Friday October 9 Ag News

LENRD Deadline for cost-share on flow meters is October 16th

The Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) is discussing changes to their Groundwater Management Plan to more efficiently and effectively conserve, develop, and manage the water resources of northeast Nebraska.

Multiple changes have been proposed to the district’s Groundwater Management Plan. One of the proposed changes would require the installation of flow meters on all irrigation wells.  Annual reporting of groundwater use to the LENRD would also become a requirement.

This is a proactive approach from the LENRD to have the equipment and policies in place to manage groundwater during times of drought.  LENRD general manager, Mike Sousek, said, “The LENRD will continue to plan for normal precipitation years, but will be prepared to manage the groundwater if and when a drought occurs.  The first priority for the meter program is sustainability; our main focus is water quantity.  Additional benefits include improving irrigation management practices, which can help the district and producer with water quality.”

Cost-share assistance for the purchase and installation of flow meters is available until the deadline, Friday, October 16th.  Producers are encouraged to visit their local NRCS office to take advantage of this opportunity and fill out an application before the close of business on the 16th.  There is currently no guarantee that these cost-share funds will be available in coming years with the LENRD’s continued focus on lowering property taxes.

Sousek continued, "Water meters are the only true way to measure pumping activities.  They will help protect current water users and allow for the development of new water users.  The meters provide a fair and equitable measurement that will allow the LENRD to manage groundwater and provide policies that concentrate on sharing our most precious resource equally among all users.”

The meter, in conjunction with other technologies, can save the producer both time and energy in crop production thus making the farming operation more profitable.  Data collection from the meters will provide the district the information needed when working with the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources when they determine whether or not our district is fully appropriated.

A public hearing on the proposed changes will be held Thursday, October 15th at 7:30 p.m. in the Lifelong Learning Center on the campus of Northeast Community College in Norfolk.



9th Annual Nebraska Beef Scholars Summit

The Nebraska Beef Industry Scholars senior class, in cooperation with Nebraska Cattlemen, has been working diligently to bring this Summit to you. Topics for this year’s event:
    Recruiting, Hiring, and Retaining Quality Labor
    Managing Risk in Volatile Markets
    Update on Issues in the Nebraska Legislature with Q&A
    Panel Discussion: Freedom to Operate vs. Sustainability – Do they conflict?
    Antibiotic Regulations and the Veterinary Feed Directive

When: Thursday, November 19th
Registration starting at 8:30 a.m.
Where: Animal Science Complex on East Campus at UNL Lincoln NE

*Lunch will be catered on site and is included with registration fee

Register here by November 13th..... http://www.nebraskacattlemen.org/CMDocs/NebraskaCA/Summit%20Registration%20Form%202015.pdf. 



Nebraska Cattlemen Appoint Talia Goes as Communications Coordinator

Nebraska Cattlemen is pleased to announce the selection of Talia Goes as Communications Coordinator. Goes has been on staff with Nebraska Cattlemen since April 2015 as the Southeast Member Services Representative. Adding to her member service responsibilities Goes will be coordinating all of Nebraska Cattlemen’s internal and external communications and media requests.

“Since joining the Nebraska Cattlemen team this spring I have had the desire to expand my duties and grow with the organization. I am excited about the opportunities and advancements this role has for Nebraska Cattlemen,” said Goes.

“Talia has shown great potential in the few months she has worked with us, we are pleased to have her expanding her role on behalf of members.  Her talents and skills match the needs of the position precisely”, confirms Executive Vice President, Pete McClymont

Goes graduated from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln in 2010 obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science with a biology option. Before joining Nebraska Cattlemen, Goes contracted communication work with other non-profit organizations in the state. She currently lives in rural Talmage, Nebraska with her husband and son.

 

2015-16 HEUERMANN SERIES TO KICK OFF WITH BUFFETTS

How every person can play an important role in solutions to local, national and global challenges will be the focus of the first Heuermann series event of the 2015-16 season on Oct. 21.

