pioneer’s headquarters in Johnston, Iowa.
Representatives from 22 states and Canada participated in training that included a communications workshop, DiSC workplace assessment, soybean issues panel discussion and soybean pipeline update. The Johnston training session was the first phase of a program designed to identify new and aspiring leaders and provide them with opportunities to enhance their skills and network with other growers.
“The ASA DuPont Young Leader Program is truly helping shape the future of the soybean industry,” said ASA President Danny Murphy, a soybean farmer from Canton, Miss. “By identifying new and aspiring leaders and providing participants with a training opportunity that enhances their skills while growing their peer network, the Young Leader program builds a more collaborative industry that better represents their local, state and national organizations and agricultural interests.”
The 2014 class of ASA DuPont Young Leaders participating in the first phase of training included: James Hereford, Ala.; Adam Cloninger, Ark.; Andrew & Savannah Moore, Ga; Drew DeSutter, Ill.; Matt & Carla Schenk, Ind.; Tim Couser, Iowa; Kregg Rennie, KS; Quint & Leah Pottinger, Ky.; Matt Hinderer, Mich.; Michael Petefish, Minn.; Pierce Brown, Miss.; Kellen Bounous, Mo.; Matt & Brandy King, Neb.; Bryant & Courtney Jennings, NC.; Joe & Rachael Ericson, SD.; Jeff Adams, Ohio.; Cody & Ashley Sloan, Okla.; Charles Rogers, SC.: Scott Biskeborn, SD; Jay & Alice Yeargin, Tenn.; Tyler Franklin, Va.; Johnathan Gibbs, Wis. and Rob & Cindy Foster, Canada.
“Agriculture faces many challenges and opportunities as American farmers work to help meet the growing global demand for food. We are proud to support the young leader program, which is developing the future growers needed to capture those opportunities and meet those challenges,” said Randy Wanke, Sr. Manager Industry Relations, Pioneer.
USB Grows to 70; New Directors Sworn In, New Leadership Elected
With the growth in soybean acres, the United Soybean Board (USB) has added a new farmer-leader. That new director, from Mississippi, was sworn in yesterday with 12 other new and 22 reappointed directors at USB’s Annual Meeting. Shortly after being sworn in, these directors took part in electing new leadership to begin the strategic-planning process for the next year.
The board elected Jim Call, soybean farmer from Madison, Minn., to lead the board as USB Chairman in 2014.
“I’ve been proud to be a part of USB as it takes its work to a new level,” says Call. “The checkoff’s research to improve and grow demand and preference for U.S. soy really benefits all U.S. soybean farmers.”
Call won’t be by himself in continuing to move the soy industry forward in the areas of meal, oil, freedom to operate and customer focus. He’ll be joined by the executive committee, consisting of:
Vice Chairman: Bob Haselwood, Berryton, Kan.
Secretary: Lewis Bainbridge, Ethan, S.D.
Treasurer: Jared Hagert, Emerado, N.D.
Meal Action Team Chair: Laura Foell, Schaller, Iowa
Oil Action Team Chair: Lewis Bainbridge, Ethan, S.D.
Freedom to Operate Action Team Chair: Richard Fordyce, Bethany, Mo.
Customer Focus Action Team Chair: John Motter, Jenera, Ohio
International Opportunities Target Area Coordinator: Dwain Ford, Kinmundy, Ill.
Supply Target Area Coordinator: Gregg Fujan, Weston, Neb.
Communications Target Area Coordinator: Jimmy Sneed, Hernando, Miss.
Past Chairman: Jim Stillman, Emmetsburg, Iowa
Additionally, Jim Schriver, soybean farmer from Blufton, Ind., will serve as Domestic Opportunities Target Area Coordinator and David Hartke, soybean farmer Teutopolis, Ill., will chair USB’s Audit and Evaluation committee.
At the annual meeting, farmer leaders also elected the Strategic Management Committee (SMC) to track the progress of checkoff-funded activities to ensure they remain consistent with USB’s long-range strategic plan. Farmer-leaders who will serve on the SMC include:
Bob Haselwood, Berryton, Kan.
Todd Gibson, Norborne, Mo.
Nancy Kavazanjian, Beaver Dam, Wis.
Ron Ohlde, Palmer, Kan.
Jim Stillman, Emmetsburg, Iowa
New USB directors who were sworn in include:
Wilfrid Bibus, Chesterfield, N.J.
James Domagalski, Columbus, Mich.
Daniel Farney, Morton, Ill.
Cameron Gibson, Orange, Va.
Gregory Greving, Chapman, Neb.
Derek Haigwood, Newport, Ark.
Ralph Lott II, Seneca, N.Y.
Douglas Simmons III, Leland, Miss.
David Wansley, Vicksburg, Miss.
Grant Watermann, Vona, Colo.
David Williams, Elsie, Mich.
Kevin Wilson, Walton, Ind.
Dallas Wright, Millsboro, Del.
Reappointed directors include:
Lewis Bainbridge, Ethan, S.D.
Bill Beam, Elverson, Pa.
Charles Cannatella, Melville, La.
Delbert Christensen, Audubon, Iowa
Bob Derr, Marshall, Wis.
John Dodson, Halls, Tenn.
Richard Fordyce, Bethany, Mo.
Gregg Fujan, Weston, Neb.
Paul Fruendt, Cuthrie, Okla.
Jared Hagert, Emerado, N.D.
Robb Hanks, LeRoy, Minn.
Bob Haselwood, Berryton, Kan.
Nancy Kavazanjian, Beaver Dam, Wis.
Keith Kemp, West Manchester, Ohio
Steve Moore, Sudlersville, Md.
Ron Ohlde, Palmer, Kan.
Jacob Parker, Columbia, N.C.
Dale Profit, Van Wert, Ohio
Jim Schriver, Bluffton, Ind.
Joel Thorsrud, Hillboro, N.D.
Jim Willers, Beaver Creek, Minn.
Doug Winter, Mill Shoals, Ill.
The 70 farmer-directors of USB oversee the investments of the soy checkoff to maximize profit opportunities for all U.S. soybean farmers. These volunteers invest and leverage checkoff funds to increase the value of U.S. soy meal and oil, to ensure U.S. soybean farmers and their customers have the freedom and infrastructure to operate, and to meet the needs of U.S. soy’s customers. As stipulated in the federal Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight responsibilities for USB and the soy checkoff.
NCBA Announces Impressive Speaker Lineup for 2014 Cattle Industry Convention
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is pleased to announce the lineup of speakers for the 2014 Cattle Industry Annual Convention in Nashville, Tenn. Captain Richard Phillips will kick off the convention with keynote remarks during the general opening session, scheduled for Feb. 4 at 3 p.m. and sponsored by Boehringher Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc.
Captain Richard Phillips is the inspiration for the movie, “Captain Phillips”, starring Tom Hanks. The movie is based on Phillips’s book, “A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy Seals and Dangerous Days at Sea,” a fascinating and suspenseful recounting of the first hijacking of a U.S. ship in more than 200 years.
It’s the incredible story of a regular man who found the courage to lead his ship and save his crew while besieged by Somali pirates for five days. Phillips not only shares his compelling story as a “floating CEO” in charge of the day-to-day operations of a multi-million dollar ship and its crew, he also draws lessons from the dramatic events that can help you survive and thrive. He will discuss the vital importance of leadership and teamwork, combined with a belief in the power and potential of yourself and your team, as seen through the eyes of an unassuming hero who conquered one of the world’s most extraordinary challenges.
