On Tuesday, a bipartisan trio of Senators working on writing a climate bill meet with the heads of trade groups whose industries would be affected profoundly by any new law regulating carbon emissions. Senators John Kerry, Joseph Lieberman and Lindsey Graham met with leaders of the American Petroleum Institute and the Edison Electric Institute, and a representative of the Portland Cement Association, among others.
Later, President Obama called a bipartisan group of 14 Senators to the White House to discuss the issues. Kerry, Lieberman and Graham were included in that meeting. Others are viewed as being crucial swing votes on a Senate climate bill.
Under a - sector by sector - approach, electric utilities and manufacturing would be subject to separate caps, while carbon-based fuels would be subject to a new tax. This approach appears to be winning tentative support from some industry groups.
The U.S. Supreme Court will decide whether a lower court acted hastily and incorrectly by banning the cultivation of biotech alfalfa despite extensive scientific evidence documenting the safety of the crop. This will be the first time the high court has weighed in on the risks of genetically engineered crops.
Monday, a coalition of agricultural organizations filed a joint friend-of-the-court brief to the Supreme Court in support of the petitioners in “Monsanto Company. vs. Geertson Seed Farms.” The groups urge that the lower courts’ decision to approve an injunction without adequately hearing the key evidence must be reversed - to protect the farmers who choose to grow genetically-engineered crops, as well as the public benefits that agricultural biotechnology brings to producers and consumers around the world.
In the lower court case, environmental groups and individual organic alfalfa farmers sued USDA, claiming that USDA’s decision to grant deregulated status to glyphosate-tolerant alfalfa violated the National Environmental Policy Act. The courts in the Ninth Circuit determined that USDA should have done an environmental impact statement before it decided to deregulate, and the court ultimately enjoined almost all planting and sale of Roundup Ready® alfalfa pending the issuance of the EIS.
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“ASA Supports H.R. 4213”
A successful cloture vote in the Senate Tuesday is expected to provide for the passage of H.R. 4213, the American Workers, State and Business Relief Act. This act includes retroactive extension of the biodiesel tax credit. The American Soybean Association is urging passage and urges the Senate to seek agreement with the House on a final bill that can be passed and signed into law as soon as possible.
The biodiesel tax incentive, which is structured as a federal excise tax credit, amounts to a penny per percentage point of biodiesel blended with petroleum diesel. The incentive makes biodiesel more competitive with petroleum diesel, and lowers the cost of biodiesel to the end consumer.
ASA President Rob Joslin, a soybean producer from Sidney, Ohio, says - expiration of the biodiesel tax incentive has essentially caused the production and use of biodiesel in the United States to cease and has placed thousands of jobs currently supported by the domestic biodiesel industry in immediate jeopardy.
A study on energy subsidies commissioned by G20 nations indicates that oil subsidies could top 500-billion dollars annually. The report was written by researchers from the World Bank, International Energy Association, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries.
Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis says, - this study confirms what millions of Americans have known all along. Our addiction to oil has a devastating impact on our nation’s economy and energy security, as well as that of nations around the world.
Buis adds, - by increasing the production of domestic, renewable ethanol, we will not only enhance U.S. national security and green our environment but dramatically reduce the transfer of wealth that occurs today, keeping more money and jobs here at home at a time when it is needed most.
The Senate Finance Committee Tuesday held another hearing to address the operation and potential reform of trade preference programs. The first meeting was held three years ago. In his opening statement, Ranking Member Chuck Grassley announced that he and committee chairman Max Baucus are working to come up with joint reform legislation. Grassley told the hearing - ideally, I would hope we could introduce and markup a bill by the end of the second quarter this year.
Tuesday’s hearing focused on a broader trade reform effort, which primarily involves the Generalized System of Preferences, or GSP. Grassley said, - we are also examining how GSP operates in relation to the Andean Trade Preference Act, the African Growth Opportunity Act, and the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act.
Concerning preferences, Grassley said - a preference program should have firm graduation provisions, both on a product-specific and a country-specific basis. The point of graduation is two-fold. First, graduation creates opportunities for other beneficiary developing countries to take advantage of the preferences. Second, at a certain point of development, preferences should not be extended to advanced developing economies—instead, we should expect and receive more reciprocity in our trading relationships with advanced developing economies.
The livestock sector can lead the agricultural economy to higher net farm income, assuming the farm economy benefits from a recovering general U.S. economy. That analysis tops a 2010 baseline report prepared by the University of Missouri Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute and delivered to the U.S. Congress. The 10-year baseline shows economic possibilities for livestock, crops and biofuels under certain assumptions.
The report projects net farm income increases for the next two years largely because of stronger livestock prices. However, the program’s co-director Pat Westhoff says 2010 farm income will recover only a third of the ground lost in 2009. Net farm income fell by more than 30-billion dollars in 2009, as sharp declines in cash receipts were not offset by modest drops in production costs.
The FAPRI baseline shows crop prices remain near the 2009 level in 2010 and 2011.
Corn producers can see strong returns per acre until the end of the 10-year baseline.
Soybean returns must remain well above pre-2007 levels for soybeans to stay competitive with corn.
On the livestock side, the all-milk price is expected to increase by more than 4-dollars per hundredweight in 2010. Pork producers are expected to approach breakeven profits. And beef demand should strengthen market possibilities.
A national pilot program advanced by the National Corn Growers Association and adopted in the 2008 Farm Bill increased the federal government’s cost share of premiums for federal crop insurance program policies. NCGA says the change better reflects the additional risk by producers who change from optional unit to enterprise unit policy coverage. March 15 is the sales closing date for the 2010 program.
An enterprise unit includes all shares of a crop in the county, which aggregates sharecropped land with owned and rented land. Overall, the higher enterprise unit subsidies have facilitated a switch from lower levels of coverage on smaller basic and optional units to higher levels of coverage.
The pilot program is designed to give farmers who insure their crops using whole-farm and enterprise-unit structures the same subsidy payments as farmers who insure their crops under basic and optional unit structures.
NCGA suggests growers review the national pilot program with their crop insurance agents to determine if the new enterprise unit coverage incentives are beneficial for their farm operations.
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“NPPC Delegates Set Organizational Direction”
Since October 2007 pork producers have faced unprecedented financial challenges, losing 20 dollars per hog for much of that timeframe. Total equity decline for the industry is estimated at 6-billion dollars. But, since February, the tide for producer profitability has started to turn to a significant degree. And that’s good news to Sam Carney; the National Pork Producers Council’s newly elected president. Carney says - the number one priority is for the pork industry to get back to profitability.
Following the NPPC delegate session held in conjunction with the 2010 National Pork Industry Forum, Carney cited issues related to antibiotics and food safety, animal identification, the environment and trade as those high on NPPC's agenda. NPPC will continue to push Congress for free-trade agreements. Carney points out - the U.S. pork industry has tremendous potential for additional exports.
During the two-day business meeting, producer delegates from across the United States discussed and voted on resolutions used to guide the organization's efforts. In part, the NPPC body voted to: Invest additional resources in a strong pork industry image campaign; Support the development and implementation of a comprehensive and integrated swine disease surveillance system; The elimination of PRRS; and Oppose any new legislation or regulations that restrict marketing opportunities or interventions into hog markets.
U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu has announced that a project with NRG Energy has been selected to receive up to 154-million dollars, including funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Located in Thompsons, Texas, the post-combustion capture and sequestration project will demonstrate advanced technology to reduce emissions of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. It will also assist with enhanced oil recovery efforts from a nearby oil field.
NRG will construct a 60 megawatt carbon capture demonstration facility. The six year project will demonstrate an innovative integration of several important advances in carbon capture and sequestration technologies. The project will show that post-combustion carbon capture applied to existing plants can be done economically, especially when the plant has the opportunity to sequester carbon dioxide in nearby oilfields.
The NRG Energy project was selected under the third round of the Clean Coal Power Initiative, a cost-shared collaboration between the federal government and private industry to demonstrate low-emission carbon capture and storage technologies in advanced coal-based, power generation.
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“Coalition Fly-in Visits Washington”
The Coalition for a Prosperous America held a trade fly-in last week. The focus was approximately 80 congressional offices where U.S. ranchers, manufacturers and organized labor groups told Congress that current U.S. trade policy has failed America. They stressed it is past time for the U.S. to do what every other major trading nation has already done – implement a national trade strategy that promotes domestic productivity and economic growth.
R-CALF USA Trade Committee Chair Reed Kelley and R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard were part of the delegation. Kelley says - we believe the diverse membership of our Coalition, once understood, is intriguing to our U.S. Senators and Representatives. The fact is that organizations which historically have not always seen eye-to-eye on many national policy issues have now joined together. Delegation members include U.S. tool and die manufacturers, metal fabricators, electronics manufacturers, farm groups and representatives of labor groups.
According to Kelley, - we explained that while the U.S. continues to naively practice idealistic free trade, every other country is practicing strategic trade management. As a result, the U.S., for each of the past 18 years, has suffered a huge trade deficit that is the largest in world history.
The Animal Agriculture Alliance’s Ninth Annual stakeholders Summit will be held April 28-29 in Arlington, Virginia. During the meeting leaders from the food and farm sectors will discuss the impact of activists on the vitality and security of the United States. The Summit's theme is "Truth, Lies and Videotape: Is Activism Jeopardizing Our Food Security?"
Alliance Executive Vice President Kay Johnson-Smith said - the 2010 Stakeholders Summit represents a unique forum for industry leaders to learn about a wide range of issues facing agriculture today. At the conclusion of the Summit a workshop will be held to explore the effectiveness of state-level agriculture coalitions and present strategic ideas for ensuring consumer confidence.
The Summit will be held at The Westin Arlington Gateway hotel in Arlington,Virginia. Registration is now available at www.animalagalliance.org/register. Early hotel and conference registration are due by April 6.
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Brazil has moved to retaliate against the United States over U.S. cotton subsidies. But that South American Country says the U.S. can settle the trade dispute through negotiations. The U.S. has 30 days to do so or Brazilian wheat tariffs will be increased to 30 percent. The World Trade Organization gave Brazil the formal go-ahead last year to impose sanctions on U.S. imports after the body ruled the U.S. government spent too much subsidizing cotton farmers and on an export credit guarantee program.
A spokeswoman for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said - USTR has worked to reach a solution to the issues in this dispute without Brazil resorting to countermeasures and we continue to prefer a negotiated solution. Today (Tuesday), U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke leaves for Brazil and it is likely he will discuss the situation upon his arrival.
The National Cotton Council says Brazil’s proposed tariff will - impose unwarranted harm on Brazilian and American interests in times of economic hardship for all. U.S. cotton’s share of the retaliation is relatively small and fixed at 147-million dollars. The retaliation damages associated with the export credit guarantee program, which are determined annually using a formula developed by an arbitration Panel, were recently claimed by Brazil at more than 600-million. Costs of U.S. cotton price-related programs are down more than 80 percent from the previous five-year average.
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“Ag Committee Leaders Lend Voice to Cotton Situation”
Senate Ag Committee Chairman Blanche Lincoln and Ranking Member Saxby Chambliss expressed disappointment after Brazil announced it is moving forward on retaliation for injuries due to the U.S. cotton program. The retaliation list totals 102 products including both agricultural and industrial goods. Brazil is expected to follow up this action with an additional announcement of “cross retaliation” action against U.S. intellectual property later this month.
In a joint statement, Lincoln and Chambliss said - it is unfortunate Brazil is moving forward with retaliation without first engaging in meaningful discussions towards resolving the dispute. The U.S. government continues to express its willingness to have a substantive dialogue but we cannot negotiate with a partner that is unwilling to voice what it wants.
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“President Selling Health Care Reform”
President Obama will be in Missouri later this week to sell health care reform. Monday, the President told a crowd of college students in Pennsylvania that rising premiums and lost coverage are the imperatives driving his reform efforts. Mr. Obama said, every year insurance companies deny more people coverage because they have preexisting conditions. He also quoted an insurance broker who said the insurance companies will continue to raise premiums, despite losing customers who can’t afford their prices.
The President wants Congress to vote on health care reform by next Tuesday, before it goes on its 2-week Easter Recess.
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“USDA Declares Primary Natural Disaster Area”
Virtually all of Georgia and parts of five neighboring states are involved in the latest USDA declaration of a primary natural disaster area. 98 counties in Georgia have been declared to be in the primary natural disaster area. 58 additional counties in Georgia, 8 in Alabama, 8 in Florida, 2 in North Carolina, 9 in South Carolina and 3 in Tennessee also qualify for federal relief because they are contiguous counties to the primary disaster area.
This declaration is based on excessive rainfall that occurred from September 2009 and continuing. During that period there have been losses to field crops such as corn, cotton, millet, peanuts, sorghum, soybeans, pasture and forage, as well as fruit, vegetable, and nut crops, such as beans, collard and turnip greens, cowpeas, pecans, peppers, pumpkins, squash, strawberries, tomatoes, and nursery crops.
All qualified farm operators in the designated areas are now eligible for low interest emergency loans from USDA’s Farm Service Agency, provided eligibility requirements are met. Affected farmers have eight months to apply for loans to help cover part of their actual losses. FSA has a variety of programs, in addition to the EM loan program, to help eligible farmers recover from adversity.