    Howard G. Buffett and Howard W. Buffett will take part in a discussion moderated by Ronnie Green, University of Nebraska vice president, IANR Harlan Vice Chancellor and interim senior vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

    The discussion, which is free and open to the public, will be at 5 p.m. at the Nebraska Innovation Campus auditorium, 2021 Transformation Drive.

    The Buffetts will discuss how to find solutions to some of the most challenging problems facing society. Together, they co-authored the New York Times bestseller "40 Chances: Finding Hope in a Hungry World," which examines global agriculture, hunger and food systems challenges.

    Howard G. Buffett is chairman and CEO of the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, a private charitable foundation working to catalyze transformational change in the most impoverished areas of the world. He oversees three foundation-operated research farms in Illinois, Arizona and South Africa; a family farm in central Illinois; and farms with his son in Nebraska. Buffett serves as the undersheriff in Macon County, Illinois. He has traveled to 139 countries and authored eight books on conservation, wildlife and the human condition. He serves on the corporate boards of Berkshire Hathaway, Lindsay Corporation and the Coca-Cola Company. In 2005, the UNL College of Journalism and Mass Communications recognized Buffett’s contributions to journalism with the Will Owen Jones Distinguished Journalist of the Year Award.

    Howard W. Buffett is a lecturer at UNL and Columbia University, where he teaches on topics related to international and public affairs, philanthropy, and food and agricultural policy. He also serves on the Board of Counselors for the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Buffett resides in Omaha, where he operates a 400-acre farm enrolled in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Conservation Stewardship Program. 

    The discussion is in conjunction with the third national Rural Futures Conference, hosted by the Rural Futures Institute. The conference presents opportunities for people to work together to build hope and develop a vision for invigorating rural communities. In addition to Nebraska Innovation Campus, the conference will take place at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis. For more information and to register, visit http://rfc.nebraska.edu.

    The Heuermann Lectures are made possible through a gift from B. Keith and Norma Heuermann of Phillips. The Heuermanns are longtime university supporters with strong commitment to Nebraska's production agriculture, natural resources, rural areas and people.

    The lectures focus on providing and sustaining enough food, natural resources and renewable energy for the world's people, and on securing the sustainability of rural communities where the vital work of producing food and renewable energy occurs. Lectures stream live at http://heuermannlectures.unl.edu and are archived at that site soon after the event. They also air on NET2 World at a later date.



Iowa Cattle Industry Convention scheduled for Dec. 8 & 9

The Iowa Cattle Industry Convention will bring together producers and industry partners for educational sessions, policy discussions, and a trade show Dec. 8-9 at the Holiday Inn Des Moines-Airport Conference Center.

The convention will provide educational opportunities to all Iowa cattle producers: seedstock, cow-calf, backgrounders and feeders, as well as a sold-out trade show that will make use of the hotel’s 12,000 sq. ft. conference and trade show area. The Iowa Beef Industry Council and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association will each hold their annual meetings, as well.

The theme of this year’s convention is “Share Your Story.” Each component of convention, whether it’s educational sessions, networking or the trade show, will provide an opportunity for attendees to improve their advocacy skills and tell their beef production story.

The Tuesday, Dec. 8 keynote presentation will be at lunch, featuring Dr. Nevil Speer of AgriClear. Dr. Speer will focus on current market conditions, including a look back into 2015, while also providing some perspective around how 2016 is shaping up for the beef industry. The overview will also highlight some discussion of broader strategies around decision-making in an environment of volatile markets.

On Wednesday, Dec. 9, the keynote event occurs at the 8:00 a.m. general session. Dr. Jayson Lusk, food and agricultural economist and author of The Food Police: A Well-Fed Manifesto about the Politics of Your Plate will present Telling the Agriculture Story – Current and Future Challenges Facing the Cattle Industry.

Visit www.iacattlemen.org for a full agenda and registration information.



Iowa's Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin

A Belmond restaurant that's been under current ownership for less than a year is the 2015 winner of the Iowa Pork Producers Association's Best Breaded Pork Tenderloin contest.

Joe and Jewel McFarland opened the Belmond Drive-in on Oct. 22, 2014, after both worked as cooks in various establishments for more than 20 years.