General Session II, sponsored by Bayer Animal Health, takes place Feb. 6 at 9:30 a.m. and features all-American and NFL quarterback Archie Manning, who transcends his athletic achievements. People far and wide have been inspired by his warm personality, his drive, and sense of humor.
Recognized as a 14-year veteran quarterback and father of two Super Bowl champion quarterbacks, Peyton and Eli, Manning believes the greatest rewards don’t come from winning the game – they come from playing the game. His other principles for success are leadership, depending on others and being flexible. Manning takes these lessons, along with countless others, to inspire audiences to achieve greatness in their journey for personal and professional success.
On Feb. 5 at 8 a.m, Purina Animal Nutrition LLC and Zoetis are sponsoring the Cattlefax outlook seminar. This session will explore the factors that influence the profitability of your operation, and provide a look forward to what cattle, beef and feed prices might look like in the future. To top it off, Art Douglas, Ph.D., of Creighton University will provide a long-term weather outlook.
“Convention attendees can expect inspirational and thought-provoking speeches from each of our keynote speakers,” said NCBA President Scott George. “We are thrilled to have Captain Phillips and Archie Manning join us in Nashville to help set the tone for a productive and engaging week ahead.”
For more information on the 2014 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show, visit www.beefusa.org.
CropLife Foundation Report Examines Immense Value of Seed Treatment for Agriculture
CropLife Foundation (CLF) today releases “The Role of Seed Treatment in Modern U.S. Crop Production,” an in-depth report detailing the uses of seed treatments, primarily fungicides and insecticides, and the resulting benefits for growers, consumers and the environment. The report highlights the role of modern seed treatments in producing healthier, more uniform crops; increasing crop value; and allowing growers to plant earlier in the season, all while reducing potential environmental exposure through an increasingly precise application method.
Seed treatment refers to the direct application of crop protection products to the surface of a seed prior to planting. This method of crop protection suppresses, controls and repels pathogens, insects and other pests that threaten to limit seed viability and health from the time that the seed enters the soil through its development. Seed treatment also helps protect high-quality seed that has been enhanced through other agricultural technologies, such as hybrid or genetically modified seed, resulting in added value to growers.
The CLF report cites research conducted throughout the country on some of the measurable, beneficial impacts of seed treatment:
Grower benefits:
- Fungicide seed treatments active against the fungus Thielaviopsis produced a 65 percent increase in cotton stands in California compared to untreated cotton seed;
- Seed treatment insecticides applied to rice seed in Arkansas reduced damage from grape colapsis larvae by up to 83 percent;
- Yields of spring wheat and spring barley increased by 25 percent following the application of seed treatment, according to trials conducted at Montana State University;
- Neonicotinoid seed treatments more than doubled stands of sorghum in Louisiana research trials.
Environmental benefits:
- Potential soil surface exposure is reduced by up to 90 percent compared to other application methods such as in-furrow applications or broadcast sprays;
- Seed treatment technology has improved from application of ounces per hundred weight of seed (cwt) to milligrams per individual seed.
Economic benefits:
- Through increased protection and greater crop yields, seed treatment helped contribute to nearly $80 billion worth of value to American corn growers in 2011;
- Seed varieties developed through modern breeding techniques, combined with effective seed treatments, provide nearly 100 percent crop stand – almost every seed produces a mature plant.
CLF held a press event this morning at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., which included presentations from Jay Vroom, CLF’s chair of the board of directors; Andrew W. LaVigne, president and CEO of the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA); and Tim Burrack, farmer and vice chair of the board of directors of Truth About Trade & Technology (TATT).
Vroom highlighted key findings of the report and emphasized the value of seed treatment for farmers in the U.S., including the class of neonicotinoid insecticides. “CLF’s new report includes detailed information on an array of seed treatment solutions, including neonicotinoid insecticides, which provide excellent control of many insect pests, and have also been shown to improve plant health,” Vroom noted. “These products are strictly regulated in the U.S. by the EPA, and under science-based regulations, American farmers continue to reap the benefits of these products. Seed treatment is a vital component in the array of technologies that American farmers select in order to produce food, feed, fiber and fuel for their communities.”
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) current regulatory process for neonicotinoids and other crop protection products establishes protection levels for both humans and wildlife on the basis of numerous scientific tests. Strict product labeling standards established by EPA also ensure that products are used responsibly. Through a periodic review process, EPA continues to assess any potential risks of neonicotinoids and other crop protection products.
To download the full report, visit http://croplifeamerica.org/seedtreatment.
A New Report Shows the Critical Benefits of Farm Bill Conservation
Tom Vilsack, USDA Secretary
America’s farmers, ranchers and landowners have led the way in recent years to conserve and protect our soil, water and wildlife habitat.
With the help of Farm Bill programs, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has worked with a record number of producers since 2009 – more than 500,000 of them – to get this important work done.
Ever since the Dust Bowl, we’ve known that investments in conservation on working lands and other wild areas is important. And this week, a new report amplified our understanding for the critical importance of the Farm Bill in protecting natural resources in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
The report showed that over the past seven years, conservation efforts have reduced the amount of nitrogen leaving fields by 48.6 million pounds each year – about 26 percent – and reducing phosphorus by 7.1 million pounds, or 46 percent.
These conservation practices are also preventing soil erosion, helping to ensure that our farm fields across the Chesapeake Bay Watershed remain vibrant and productive in the years to come. Conservation practices have lowered the estimated amount of eroded soil by about 15.1 million tons every year, or 60 percent. Put another way, that’s enough soil to fill about 150,000 railcars.
In addition to ensuring healthy cropland and clean water, these programs strengthen wildlife habitat that boosts outdoor recreation. From hunting and fishing, to camping and hiking, outdoor recreation adds more than $640 billion in benefits to our economy each year.
The Chesapeake Bay watershed initiative is just one of many landscape-scale initiatives undertaken by USDA in recent years. From the Mississippi River Basin to the Ogallala Aquifer, USDA has worked with producers to enroll millions of acres in targeted landscape initiatives – and today’s report once again highlights the positive impact this work can have across the nation.
From clean soil to healthier water, the benefits of conservation impact every American – and they’re one reason why USDA is pressing Congress this fall to provide a comprehensive, multiyear Food, Farm and Jobs Bill that continues our record conservation efforts.
A new Farm Bill would continue targeted conservation efforts on working lands that ensure soil quality, water quality, erosion control, forest restoration, and wildlife habitat. It would continue major working land programs such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and Conservation Stewardship Program, through which USDA has provided more than 190,000 landowner contracts since 2009, as well as the Conservation Reserve Program under which we have held a signup each year during this Administration. A new Farm Bill would also ensure that tens of millions of acres remain in conservation practices by linking crop insurance compliance to conservation program participation.
Across the nation, our farmers, ranchers and landowners are stepping up to protect our natural resources. They deserve our support – and the most important thing that can happen today is for Congress to achieve passage of a new Food, Farm and Jobs Bill that stands by producers and continues our long legacy of conservation.