Moving sows into group pens is having mixed results. That’s according to Janeen Salak-Johnson, associate professor in animal sciences at the University of Illinois. While group sow housing works, research at the university shows this practice does not answer welfare concerns or improve sow performance. Instead, Salak-Johnson has found that slight modifications to sow gestation stalls may provide solutions to one of the most controversial issues facing the swine industry.
The research showed that using flexible stalls positively influenced behavior, performance and productivity of sows in gestation. Salak-Johnson says - making minor changes in existing systems may truly improve the well-being of the sow. The flex stall allows the producer to increase the width but not the length of the stall. It can be adjusted midway through the gestation period to offset the sow’s growth during pregnancy.
When the flex stall width was adjusted to achieve more space between the sow and the stall when lying down, researchers observed fewer oral-nasal-facial movements and sham-chewing. Sows also sat down more in the flex stall and drank less often. Also, Sows in the flex stall farrowed more piglets and weaned more piglets than sows in conventional gestation stalls.
During the National Pork Forum, held in Kansas City last week, the National Pork Producers Council elected new officers. Taking over as president of the organization is Sam Carney, a producer from Adair, Iowa. Doug Wolf, owner of Wolf L & G Farms in Lancaster, Wisconsin was elevated to president-elect; and R.C. Hunt, a producer from Wilson, North Carolina was elected to the vice president’s position.
NPPC CEO Neil Dierks said - we have excellent leadership in Sam, Doug and R.C. and quality, dedicated industry representatives in the new board.
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“Industry Giants Inducted into Hall of Fame”
Two new members have been inducted into the National Pork Producers Council Hall of Fame for their outstanding contributions to the pork industry. University of Missouri Professor emeritus and agriculture economist Glenn Grimes and former Iowa state senator and “Master Pork Producer” John Soorholtz were inducted into the Hall of Fame during the National Pork Industry Forum.
Grimes was honored for pioneering pork industry economic outlooks, the pork demand index and practical application of gilt data. Soorholtz was part of the so-called Moline 90 group, which provided resources to hire the first full-time executive secretary for NPPC.
He also was behind the “Nickels for Profit” program – a forerunner to the pork checkoff.
NPPC President Sam Carney, a pork producer from Adair, Iowa called Glenn Grimes and John Soorholtz - two of the giants of the U.S. pork industry. He added, - their contributions to the industry have been invaluable.
A bill introduced in the U.S. House has received the endorsement of the Humane Society of the United States. Introduced by Representatives Diane Watson and Elton Gallegly of California, the Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act sets rules around confinement of animals used to produce food purchased by the federal government.
In a news release, HSUS said the bill - simply requires that any food purchased for federal programs comes from animals raised with enough room to stand up, lie down, turn around and stretch their limbs. \
The federal government spends more than 1-billion dollars buying animal products for a variety of programs and agencies, including the National School Lunch Program, the Armed Services and the Bureau of Prisons.
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“Jury Awards Neighbors for Odors”
Premium Standard Farms questions its future investment in the state of Missouri after a jury awarded 15 people 11-million dollars over hog odors at a farm north of Kansas City. Neighbors of the farm said pig odors nauseated them and forced them to stay indoors with the windows shut. Officials for Premium Standard Farms, which owns the Gentry County operation, say they will appeal.
In its statement, Premium Standard Farms said - in light of this decision and in view of the continuing hostile environment toward live hog production, we have serious concerns whether we will ever make any future investments in the state of Missouri. This was the second time the 15 plaintiffs have sued Premium Standard over odors.
Premium Standard has spent 39-million dollars to fix the odors. During the trial, some defense witnesses who live in the area testified that they didn’t notice the odors on most days, and that they were never overpowering.
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“ASA Sets Policy at Convention”
133 producers formulated policy for the American Soybean Association during Commodity Classic last week. The goal is to pursue future initiatives that improve U.S. soybean farmer profitability. The big issues discussed were: Crop insurance; Bio-energy and bio-based products; technology; Climate Change; and Environmental regulation.
The new ASA policy calls for crop quantity and quality discounts to be fully covered by crop insurance. Also, ASA opposes reduction of the agriculture baseline funding for the 2012 Farm Bill. The policy also calls for the reinstatement of the Group Risk Plan and Gross Revenue Insurance Plan.
In the area energy, ASA policy strongly encourages the retroactive reinstatement of the federal biodiesel tax credit and encourages Congress to make the tax credit permanent. ASA also supports implementation of the bio-energy program as authorized in the 2008 Farm Bill.
In the area of technology, ASA supports enabling trait providers and seed companies to access and use the data package of a patented biotech trait through agreements and established procedures for the purpose of preparing to register and commercialize generic versions of the trait after patent expiration.
Also, ASA strongly opposes Cap and Trade legislation and recommends that the Clean Water Act be amended to exempt producers from litigation/liability and not require a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permit when producers can certify that the pesticides have been used in a manner that complies with the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act.
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“Sorghum Checkoff Ends First Year”
The United Sorghum Checkoff Program has released its 2009 annual report - a summary of the checkoff’s first year and the impact checkoff dollars have had on the sorghum industry. During the year the checkoff developed bylaws, policies and a strategic plan to guide the board in its decisions to improve grower’s bottom lines. It also, funded 27 research projects. Some include research in cold and drought tolerance, over-the-top grass and weed control, nitrogen use and best management practices.
According to Sorghum Checkoff president Bill Greving, - market development is a major priority for the Sorghum Checkoff and, in conjunction with the U.S. Grains Council, the checkoff has sponsored several foreign buyer missions. One directly resulted in a 25-thousand ton purchase of U.S. sorghum by the Moroccan poultry industry. The checkoff has also worked with ethanol plants to increase their inclusion of sorghum in ethanol.
The Sorghum Checkoff will soon offer production handbooks as a pocket guide to growing better sorghum. Growers can expect to see these available for different regions of U.S in the spring of 2010.
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“Monsanto Looking for Mom of The Year”
Women play a critical role in agriculture. Many are wives and moms, which is the inspiration behind Monsanto Company’s America’s Farmers Mom of the Year. This new nationwide program is tied to Mother’s Day and recognizes the countless contributions that farm moms bring to their families and their communities. Applications for the America’s Farmers Mom of the Year are being accepted at www.AmericasFarmers.com.
From the nationwide call for entries, five regional winners will each winning a 5-thousand dollar cash prize. They will be selected based on their contributions to family, farm and community and will be chosen from submissions describing how each nominee embodies the values and hard work that make up the family farm way of life. One of the five regional winners will be selected the week before Mother’s Day as the America’s Farmers Mom of the Year based on online voting on the America’s Farmers Web site and receive an additional 25-hundred dollars prize.
Eligible nominees must be female, at least 18 years old, a mother to one or more natural born or adopted persons or are the legal guardian of one or more persons, and live on a farm that produces at least 250 acres of corn, soybeans, cotton, vegetables and/or specialty crops (canola, sorghum, wheat or alfalfa); and/or at least 40 acres of fruits and vegetables; and/or raise at least 100 head of cattle or hogs; and/or maintain at least 50 head of dairy cows and/or at least 20,000 poultry (broilers or layers) within the United States.
Secretary Tom Vilsack says utilities in Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Tennessee have been selected to receive funds that will create jobs and new business opportunities in rural America.
For example, Tideland Electric Membership Corporation in Washington County, North Carolina, has been selected to receive a 740-thousand dollar loan and 300-thousand dollar grant to help construct a manufacturing facility in an industrial park. The new business will provide medical manufacturing jobs.
And in Miner County, South Dakota, the Heartland Consumers Power District has been selected to receive a 740-thousand dollar loan and a 300-thousand dollar grant to provide funding for the construction of a facility to provide training opportunities for workers in the renewable energy industry.
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“Rural Communities Receive Help for Water and Waste Projects”
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says rural communities will receive support through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to plan for new water and waste disposal projects. The funding is provided through the Technical Assistance and Training Grant program and administered by USDA Rural Development. The 5-million dollars available will help communities better identify solutions to water and waste disposal problems, assist applicants as they prepare funding applications, meet reporting requirements and improve the operation and maintenance of existing facilities.
Secretary Vilsack says, - these funds will help ensure that operators of rural utility systems receive the training needed to plan new, safe reliable water systems. Staff at 420 rural water and waste systems will be trained. An estimated 25 percent of the systems are located in persistent poverty counties. In addition, the program will focus on assisting recipients with successful management and maintenance of small, rural water and waste systems.
“Forest Restoration Advisory Committee Being Formed”
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is seeking nominations from the public for the new Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Advisory Committee. The committee will include up to 15 members who will offer a balanced perspective and wide-ranging expertise in fields such as ecological restoration, fire ecology, fire management, rural economic development, ecological adaptation to climate change, fish and wildlife ecology, and the utilization of woody biomass and small-diameter trees. Committee members will serve terms of up to two years.
In making the announcement, Secretary Vilsack said - this committee will help us prioritize the work that needs to be done and empower citizens and the Forest Service to work together through the entire process of ecological restoration work, from identifying needs on the landscape to achieving ecological objectives in ways that provide jobs and protect local communities from wildfire. According to the Secretary, about 60 million Americans depend on national forests for clean, abundant water, and all Americans rely on healthy forest ecosystems to mitigate the effects of climate change.
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“Geraniums Can Help Control Japanese Beetles”
The Japanese beetle feeds on nearly 300 plant species including ornamentals, soybean, maize, fruits and vegetables. For the ornamental plant industry alone damages are estimated at 450-million dollars each year. But, scientists with the Agricultural Research Service believe that geraniums may hold the key to controlling the Japanese beetle
ARS scientists have found that within 30 minutes of consuming geranium petals, the beetle rolls over on its back, its legs and antennae slowly twitch, and it remains paralyzed for several hours. The beetles typically recover within 24 hours when paralyzed under laboratory conditions, but they often succumb to death under field conditions. That’s because predators spot and devour the beetles while they are helpless.
The question remains, how to utilize geraniums to better control Japanese beetles.
The National Farmers Union will hold its annual convention March 14-16, at the Ramkota Hotel and Conference Center, Rapid City, South Dakota. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack will present the Keynote Address. Other presentations will address climate change and ag policy. Several awards will be presented including the Milton Hakel Award for Excellence in Agriculture journalism.
Brace yourself for what might be a huge food recall. Officials at the Food and Drug Administration believe the public health risk is low, and no one is known to have fallen ill as a result of the contamination. But, manufacturers voluntarily recalled 56 products last week, and that number is expected to balloon in the coming weeks into what could be one of the largest food recalls in U.S. history. Michael Hansen, senior scientist at Consumers Union says - over 10-thousand products – eventually could be affected.
FDA says thousands of types of processed foods -- including many varieties of soups, chips, frozen dinners, hot dogs and salad dressings -- may pose a health threat because they contain a flavor enhancer that could be contaminated with salmonella. Salmonella was detected early last month in one lot of the flavor enhancer -- hydrolyzed vegetable protein, or HVP -- made by Basic Food Flavors, as well as inside the company's Nevada manufacturing facility. The company is one of only a handful that make HVP. The additive is mixed into foods to give them a meaty or savory flavor. It’s similar to monosodium glutamate, or MSG.
The contamination is believed to date to September 2009, meaning millions of pounds of potentially tainted HPV -- all of which the company has recalled -- was shipped in bulk to foodmakers over five months. Federal officials say the public health threat is low because most products containing HVP are cooked during processing or carry cooking instructions for consumers, so any salmonella would be destroyed before the food was eaten. Ready-to-eat products, such as chips and other snack foods, would carry greater risks.
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“Harkin Calls for Foods Safety Legislation”
In response to the FDA investigation of Salmonella in hydrolyzed vegetable protein, Iowa Senator Tom Harkin said - consumers should not have to think twice about the safety of a food item when they reach into their pantry. According to Harkin, our nation’s food safety system is outdated, lacks proper resources and, quite simply, does not adequately protect American consumers. The Senator said - we cannot wait any longer to pass comprehensive food safety legislation.
On November 18, 2009 the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee reported out S. 510, the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. A similar bill is awaiting action in the House. Harkin, who is chairman of the Senate committee, said, - it is my hope we can have a comprehensive food safety bill on the President’s desk in the very near future.
Harkin said, - we must give FDA the tools to prevent a food borne illness outbreak before it happens, rather than react when it is already too late. And when food is tainted, we must provide the tools to respond quickly and protect consumers.
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“USDA Confirms Pork Agreement with Russia”
USDA has confirmed an agreement between the United States and Russia that will re-open the Russian market to U.S. pork. By the end of last year, Russia had delisted virtually all U.S. pork facilities, prohibiting them from shipping pork to the country. National Pork Producer Association President Don Butler applauded the agreement.
As part of the agreement, the United States has developed an Export Verification program for pork going to Russia. The verification program will provide a new veterinary certificate to ensure that U.S. pork exports meet specific Russian microbiological and tetracycline-group antibiotic residue requirements. U.S. plants that want to export to Russia must apply for approval with USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service.
National Pork Producers Council President Don Butler said - our pork meets U.S. and international standards, so we did not see the need for the EV program. But the Russians wanted the program, and we wanted to get back in the market. Butler added - we now need to get China to re-open its market to U.S. pork.