"This is awesome," Joe said when contacted by phone this week about the award. It's a huge honor, an impressive award and I'm very happy."

The winning tenderloin is a center cut pork loin that Joe sources from a local meat locker. He hand trims and cuts the loins fresh daily. The tenderloin is dipped in an egg wash and then hand breaded with a medium size breadcrumb.

"I have a manual tenderizer that I run the loins through and then I pound them out with a meat tenderizer hammer," Joe said. "It's a lot of work, but they are good and [our customers] love it."

The McFarlands currently sell 20 to 30 breaded pork tenderloins a day. The drive-in is open each day, except Tuesday.

"They start with a 4 oz cut of pork loin and hand pound it to the perfect thickness," said Chef Phil Carey, an Iowa Culinary Institute instructor and finalist judge. "The end result has true pork flavor that is complimented well by a simple bread crumb breading. They serve it up hot and juicy - eat it plain and enjoy the flavor!"

The IPPA Restaurant and Foodservice Committee is presenting the McFarlands with a check for $500, a plaque and a large banner in ceremonies at the restaurant today. The Belmond Drive-in also will receive statewide publicity for winning IPPA's 13th annual contest.

Everyone who nominated the Belmond Drive-in was put in a drawing for $100 from IPPA. Karen Busick from Belmond was selected as the winner.

Three C's Diner in Corning placed second in this year's contest and will receive $250 and a plaque. Rounding out the top five finalists was the Recovery Room in Ottumwa, the Peru Bar & Grill in Peru and The Office in Lenox. These restaurants will receive a plaque to display in their restaurant.

Tenderloin lovers submitted 1,161 nominations and nearly 40 tenderloin sandwiches were judged this summer on the quality of the pork, taste, physical characteristics and eating experience.

"This contest is all about celebrating the breaded pork tenderloin sandwich - a Midwest favorite - and uncovering one of Iowa's best for all to enjoy, and we've done it again!" said IPPA Marketing and Program Director Kelsey Sutter. "Fortunately, we have a plethora of tenderloins to choose from in Iowa and the sandwich in Belmond is definitely among the best!"

The contest recognizes Iowa dining establishments that support the swine industry by putting pork on their menu.  All restaurants, cafes and taverns that serve breaded pork tenderloin sandwiches year round and list them on their daily menu can be nominated for the award.



NPPC Hires Director of State, National Relations

Cody McKinley has been hired by the National Pork Producers Council as director of State and National Relations, the primary point of contact for state pork organizations with NPPC.

McKinley will assist and support program staff at the state and national level in conducting work on behalf of pork producers and the U.S. pork industry, facilitate state-oriented planning and programing in conjunction with the National Pork Board and staff NPPC’s organizational development activities with the NPPC Nominating Committee as well as other committee support as assigned.

He currently is public-policy director for the Iowa Pork Producers Association, where he also served as producer outreach director. McKinley was as an international trade intern in NPPC’s Washington, D.C., office.

“Cody will be a great addition to the NPPC team,” said NPPC CEO Neil Dierks. “His knowledge of the public-policy process, work with producers and familiarity with state pork organizations make him a good fit for this important position.”

McKinley, who begins his duties with NPPC Nov. 2 and who will report to Dierks, grew up in eastern Iowa on a crop and livestock farm, which his brother and father operate. He received a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business with an emphasis in agricultural economics from Iowa State University.



Fischer Responds to Federal Court Stay on WOTUS

U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, released the following statement after this morning’s ruling by the Sixth Circuit federal court of appeals, which immediately blocks the implementation of WOTUS nationwide:

“Today’s ruling is good news for families and communities in Nebraska and across the nation. Since this rule was first proposed, I have heard from countless Nebraskans, businesses, agriculture producers, and local and county officials across our state. The response over the far-reaching impact of this rule has been overwhelming.

“While a previous court decision has halted WOTUS implementation in Nebraska, the Sixth Circuit’s nationwide ‘stay’ is a critical step toward eliminating this rule altogether. I will continue to hold the EPA accountable and support legislation that ensures the citizens of Nebraska, not bureaucrats in Washington, remain in control of our state’s water resources.”