Deere to Repurchase $8 Billion of its Common Stock
The Deere & Company Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to $8 billion of additional common stock. The board also declared a regular quarterly dividend of $.51 a share on common stock, payable February 3, 2014 to stockholders of record on December 31, 2013.
"Today's action reflects our confidence in the company's long-term future growth opportunities," said Samuel R. Allen, chairman and chief executive officer. "The decision exemplifies our commitment to creating superior long-term value for investors."
The repurchase program will supplement the existing $5 billion share authorization announced in May 2008. On October 31, 2013, there was approximately $1 billion remaining under the prior authorization. Repurchases will be made at the company's discretion in the open market. Deere had approximately 375 million shares outstanding on October 31, 2013.
Since early 2004, the company has repurchased about $11 billion of common stock through its share buyback program.
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Thursday December 5 Ag News
Nebraska's Tiemann Honored for 15 years of USGC Service
"There's no other organization in the United States that can do what the U.S. Grains Council does," said Alan Tiemann, Nebraska Corn Board member. "With the Council's public-private partnership we're doing great things around the world to develop exports of our products."
Tiemann has a unique perspective on his 15 years of Council experience. Beginning in 1997, he represented the Nebraska Grain Sorghum Board for six years. Then, after a short break, he moved to Nebraska's corn checkoff board in 2005, becoming an at-large director on the USGC board and, last summer, the Council's secretary/treasurer.
"One of the biggest changes I've seen in my years at the Council is in structure from a board of delegates to a board of directors," he said. "It's allowed the Council to become more efficient than when they had three huge meetings each year."
He urges members to maximize the benefits of Council membership by being involved.
"Even if you're not named to an advisory team [A-Teams], the best thing you can do is show up at the meetings and visit as many A-Teams as you can," he said. "Find out where your skill set fits with the Council's work and get involved.
"The Council has such a diversity of teams that there's something for everybody to get passionate about."
Tiemann's own passion is new markets. "We're still working to expand China, but markets are constantly evolving from where they were 20, 15, even 10 years ago. Will the next opportunity be Africa? India?
"That's what I'm excited about at the Council."
USDA Farm Storage Loans Available
USDA Nebraska Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director, Dan Steinkruger, reminds farmers and ranchers that Farm Storage Facility Loans (FSFL) are available through FSA.
The Farm Service Agency offers low-interest loans to grain producers to build new or upgrade existing storage facilities and permanent drying and handling equipment. Loan opportunities include, but are not limited to:
· New conventional-type cribs or bins, oxygen-limiting and other upright silo-type structures, and flat-type storage structures designed for whole grain storage,
· Perforated floors, safety equipment, quality improvement equipment, electrical equipment and concrete components considered essential for a fully functional storage facility,
· Remodeling existing storage facilities to increase storage capacity.
Farm storage facility loans are also available to fruit and vegetable producers for new cold storage facilities; and to hay and biomass producers for new storage structures.
Farm storage facility loans must be approved prior to site preparation, equipment purchase or construction, and must be secured by a promissory note and security agreement. The new maximum principal loan amount is $500,000. Participants are required to provide a down payment of 15 percent, with CCC providing a loan for the remaining 85 percent of the net cost of the eligible storage facility and permanent drying and handling equipment.
Additional security is required for poured-cement open-bunker silos, renewable biomass facilities, cold storage facilities, hay barns and for all loans exceeding $50,000. New loan terms of seven, 10 or 12 years are available depending on the amount of the loan. Interest rates for each term rate may be different and are based on the rate which CCC borrows from the Treasury Department.
Contact your local FSA Office for more information on Farm Storage Facility Loans or visit the web at www.fsa.usda.gov/ne.
Worried About Hormones in Beef?
Bruce Treffer, UNL Extension Educator
There are a lot of concerns and mixed messages about hormones in beef. There are a few things to keep in mind the next time you hear that beef contains too many hormones.
All multi-cellular organisms contain hormones. That’s true for animals and vegetables, but some meat production systems use hormone implants which cause the meat to have slightly more hormones than the non-implanted. True in beef, but not in pork or chicken as federal law does not permit the use of hormones in raising hogs or chickens. Implants are used to increase efficiency (i.e. feed conversion to muscle more quickly) or more muscle from less feed more quickly, which keeps prices down and reduces the environmental impact of production.
In beef, the implanted animals will produce meat that contains slightly more of the hormone estrogen (1.9 versus 1.3 nanograms per 3 ounce serving - which is about the size of a deck of cards). Is that extra estrogen going to cause problems? Consider the facts. When hormones are eaten, they are digested, broken down and largely neutralized, so they don’t act as hormones anymore. Even if they did, the 1.9 nanograms of estrogen in implanted beef seems miniscule when we consider that a child’s body produces around 50,000 nanograms of estrogen per day. An adult female (non-pregnant) will produce 480,000 nanograms of estrogen per day on its own.
The 1.9 nanograms of estrogen in implanted beef is also miniscule compared to 225 nanograms of estrogen in potatoes, 340 nanograms of estrogen in peas, 520 nanograms of estrogen in ice cream, 2,000 nanograms of estrogen in cabbage, 11,250 nanograms of estrogen in soy milk, and 170,000 nanograms of estrogen in soybean oil… all based on a 3 ounce serving size. One birth control pill contains 35,000 nanograms of estrogen. It may be surprising to learn that there are more hormones in commonly eaten food products than there are in beef (http://go.unl.edu/uhg4 or http://msucares.com/pubs/publications/p2767.pdf)!
So why do kids seem to be growing faster and reaching puberty earlier? Genetics play a role, but hormones make far less sense than calories consumed and increased levels of body fat (i.e., childhood obesity). According to Dr. Frank Biro of the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, “BMI (body mass index) is, we found, the biggest single factor for the onset of puberty.” It is easy to blame hormones and sometimes just meat for that matter, or food in general for health problems because the general public is removed from actual food production and processing. It is human nature to be fearful of things we aren’t familiar with or that we don’t fully understand. It is always advisable to do some research and make inquiries yourself before believing everything you hear or read. If misinformation and half-truths are repeated often enough, and in sinister enough media campaign voices, they can take on a life of their own devoid of science or truth.
ASA Announces 2014 Officers and Committee Assignments
The Board of Directors of the American Soybean Association (ASA) has confirmed Ray Gaesser from Corning, Iowa, as its newest President, and has moved outgoing President Danny Murphy from Canton, Miss., to the position of Chairman. Board members also elected Wade Cowan from Brownfield, Texas, to serve as First Vice President, an office that places Cowan in line to be the association’s president in 2015.
“There are so many issues that face the soybean industry today, and I’m excited to lead this organization in addressing each one of them,” said Gaesser. “As we work to see a farm bill enacted, and soybean-friendly policies in place within the trade, transportation, energy and technology arenas, we know that we’ll depend on the consistent involvement and cooperative work between all members of the soy family including our state affiliates, United Soybean Board, United Soybean Export Council and our industry partners, to help fully realize the benefits of those victories. As always, ASA remains committed to ensuring the success and profitability of soybean farmers, and I am very proud to be part of that effort.”