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“Secretary Talks Trade at Classic”
Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack presented the keynote speech during last week’s Commodity Classic in Anaheim, California. Vilsack addressed USDA efforts to increase exports of agricultural products to help American farmers, ranchers, and workers. The Secretary said, - increased trade will not only create important income opportunities for producers, but also the off-farm jobs that are so critical for revitalizing rural America.
While USDA has traditionally looked at agricultural trading partners by geographic region, under the new trade strategy outlined by Vilsack, USDA looks at countries based on their position on an agricultural market continuum, which enables tailored strategies to increase exports to each individual market. The continuum goes from fragile markets/food security states, to potential growth markets, to restricted access markets, to rapid growth markets, to developed consumer markets.
For example, in potential growth markets, USDA programs will now emphasize building the institutional and human capacity needed to support increased trade, while in restricted access markets, USDA efforts are designed to remove trade barriers. In rapid growth markets, USDA will now emphasize using a full range of programs to build trade capacity, remove trade barriers and develop new markets for U.S. products.
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“Some Counter-Cyclical Payments Going Out”
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says USDA will issue approximately 121-million dollars in partial 2009-crop counter-cyclical payments to producers with upland cotton and peanut base acres enrolled in USDA’s Direct and Counter-cyclical Payment program. USDA will not issue final 2008-crop counter-cyclical payments for long grain rice and short and medium grain rice because their average market prices exceed levels that would trigger these payments.
The partial 2009-crop upland cotton counter-cyclical payment rate is 1.03 cents per pound, equal to 40 percent of the difference between the target price of 71.25 cents per pound and an effective price of 68.67 cents per pound. The effective price is equal to the projected average market price of 62 cents per pound plus the direct payment rate of 6.67 cents per pound.
The partial 2009-crop peanuts counter-cyclical payment rate is $9.20 per ton, equal to 40 percent of the difference between the target price of $495.00 per ton and an effective price of $472.00 per ton. The effective price is equal to the projected average market price of $436.00 per ton plus the direct payment rate of $36.00 per ton.
For all commodities other than upland cotton and peanuts, the market price projections exceed levels that would trigger these payments. Also, USDA will not issue final 2008-crop counter-cyclical payments for rice.
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“GHG Controls Big Question Mark”
When climate change legislation stalled in the U.S. Senate, the Obama Administration announced – Plan B - let the Environmental Protection Agency cap U.S. emissions. But, now even that plan is in trouble as late last week Senator John Rockefeller introduced a bill that would put a two-year freeze on EPA's ability to regulate greenhouse gases from power plants.
Rockefeller's legislation would not affect EPA's plans to limit greenhouse gas emissions from cars and trucks. But it would prevent the agency from implementing -- or even doing much work on -- caps on emissions from such "stationary sources" as power plants and factories. Experts say the bill could postpone regulations for as much as four years.
Oil and mining industries immediately started lobbying for Rockefeller's proposal as soon as it was introduced, although Lou Hayden, a policy analyst for the American Petroleum Institute, said Rockefeller didn't go far enough. We don't know why the freeze on EPA authority isn't made permanent.
[For related story and audio, please see below]
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“Cellulosic Biofuel Industry Seeks Investment Tax Credit”
In a letter sent to leaders of the Senate Finance and House Ways and Means committees, advanced biofuel businesses and advocacy groups have asked that while cellulosic biofuels are currently eligible for a $1.01-per-gallon production tax credit, there is a lag in commercial production that leaves the incentive unused. The letter states, - a targeted investment tax credit will help the industry attract investment capital needed to accelerate production and meet - ambitious volume requirements of the renewable fuel standard.
The federal Renewable Fuels Standard requires the use of cellulosic biofuels beginning in 2010. However, no commercial cellulosic biorefineries are anticipated to be commissioned before next year at the earliest. The letter says the incentive is needed to boost the construction of advanced biofuel refineries.
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“Alliance Calls OPEC Report – Self-Serving”
The Global Renewable Fuels Alliance says a report to be discussed during the International Energy Forum’s meeting in Cancun, Mexico late this month, criticized biofuels while ignoring the overwhelming evidence on the devastating impact of crude oil on the environment and on our economies. Bliss Baker, spokesperson for the alliance says, - this report would be laughable if the risks associated with our dangerous reliance on oil were not so serious.
According to Baker - OPEC has dedicated its history to keeping oil prices artificially high and combating any threat to the shocking wealth of its members. He says - it was only a matter of time until it attacked biofuels. Instead, Baker called on the OPEC oil cartel to - embrace biofuels and the competition that it brings to the global fuels markets - instead of stifling competition and keeping prices high.
Baker points out, the report ignores the devastating impact of high crude prices on all economies, especially those of the developing nations and the positive impact that biofuels production is having on fuel supplies and prices. In an era of ever increasing oil prices, Baker says, - biofuels production is more important than ever.
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“E15 Decision by Summer?”
The 25X’25 program reports that an EPA decision on whether to raise the E10 blend level to E15 should not be expected before the end of the summer. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson says the Department of Energy is scheduled to finish testing on how the fuel will affect automobile engines by April or May. EPA will base its blend level decision on those results.
Meanwhile, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack offered some optimism, telling reporters on Capitol Hill that all signals suggest the EPA will approve E15. He said - there has been some indication from DOE that in their tests of newer-model vehicles with E15, indicate it does not create any problems. Vilsack added - I think that's a good sign.
In a recent "state of the industry" address to the annual Renewable Fuels Association meeting, RFA president and CEO Bob Dineen said EPA should - tear down the blend wall - that industry officials say it is driving ethanol to a saturation point in the U.S. transportation fuel market.
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"Funds Available for Wind Energy Project in Hawaii”
The Department of Energy has offered a conditional commitment on a 117-million dollar loan guarantee to finance the construction and start-up of a 30-megawatt wind energy project in Kahuku, Hawaii. Kahuku Wind Power, LLC will install twelve 2.5 MW wind turbine generators along with a battery energy storage system for electricity load stability. In making the announcement, Energy Secretary Steven Chu said - this investment will create jobs and cut our dependence on oil, while promoting America’s leadership in the global race for the clean energy industries of tomorrow.
Located on the island of Oahu, the Kahuku project will contribute to Hawaii’s goal of meeting 70 percent of the state’s energy needs with clean energy by 2030. Currently, each island uses an isolated electric grid that relies upon the use of imported oil, which currently comprises 90 percent of the state’s energy supply. By harnessing wind power, the project is expected to supply electricity to 7,700 households and avoid the production of nearly 160 million pounds of carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas.
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“Work Advances on Siting Wind Farms”
The next step has been accomplished in establishing Wind Turbine Guidelines. A Federal Advisory Committee reached consensus on a set of draft recommendations aimed at minimizing the impacts of land-based wind farms on wildlife and its habitat. Department of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar says he will review the recommendations and take them under advisement as he asks the Service to develop guidelines for evaluating wind energy development on public and private lands.
Highlights of the committee’s recommendations include: A decision-making framework that guides all stages of wind energy development; Reliance on the best available science when assessing renewable energy projects and their potential environmental impact; and Use of landscape-scaled planning that recognizes the need to think long-term about protecting our nation’s economic and natural resources.
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“National Nutrition Month has Different Approaches”
In celebration of National Nutrition Month, Health Care Without Harm is asking hospitals across the nation to purchase 20 percent less meat and poultry as part of its balanced menus campaign. According to Lena Brook, HCWH National Balanced Menus coordinator, - balanced Menus is a systematic approach to reduce the amount of meat protein in hospital food and a strategic pathway to serving the healthiest, most sustainably produced meat available.
According to the organization, efforts some hospitals are highlighting in March include meatless days throughout the month; education for patients, staff and visitors about low-meat diets; and discounted Balanced Menus options in hospital cafeterias. Brook says, - this program is just one strategy of many being used by hospitals to model healthy food environments that connect personal nutrition with broader health concerns related to how food is grown, processed and transported to our tables.
At the same time the Beef Checkoff is participating in National Nutrition Month by offering - 29 Ways Toward Better Health - to reinforce the availability and affordability of 29 lean beef steaks, roasts and ground beef choices.
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“Pork Industry Award Recipients Honored"
The National Pork Board recognized the latest class of Environmental Steward Award winners at the National Pork Industry Forum in Kansas City, last week. According to the board, these winners exemplify excellence in environmental care and conservation in pork production. Those honored represented JAC Pork of Hartley, Iowa; Schafer Farms of Goodhue, Minnesota; Bryant Worley Farms of Princeton, North Carolina; and Sensenig Farm of Mohnton, Pennsylvania.
The Pork checkoff also honored Dale Miller, editor of National Hog Farmer, as the winner of its Distinguished Service Award. The Distinguished Service Award is given in recognition of lifelong contribution to the pork industry.
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“Tyson Plant Damaged by Fire”
Tyson Foods temporarily suspended operations Friday morning at its pork processing plant in Logansport, Indiana, after the building was damaged by fire. The fire involved part of the roof over the plant's slaughter floor. According to spokesman Gary Mickelson, - the plant was immediately evacuated. The plant slaughters some 15-thousand hogs per day and is the area’s largest employer.
As of Friday afternoon, it was not known how long the plant would be closed. Mickelson said, - we are assessing the damage so we can determine what repairs are needed and when we can resume production. Those employees working were sent home for the day.
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“Research Changes Thoughts on Urea”
The fact that nitrogen losses to the air from surface-applied urea could not occur in the cold may only be a myth. Agrotain’s John Hassell says - the fertilizer industry has made assumptions in the past, not based on scientific proof, but rather on long held beliefs. But, innovative new research has recorded significant losses in those very conditions.
Rick Engel, associate professor in the Department of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences at Montana State University carried out the research over five periods of time and said - we’ve actually seen some of our largest losses when our urea applications are during the late fall or early spring period, even when the soil temperatures are near freezing.
The study was designed to duplicate the common practice of fertilizer application used by wheat growers in the wheat-growing regions of Canada. In three of the first five of these cold-weather studies, more than 30 percent of the applied nitrogen was lost. More specifically, Engle said, - our losses have ranged anywhere from 3 or 4 percent up to 40 percent. He noted, - the conditions that really seem to promote these ammonia losses from urea are prolonged damp conditions.
The Department of the Interior has selected the University of Alaska to be the first of eight planned regional Climate Science Centers in the nation. In making the announcement, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar explained - Regional Climate Science Centers and their networks will provide science about climate change impacts, help land managers adapt to the impacts, and engage the public through education initiatives. In short, Climate Science Centers will better connect our scientists with land managers and the public.
In addition to the Alaska region, Climate Science Centers will be selected in seven additional regions throughout the country as directed by a 2009 Secretarial Order on climate change. Interior will be seeking grant proposals for four more Climate Science Centers in the next few weeks-- including centers in the Northwest, Southeast, Southwest and North Central regions.
Interior hopes to have the new Climate Science Center at the University of Alaska formally established in Anchorage within six to eight weeks. Also on the drawing board is a network of - Landscape Conservation Cooperatives - that will engage federal agencies, local and state partners, and the public in crafting practical, landscape-level strategies for managing climate change impacts within the eight regions.
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“Russia to Reopen Ports to U.S. Pork”
Word out of Russia indicates it will gradually lift its import bans on shipments of pork from U.S. plants. This announcement follows an agreement by Washington to observe Russian food safety rules.
Moscow had taken a hard line with the United States on food safety. It accused U.S. exporters of flouting Russian rules. Some critics say the bans could be politically motivated. Meanwhile, negotiations to resume U.S. poultry shipments are ongoing.
Russia ranks among the United States' top five markets for pork, beef and poultry. In 2008, the United States shipped more than 1.3-billion dollars worth of these products to Russia.
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“Senators: Stimulus Program Needs a Fix”
A group of Democratic Senators has called on the government to halt a federal stimulus program aimed at building wind farms and other clean-energy projects. Senators Charles Schumer, Robert Casey Jr., Sherrod Brown and Jon Tester argue that too much of the money spent so far has gone to create jobs overseas. They want the program put on hold while legislation is prepared to fix the problem.
The Administration and wind-energy advocates strongly dispute the criticism, saying that most of the jobs under the Energy Department program have been created in the United States, despite the dominance of foreign manufacturers in the green-technology sector. The American Wind Energy Association said that for the first 1-billion dollars spent on the program, 53 percent of the value of wind turbines -- and 63 percent of other equipment on wind farms -- came from the United States.
The lawmakers are focusing particular criticism at Cielo Wind Power of Austin, Texas, which has said it may apply for up to 450-million dollars in stimulus funding for a massive wind farm that would be powered by turbines built in China. A spokesman for the Texas project called the senators' assumptions incorrect, saying that at least 70 percent of each turbine will be made in the United States with American steel.
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“Resolution to Stop EPA Gains Support”
The Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed scheme to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act is - economically harmful, legally suspect and environmentally indefensible. That’s the view of the American Farm Bureau Federation. Therefore, AFBF is urging House members to support a bipartisan resolution to disapprove EPA’s greenhouse gas proposal.