On August 27, 2015, hours before the WOTUS rule went live, a temporary injunction was issued by U.S. District Court Judge Ralph Erickson of North Dakota. Nebraska was one of 13 states exempted from the rule.

Today’s Sixth Circuit court decision further casts serious doubt on the legality of the EPA’s regulation, which expands jurisdiction over water and reveals the serious problems with its judicial scrutiny.

Since the proposed rule was announced in 2014, Senator Fischer has been a vocal opponent. In April, Fischer joined a bipartisan group of her colleagues to introduce a new bill that would prevent this joint rule from taking effect.

The legislation, S. 1140 – The Federal Water Quality Protection Act, would direct the administration to issue a revised proposal that would set clear limits on federal regulation of water, require consultation with states and impacted stakeholders, and ensure that a thorough economic analysis is conducted. Additionally, she is an original cosponsor of S. 1178 – The Defending Rivers from Overreaching Policies Act. This bill targets the flawed science used by the EPA to expand the definition of water.

Senator Fischer has also led a number of efforts in the Senate to enhance public input on the rule, including a March field hearing of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee she chaired in Lincoln. She has repeatedly urged EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy to scrap the rule altogether.



Sasse Response to Sixth Circuit’s Stay on WOTUS

Today, U.S. Senator Ben Sasse, an outspoken critic of the EPA’s Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule and member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, issued the following statement on the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision to block WOTUS nationwide.

"WOTUS is now on borrowed time," said Sasse. "This ruling is a victory for common-sense and the rule of law. The EPA isn’t a super-legislature and this ruling brings us one step closer to having the American people—not unelected bureaucrats—setting important agriculture and conservation policy. Like most Nebraskans, I’m grateful for the court’s decision and committed to seeing this fight through.”

Background:
Today, the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a nationwide stay on the implementation of WOTUS, noting that the rule has created a “whirlwind of confusion.”

Sasse, an advocate of an all-of-the-above strategy to fight for Nebraska's farmers and ranchers, is an original cosponsor of two legislative efforts to stop the EPA.

Senator Sasse is an original co-sponsor of a resolution disapproving the WOTUS rule. Companion legislation in the House of Representatives has been authored by Nebraska Congressman Adrian Smith.

Sasse is also a cosponsor of The Federal Water Quality Protection Act, S. 1140, authored by Senator John Barrasso (R-WY). This legislation would nullify WOTUS and send EPA back to the drawing board to rewrite the rule. 

In March, Nebraska's Senior Senator Deb Fischer held a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing in Lincoln on WOTUS' impact to the agriculture community, homebuilders, and state and local governments.

In May, the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers released the final Waters of the United States rule under the Clean Water Act. The rule would dramatically expand federal authority and with it EPA’s power to levy fines and require additional permits and reporting.

In August, a federal judge temporarily blocked the rule in 13 states, including Nebraska.



 Smith Statement on WOTUS Ruling

Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement today after the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a nationwide stay on the implementation of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Waters of the U.S. rule, known as WOTUS.

“Today’s ruling is an important victory in the fight to prevent WOTUS from ever being implemented,” Smith said.  “The EPA has ignored Congress and defied the American people in its attempt to dramatically expand its regulatory jurisdiction over private landowners and local governments.  As litigation proceeds, I will continue leading the charge in Congress to help rural Americans by blocking this potentially devastating regulation.”

Smith has introduced H.J. Res. 59 to block implementation of WOTUS by congressional disapproval under the Congressional Review Act.  The Congressional Review Act provides for an expedited process for Congress to overturn executive rulemaking, including expedited Senate consideration of legislation to block newly finalized rules.



Statement Regarding the Nationwide Stay of the “Waters of the U.S.” Rule
Steve Nelson, on Behalf of Common Sense Nebraska Coalition

On Oct. 9, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit issued a temporary stay of the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and Army Corps of Engineers “Waters of the U.S.” rule (WOTUS) nationwide.