Also elected to form ASA’s nine-member executive committee were Secretary Wyatt Whitford of Ernul, N.C., and Richard Wilkins from Greenwood, Del., as Treasurer. Bob Worth of Lake Benton, Minn., Ron Moore of Roseville, Ill., Bob Henry of Robinson, Kan., and Kevin Hoyer of West Salem, Wisc., were elected to serve as the association’s four vice presidents. Whitford, Moore and Hoyer are new elections to the Executive Committee, while Wilkins, Worth and Henry were reelected to the posts they held in 2013.
Elections were held in St. Louis at ASA’s annual winter board meeting, and the meeting also served as a venue to celebrate the retirements of Kentucky’s Randy Mann, Illinois’ Ron Kindred, Rob Joslin of Ohio and Andy Welden of Michigan from the ASA Board. Assuming positions on the Board as new members at the meeting were Kentucky’s Gerry Hayden, Ron Moore of Illinois, Jerry Bambauer of Ohio and Michigan’s Matt Stutzman.
The Executive Committee will meet in Iowa next week to finalize plans for 2014 and name appointees to ASA’s various boards, task forces and committees.
Farm Bill Update
(from USGC)
Facing looming end-of-the-year deadlines, House and Senate conferees are reported to have made significant progress in hammering out a deal on a new farm bill. As of Thursday afternoon, conferees are reported to be awaiting Congressional Budget Office scoring on the commodity title. Significant differences remain, however, on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP/food stamps), where the impasse must be resolved at a senior leadership level. While no one is yet predicting an outcome, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said Thursday afternoon that the House could vote on a conference report as early as next week, although a short extension also remains a possibility.
The Market Access Program (MAP) and the Foreign Market Development Program (FMD) -- USDA's two key export promotion programs -- are not an issue, since both the House and Senate have already voted to reauthorize them at full funding levels. They are among the dozens of other non-controversial farm bill programs that, unfortunately, remain trapped in the no-man's land while the remaining disagreements are resolved.
Continued delay in passing a new farm bill is severely constraining the work of the U.S. Grains Council and other cooperator groups that utilize MAP and FMD. The unique public-private partnership centered on MAP and FMD has contributed greatly to making the United States the world's leading exporter of agricultural products. Continuing inaction on the farm bill translates into lost sales and market share. Delay inflicts real harm.
Statement from USDA on Farm Bill Negotiations
USDA Communications Director Matt Paul made the following statement today:
"Negotiations on Capitol Hill about the Farm Bill should continue until House and Senate leaders reach agreement on a comprehensive bill. Numerous members of both sides have indicated progress, and the country deserves continued work on this critical legislation."
ASA Director Cunningham Testifies on Importance of Raising the Proposed Biodiesel RVO
American Soybean Association (ASA) Director Mike Cunningham joined other biofuels stakeholders in Washington today to testify at a hearing on the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed rule to set the 2014 and 2015 biomass-based diesel Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO) at 1.28 billion gallons. The number is significantly less than the industry is capable of producing next year, as well as the 1.7 billion gallon RVO that industry had called for.
“Soybean farmers are extremely proud of the major role we have played in the development of the U.S. biodiesel industry - an industry that has helped diversify our fuel supply, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and created jobs and economic growth, especially in rural America,” said Cunningham, a soybean farmer from Bismarck, Ill. “The Biomass-based Diesel and total Advanced Biofuels levels set forth in the proposal are unnecessarily low and will stifle the growth and job creation potential demonstrated by the biodiesel industry over the past several years.”
As Cunningham illustrated in his testimony, ASA sees no compelling reason not to increase the Biomass-based Diesel volumes above the estimated actual production for 2013, or at least 1.7 billion gallons with a commensurate level for total Advanced Biofuels.
“Biodiesel is the most prevalent advanced biofuel currently produced in the United States,” explained Cunningham. “The industry has met or exceeded the RFS Biomass-based Diesel volume requirements each and every year they have been in place and 2013 production is expected to reach 1.7 billion gallons.”
“Any RFS volume requirement below the 1.7 billion gallons to be produced in 2013 would be a significant setback for the biodiesel industry and for our shared goals of diversifying the nation’s fuel supply, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and growing our economy,” he added.
For a full transcript of Cunningham’s testimony, please click here.
EPA will continue to accept public comments on its proposed rule through Jan. 28. In addition to Cunningham’s testimony, ASA members will submit their own comments until the closing date, and will remain in contact with EPA until the final rule is released.
NCBA Past President Testifies Before EPA on the Renewable Fuels Standard
Today the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is hosting a public hearing on their proposed rule to reduce the 2014 renewable volume obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s (NCBA) past president Steve Foglesong will testify at the hearing this afternoon. Foglesong is a cattle feeder and corn-grower from Astoria, Ill., where his family owns and operates Black Gold Ranch.
“I am a corn farmer, I just choose to feed it to cattle, it’s value added,” said Foglesong. “It’s not that different from the ethanol industry who takes corn to feed it into their plants and produce ethanol, dried distillers grains (DDGs), and carbon dioxide instead of beef. The process is identical, all but the RFS mandate, which gives the ethanol industry an advantage in purchasing corn. We’re not opposed to corn ethanol, but it’s time to look at reforming the RFS and let the market pick winners and losers instead of the government.”
EPA’s proposed rule would reduce the 2014 RFS volume obligations for conventional corn-based ethanol by 1.39 billion gallons. Today’s hearing is an opportunity for all stakeholders to share their view on the proposed rule.
“NCBA supports the EPA’s proposed rule as it’s a step in the right direction, but more still needs to be done to level the playing field for all users of corn,” said Foglesong. “There is still work to do and we will continue to work with Congress to bring reform to the RFS.”
During the 2002-2003 marketing year, the United States Department of Agriculture estimated that corn use for ethanol production accounted for 10 percent of the total U.S. corn usage. Today, roughly 42 percent of the corn crop goes into ethanol production to meet the RFS mandate. Over the past four years, the average cost to grain finish a market steer has increased by more than $200 per head.
“These costs are not sustainable for a segment of our industry that relies on corn,” said Foglesong. “Last year, when state governors were denied a waiver of the RFS in light of the worst drought in over 50 years, it became evident that the RFS needs to be fixed.”
Foglesong expressed his support of the EPA’s decision and urged stakeholders to work together to find long-term compromise on the RFS.
Keep the Trains on the Tracks
In comments to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) pressed the DOT to look at the underlying causes of train derailments, which include rail construction and maintenance, instead of focusing exclusively on the expensive retrofit of current DOT-111 railcars. The RFA comments are in response to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration (PHMSA) advanced notice of proposed rulemaking for the rail shipping of hazardous materials.
Bob Dinneen, President and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association, explained, “The ethanol industry takes safety very seriously, but we don’t re-engineer vehicles already on the road with new, expensive suspension systems to combat any potential damage from hitting a pothole on the interstate. No, we fix the pothole. The same should be true with rail transportation.”
The RFA has always placed safety front and center. Commenting in its response to the DOT, “Safety is a top priority of the ethanol industry, especially when it comes to ethanol transportation on the rail ways. RFA has assembled a variety of resources to serve as guidance documents and to ensure proper precautions are taken to avoid an incident involving ethanol and the rail ways.”
The comments point to specific safety successes, “The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announced that 2012 was the safest year in rail history with 99.997% of the approximately 1.7 million carloads of hazardous materials shipped in 2012 successfully reaching their final destination without a release caused by an accident.”