House Joint Resolution 76, introduced by Representatives Ike Skelton, Jo Ann Emerson, and House Ag Committee Chair Collin Peterson would nullify EPA’s proposal, which is built around the agency’s finding in December 2009 that greenhouse gases indirectly threaten human health and therefore could be regulated under the Clean Air Act. According to Farm Bureau, this resolution would not weaken any environmental protections, but would simply provide Congress the appropriate opportunity to debate and legislate in this area.
Farm Bureau president Bob Stallman says - U.S. farmers and ranchers will be harmed by higher energy and fertilizer costs if EPA is allowed to move forward with its proposal to regulate GHGs. Further, - it appears likely that for the first time in history, even medium- and small-sized farming operations might have to comply - with expensive permitting requirements. Stallman says - such policy decisions should be made by elected officials, not by a regulatory agency.
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“USDA Wants to Improve Mississippi River Water”
USDA is accepting project proposals that will improve water quality and the overall health of the Mississippi River in 41 eligible watersheds in 12 states. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack called the initiative a – significant step – toward achieving water quality improvement along the Mississippi River. The states included in the project are: Arkansas, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee and Wisconsin.
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service will administer the initiative, first announced on September 24, 2009. Projects will be accepted based on their potential for managing nitrogen and phosphorus—nutrients associated with impaired water quality—while maintaining agricultural productivity and benefiting wildlife. Individual producers can only participate in this initiative in approved partnership projects.
The Request for Proposals for the Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative, through which up to 75-million dollars will be available, was published in the Federal Register this week. Proposals are due by May 1.
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“USDA Funds to Help California Farmers”
USDA has pledged additional funding to assist California agricultural producers struggling to cope with drought-related water cutoffs. Dave White, Chief of USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service, told farmers in Fresno, - we are making available much-needed assistance to some of the hardest hit producers – in the state. He added, - this funding will help farmers deal with current conditions, such as preventing dust and wind erosion in fallowed areas and keeping trees and vines alive.
USDA is providing 10-million dollars through a special drought initiative under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program. The EQIP funding will build on the 3-million NRCS provided to drought-stricken areas in 2009 by continuing last year's assistance and adding the option of converting farms to highly water-efficient micro-irrigation systems.
California Counties eligible for drought assistance include: Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Tulare. Signup for the drought initiative begins immediately and will run through April 9.
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“CFTC Chairman Notes Needs in Bills”
Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chair Gary Gensler told a House subcommittee hearing this week he would like to see two changes in the Commodity Exchange Act. Those changes include: additional authorities to oversee the over-the-counter derivative marketplace; and additional resources to best protect the American public.
Gensler told the hearing that the regulatory reform measures being considered by both the House and Senate should require swap dealers and major swap participants to register and come under certain requirements. He also said the CFTC should be able to impose position limits across both futures and OTC derivatives markets; and a clearing house should be established.
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“AFBF Supports Relief Act”
The American Farm Bureau Federation is urging the Senate to promptly pass a bill that includes many important farm-related tax relief provisions that expired at the end of 2009. The American Workers, State, and Business Relief Act also includes renewable energy tax incentives, provisions to maintain vital rural health care services and emergency disaster assistance. In a letter, AFBF President Bob Stallman added extensions of tax incentives for biodiesel, renewable diesel and for small agri-biodiesel producers to the list of areas Farm Bureau supports.
In addition, Farm Bureau supports the extension of expiring tax provisions that include the five-year depreciation for farm business machinery and equipment, bonus depreciation, the enhanced charitable deduction for donated food and the enhanced tax deduction for donating a conservation easement.
Stallman said the inclusion of ad hoc disaster assistance in the bill is needed because many agricultural disasters in 2009 occurred on farms that will not be eligible for assistance under the disaster package included in the 2008 farm bill. He emphasized, - the ad hoc disaster assistance could be the only thing that will keep some farmers on their farms.
22 broadband infrastructure projects accepted by USDA will give rural residents in 18 states or territories access to improved economic and educational opportunities thanks to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. In all, more than 254.6-million dollars in program funds will be invested with an additional 13.1-million in private matching funds. To date, nearly 900-million dollars has been provided to support 55 broadband projects in 29 states or territories.
According to Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack, - these broadband projects will provide rural America access to the tools it needs to attract new businesses, educational opportunities and jobs. Vilsack continued, - the Obama Administration understands that bringing broadband to rural America is an economic gateway for people, business owners, and key institutions. He said, - broadband is important for rural communities to remain strong in the 21st Century.
For example, in rural regions of northeastern Oklahoma and southeastern Kansas, Totah Communications has been selected to receive a 4.8-million loan and a 3.6-million grant to provide high-speed broadband to areas that are currently restricted to dial-up or first generation DSL facilities. And in northern New Mexico, Pueblo de San Ildefonso has been selected to receive a 632,225 dollar loan and a matching grant to expand broadband service in the Northern Rio Grande Valley.
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“Johanns Draws Parallel Between Safety of Beef and Toyotas”
Earlier this week, when Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood testified before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, he faced a scenario that hit home with LaHood and many others. Former USDA Secretary and now Senator Mike Johanns raised the parallel of the safety of US beef going into Japan to that of the safety of Toyotas coming from Japan into the United States.
Senator Johanns told LaHood there has never been a death in Japan because of the single case of a Canadian cow found with BSE in this country - and yet the Japanese have shut out US beef from their country - and the market remains mostly closed to this day - over six years later. Johanns said maybe it's time for us to tell the Japanese to allow our beef in - or we will treat Japanese produced Toyotas in the same way.
Later, during the Bayer Crop Science sponsored Ag Issues Forum in Anaheim, California, Jim Wiesemeyer, Senior Vice President of Informa Economics said the frustration of Senator Johanns with the Japanese over the lack of progress in getting access for US beef widened resonated with many in the room - and remains a sticking point that many say should be pursued more aggressively by the Obama Administration.
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“Survey: Public Misled by HSUS”
In a survey commissioned by the nonprofit Center for Consumer Freedom, researcher David Martosko found that most Americans think the Humane Society of the United States is a worthy charity. But very few Americans understand what HSUS really is. Martosko calls it - a super-rich lobbying group that puts more money into its executive pensions than in the hands of local humane societies. As an example, in 2008 HSUS distributed less than one-half of one percent of its budget to hands-on pet shelters.
The survey of 1,008 Americans revealed that 71 percent of Americans incorrectly believe the Humane Society of the United States is an - umbrella group - for America’s local humane societies. Sixty-three percent incorrectly think their local - humane society - is affiliated with HSUS. And fifty-nine percent falsely believe HSUS - contributes most of its money - to local organizations that care for cats and dogs.
Martosko, who is Director of Research for the Center for Consumer Freedom, believes - these numbers indicate that Americans don’t really know what the Humane Society of the United States is all about. He says - HSUS intentionally uses those sad dogs and cats in its TV infomercials as props in an animal rights fundraising shell game. Meanwhile, thousands of American pet shelters are underfunded and struggling.
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“Ag Secretary Addressing Producers at Commodity Classic”
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is delivering the keynote speech at the 2010 Commodity Classic this (Friday) morning. Vilsack is expected to highlight USDA’s focus on strengthening the U.S. agriculture economy and revitalizing rural communities. Efforts to increase exports of U.S. ag products will also be discussed.
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“Food Safety Subject of Scheduled FSIS Meeting”
USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service has scheduled a public meeting on Wednesday, March 10th to discuss and receive public input on the agency's product tracing efforts related to E. coli O157:H7. The 4 and ½ hour meeting is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. in the USDA South building in Washington, D.C. This meeting is a follow-up to a report released by the President’s Food Safety Working Group. In that report the also called for input from the public to strengthen food safety prevention, surveillance and response and recovery efforts.
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“Farm Fresh Discussions Slated"
Sessions at the United Fresh Produce Association’s annual meeting in Las Vegas will feature education for each segment of the fresh and fresh-cut produce industry. Discussions during sessions at United Fresh 2010, April 20-23, will range from sustainability and labor issues on the farm to the latest retail trends and insight from award-winning chefs.
The education programming will relate to the Grower-Shipper, Wholesaler-Distributor, Fresh-Cut Processor and Retail-Foodservice aspects of the produce business. Also, an individual Learning Center will be featured on the trade show floor as well as a break-out Super Session for segment members.
President Obama has outlined his final version of a health care bill and has urged Congress to bring the plan to a conclusive vote within the next few weeks. The President said his nearly 1-trillion dollar proposal is a compromise plan that combines the best ideas of both Democrats and Republicans. Mr. Obama also came out in support of reconciliation, which would allow changes to the health care bill to be passed by the Senate with only 51 votes -- a bare legislative majority.
The arguments both for and against health care reform have not changed for either political party. Top Republicans have repeatedly said Obama's proposal amounts to a government takeover of the private health care system that will do little to control spiraling medical inflation. In recent weeks, they have reiterated their calls for the President to scrap his plan and start over.
The President's proposal includes significant reductions in Medicare spending, in part through changes in payments made under the Medicare Advantage program. It does not include a government-run public health insurance option but it does include Medicaid reimbursement increases to doctors in certain states, and supports language ensuring certain high-deductible health plans can be offered in the health exchange.
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“Health Care Path Ahead”
It is likely the President’s refurbished health care plan will be considered using rules of reconciliation. Those rules would permit changes in the health care legislation to be passed by the Senate with only 51 votes. Democratic leaders say the legislation could gain enough support for passage in both chambers – most likely through expedited budget reconciliation procedures.
Illinois Senator and Majority Whip Richard Durbin says Democrats are - coming to closure - on revised language that was being written jointly by House and Senate lawmakers and White House officials. But, uncertainties remain as changes to one part of the bill could affect other aspects of the legislation.
Democratic leaders hope to send legislative language to the Congressional Budget Office for a cost estimate - perhaps before the end of the week. Durbin admitted that report could force more changes in the bill. Durbin said the Senate would provide some kind of - convincing gesture - aimed at reassuring anxious House Democrats that the Senate would act on the proposal once it passes the House, but that the House likely would have to act first.
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“Senate Preparing for Jobs-Extension Bill”
Kentucky Senator Jim Bunning has stepped out of the way of a request by Majority Leader Harry Reid to advance a 10-billion dollar package that would fund additional unemployment benefits, highway construction and Medicare provisions. He wanted it paid for. Fellow Senators agreed to allow Bunning to offer an amendment that would fund the legislation. But it failed.
Many lawmakers, especially those up for re-election this year don’t want to raise any taxes to pay for more federal expenditures. So, they have turned their attention to jobs and tax incentives. They appear willing to spend 150-billion dollars to extend key energy and tax provisions, as part of the American Workers, State and Business Relief Act – or jobs bill. The legislation would not be paid for under – pay-as-you-go - rules.
The legislation would provide for the extension of a five-year recovery period for machinery or equipment purchases. It would also extend emergency disaster assistance; tax incentives for biodiesel and renewable diesel; extension and modification of Alternative Fuels Credit; and Taxation of Qualified Timer Gain and Timer REIT provisions.
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“Legislators Ready to Take Control of EPA Regulations”
Two leaders in the U.S. House have introduced legislation similar to legislation already introduced in the U.S. Senate that would nullify action taken by the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate greenhouse gas emissions coming from farms and other locales.
Senate Ag Committee chair Blanche Lincoln says she believes she has enough signatures for the resolution to bypass the Environment and Public Works Committee and move directly to the floor. Only 51 votes would be required for approval. A vote could happen quickly.
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“House Ag Committee Approves Bills”
The House Committee on Agriculture has approved two bills for floor consideration and adopted the annual budget views and estimates letter, which outlines the Committee's budget recommendations for the federal agencies and programs under its jurisdiction for fiscal year 2011. Those programs include nutrition, farm, conservation, energy and rural development programs.
H.R. 3509 would reauthorize funding for the State agricultural mediation grant program. The grants fund state agricultural mediation programs that help agricultural producers, their creditors and various USDA agencies address disputes, including loan problems and USDA adverse decisions.
H.R. 3954 would authorize the conveyance of 114 acres in Leon County, Florida and would allow the U.S. Forest Service to make equivalent land exchanges within the Ocala and Apalachicola National Forests to better and more efficiently manage the lands. The bill would also clarify some boundary issues by allowing a survey to be conducted on certain areas of Florida state forestland.
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“Senate Finance Receives Trade Report”
Wednesday, U.S. Trade representative Ron Kirk delivered to the Senate Finance Committee President Obama’s 2010 Trade Policy Agenda and 2009 Annual Report. The 2010 outlook promises to seize new opportunities, and build on existing agreements to bring benefits of trade to American businesses and workers. Committee Ranking Member Chuck Grassley said I’m disappointed by some of the gaps I see in the level of detail provided by the President.
For example, Grassley pointed to the trade agenda which states that our government - will continue to engage with the Governments of Panama, Colombia, and Korea - as the Administration further refines its analysis of outstanding issues. But it doesn’t indicate where we are on that engagement, or when future meetings are planned with the governments of Colombia and South Korea to iron out resolutions to the Administration’s concerns. Grassley said the delay in implementation - hurts U.S. credibility around the world, not just economically, but geopolitically as well.
Grassley sees – some disconnect between enthusiasm for negotiating a Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, and the apparent lack of urgency to resolve the outstanding issues cited by the Administration as cause for delay in implementing our pending trade agreements. Grassley notes, - there may well be political reasons for this lack of urgency. But that doesn’t justify delay as good policy — quite the opposite.