“The actions taken by the federal court today to stop the EPA from enforcing their misguided Waters of the U.S. Rule, is a victory for farmers, ranchers, home builders, and virtually anyone who turns earth with a shovel.”

“Nebraska was part of the original 13 states that won a temporary stay on the WOTUS rule. In August, the District Court in North Dakota validated our overriding concerns and we are pleased that the Sixth Circuit court ordered the EPA to stop enforcement nationwide of the WOTUS rule. In issuing the temporary stay on the rule across the country, we believe the court found merit in the legal argument that this rule has very serious flaws that would cause great harm to our nation.”

“From the beginning, we've maintained that this rule is not about protecting water quality, but instead is an effort to expand the EPA's jurisdictional powers over private property and supersede the rights granted to the states by Congress under the Clean Water Act in regard to managing water quality. The District Court’s action is validation of our overriding concerns.”

“We are confident that the courts will strike down this rule. Unfortunately, we also know stays don’t last forever, and cases like this almost always take years to win. So we again ask the Senate to pass legislation to nullify this rule just as the House has already done. We simply cannot afford to wait.”



Iowa Farm Bureau applauds the WOTUS ruling

Iowa Farm Bureau members are encouraged by the news that today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit issued a temporary stay of the EPA’s “Waters of the U.S.” (WOTUS) rule nationwide, effectively blocking its implementation until further court action.  

“Although the stay is temporary, it sends a strong signal that the rule is unlawful and underscores what thousands of Iowa farmers have said all along – that the rule is seriously flawed, confusing and would impose undue burden and hardship on farmers and the public,” said IFBF President Craig Hill. “It also underscores that the EPA’s process for rulemaking was flawed.”

The new rule cannot be enforced by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers or EPA.

“Unfortunately,” Hill added, “it will take years to get to a final court ruling which will not only cost a significant amount of money, it also comes at a cost to the environment by delaying conservation practices. We urge Congress to nullify the rule.”



 Sixth Judicial Court Prevents Implementation of WOTUS Rule

Citing a substantial possibility of success on the merits of their claims and casting suspicion on the rulemaking process, the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court of Appeals today ordered that the EPA and Army Corps’ “Waters of the United States” rule be stayed nationwide until the Court can determine jurisdiction over the many pending lawsuits. This action will prevent implementation of the WOTUS rule.

The Iowa Cattlemen’s Association supports the court’s decision. "The mass confusion generated from this rule has been a major concern for our members,” says Phil Reemtsma, president of the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association. “We have heard that stock ponds are jurisdictional as well as lawfully constructed grassed waterways from Region 3 EPA staff. Yet instructions from the DC office have said this rule does not expand the EPA's ability to enforce Clean Water Act compliance. In Iowa, stock ponds and grassed waterways are often constructed with producer inputs to improve water quality. There is no doubt this rule as currently written, would prohibit Iowa cattlemen from taking proactive measures to protect water quality in the state.”

A three judge panel for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Judicial Circuit voted 2-1 to stay implementation over concern that burden to state and federal government, as well as private parties and the public in general, from the implementation of the WOTUS rule outweighed any harm to the agencies in keeping the status quo.



Sixth Judicial Circuit Stays WOTUS Implementation
 
Citing a substantial possibility of success on the merits of their claims and casting suspicion on the rulemaking process, the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court of Appeals today ordered that the EPA and Army Corps’ “Waters of the United States” rule be stayed nationwide until the Court can determine jurisdiction over the many pending lawsuits. Philip Ellis, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association president said this action will prevent implementation of the WOTUS rule.

“This is great news for cattlemen and women and all land users who have been at a loss as to how to interpret this rule,” said Ellis. “A stay by the Court has the same effect as an injunction, and this action prevents the EPA and Army Corps from implementing this disastrous rule across the country. In granting the stay, the majority of the Court sided with the states that the rule likely fails on both substantive and procedural grounds.”

A three judge panel for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Judicial Circuit voted 2-1 to stay implementation over concern that burden to state and federal government, as well as private parties and the public in general, from the implementation of the WOTUS rule outweighed any harm to the agencies in keeping the status quo.