Dinneen stressed the need for PHMSA to focus on the deep seeded problem of rail integrity, “Rather than focusing exclusively on railcar design, a more prudent approach would be to invest in initiatives that address these root causes and keep the railcars on the tracks. Such initiatives should include improvements in inspection and track maintenance protocols, utilizing available technology to assist in reducing human error (e.g., Positive Train Control), and improved communication systems for rail operations. These types of actions would provide a better cost-benefit ratio and help stop the derailment incidents from occurring at all.”
He continued, “RFA strongly believes that DOT, FRA and PHMSA need to address the root cause of the recent train derailments in a swift and comprehensive manner. DOT must look closely at recent incidents and develop sensible regulations that address the human errors and substandard railways that lead to incidents. Otherwise, train derailments, whether carrying hazardous material or human passengers will continue to injure people, property, and the environment.”
The Renewable Fuels Association continues to support P-1577 as submitted, keeping the option of a jacketed or non-jacketed car; does not support costly modifications to the existing DOT-111 tank car fleet based on current available data that has not been third party reviewed; and believes monetary costs for modification to existing DOT-111 for Denatured Fuel Ethanol are exceptionally high.
CWT Assists with 14.8 Million Pounds of Cheese and Butter Sales in November
Even though the program only received requests for export assistance for a few weeks in November due to the NMPF Joint Annual Meeting and the Thanksgiving holiday, Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) provided assistance on 47 sales of cheese and butter totaling 14.8 million pounds. The accepted requests included 3 million pounds of butter (1,362 metric tons) and 11.8 million pounds of cheddar, Gouda, and Monterey Jack cheeses. The product will go to 16 different countries and will be delivered between November 2013 and May 2014.
Through November, CWT-assisted exports of butter totaled 87.9 million pounds (39,879 metric tons) and 121.9 million pounds of cheddar, Gouda, and Monterey Jack cheeses. The p roduct is going to 40 different countries on six continents. With the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) expired as of September 30, 2013, and the farm bill in limbo, CWT is the only program actively providing support to America’s dairy farmers.
1,000 Industry Leaders Wish Jerry Kozak Well, Welcome Successor at NMPF Annual Meeting
Dairy industry leaders from across the country converged on Phoenix for four days in mid-November to bid an emotional goodbye to outgoing NMPF President Jerry Kozak and to hear incoming President Jim Mulhern’s vision for the organization’s future. The occasion was NMPF’s 2013 annual meeting, held jointly with the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board and the United Dairy Industry Association.
The meeting also featured a major policy speech by NMPF Board Chair Randy Mooney, and an expanded Town Hall in which 800 dairy farmers heard presentations on a long list of industry issues. In addition, six new board members were elected to the NMPF board, and the organization announced the name selected for the cartoon character it is using to help revitalize the dairy REAL® Seal.
In all nearly 1,000 people attended the meeting at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel. Headline speakers were former NFL head coach Herman Edwards, and organizational change expert Peter Sheahan. Agri-Talk Radio host Mike Adams was master of ceremonies, and up-and-coming country music star James Wesley provided banquet entertainment. Wesley (left) clearly enjoyed performing for a large group of farmers.
The meeting’s emotional highlight came when Kozak, president and CEO since 1997, thanked those with whom he has worked in the past 16 years, and turned the reins of the organization over to Mulhern.
Kozak will be formally replaced as president January 1 by current Chief Operating Officer Jim Mulhern, a Wisconsin native who has worked for the dairy industry in various capacities for three decades. During his remarks, Mulhern urged farmers to become more engaged in both NMPF and the policymaking process.
“We need your financial commitment, yes,” he said, “but even more importantly, we need your time and effort and engagement. The more engagement our members have … the more our organization can achieve for our members. It’s a virtuous circle.”
Mulhern also stressed the need for more communication by the dairy industry. “We must tell our story,” he said, “because if we don’t, others—who don’t have our interest at heart—are telling a very different, and harmful, story.”
On other subjects, Mulhern said once the 2013 farm bill is enacted, NMPF should tackle refo rm of the federal milk marketing order system and consider addressing some changes to federal identity standards for dairy foods—but only if the changes benefit farmers. “Some of the dairy processors talk about reforming federal milk orders when what they really seem to mean is increasing their control of the market and their share of the dairy dollar,” he said. “That’s a non-starter for us. Our focus will be on reforms needed to ensure the orderly marketing of milk and to protect the financial interests of the nation’s dairy farmers.”
Mulhern noted that some in the processing community are also calling for changes to the federal standards that protect the content and quality of dairy foods. But, he said, sometimes this talk is delivered by those who either don’t understand the concept of standards of identity or those who are looking for a way to benefit financially through deviations marketed as “innovations.”
“Are there some provisions of standards that could be improved? Absolutely, especially if they relate to improvements and efficiencies in plant-level processing technologies,” Mulhern said. “However, NMPF will not agree to revisions to standards designed to ‘water down’ their quality or deceive consumers, and we will continue to work diligently to preserve all aspects of standards that preserve the integrity of traditional dairy products, their names and their composition.”
Board chair Randy Mooney delivered his speech as a House-Senate conference committee was working in Washington on a final, compromise version of the 2013 farm bill. Mooney blasted the House bill’s proposed dairy provisions as costly to taxpayers, a bonanza for processors and not what’s needed to help farmers.
Mooney said the House provisions would create conditions reminiscent of the ea rly 1980s, when the federal dairy safety net was far too generous. In those days, he said, farmers produced more milk than the market could absorb and the government became their biggest customer.
Today, Mooney said, we are in danger of repeating history because some in Congress are forgetting the lessons of the past. “It’ll be cheap milk for processors, with taxpayers on the hook to keep the insurance money flowing,” he said. “And mark my words: If this approach were adopted, it would be the first, and last time, that a farm bill features this type of program. It’s just not built on a sound financial footing.”
The Town Hall, a tradition at NMPF annual meetings, kept attendees engaged throughout the four-hour session. Attendees heard presentations from NMPF staff on a long list of issues, which included the environment, trade, GMOs, food standards, and residue testing, in addition to the farm bill and immigration reform.
The following individual s were elected to serve as NMPF officers for 2014:
- Randy Mooney, Dairy Farmers of America – Chairman
- Ken Nobis, Michigan Milk Producers Association – First Vice Chairman
- Adrian Boer, Northwest Dairy Association – Second Vice Chairman
- Mike McCloskey, Select Milk Producers, Inc. – Third Vice Chairman
- Dave Fuhrmann, Foremost Farms USA – Secretary
- Doug Nuttelman (NE), Dairy Farmers of America – Assistant Secretary
- Pete Kappelman, Land O’Lakes, Inc. – Treasurer
- Neal Rea, Agri-Mark – Assistant Treasurer (who is new to the officer group)
The following new board members were elected to serve on the NMPF board for 2014:
- Michael Anderson, Farmers Cooperative Creamery
- David Cooper, FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative
- Kelly King, FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative
- Peter Janzen, Land O’Lakes, Inc.
- Tom Pittman, Premier Milk, Inc.
Also at the meeting, NMPF unveiled the new name for the animated REAL® Seal character: DairyUS. It was selected in a nationwide online content in which nearly 800 votes were cast. DairyUS received 379 votes.