Senate Ag Committee Chair Blanche Lincoln says - as we look for new markets for our exports, we must work to open trade with Cuba once and for all. Lincoln points out that - production of a safe and affordable food supply creates American jobs and is something we should not take for granted. Our producers have a quality product to offer the rest of the world and it is our job to give them the open markets to do so.
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“ITC Holds FTA Hearing”
R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard, testifying before the U.S. International Trade Commission on Wednesday, continued to hammer home the views of his organization on the negative impact flawed free trade agreements have on the U.S. live cattle industry. The organization has long held that the well-being of Rural America hinges on the success or failure of the U.S. live cattle industry. The Commission was focusing on the proposed U.S.–Trans-Pacific Partnership Free Trade Agreement that soon will be considered by President Obama.
During his testimony, Bullard said that while the U.S. has experienced increased trade - the welfare gains and increased prosperity promised by the FTAs and current trade policies have materialized neither for the hundreds of thousands of U.S. farmers and ranchers who raise cattle, nor for the rural economies those farmers and ranchers support.
Bullard also explained that any benefits that may have resulted from increased trade have been captured by the beef commodity industry and have not been allocated to U.S. cattle producers.
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“CFTC Focus of Hearing”
The House Agriculture Committee's Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management held a hearing to review the implementation of changes to the Commodity Exchange Act contained in the 2008 Farm Bill. In opening the hearing, subcommittee chairman Leonard Boswell, said our job is to - bring greater transparency and oversight to the future markets without hindering legitimate consumers from operating within them. He said - hard-working Americans are getting taken to the cleaners.
It's been nearly two years since the 2008 Farm Bill granted the Commodity Futures Trading Commission certain new authorities to regulate the futures markets. Subcommittee Ranking Member Jerry Moran said. - Congress needs to determine whether CFTC is effectively carrying out its intent and I believe today's hearing gave us an indication of the Commission's recent activities.
The Farm Bill strengthened the CFTC's authority over retail foreign currency transactions, extended the CFTC's principles-based oversight to exempt
commercial markets that trade significant price contracts, and increased criminal and civil penalties for market manipulation.
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“Report Quantifies Foodborne Illnesses”
A report published by the Produce Safety Project, an initiative of the Pew Charitable Trusts at Georgetown University, estimates the total cost of foodborne illnesses in the United States at 152-billion dollars per year. The report titled - Health-Related Costs from Foodborne Illness in the United States, - emphasizes illnesses related to FDA-regulated foods such as produce and is being used to push for Senate action on legislation passed by the House of Representatives last summer that would overhaul the Food and Drug Administration.
When compared to a 1999 study put together by the Centers for Disease Control, the cost estimate soars over the previous estimates. Also, it broadened both the array of pathogens and the types of costs to include medical costs, quality of life losses and the costs to others in society such as lost productivity, as well as the costs to the person made ill. Representative Rosa DeLauro, who has pushed for consolidating food safety regulation under a single agency, called the report - shockingly high.
The new report put the price of campylobactyer-related illnesses at 18.8-billion dollars per year. It put those linked to salmonella at 14.6-billion and listeria-associated costs at 8.8-billion dollars annually. As for E. coli O157:H7, the report said 39 percent of outbreaks and 54 percent of illnesses linked to FDA-regulated food items were attributable to produce at an estimated foodborne illness cost of 39-billion dollars per year.
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“Dean Foods Lawyers File Paperwork”
Dean Foods came under fire after announcing its intention to purchase two milk processing plants owned by Foremost Farms, USA. The Department of Justice belies the purchase would lessen competition. The markets in question sell milk to schools and to grocery chains, restaurants and other retail outlets.
Now, lawyers for Dean Foods has filed a request that a federal judge in Milwaukee reject the charge affecting the supply for non-school fluid milk sales. The argument is the government failed to define the –relevant geographic market- where competition would be affected.
According to Dean, most customers in that area of Minnesota purchase milk from processing plants located within 150 miles.
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“Soy Going to Afghanistan”
USDA’s Food for Progress program, the American Soybean Association’s World Initiative for Soy in Human Health program and three partnering organizations will receive a cooperative agreement for work in Afghanistan in the amount of 26-million dollars. That nation has some of the highest rates of malnutrition in the world. At the same time the agreement will allow Afghanistan to rebuild its market for soy.
WISHH Chairman and ASA Board member Scott Fritz, a soybean producer from Winamac, Indiana, says - diets will improve and soy consumption will increase as Afghan agriculture and the local economy develops. When this happens, everybody wins.
The agreement will provide 240 metric tons of defatted soy flour over the next three years to meet the nutritional needs of 5-thousand women and their families. The agreement also includes 13,750 metric tons of soybean oil that will be monetized or sold into the local market in support of the project activities. The project will also bolster the processing end of the agricultural value chain, with the shipment of 6-thousand metric tons of soybeans. These soybeans will be processed into soy flour and soybean oil for the local market.
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“Biorefinery Loan Announced”
USDA says Range Fuels, Incorporated, a Colorado based firm with a planned biorefinery located near Soperton, Georgia, is the recipient of a loan guaranteed by USDA Rural Development to make cellulosic biofuel from wood chips. The deal, recently finalized, was first announced last year and represents the first ever loan guarantee by USDA to a commercial-scale cellulosic biofuel plant.
The 80-million dollar loan is being guaranteed through USDA's Biorefinery Assistance Program authorized by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 and administered by USDA Rural Development. When fully operational, the plant is expected to produce an estimated 20-million gallons of cellulosic ethanol per year.
Range Fuels’ commercial facility will produce cellulosic biofuel from non-food biomass, such as wood chips. Under Secretary for Rural Development Dallas Tonsager says - USDA's investment in the construction of Range Fuels' commercial facility demonstrates the Obama Administration's goal to make the United States a leader in renewable energy production.
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“Eisenhower Fellowships Applications Available”
Eisenhower Fellowships, the premier international leadership development program, is accepting applications from experienced farmers and ranchers for its 2011 Agricultural Fellowship. Applications are to be received by July 1, 2010 from farmers and ranchers aged 32-45 with excellent networking avenues, demonstrated leadership experience, U.S. citizenship or permanent resident, and a commitment to at least 15-20 years of further active leadership in agriculture.
The successful applicant will receive a custom-designed, all-expenses paid program overseas for up to five weeks in one or two countries where he or she will focus on agricultural issues. In addition, the 2011 Agricultural fellows will receive orientation and post-travel debriefing in Philadelphia along with a select group of Eisenhower Fellows from around the world.
Previous participants of this unique program have risen to positions of influence, and have used their international connections to bring new ideas and technologies to their communities. For more information and to download applications please visit: www.eisenhowerfellowships.org.
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“Corn Yield Guide Now Available”
The National Corn Growers Association 2009 Corn Yield Guide, which highlights the results of the NCGA National Corn Yield Contest, is available online at www.ncga.com. This year, in addition to the details on all 525 contest winners, it includes detailed stories on the role of supervisors in the contest and the results of NCGA's 2009 farmer image survey.
NCGA Chairman Darrin Ihnen, a grower from Hurley, South Dakota, says - the National Corn Yield Contest provides a glimpse at the practices and resultant yields that growers can expect to become the industry standard in the next decade. The National Corn Yield Contest is in its 46th year and remains NCGA's most popular program for members.
Ihnen boasts - we are extremely proud of the accomplishments of this year's winners and look forward to a future with even higher average yields that will ensure we can meet ever increasing demand. The contest provides growers with an opportunity to showcase their achievements while establishing innovative practices that benefit the industry as a whole.
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A 1.5-billion dollar bipartisan disaster package has been added to the American Workers, State, and Business Relief Act which could be voted on in the Senate yet this week. The addition is based on legislation introduced earlier by Senate Ag Committee Chair Blanche Lincoln and Senator Thad Cochran. The package, if passed, will provide assistance for farmers affected by heavy rains, floods and other weather-related disasters.
The legislation would provides an estimated 1.1-billion dollars in supplemental payments to producers who suffered crop losses in counties declared “primary” disaster areas by USDA. The payments would bridge the gap until 2009 Supplemental Revenue Assistance Program payments are issued next fall.
Also included is 150-million to assist specialty crop producers, 75-million in emergency loans to poultry producers, 50-million in assistance for livestock producers, 25-million in aquaculture assistance and 42-million to aid first handlers of cottonseed.
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"Poultry Welfare Guidelines Updated"
The National Chicken Council made changes in its animal welfare guidelines and audit checklist. That's the industry-standard program for assessing animal welfare programs and practices in broiler and broiler-breeder operations. The revisions were recommended by a task force of industry veterinarians and other experts and approved by the NCC executive committee and board of directors.
The revisions place a greater emphasis on corporate commitment to animal welfare, including a requirement that senior management must sign off on their company's animal welfare program. It also calls for each department of the company handling live animals to have a person in charge of promoting adherence to the Guidelines and each department must have a disaster response and recovery plan. Also, employees must be trained and retrained every year and each company must review their program every two years.
Principles stated in the document are: 1/ Poultry raised for food should be cared for in ways that prevent or minimize fear, pain, stress and suffering. 2/ Guidelines for welfare should balance scientific knowledge and professional judgment with consideration of ethical and societal values. 3/ It is the welfare of the chickens themselves that is foremost, not how humans might perceive a practice or an environment. and 4/ Poultry should be treated with respect throughout their lives and provided a humane death when processed for food or when they are euthanized for any other reason.
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“NCGA Asks Agriculture to Help Set the Record Straight on Food Inc.”
Before this Sunday’s Oscars - the National Corn Growers Association is calling on its grower members and industry friends to get the truth about the documentary film Food Inc. The movie - which NCGA says is filled with lies, factual inaccuracies and misrepresentations about America’s farmers and food suppliers - is nominated for Best Documentary.
NCGA took language directly from the movie to conduct a fact-checking exercise using recent data from sources like the FDA and USDA - and found several examples where the filmmakers set the truth aside. So they’ve developed a factsheet to arm those in agriculture with credible and truthful information to combat the film’s arguments.
You can find the factsheet online at www dot ncga dot com slash files slash pdf slash FoodIncInformation dot pdf (www.ncga.com/files/pdf/FoodIncInformation.pdf). NCGA encourages you to review the facts before the Oscars are televised this Sunday night and then help spread the information. E-mail your contacts, pen a letter to the editor, send it to local press people or write about it on Facebook - just get the word out.
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"RFA Wants More Funding for Development"
The President's budget zeroes out funding for the Biomass and Biorefinery Systems Program's Utilization of Platform Outputs R&D sub program. And it only provided 13-million dollars for the Vehicle Technologies program's Fuels Technology subprogram. The Renewable Fuels Association says Congress must ensure fuels research programs are fully funded to provide the necessary scientific basis for increasing ethanol blending. The RFA is calling for the full 24-million dollars funding for the Vehicle Technologies program’s Fuels Technology subprogram and for an additional 5-million for the Biomass and Biorefinery Systems R&D subprograms.
Writing to the Chairs and Ranking Members of both the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Energy and Water Development, RFA President Bob Dinneen wrote - continued testing of mid-level ethanol blends and E-85 is absolutely critical if ethanol is to overcome the blend wall that is today limiting market opportunities, and if the statutory obligations for renewable fuel use established by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 are to be met.
Dineen said Congress should - allow America’s ethanol industry to reach its full potential to displace petroleum use in motor vehicles.
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"Monsanto: A Good Place to Be"
If you are looking for a corporate citizen look no further than Monsanto Company. Monsanto has been named to Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s list of “100 Best Corporate Citizens” for 2010. Monsanto ranks number 31 overall and leads the agricultural products sector on the magazine’s 11th annual ranking of corporate responsibility performance of major U.S. companies.
Jerry Steiner, executive vice president for sustainability & corporate affairs for Monsanto, said, his company is - honored to be recognized for our leadership in such important areas as climate change and employee relations. As an agricultural technology leader, we strive to deliver products that benefit farmers and the global communities they serve, while protecting the environment.
This ranking is one of several accolades recently received by Monsanto, including being named - Company of the Year - by Forbes Magazine and one of FORTUNE Magazine’s - 100 Best Companies to Work For - in 2010.
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"Food for Progress Assistance Announced"
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says USDA will donate more than 145-million dollars in international assistance under the Food for Progress Program in fiscal year 2010. Allocations announced include more than 204-thousand metric tons of U.S. rice, soybean oil, soybeans, soy flour, tallow, vegetable oil, wheat and yellow corn. These commodities will be purchased on the U.S. market and donated to foreign governments, cooperatives and private-voluntary, non-profit or intergovernmental organizations.
In making the announcement, Secretary Vilsack said, - these allocations will benefit more than 3.4 million people in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East by providing access to new opportunities for farmers and rural communities. The program targets developing countries and emerging democracies like Uganda, where the program has helped a Ugandan dairy quadruple its sales in one year, and Honduras, where palm oil farmers were able to launch their own refinement plant.
USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service administers the program, authorized by the Food for Progress Act of 1985.