Court Stops EPA’s ‘Waters of the U.S.’ Rule

In a significant victory for the agricultural and business sectors, a federal appellate court this morning suspended nationwide implementation of the “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rule until further order of the court. The National Pork Producers Council hailed the decision.

“This is a huge victory for farmers,” said NPPC President Dr. Ron Prestage, a veterinarian and pork producer from Camden, S.C. “The court rightfully stopped implementation of this massive federal land grab and confusion across the country until the numerous lawsuits against it can be resolved.”

The rule, which took effect Aug. 28, was proposed in April 2014 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to clarify the agencies’ authority under the Clean Water Act over various waters. That jurisdiction – based on several U.S. Supreme Court decisions – had included “navigable” waters and waters with a significant hydrologic connection to navigable waters. The WOTUS regulation broadened that to include, among other water bodies, upstream waters and intermittent and ephemeral streams such as the kind farmers use for drainage and irrigation. It also encompasses lands adjacent to such waters.

The decision to “stay” the rule, granted by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit in Cincinnati, comes a little more than month after a U.S. District Court judge issued a temporary injunction against implementation of the regulation. That injunction, however, applied only to the 13 states that brought the lawsuit against EPA and the Corps of Engineers in the North Dakota-based District Court.

But, said the Court of Appeals, “In light of the disparate rulings … issued by district courts around the country – enforcement of the Rule having been preliminarily enjoined in thirteen states – a stay will, consistent with Congress’s stated purpose of establishing a national policy, restore uniformity of regulation under the familiar, if imperfect, pre-Rule regime, pending judicial review.”

In reaching its decision, the court found that there’s a substantial likelihood that EPA’s WOTUS rule fails to comply with the Supreme Court’s instructions in previous Clean Water Act cases and that the agency’s actions in the rulemaking process, to which NPPC objected at the outset, are “facially suspect.” (Click here to read the court’s decision.)

“The WOTUS rule is vague and fails to let regulated parties know when their conduct violates the law,” Prestage said. “We all want clean water, but this regulation is just big land grab that promotes growth in the size of government and allows activists to extort and micromanage all kinds of farming and business activities.”



Court Issues Nationwide Stay on WOTUS Rule

Today the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit stayed the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule nationwide, pending further review by the court.

Chip Bowling, president of the National Corn Growers Association and a farmer from Newburg, Maryland, issued the following statement:

"Today's decision is great news for America's farmers and ranchers. WOTUS was supposed to make things clearer for farmers about their responsibilities under the Clean Water Act. This rule is anything but clear. We are confident that the courts will eventually strike down EPA's WOTUS rule altogether. The Army Corps of Engineers has already said the rule is not based on science or law and is unlikely to withstand a legal challenge.

"But court battles take months, if not years - and come at a considerable cost. There has to be a better way for us to work together on a rule that is successful and lawful. That's why we are asking the Senate to step up and pass S. 1140, the Federal Water Quality Protection Act. This law would stop WOTUS and give the EPA, the Army Corps, farmers, and other stakeholders the chance to work together on a better rule that we can all support.

"Clean water is important to us all. NCGA is committed to working with these agencies and other stakeholders to protect America's water resources."



NMPF Commends U.S. Court Decision to Halt Implementation of Waters of the U.S. Final Rule
Jim Mulhern, President and CEO, National Milk Producers Federation

“Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has ordered a nationwide halt of the implementation of the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) Final Rule, which became effective on Aug. 28. The ruling provides greater certainty for dairy farmers across the country, who up until today faced conflicting sets of new water regulations, depending on which state they are in.

The nationwide stay was granted after a 2-1 vote, with the majority finding “a substantial possibility of success on the merits of their [18 states bringing the suit] claims.” The court took issue with both the content of the rule and the lack of notice and comment for significant changes that were added in the final version. Due to both procedural and merits claims, the court ordered the Clean Water Rule stayed, nationwide, pending further order of the court.