The animated character, based on the iconic REAL® Seal logo, will help a new generation of consumers distinguish between genuine U.S. dairy products and a growing list of list of imitations. A video announcing the name is on the REAL® Seal website homepage.
Also at the annual meeting, NMPF offered a preview of the REAL® Seal buyer’s guide, a web-based search engine that will make it easier for consumers to patronize brands and stores that offer real dairy products. The buyer’s guide website will soon be online.
"There's no other organization in the United States that can do what the U.S. Grains Council does," said Alan Tiemann, Nebraska Corn Board member. "With the Council's public-private partnership we're doing great things around the world to develop exports of our products."
Tiemann has a unique perspective on his 15 years of Council experience. Beginning in 1997, he represented the Nebraska Grain Sorghum Board for six years. Then, after a short break, he moved to Nebraska's corn checkoff board in 2005, becoming an at-large director on the USGC board and, last summer, the Council's secretary/treasurer.
"One of the biggest changes I've seen in my years at the Council is in structure from a board of delegates to a board of directors," he said. "It's allowed the Council to become more efficient than when they had three huge meetings each year."
He urges members to maximize the benefits of Council membership by being involved.
"Even if you're not named to an advisory team [A-Teams], the best thing you can do is show up at the meetings and visit as many A-Teams as you can," he said. "Find out where your skill set fits with the Council's work and get involved.
"The Council has such a diversity of teams that there's something for everybody to get passionate about."
Tiemann's own passion is new markets. "We're still working to expand China, but markets are constantly evolving from where they were 20, 15, even 10 years ago. Will the next opportunity be Africa? India?
"That's what I'm excited about at the Council."
USDA Farm Storage Loans Available
USDA Nebraska Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director, Dan Steinkruger, reminds farmers and ranchers that Farm Storage Facility Loans (FSFL) are available through FSA.
The Farm Service Agency offers low-interest loans to grain producers to build new or upgrade existing storage facilities and permanent drying and handling equipment. Loan opportunities include, but are not limited to:
· New conventional-type cribs or bins, oxygen-limiting and other upright silo-type structures, and flat-type storage structures designed for whole grain storage,
· Perforated floors, safety equipment, quality improvement equipment, electrical equipment and concrete components considered essential for a fully functional storage facility,
· Remodeling existing storage facilities to increase storage capacity.
Farm storage facility loans are also available to fruit and vegetable producers for new cold storage facilities; and to hay and biomass producers for new storage structures.
Farm storage facility loans must be approved prior to site preparation, equipment purchase or construction, and must be secured by a promissory note and security agreement. The new maximum principal loan amount is $500,000. Participants are required to provide a down payment of 15 percent, with CCC providing a loan for the remaining 85 percent of the net cost of the eligible storage facility and permanent drying and handling equipment.
Additional security is required for poured-cement open-bunker silos, renewable biomass facilities, cold storage facilities, hay barns and for all loans exceeding $50,000. New loan terms of seven, 10 or 12 years are available depending on the amount of the loan. Interest rates for each term rate may be different and are based on the rate which CCC borrows from the Treasury Department.
Contact your local FSA Office for more information on Farm Storage Facility Loans or visit the web at www.fsa.usda.gov/ne.
Worried About Hormones in Beef?
Bruce Treffer, UNL Extension Educator
There are a lot of concerns and mixed messages about hormones in beef. There are a few things to keep in mind the next time you hear that beef contains too many hormones.
All multi-cellular organisms contain hormones. That’s true for animals and vegetables, but some meat production systems use hormone implants which cause the meat to have slightly more hormones than the non-implanted. True in beef, but not in pork or chicken as federal law does not permit the use of hormones in raising hogs or chickens. Implants are used to increase efficiency (i.e. feed conversion to muscle more quickly) or more muscle from less feed more quickly, which keeps prices down and reduces the environmental impact of production.
In beef, the implanted animals will produce meat that contains slightly more of the hormone estrogen (1.9 versus 1.3 nanograms per 3 ounce serving - which is about the size of a deck of cards). Is that extra estrogen going to cause problems? Consider the facts. When hormones are eaten, they are digested, broken down and largely neutralized, so they don’t act as hormones anymore. Even if they did, the 1.9 nanograms of estrogen in implanted beef seems miniscule when we consider that a child’s body produces around 50,000 nanograms of estrogen per day. An adult female (non-pregnant) will produce 480,000 nanograms of estrogen per day on its own.
The 1.9 nanograms of estrogen in implanted beef is also miniscule compared to 225 nanograms of estrogen in potatoes, 340 nanograms of estrogen in peas, 520 nanograms of estrogen in ice cream, 2,000 nanograms of estrogen in cabbage, 11,250 nanograms of estrogen in soy milk, and 170,000 nanograms of estrogen in soybean oil… all based on a 3 ounce serving size. One birth control pill contains 35,000 nanograms of estrogen. It may be surprising to learn that there are more hormones in commonly eaten food products than there are in beef (http://go.unl.edu/uhg4 or http://msucares.com/pubs/publications/p2767.pdf)!
So why do kids seem to be growing faster and reaching puberty earlier? Genetics play a role, but hormones make far less sense than calories consumed and increased levels of body fat (i.e., childhood obesity). According to Dr. Frank Biro of the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, “BMI (body mass index) is, we found, the biggest single factor for the onset of puberty.” It is easy to blame hormones and sometimes just meat for that matter, or food in general for health problems because the general public is removed from actual food production and processing. It is human nature to be fearful of things we aren’t familiar with or that we don’t fully understand. It is always advisable to do some research and make inquiries yourself before believing everything you hear or read. If misinformation and half-truths are repeated often enough, and in sinister enough media campaign voices, they can take on a life of their own devoid of science or truth.
ASA Announces 2014 Officers and Committee Assignments
The Board of Directors of the American Soybean Association (ASA) has confirmed Ray Gaesser from Corning, Iowa, as its newest President, and has moved outgoing President Danny Murphy from Canton, Miss., to the position of Chairman. Board members also elected Wade Cowan from Brownfield, Texas, to serve as First Vice President, an office that places Cowan in line to be the association’s president in 2015.
“There are so many issues that face the soybean industry today, and I’m excited to lead this organization in addressing each one of them,” said Gaesser. “As we work to see a farm bill enacted, and soybean-friendly policies in place within the trade, transportation, energy and technology arenas, we know that we’ll depend on the consistent involvement and cooperative work between all members of the soy family including our state affiliates, United Soybean Board, United Soybean Export Council and our industry partners, to help fully realize the benefits of those victories. As always, ASA remains committed to ensuring the success and profitability of soybean farmers, and I am very proud to be part of that effort.”
Also elected to form ASA’s nine-member executive committee were Secretary Wyatt Whitford of Ernul, N.C., and Richard Wilkins from Greenwood, Del., as Treasurer. Bob Worth of Lake Benton, Minn., Ron Moore of Roseville, Ill., Bob Henry of Robinson, Kan., and Kevin Hoyer of West Salem, Wisc., were elected to serve as the association’s four vice presidents. Whitford, Moore and Hoyer are new elections to the Executive Committee, while Wilkins, Worth and Henry were reelected to the posts they held in 2013.