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"Dollars Released to Improve Electric Service"
USDA Rural Development's Electric Loan Program will make it possible for more rural residents to enjoy more reliable electricity. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says 29 rural utilities and cooperatives in 16 states have been selected to receive loans and loan guarantees to build and repair more than 5,600 miles of distribution and transmission lines and make system improvements that will benefit more than 55-thousand rural customers.
According to the Secretary, these loans and loan guarantees may be used to expand or improve electric service, support renewable energy efforts and establish energy conservation programs.
For example, the Halifax Electric Membership Corporation in Enfield, North Carolina will receive a 6.5-million dollar loan to provide automated meter reading and repair nearly 70 miles of distribution lines. And in Allison, Iowa, the Butler County Rural Electric Cooperative will receive a 12.7-million dollar loan to upgrade and maintain facilities and repair damage caused by a 2007 ice storm.
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“Training Today’s Youth for Green Jobs”
USDA Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment Harris Sherman will unveil a new green curriculum to train underserved youth to hold jobs in the emerging green economy later this week. It’s a new direction for USDA Forest Service Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers - and USDA says it will expand students’ opportunities and pathways out of poverty through the promotion of public service, sustainable lifestyles and skill development to compete for green jobs.
Sherman will be joined by Idaho First District Congressman Walt Minnick and USDA Forest Service Associate Chief Hank Kashdan for the announcement Friday.
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"Better Potatoes From Research"
Two fungi with very long names (Spongospora subterranea and Colletotrichum coccodes) continue to make it difficult for the potato industry to get their spuds to the marketplace. These fungi often occur together in the same soil, attacking the potato plant's roots, tubers or stems. Outbreaks can cause yield losses of up to 25-percent and prevent tubers from reaching the sizes needed by the french fry and fast-food industry.
Scientists and collaborators with the Agriculture Research Service are working to overcome the problem by testing five new potato breeding lines that could open the door to new varieties of the crop that resist these problems. These breeding lines had been developed from a wild species from Mexico, Solanum hougasii, and a recent commercial release, Summit Russet. In three years of field trials the potato breeding lines consistently showed fewer disease symptoms.
The potato breeding lines aren't intended for production. Instead, they'll be made available as seed for use in breeding programs aimed at developing the first commercial varieties with dual resistance to the fungal diseases.
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White House aides say President Obama will release a revised version of his health-care proposal this week, and it will address some of the issues Republicans raised at the Blair House summit last Friday. Still, the prospects of winning Republican support appear grim. Republicans want the White House to abandon the bill and start over. Obama says he is unwilling to do so.
Senator Tom Coburn, a doctor, says - I'm concerned that the majority in Congress is still not listening to the American people on the subject of health-care reform. According to Coburn, - by an overwhelming margin, the American people are telling us to scrap the current bills and we should start over.
Still, a lot of strategy has to be in place before anything can pass. Some are saying the White House might accept having the House pass a version of the measure that cleared the Senate with 60 votes in December. The Senate would then pass changes to the bill to satisfy some demands of House Democrats. That Senate vote would take place under a parliamentary procedure known as reconciliation, which requires 51 votes rather than 60.
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“New Climate Legislation Being Prepared”
We are hearing that Senator Lindsey Graham has declared – cap-and-trade is dead. Graham and Senators John Kerry and Joseph Lieberman are engaged in a radical behind-the-scenes overhaul of climate legislation. The trio plan to introduce new legislation next month that would apply different carbon controls to individual sectors of the economy instead of setting a national target.
It is being said, the lawmakers are looking at cutting the nation's greenhouse gas output by targeting, in separate ways, three major sources of emissions: electric utilities, transportation and industry. Power plants would face an overall cap on emissions that would become more stringent over time; motor fuel may be subject to a carbon tax whose proceeds could help electrify the U.S. transportation sector; and industrial facilities would be exempted from a cap on emissions for several years before it is phased in.
The legislation would also expand domestic oil and gas drilling offshore and would provide federal assistance for constructing nuclear power plants and carbon sequestration and storage projects at coal-fired utilities.
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“Climate Change Report to be Reviewed”
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is looking for an independent outside panel to review how it makes major reports such as its report on climate change. Critics have found a few unsettling errors in the report -- including incorrect projections of retreats in Himalayan glaciers. The group of volunteer scientists said it tries to be accurate and follow procedures. But according to IPCC chairman Rajendra Pachauri, -we recognize the criticism that has been leveled at us and the need to respond.
Pachauri says the panel has consulted with the United Nations and plans to find - distinguished experts - to review how it writes its reports. Chris Field, a chairman of one of the IPCC's four main research groups, says - one of the things I think the world deserves is a clear understanding of what aspects the IPCC does well and what aspects of the IPCC can be improved.
One of the troubles is that IPCC reports are written by most of the world's top experts in climate science. And the experts who don't write them, often review them, so it's hard to find someone both independent and knowledgeable. IPCC is most likely to find an outside organization to run the review.
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“China Tariffs Hit U.S. Poultry Exports”
It’s been almost three weeks since China placed tariffs of up to 105.4 percent on U.S. chicken imports. As a result, the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council reports that market has dried up. Companies have less than three weeks to appeal China’s decision. USAPEEC spokesman Toby Moore told Meatingplace - it makes it not feasible to ship there. We're out of the market, period.
U.S. companies exported 649.2-million dollars worth of chicken products to China last year, making China the second-largest importer of U.S. chicken behind Russia. About half of the exports are chicken paws, which have little value in the United States but can fetch 60 cents to 80 cents a pound in China. The remainder consists of wing tips, mid-joints and leg quarters.
China imposed the duties after its Ministry of Commerce conducted an unfair trade practices investigation last fall and concluded the country's local producers had been hurt by U.S. products sold at unfairly low prices. Three U.S. companies received individualized import duties, with Tyson Foods at 43.1 percent, Keystone Foods at 44 percent and Pilgrim's Pride at 80.5 percent.
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“What's Going to Happen with Pending Trade Deals?”
The newly released Obama Administration 2010 trade agenda gives little indication that the White House will quickly advance long-stalled pacts with Panama, Colombia or South Korea. After a year-long review of Bush-era trade agreements, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk released the report that stresses a new export focus, and says the administration is engaged in – unprecedented - consultations with Congress over the shape of impending negotiations on a Trans-Pacific Partnership, an Asia-Pacific free trade group.
The Panama, Colombia and South Korea deals are being viewed with a wary eye. None has seen action in the Senate. Labor Unions and their congressional allies; and, in the case of the South Korea deal, the U.S. auto and beef industries continue to voice strong objections to the agreements.
Representative Kirk will discuss the report at a Senate Finance Committee hearing on Wednesday.
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“Coalition Supports Trade Deals”
Despite the Administration’s lack of interest in the Colombia, Panama and South Korea trade deals, an ad hoc coalition of food, feed and agricultural entities is urging Congress to promptly pass these deals. Under each pact, many U.S. food and agricultural products would become eligible for duty-free treatment once the agreement is implemented and nearly all would receive duty-free treatment over specified phase-in periods.
In a letter signed by 57 companies and organizations, the coalition, led by the National Pork Producers Council, has asked lawmakers to - aggressively expand market access opportunities, as our competitors are doing. The coalition says - other countries are moving forward on a host of trade deals. As an example, South Korea is negotiating or is planning to enter talks on trade agreements with 11 countries, the European Union and blocs representing Southeast Asian and South American nations.
The coalition also points out that exports generate 8-thousand U.S. jobs for every one-billion dollars worth of agricultural goods exported. In addition, adding to the bottom line of producers, U.S. pork producers, for example, would see hog prices rise by 11-dollars a head under the South Korea agreement.
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“Ag Trade Adjustment Program Launched”
An interim rule has been published permitting USDA to launch its Trade Adjustment Assistance program. In making the announcement, Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack said this program - will create new opportunities for producers hurt by import competition. Eligible producers will receive much-needed technical assistance and cash benefits to help them adjust to the current economic environment. The assistance includes help in developing business adjustment plans that can serve as a guide for adjusting a producer's business operation to prevailing economic conditions.
Re-authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the program applies to producers of raw agricultural commodities and fishermen who show a greater than 15 percent decrease - contributed importantly by an increase in imports - in the national average price; the quantity of production; the value of production; or in cash receipts compared to the average of the three preceding marketing years.
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“E-Verify Not Perfect”
Westat, a Maryland-based research firm, reports that undocumented immigrants can get past the E-Verify’ electronic safety net if they have well-made documents with a real individual's data. The report used models to estimate that about 54 percent of unauthorized workers are, in fact, verified by the system. Still, that amounts to about 3.3 percent of all requests made to the system.
The problem is they are committing identity fraud, which the system does not catch easily. Therefore, the agency says - strengthening E-Verify's ability to better detect and deter identity fraud is a priority.
E-Verify is a free nationwide program used by more than 180-thousand employers at more than 675-thousand worksites. Getting accurate verification from the federal government is key for meat processors, who, like other food-related businesses, employ a high percentage of immigrants.
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“CRP Projects Approved”
Secretary Vilsack says USDA has approved an additional 300-thousand acres for conservation projects under the Conservation Reserve Program. These additional areas include 150-thousand for the State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement Initiative; 50-thousand for the Duck Nesting Habitat Initiative; and 100-thousand acres for the Habitat Buffers for Upland Birds Initiative.
Vilsack said, - this is part of our efforts to target conservation to give the American taxpayer more bang for the buck in terms of improved water and air quality, reduced erosion, and benefits to the climate. USDA will conduct a general CRP signup later this year, with program details and the specific signup start date to be announced upon completion of an Environmental Impact Statement.
Currently USDA's SAFE portfolio includes 75 approved projects in 22 states covering up to 500-thousand acres. SAFE helps state and regional agencies, non-profit organizations and others address local wildlife objectives by partnering with farmers and ranchers to restore wildlife habitats.
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“Pork Organization Meeting This Week”
The National Pork Board begins a two day meeting Wednesday in Kansas City. Recovery and reinvigoration is the meeting’s focus. The board is seeking to improve the effectiveness of the Pork Checkoff's marketing and research programs in an effort to sustain the resurgence of the pork industry. The board meeting will be held in conjunction with the pork industry's annual meeting, the National Pork Industry Forum, which begins on Friday.
Board President Tim Bierman, a Larrabee, Louisiana pork producer, says - as the industry works toward recovery, the Pork Checkoff needs to take a hard look at what else we can do to help producers by taking a fresh look at how we improve the return on investment for our Checkoff dollars.
During its discussion of the pork industry’s new Strategic Plan that the board approved in January, the board will consider three specific plan recommendations, including: development of a long-term research strategy; exploration of a new way for state and national organizations to work more effectively together; and enhancement of the structure and efficiency of the board's systems.
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“ITC Hearing Today (Tuesday)”
R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard will testify today (Tuesday) before the U.S. International Trade Commission. The panel is gathering input for its investigation on the probable economic effect of duty-free imports on a U.S.–Trans-Pacific Partnership Free Trade Agreement. Besides the U.S., there are seven other countries included in the TPP: Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. The ITC expects to submit its report to the U.S. Trade Representative by June 2, 2010.
R-CALF USA wants the ITC to recommend to President Obama that the TPP be summarily rejected, and also recommends that the U.S. begin immediately to establish a practicable national trade policy, with clearly defined goals and objectives, that likely will result in increased economic opportunities for U.S. small businesses, including U.S. cattle farmers and ranchers.
Bullard says - we believe the U.S. should establish a trade goal to facilitate the restoration and rebuilding of the contracted U.S. cattle industry. Bullard is expected to recommend that trade impacts to the U.S. cattle industry be considered. Also, as required in the Trade Act Of 2002, special rules must be included in all trade agreements to recognize the perishable and cyclical nature of cattle and beef, be automatic in application, and should include - snap backs - of tariffs to previous levels when beef and/or cattle prices fall to a particular trigger level.
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“MOU Benefits Wildlife"
USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service and Farm Service Agency have entered into an agreement with Pheasants Forever to identify and create more opportunities to conserve plant and animal species and their habitats. Speaking at the National Pheasant Fest 2010 in Des Moines, Iowa, Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack said - partnerships like these are critical to conserving America's private working lands.
The memorandum of understanding establishes a framework of cooperation among the organizations to maintain and enhance the productivity of pheasant, quail, and other wildlife habitats on private and public lands. The agreement will be in effect for five years and will increase assistance and training of USDA and Pheasants Forever personnel regarding pheasant, quail and associated wildlife conservation, management and habitat restoration.
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“CCC Rates Announced for March”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation has announced interest rates for March of 2010. The CCC borrowing rate-based charge is 0.375 percent, unchanged from February 2010. The rate for 1996 and subsequent crop year commodity and marketing assistance loans, the interest rate for loans is also unchanged at 1.375 percent.
The interest rates for farm storage facility loans approved for March are as follows – for a seven-year loan term the March figure is 3.125 percent compared to last month’s 3.25 percent; for loans with 10-year terms, the interest rate is 3.625 percent unchanged from the previous month; and the 12-year loan term is also unchanged from February at 4.0 percent.
The interest rate for Sugar Storage Facility Loans for March 2010 is down. The 4.25 percent rate is a decrease from the 4.375 percent of February 2010.
The maximum discount rate applicable for March 2010 for the Tobacco Transition Payment Program is 5 percent, unchanged from February 2010. This is based on the 3.25 percent prime rate plus 2 percent, rounded to the nearest whole number.