This decision is a positive development in a discussion NMPF has been a part of for years. In November 2014, NMPF submitted comments on the proposed rule to the EPA and Corps of Engineers outlining its concerns with the lack of clarity and certainty for dairy farmers should the rule proceed. The final rule left many of these concerns unresolved. The majority opinion by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit brought forth many of the same concerns, and reaffirms NMPF’s request to EPA and Corps of Engineers on Aug. 31  to suspend enforcement of the WOTUS regulation nationwide. At that time, the U.S. District Court for North Dakota granted a preliminary injunction to 13 states.

NMPF and its members are committed to protecting U.S. waterways through voluntary efforts, as well as through regulatory compliance with the Clean Water Act (CWA). Clean water is central to healthy ecosystems, secure water supplies for human and animal consumption, and to the production of milk and other dairy products. The dairy industry remains committed to working with the EPA and Corps of Engineers to find effective ways to achieve these important goals.”



5th Antibiotic Symposium Bridges the Gap between Human and Animal Health

Look no further for the game-changer of the animal agriculture and antibiotics conversation. The National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) will be hosting one of the most diverse conversations on this topic in Atlanta, Ga., Nov. 3-5, 2015.

“This [symposium], sponsored in part by the beef checkoff, is the only event in North America where people from the medical sector, animal-production sector, environmental sector and the retail sector are at the table together,” said Dr. Thomas Shryock, Ph.D., chief scientific officer at Antimicrobial Consultants, LLC. “We will look for a common ground and have a deep dialogue. This symposium is unique in that it is not about technical aspects; it is about a path forward.”

Shryock, who is a speaker at the November event, believes that this year’s opportunity to bring retailers into the conversation will highlight consumer demands: “It’s an interesting dynamic when you are bringing people in who are concerned with human and animal health."

“We need antibiotics, people get sick,” said Shryock, who has worked in the field of antibiotics for more than 25 years. “There’s a truly personal connection. It’s exciting to use experience and expertise in activities that will benefit so many. We need to follow our curiosity and think big!”

The NIAA Antibiotics Symposium is open to all individuals who want to learn from each other, engage in meaningful discussion and create successful strategies to safeguard antibiotic efficacy.

For more information or to register online go to AnimalAgriculture.org/2015-Antibiotics-Symposium or contact the NIAA at 719-538-8843 or niaa@animalagriculture.org.



U.S.: Lower Food Price Trends Continue
Agricultural commodities are going through a period of lower and less volatile prices, according to the FAO Food Outlook released this week. After several dramatic upward price spikes from 2007 through early 2011, most cereal and vegetable oil prices are on a trajectory that is both steady and declining, the Outlook reports in a special feature.

Among the reasons are high inventory levels, sharply lower oil prices and the renewed strength of the U.S. dollar, none of which appear likely to be reversed in the short term, although unexpected shocks, such as weather-driven impacts on harvests, can never be excluded.

The FAO Food Price Index, a trade-weighted index tracking international market prices for five major food commodity groups, fell to a six-year low in August. New figures, also released today, show it inched up by about two-thirds of a percentage point from its August low to 165.3 points, which is still 18.9 percent less than a year earlier.

"The takeaway message here is that statistically, the most recent shifts in behaviour foresee downward price momentum with lower volatility," Adam Prakash and Friederike Greb, both commodity specialists at FAO, write of their analytical findings.

The price path of the past few years, and the prospective path ahead, are not the same for all food groups. Rice prices tend to move independently from other grains, while sugar prices have always been volatile, having lost and gained over half their value more than 12 times since 1990. Meat and dairy products fit the broad trend but, as more perishable commodities, they often do so with a time lag.

Staple grains are at the core of the declining price trend, as a result of several years of robust harvests around the world as well as stockpiling that has taken reserves to record highs. Such precautionary reserves are now being slowly unwound, and global cereal stocks will likely close the 2016 season at 638 million tonnes, down four million tonnes from their opening levels, according to new forecasts in FAO's latest Cereal Supply and Demand Brief.

Meanwhile, this year's world cereal production projection was notched down to 2.534 billion tonnes, six million tonnes below last month's forecast, and 0.9 percent below 2014's record level, due mostly to reduced output of U.S. maize, for which prices have fallen by half since July 2012.