Elections were held in St. Louis at ASA’s annual winter board meeting, and the meeting also served as a venue to celebrate the retirements of Kentucky’s Randy Mann, Illinois’ Ron Kindred, Rob Joslin of Ohio and Andy Welden of Michigan from the ASA Board. Assuming positions on the Board as new members at the meeting were Kentucky’s Gerry Hayden, Ron Moore of Illinois, Jerry Bambauer of Ohio and Michigan’s Matt Stutzman.
The Executive Committee will meet in Iowa next week to finalize plans for 2014 and name appointees to ASA’s various boards, task forces and committees.
Farm Bill Update
(from USGC)
Facing looming end-of-the-year deadlines, House and Senate conferees are reported to have made significant progress in hammering out a deal on a new farm bill. As of Thursday afternoon, conferees are reported to be awaiting Congressional Budget Office scoring on the commodity title. Significant differences remain, however, on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP/food stamps), where the impasse must be resolved at a senior leadership level. While no one is yet predicting an outcome, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said Thursday afternoon that the House could vote on a conference report as early as next week, although a short extension also remains a possibility.
The Market Access Program (MAP) and the Foreign Market Development Program (FMD) -- USDA's two key export promotion programs -- are not an issue, since both the House and Senate have already voted to reauthorize them at full funding levels. They are among the dozens of other non-controversial farm bill programs that, unfortunately, remain trapped in the no-man's land while the remaining disagreements are resolved.
Continued delay in passing a new farm bill is severely constraining the work of the U.S. Grains Council and other cooperator groups that utilize MAP and FMD. The unique public-private partnership centered on MAP and FMD has contributed greatly to making the United States the world's leading exporter of agricultural products. Continuing inaction on the farm bill translates into lost sales and market share. Delay inflicts real harm.
Statement from USDA on Farm Bill Negotiations
USDA Communications Director Matt Paul made the following statement today:
"Negotiations on Capitol Hill about the Farm Bill should continue until House and Senate leaders reach agreement on a comprehensive bill. Numerous members of both sides have indicated progress, and the country deserves continued work on this critical legislation."
ASA Director Cunningham Testifies on Importance of Raising the Proposed Biodiesel RVO
American Soybean Association (ASA) Director Mike Cunningham joined other biofuels stakeholders in Washington today to testify at a hearing on the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed rule to set the 2014 and 2015 biomass-based diesel Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO) at 1.28 billion gallons. The number is significantly less than the industry is capable of producing next year, as well as the 1.7 billion gallon RVO that industry had called for.
“Soybean farmers are extremely proud of the major role we have played in the development of the U.S. biodiesel industry - an industry that has helped diversify our fuel supply, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and created jobs and economic growth, especially in rural America,” said Cunningham, a soybean farmer from Bismarck, Ill. “The Biomass-based Diesel and total Advanced Biofuels levels set forth in the proposal are unnecessarily low and will stifle the growth and job creation potential demonstrated by the biodiesel industry over the past several years.”
As Cunningham illustrated in his testimony, ASA sees no compelling reason not to increase the Biomass-based Diesel volumes above the estimated actual production for 2013, or at least 1.7 billion gallons with a commensurate level for total Advanced Biofuels.
“Biodiesel is the most prevalent advanced biofuel currently produced in the United States,” explained Cunningham. “The industry has met or exceeded the RFS Biomass-based Diesel volume requirements each and every year they have been in place and 2013 production is expected to reach 1.7 billion gallons.”
“Any RFS volume requirement below the 1.7 billion gallons to be produced in 2013 would be a significant setback for the biodiesel industry and for our shared goals of diversifying the nation’s fuel supply, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and growing our economy,” he added.
For a full transcript of Cunningham’s testimony, please click here.
EPA will continue to accept public comments on its proposed rule through Jan. 28. In addition to Cunningham’s testimony, ASA members will submit their own comments until the closing date, and will remain in contact with EPA until the final rule is released.
NCBA Past President Testifies Before EPA on the Renewable Fuels Standard
Today the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is hosting a public hearing on their proposed rule to reduce the 2014 renewable volume obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s (NCBA) past president Steve Foglesong will testify at the hearing this afternoon. Foglesong is a cattle feeder and corn-grower from Astoria, Ill., where his family owns and operates Black Gold Ranch.
“I am a corn farmer, I just choose to feed it to cattle, it’s value added,” said Foglesong. “It’s not that different from the ethanol industry who takes corn to feed it into their plants and produce ethanol, dried distillers grains (DDGs), and carbon dioxide instead of beef. The process is identical, all but the RFS mandate, which gives the ethanol industry an advantage in purchasing corn. We’re not opposed to corn ethanol, but it’s time to look at reforming the RFS and let the market pick winners and losers instead of the government.”
EPA’s proposed rule would reduce the 2014 RFS volume obligations for conventional corn-based ethanol by 1.39 billion gallons. Today’s hearing is an opportunity for all stakeholders to share their view on the proposed rule.
“NCBA supports the EPA’s proposed rule as it’s a step in the right direction, but more still needs to be done to level the playing field for all users of corn,” said Foglesong. “There is still work to do and we will continue to work with Congress to bring reform to the RFS.”
During the 2002-2003 marketing year, the United States Department of Agriculture estimated that corn use for ethanol production accounted for 10 percent of the total U.S. corn usage. Today, roughly 42 percent of the corn crop goes into ethanol production to meet the RFS mandate. Over the past four years, the average cost to grain finish a market steer has increased by more than $200 per head.
“These costs are not sustainable for a segment of our industry that relies on corn,” said Foglesong. “Last year, when state governors were denied a waiver of the RFS in light of the worst drought in over 50 years, it became evident that the RFS needs to be fixed.”
Foglesong expressed his support of the EPA’s decision and urged stakeholders to work together to find long-term compromise on the RFS.
Keep the Trains on the Tracks
In comments to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) pressed the DOT to look at the underlying causes of train derailments, which include rail construction and maintenance, instead of focusing exclusively on the expensive retrofit of current DOT-111 railcars. The RFA comments are in response to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration (PHMSA) advanced notice of proposed rulemaking for the rail shipping of hazardous materials.
Bob Dinneen, President and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association, explained, “The ethanol industry takes safety very seriously, but we don’t re-engineer vehicles already on the road with new, expensive suspension systems to combat any potential damage from hitting a pothole on the interstate. No, we fix the pothole. The same should be true with rail transportation.”
The RFA has always placed safety front and center. Commenting in its response to the DOT, “Safety is a top priority of the ethanol industry, especially when it comes to ethanol transportation on the rail ways. RFA has assembled a variety of resources to serve as guidance documents and to ensure proper precautions are taken to avoid an incident involving ethanol and the rail ways.”
The comments point to specific safety successes, “The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announced that 2012 was the safest year in rail history with 99.997% of the approximately 1.7 million carloads of hazardous materials shipped in 2012 successfully reaching their final destination without a release caused by an accident.”
Dinneen stressed the need for PHMSA to focus on the deep seeded problem of rail integrity, “Rather than focusing exclusively on railcar design, a more prudent approach would be to invest in initiatives that address these root causes and keep the railcars on the tracks. Such initiatives should include improvements in inspection and track maintenance protocols, utilizing available technology to assist in reducing human error (e.g., Positive Train Control), and improved communication systems for rail operations. These types of actions would provide a better cost-benefit ratio and help stop the derailment incidents from occurring at all.”