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China has lifted its ban on the importation of Canadian pork. But a ban on U.S. pork imports remains in place. Canadian Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz says, - access to the Chinese market is excellent news for Canadian pork producers and underlines the importance of recognizing international science-based standards. The Canadians have touted the standards of the World Organization for Animal Health.
In spring of 2009, China suspended pork imports from H1N1-affected countries. In December, Canada successfully negotiated to have the ban lifted. Since then Canada has been working to develop supplementary certification requirements.
As for U.S. imports, last October China announced it would resume imports of U.S. pork following the H1N1-related ban, but Washington and Beijing are still working out the associated terms and conditions.
Senate Ag Committee Chair Blanche Lincoln says - it is time for China to follow through on its Commitment - with the United States. Lincoln and 21 other Senators have asked Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk to do everything within their means to ensure the Chinese market is reopened as promised.
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“Hydrogen Sulfide Emissions May Be Reportable”
The Environmental Protection Agency says it is considering requiring industrial facilities, including concentrated animal feeding operations, to report releases of hydrogen sulfide. The agency says the agent is harmful to human health and the environment and must be reported to the Toxics Release Inventory under the Emergency Planning & Community Right-to-Know Act.
The reporting requirement could lead to stricter regulations on hydrogen sulfide under the Clean Air Act, including a mandate that facilities adopt new emissions mitigation technologies.
The National Pork Producers Council has challenged in a suit filed in a U.S. District Court in Wisconsin an EPA rule requiring some pork producers to report air emissions from their farms under EPCRA, which has an exemption for “agriculture.” NPPC contends EPA has failed to set up an adequate system to take emissions reports from producers.
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“Study of Land Use Theories Begins”
An expert workgroup created by the California Air Resources Board met for the first time Friday. The group is charged with refining and improving the land use and indirect effect analysis of transportation fuels, and will also evaluate key factors, such as agricultural yield improvements, co-products, land emission factors, food price elasticity and more, which "might impact" bioful’s land use values.
Mark Stowers, POET's senior vice president of science and technology, says the low carbon fuel standard - is an important piece of energy policy, too important to rely on theories or unproven models. The workgroup is set to meet monthly through September, before preparing a draft report in October and submit its recommendations to the board by January 1, 2011.
Critics warn that the science behind ILUC is not yet mature and the state's LCFS is under legal challenge because of the board's application of ILUC.
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“December Domestic Ethanol Production Up”
According to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, U.S. ethanol production reached yet another all time high in December of 2009 at 787-thousand barrels per day. That’s an increase of 131-thousand from one year earlier. For calendar year 2009, ethanol production exceeded 10.75 billion gallons.
The Renewable Fuels Association calculated that ethanol demand fell to 750-thousand barrels per day during December as fuel ethanol imports totaled 504-thousand gallons during the month. The United States enjoys a 22.3 day reserve of ethanol.
Despite trying economic circumstances, RFA President Bob Dinneen says - once-idled facilities are restarting and new biorefineries are coming online to ensure that the volumes of ethanol called for in the Renewable Fuels Standard are met by domestic supplies.
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“Disaster Assistance Now Jobs Bill Rider”
National Cotton Council Chairman Eddie Smith says disaster assistance will be included in the new jobs creation bill. Little is known about the proposal but some speculate it could look much like earlier offerings. Most likely the proposal would be tied to a secretarial disaster declaration with producers receiving a payment similar to a direct payment. They would have to prove an economic loss of 5 percent for a least one crop of economic significance.
As for the one-dollar a gallon biodiesel tax incentive, that extension remains unresolved. Supporters believe the incentive is crucial to the survival of the biodiesel industry.
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“Stem Rust Fight Moves Forward”
The Agricultural Research Service and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center in Ankara, Turkey, have established a nursery to study Winter Wheat Stem Rust Resistance. The facility is considered a key tool in the fight against the rust strain Ug99 and is the first of its kind for winter wheat. This joint effort will distribute 100 lines that have been identified by international scientists as having resistance to the deadly Ug99 stem rust and its descendants.
Thirty of the 100 lines in the nursery were developed by ARS scientists. They contain resistance to stem rust races in Kenya and the United States. The lines focus on the use of four or five resistance genes that have been incorporated into various combinations in winter wheat lines. According to ARS research leader David Marshall, multiple genes for resistance will slow the pathogen's ability to readily overcome the new wheat varieties that breeders develop.
Winter wheat lines in the nursery are being distributed to wheat breeders and geneticists in 34 countries, including those that have been hit hardest by the disease.
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“Canadian Cattle Focus of DDGS Trial”
Five thousand Canadian cattle will be fed distiller’s dried grains with solubles as part of a U.S. Grains Council sponsored test in Alberta, Canada. In an effort to validate the quality of DDGS, the Council has joined forces with several industry parties to facilitate a DDGS demonstration at a commercial feedlot. The demonstration aims to support small scale research conducted at the University of Saskatchewan which has shown significant feed efficiency improvements due to increased corn DDGS inclusion rates of 30 percent and 40 percent.
The U.S. Grains Council believes DDGS has the potential to produce finished cattle with improved carcass quality, due to its bulk density and oil content. According to Neil Campbell, USGC consultant in Canada, the demonstration will begin in March. It will include inclusion rates of 20 percent, 30 percent and 40 percent. The Canadian feedlot industry currently utilizes inclusion rates of 15 percent to 20 percent U.S. DDGS.
Campbell points out that - Canada is the number two market for U.S. DDGS exports, importing 803,674 metric tons in 2009. The successful demonstration of these higher inclusion rates is expected to increase the demand for U.S. DDGS by 200-thousand to 300-thousand tons.
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“Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Honored”
The farm and ranch families of Farm Bureau last year raised more than 213-thousand dollars, a record, and donated more than 4.8 million pounds of food to hungry Americans as part of Farm Bureau’s “Harvest for All” program. Combined, the donations provided the equivalent of nearly 5.3 million meals through Feeding America-affiliated food banks. Also, during 2009, farmers and ranchers tallied nearly 54-hundred volunteer hours assisting hunger groups through the Harvest for All program.
During last week’s AFBF Young Farmer and Rancher Conference in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the Illinois Farm bureau was honored for raising the most funds –just over 93-thousand dollars. The New York Farm Bureau was number one in food donated at 3.65 million pounds. And the top honor for volunteer time went to Michigan Farm Bureau with nearly 3-thousand volunteer hours.
In addition, five state Young Farmer and Rancher committees received 500-dollar grants for “most innovative” programs. The winners are Indiana for “Piggy Bank Promotion;” Michigan for “Chicken Project;” New York for “Feed the Hungry;” Pennsylvania for “Lady Moon Farm Project;” and South Dakota for “Great PETA-Inspired Milk Donation.”
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“McGovern-Dole Program Receives USDA Funds”
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says USDA will donate more than 100-thousand tons of U.S. agricultural commodities valued at nearly 170-million dollars in fiscal year 2010 under the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program. The program helps support education, child development and food security in low-income, food-deficit countries that are committed to universal education. It also provides financial and technical assistance for school feeding and maternal and child nutrition projects.
Vilsack says - this important program provides a healthy meal, often the only one they receive, for millions of children, mothers and infants in developing countries around the world each day. This year's allocations will feed more than 4.8 million children in 18 developing countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.
To date, the McGovern-Dole Program has provided meals to more than 22 million children. The program is named in honor of Ambassador and former Senator George McGovern and former Senator Robert Dole for their tireless efforts to encourage a global commitment to school feeding and child nutrition.
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“Black Discrimination Settlement Clears Way for Others”
Now that black farmers have reached a new settlement in their discrimination lawsuit against the federal government, it’s up to Congress to pay the bill….1.5 billion dollars to fulfill the agreement black farmers reached last week with the Agriculture and Justice department. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid thinks the settlement is long overdue.
But, Representative Artur Davis, who supports the appropriation, says - there is certainly cause for worry - that the budget request will not be approved. Pay-as-you-go spending rules could complicate matters by forcing Congress to find ways to come up with the money without adding to the federal deficit.
If things go well we can expect other cases to surface. Earlier, other minority groups -- women, Native Americans and Hispanics -- sued the USDA about the same time. Each group has begun talks with the government. Lawyers in a case filed by female farmer’s hope Congress will intervene the way it did for black farmers. Hispanic farmers have had settlement meetings with USDA but are frustrated. And the lead attorney for the Native American farmers said their court proceedings have been put on hold while they negotiate with USDA.
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“Health Care Debated During Presidential Summit”
At the end of last Thursday’s seven-hour summit on health care reform, President Obama declared that the time for debate has come to an end. He indicated that if meaningful GOP cooperation does not materialize he is ready to proceed without bipartisan support and risk the political consequences.
Republicans say they share Democrats' assessment that the health-care system is broken, but they question the fundamental elements of the approach, including whether it is appropriate for the government to set standards for coverage or require individuals to buy insurance.
Republicans also criticized Democrats for attempting to levy new fees and taxes on businesses to pay for their legislation. Democrats countered that health-care problems -- whether related to rising costs or barriers to coverage -- have grown so egregious that government has no choice but to intervene.
The two parties did find accord in several limited realms. People should be allowed to buy insurance across state lines, although Democrats want to set minimum standards that policies in all states would have to meet. They agreed that forming pools for uninsured people is a good way to lower premium costs. And they conceded that unless costs are contained, Medicare will be bankrupted and employers will stop offering coverage.
The Presidential Health Care Summit featured a lot of early finger pointing. In his opening remarks, the President said attendees had to determine whether it still is possible to find consensus on a contentious issue. He continued, - if we’re listening to each other, if we’re not engaging in sort of the tit for tat and trying to score political points during the next several hours . . . we might be able to make some progress.
Congressional Republicans continued urging the President to scrap his plans for overhauling the U.S. health care system. They want to restart the debate on how best to control medical costs and expand coverage. Obama showed no sign of being ready to do so. Most discussion repeated old talking points.
Obama and Congressional Democrats such as Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus, stressed areas where the sides agree, such as the need for new insurance regulations. Republicans said Democrats’ plans gave the government too much opportunity to influence personal care decisions. Senator John McCain criticized the President for failing to deliver on a campaign pledge to change the culture of Washington. The President replied, - we’re not campaigning any more. The election is over.
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“New Contract Requirements Being Enforced”
The 2008 Farm Bill established new requirements for swine contracts under the Packers and Stockyards Act. USDA’s Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration is working to ensure that all swine contractors are aware of and comply with the new requirements. These requirements went into effect on June 18, 2008, upon passage of the Farm Bill. GIPSA currently is focusing on contracts involving pork producers to ensure their compliance with Farm Bill requirements.
The new requirements allow swine growers to cancel growing or production contracts for up to 3 days after signing or any date specified in the contract or growing arrangement. Also, large capital investment requirements must be written into the contract and growers are permitted opt out of arbitration provisions before entering a contract.
GIPSA is increasing its audits of swine production contracts to ensure their compliance with the Farm Bill requirements. The agency is seeking civil penalties of up to 11-thousand dollars per violation when they find that swine contractors have not complied with the Farm Bill’s requirements.
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“USDA Wants More Nutritious Food Aid Packages”
Roger Beachy, director of USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture says a new grant program will help insure humanitarian assistance programs provide healthier food products for recipients. Beachy said, - it is our responsibility to make sure that in emergency situations, these people are receiving food that supplies them with the nutrients they need.
NIFA's Food Aid Nutritional Education Program supports the development and field testing of new ready-to-use foods, fortified blended foods, high-energy foods, micronutrient powders or other food products designed to improve the nutritional delivery and functional form of humanitarian food assistance. Projects funded may also field test existing food products that have not yet been approved for use in food aid programs.
Applications will be made available next month. Approximately 3.8-million dollars in grants will be awarded in Fiscal Year 2010 on a competitive basis.
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“USDA Signs Agreement with Consortium”
Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack has signed an updated Memorandum of Agreement to promote increased cooperation between USDA, tribally controlled colleges and universities, and American Indian/Alaska Native communities. The agreement helps fulfill the 2002 Farm Bill’s mandate that USDA establish programs ensuring that TCUs and American Indian/Alaska Native communities participate equitably in USDA employment, programs, and activities.
The renewed USDA and AIHEC Memorandum of Agreement acknowledges the role of 1994 TCUs to the nation’s food security and to tribal self-determination through their cultural and other science based educational programs that function to improve local economies, re-invigorate the use of ancestral foods to address nutritional issues that lead to diabetes and obesity, and to develop energy programs that have the potential to benefit all Americans.
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“Merrigan Makes Funding Announcement”
Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan was in New York City Thursday to highlight USDA’s ‘Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food’ initiative. Merrigan made a presentation to local leaders and students interested in food systems policy at The New School, and delivered a national funding announcement. The funding will help regional farmers and ranchers to develop new markets to sell their product.
USDA’s ‘Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food’ initiative emphasizes the need for a fundamental and critical reconnection between producers and consumers. The initiative also aims to support local and regional food systems for Americans, increase economic opportunities for local farmers, and expand access to healthy food.