He continued, “RFA strongly believes that DOT, FRA and PHMSA need to address the root cause of the recent train derailments in a swift and comprehensive manner. DOT must look closely at recent incidents and develop sensible regulations that address the human errors and substandard railways that lead to incidents. Otherwise, train derailments, whether carrying hazardous material or human passengers will continue to injure people, property, and the environment.”
The Renewable Fuels Association continues to support P-1577 as submitted, keeping the option of a jacketed or non-jacketed car; does not support costly modifications to the existing DOT-111 tank car fleet based on current available data that has not been third party reviewed; and believes monetary costs for modification to existing DOT-111 for Denatured Fuel Ethanol are exceptionally high.
CWT Assists with 14.8 Million Pounds of Cheese and Butter Sales in November
Even though the program only received requests for export assistance for a few weeks in November due to the NMPF Joint Annual Meeting and the Thanksgiving holiday, Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) provided assistance on 47 sales of cheese and butter totaling 14.8 million pounds. The accepted requests included 3 million pounds of butter (1,362 metric tons) and 11.8 million pounds of cheddar, Gouda, and Monterey Jack cheeses. The product will go to 16 different countries and will be delivered between November 2013 and May 2014.
Through November, CWT-assisted exports of butter totaled 87.9 million pounds (39,879 metric tons) and 121.9 million pounds of cheddar, Gouda, and Monterey Jack cheeses. The p roduct is going to 40 different countries on six continents. With the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) expired as of September 30, 2013, and the farm bill in limbo, CWT is the only program actively providing support to America’s dairy farmers.
1,000 Industry Leaders Wish Jerry Kozak Well, Welcome Successor at NMPF Annual Meeting
Dairy industry leaders from across the country converged on Phoenix for four days in mid-November to bid an emotional goodbye to outgoing NMPF President Jerry Kozak and to hear incoming President Jim Mulhern’s vision for the organization’s future. The occasion was NMPF’s 2013 annual meeting, held jointly with the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board and the United Dairy Industry Association.
The meeting also featured a major policy speech by NMPF Board Chair Randy Mooney, and an expanded Town Hall in which 800 dairy farmers heard presentations on a long list of industry issues. In addition, six new board members were elected to the NMPF board, and the organization announced the name selected for the cartoon character it is using to help revitalize the dairy REAL® Seal.
In all nearly 1,000 people attended the meeting at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel. Headline speakers were former NFL head coach Herman Edwards, and organizational change expert Peter Sheahan. Agri-Talk Radio host Mike Adams was master of ceremonies, and up-and-coming country music star James Wesley provided banquet entertainment. Wesley (left) clearly enjoyed performing for a large group of farmers.
The meeting’s emotional highlight came when Kozak, president and CEO since 1997, thanked those with whom he has worked in the past 16 years, and turned the reins of the organization over to Mulhern.
Kozak will be formally replaced as president January 1 by current Chief Operating Officer Jim Mulhern, a Wisconsin native who has worked for the dairy industry in various capacities for three decades. During his remarks, Mulhern urged farmers to become more engaged in both NMPF and the policymaking process.
“We need your financial commitment, yes,” he said, “but even more importantly, we need your time and effort and engagement. The more engagement our members have … the more our organization can achieve for our members. It’s a virtuous circle.”
Mulhern also stressed the need for more communication by the dairy industry. “We must tell our story,” he said, “because if we don’t, others—who don’t have our interest at heart—are telling a very different, and harmful, story.”
On other subjects, Mulhern said once the 2013 farm bill is enacted, NMPF should tackle refo rm of the federal milk marketing order system and consider addressing some changes to federal identity standards for dairy foods—but only if the changes benefit farmers. “Some of the dairy processors talk about reforming federal milk orders when what they really seem to mean is increasing their control of the market and their share of the dairy dollar,” he said. “That’s a non-starter for us. Our focus will be on reforms needed to ensure the orderly marketing of milk and to protect the financial interests of the nation’s dairy farmers.”
Mulhern noted that some in the processing community are also calling for changes to the federal standards that protect the content and quality of dairy foods. But, he said, sometimes this talk is delivered by those who either don’t understand the concept of standards of identity or those who are looking for a way to benefit financially through deviations marketed as “innovations.”
“Are there some provisions of standards that could be improved? Absolutely, especially if they relate to improvements and efficiencies in plant-level processing technologies,” Mulhern said. “However, NMPF will not agree to revisions to standards designed to ‘water down’ their quality or deceive consumers, and we will continue to work diligently to preserve all aspects of standards that preserve the integrity of traditional dairy products, their names and their composition.”
Board chair Randy Mooney delivered his speech as a House-Senate conference committee was working in Washington on a final, compromise version of the 2013 farm bill. Mooney blasted the House bill’s proposed dairy provisions as costly to taxpayers, a bonanza for processors and not what’s needed to help farmers.
Mooney said the House provisions would create conditions reminiscent of the ea rly 1980s, when the federal dairy safety net was far too generous. In those days, he said, farmers produced more milk than the market could absorb and the government became their biggest customer.
Today, Mooney said, we are in danger of repeating history because some in Congress are forgetting the lessons of the past. “It’ll be cheap milk for processors, with taxpayers on the hook to keep the insurance money flowing,” he said. “And mark my words: If this approach were adopted, it would be the first, and last time, that a farm bill features this type of program. It’s just not built on a sound financial footing.”
The Town Hall, a tradition at NMPF annual meetings, kept attendees engaged throughout the four-hour session. Attendees heard presentations from NMPF staff on a long list of issues, which included the environment, trade, GMOs, food standards, and residue testing, in addition to the farm bill and immigration reform.
The following individual s were elected to serve as NMPF officers for 2014:
- Randy Mooney, Dairy Farmers of America – Chairman
- Ken Nobis, Michigan Milk Producers Association – First Vice Chairman
- Adrian Boer, Northwest Dairy Association – Second Vice Chairman
- Mike McCloskey, Select Milk Producers, Inc. – Third Vice Chairman
- Dave Fuhrmann, Foremost Farms USA – Secretary
- Doug Nuttelman (NE), Dairy Farmers of America – Assistant Secretary
- Pete Kappelman, Land O’Lakes, Inc. – Treasurer
- Neal Rea, Agri-Mark – Assistant Treasurer (who is new to the officer group)
The following new board members were elected to serve on the NMPF board for 2014:
- Michael Anderson, Farmers Cooperative Creamery
- David Cooper, FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative
- Kelly King, FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative
- Peter Janzen, Land O’Lakes, Inc.
- Tom Pittman, Premier Milk, Inc.
Also at the meeting, NMPF unveiled the new name for the animated REAL® Seal character: DairyUS. It was selected in a nationwide online content in which nearly 800 votes were cast. DairyUS received 379 votes.
The animated character, based on the iconic REAL® Seal logo, will help a new generation of consumers distinguish between genuine U.S. dairy products and a growing list of list of imitations. A video announcing the name is on the REAL® Seal website homepage.
Also at the annual meeting, NMPF offered a preview of the REAL® Seal buyer’s guide, a web-based search engine that will make it easier for consumers to patronize brands and stores that offer real dairy products. The buyer’s guide website will soon be online.
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