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“Obesity Collaborative Strengthened”
USDA has joined the National Collaborative on Childhood Obesity Research, a public-private research collaboration, to accelerate progress on preventing and reversing the childhood obesity epidemic. Efforts will be focused on strengthening the nation's research tools and infrastructure, discovering what works, and communicating and spreading effective interventions more rapidly.
The Agricultural Research Service's Human Nutrition Research Program annually commits approximately 28-million dollars to obesity prevention research, and two internationally recognized ARS research centers focus on children's nutrition with an emphasis on childhood obesity prevention. In making the announcement, Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack said, - USDA can strengthen this collaboration and add valuable knowledge and considerable resources to combat this epidemic.
The National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation provide financial support for the Collaboration. Through the Office of the Chief Scientist, USDA will coordinate its research programs with NIH, CDC and RWJF to ensure effective and efficient use of resources for solving the childhood obesity epidemic.
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“National FFA Week Winding Down”
Lead Out Loud is the theme of this year’s National FFA Week observance as members pledge to show off what makes them premier leaders in their schools and communities. More than half a million members around the nation are participating in National FFA Week activities at the local and state levels. Dr. Larry Case, National FFA Advisor, says - National FFA Week is when we recognize the achievements of FFA members preparing for careers in agriculture and making a difference in their communities.
Dr. Case adds, - it’s also a time to share our story with people who have little contact with agriculture or with FFA members. A big part of that story is how our friends in the agriculture industry generously donate their time and provide financial resources that make possible life-changing opportunities for FFA members.
Coinciding with the celebration of National FFA Week, February 20-27, Monsanto Company is observing a milestone – over a half-century of providing financial and program support for the National FFA Organization. Monsanto recently earmarked a 1-million dollar contribution to the National FFA for 2010. John Raines, Vice President of Customer Advocacy for Monsanto, says - we are very proud of our long association with the FFA and are committed to a continued investment in agricultural youth who represent the future of farming.
Agricultural Research Service scientists at the ARS Western Regional Research Center in Albany, California are working to develop new and tasty whole-grain oat or barley breads that offer antioxidants, fiber, and other components in an array different from that found in whole-wheat breads. They have determined that barley, oat, and whole-wheat breads made with HPMC have cholesterol-lowering effects. HPMC is short for hydroxypropyl methylcellulose.
They want to know if HPMC can be used as a substitute for gluten, a compound present in wheat but lacking in other grains such as oats and barley. Gluten traps the airy bubbles formed by yeast, lifting dough to form high, attractive, nicely textured loaves.
The HPMC under investigation is derived from a plant source proprietary to manufacturer Dow Wolff Cellulosics of Midland, Michigan. Though this HPMC is widely used in familiar foods--as a thickener, for instance--its cholesterol-lowering properties as an ingredient in whole-grain breads haven't been widely studied.
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By a vote of 70 to 28 the U.S. Senate has passed a 15-billion dollar jobs-creation bill. As written, the bill would extend a tax break for businesses that spend money on capital investments, such as equipment purchases. It would also give Businesses tax breaks for hiring the unemployed and states more money for infrastructure projects.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid called Wednesday’s vote - a small step forward but an important one. He said, - this vote is a victory for hard-working Americans, especially those trying to find work. The bill now moves to the House, which may take it up as soon as Friday.
The administration says it strongly supports the measure but indicated it is only one step in the job-creation effort. The President wants lawmakers to take up a bill that would increase small businesses’ access to credit.
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"Extension Bills Next Up”
Several issues left out of the Senate passed jobs-creation bill are now being discussed. They include year-long extensions of expired tax provisions with similar continuations of expanded unemployment coverage and health insurance subsidies for jobless workers. On Wednesday, a top Republican leader said any deal depends on working out the fate of the expired estate tax. Republicans also might raise - pay-as-you-go issues about such an extension package.
A Republican aide points out that newly enacted pay-as-you-go rules require new mandatory spending or tax cuts to be offset with new revenue or spending cuts elsewhere in the budget. The aide said, - the Democrats probably won’t offset it, and we expect that debate to happen in the next week.
Minority Whip Jon Kyl says - Republicans will block consideration of a new bill unless they get - a path forward fairly soon - on the estate tax. The tax lapsed at the end of 2009, and if Congress does not act, it will return in 2011 at much higher rates and lower exemptions than most lawmakers want.
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"NFU Applauds House Passage of HR 4626"
The U.S. House has approved the Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act - a bill that would repeal the antitrust exemption for health insurance companies. The measure was approved with a 406 to 19 vote. National Farmers Union says the measure would level the playing field for small insurers, encourage market competition and ultimately lower costs for consumers.
NFU President Roger Johnson notes rural areas - on average - feel the impacts of concentrated insurance markets more acutely than their urban counterparts. And according to the American Medical Association - one company dominates over 80-percent of the market in many rural states. Ending the antitrust exemption - he says - is a common sense way to introduce choice and competition into the marketplace.
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“Poultry Labels Questioned”
Senator Barbara Boxer of California has teamed up with Michael Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, and Bill Mattos, the president of the California Poultry Federation, in turning up the heat on USDA over the amount of salt water poultry processors are allowed to inject into poultry products and call them – natural.
Boxer says - I have long fought to ensure that all consumer product labels are fair and truthful. Unfortunately, since 2003, chicken injected with sodium additives has been allowed to be misleadingly labeled as - 100 percent all-natural. She says, - there is nothing 'all-natural' about chicken injected with sodium additives.
The consumer advocates' concern is, when a sodium solution is injected, poultry meat's inherent health benefits are diminished. Injected poultry products have a sodium content that offers up to eight times more salt per serving than natural chicken that is not injected, an issue for consumers seeking to reduce the amount of salt in their diets.
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“USDA Reports on Dairy Demand”
USDA is projecting commercial use of dairy products will rise as much as 1.4 percent in 2010. In addition, exports are also expected to rebound from 2009. The projections are contained in the agency’s Livestock Dairy and Poultry Outlook report. Bottom line, USDA expects the U.S. all-milk price to average from 16.20 to 16.90 in 2010. That compares to the 2009 average of just 12.81. That suggests a 28 percent improvement over 2009 prices.
Dairy exports are expected to rebound by as much as 25.7-billion pounds on milk equivalent skim-solid basis. But there are flies in the ointment. How the European Union disposes of its excessive butter and non-fat-dry milk will play a key role in how quickly export markets recover. The stronger value of the dollar versus the euro also will play a role.
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“Wisconsin Wants Dairy Farm for Interstate”
The state of Wisconsin has given dairy farmer Mark Lefke until Mach 20 to vacate his property. The state wants to build an interstate that will dissect Lefke’s property and take 10 acres out of its center. That acreage includes the family’s home of 25 years. Originally, the state hired a third party to estimate what it would take to make Lefke – whole. The amount came in at over one-million dollars and the state balked. In an effort to keep to its schedule, the state told Lefke he’d still have to leave.
Lefke says, - the classic line is how they promise to compensate us to make our lives whole again, but how do you make someone whole again after you’ve cut out their heart. He said the money they offer is irrelevant. I need the land to survive. Comparisons are being made between the Lefke case and earlier cases in Nevada and New Mexico, where the government battled two landowners for eminent domain.
Singer Michael Martin Murphey was involved in the two earlier cases, fighting for landowner rights, and he’s involved in the Lefke case. On March 14, Lefke’s birthday, Murphey will perform twice in Cashton, Wisconsin, following a VIP Farmers’ Freedom Fighters Brunch.
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“Japan Keeps Buying U.S. Pork & Beef”
Japan was again a key trading partner for the U.S. beef and pork industries in 2009, outperforming the market and either maintaining or increasing U.S. beef and pork imports even as total retail and foodservice spending in Japan slumped in the global economic slowdown.
In calendar year 2009, U.S. pork sales in Japan – our top market for pork export value – nearly matched the all-time value record set one year ago. The latest figure is 1.54-billion dollars. In this same environment, sales of U.S. beef in Japan ended the year 23 percent higher than the previous year in both volume and value while the global market for all beef exporters fell 16 percent.
U.S. Meat Export Federation President and CEO Phil Seng, says - one of the keys to growing market share for U.S. beef and pork in this economic environment has been to provide products that deliver tremendous versatility and value.
The United States now holds 46 percent of the imported pork market share in Japan and 72 percent of the chilled pork market. Since reentering the market after BSE, U.S. beef market share is also on the rise. The U.S. captured 20 percent of the market in 2009, compared to just 10 percent two years earlier.
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“Cuba Trade Bill Receives Support”
The American Soybean Association and the National Corn Growers Association both are backing legislation introduced by House Ag Committee Chairman Collin Peterson that would expand U.S. agriculture exports to Cuba. The bill would accomplish its goals by expanding one-way trade and lifting current travel restrictions with Cuba.
ASA President Rob Joslin, a soybean producer from Sidney, Ohio, says - ASA favors a normal trading relationship with Cuba including direct banking and elimination of the cash in advance rule. ASA also supports the country’s eligibility for the Foreign Market Development and Market Access Programs.
NCGA Firs Vice President Bart Schott, a grower from Kulm, North Dakota, says - this legislation will increase one-way agricultural trade from the U.S. to Cuba. We currently export food to Cuba and these changes will level the playing field for American farmers. Schott notes, - it does not eliminate the embargo itself.
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“Sorghum Production Part of Commodity Classic”
The National Sorghum Producers will host what it calls - a dynamic and informative general session - at the Commodity Classic in Anaheim, California next Thursday. A panel will cover the latest developments and upcoming technology in the sorghum industry, sprinkled with a healthy dose of humor.
NSP Chairman Gerald Simonsen, a producer from Ruskin, Nebraska, says this is - an opportunity for producers to catch up on what NSP is doing in the industry and how new policies and technologies will impact their production in the coming year.
Simonsen adds - one of the highlights will be a panel discussion with some of our national yield and management contest winners. He says, - I think farmers really like the opportunity to interact with their peers and learn what works and doesn’t work for them in grain sorghum production.
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“USDA Highlights Mapping Tool”
USDA officials have highlighted one of its newest web-based mapping tools, Your Food Environment Atlas, which will enable researchers, policy makers, and the public to find information on a range of factors that affect access to healthy, affordable food, and will allow users to map the data by county. The map will provide highly detailed information on local food environments and health outcomes, including grocery store access and disease and obesity prevalence.
The Food Environment Atlas was developed by USDA's Economic Research Service and assembles information on three broad categories of food environment indicators: Food Choices-Indicators; Health and Well-Being-Indicators; and Community characteristics-Indicators.
The Community characteristics-Indicators focus on community characteristics that might influence the food environment. Examples are demographic composition; income and poverty; population loss; urban versus rural location; natural amenities; and recreation and fitness centers.
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Wednesday, February 24 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
“EPA Moves to Control Green House Gases”
EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson has laid out the timetable for regulating greenhouse gas emissions. Writing in a letter to lawmakers, Jackson said she plans to start targeting large facilities such as power plants next year but won't target small emitters before 2016. Jackson pledged that any regulation of such gases would be phased in gradually and would not impose expensive new rules on most American businesses.
The letter makes it clear the Obama administration will move ahead, as it is required by the Clean Air Act, unless Congress moves to stop it. In the letter Jackson said - I share your goals of ensuring economic recovery at this critical time and of addressing greenhouse-gas emissions in sensible ways that are consistent with the call for comprehensive energy and climate legislation.
Jackson also wrote that an effort by Senator Lisa Murkowski to block the EPA from regulating greenhouse gases would undo a deal struck last year between the auto industry, the administration and several states to limit greenhouse gases from cars and light trucks.
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“Senate Could Vote on Jobs Bill This Week”
With help from the GOP, the U.S. Senate is poised to vote on a jobs-creation bill. The 15-billion dollar measure could come to the Senate floor for a vote later this week. Five Republicans and 57 Democrats voted to break a filibuster of the jobs bill. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said - I hope this is the beginning of a new day in the Senate. Republican Senators Christopher Bond, Scott Brown, Susan Collins, Olympia Snowe and George Voinovich voted to move the measure. Democrat Ben Nelson voted against the move.
Reid lost the public support of several Republicans after discarding the 85-billion dollar jobs package negotiated by Senators Max Baucus and Charles Grassley in favor of a narrower bill favored by liberals. The bill does not contain an extension of the 31-billion dollar package of extensions of expiring tax breaks, including the biodiesel tax incentive eagerly sought by Senate Republicans.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnel complained that Republicans were not allowed to offer amendments to the latest jobs bill, even though they also have proposals. McConnel says, - those ideas should be considered.
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“Reactions to Health Care Reform Mixed”
House Minority Leader John Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnel agree Democrats should drop their current health care legislation and start over. Boehner says - the American people want to scrap this big government takeover and start over. Both leaders and House GOP Whip Eric Cantor say they will attend the White House summit called by President Obama for tomorrow (Thursday).
So, why is Boehner going if he objects so strongly to the Obama health care proposal? Boehner said it’s a matter of common courtesy. It’s an invitation from the President of the United States. I believe when you get an invitation from the President you have an obligation to go.
In remarks on the Senate floor Tuesday morning, McConnel said, - the American people thought the debate on this approach to reform was over. But, here we are being told by the White House we have to consider the same health care bills that caused such a backlash across the country in December.
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“Groups Defend Drug Use in Food Animals”
Livestock and poultry groups hosted educational briefings on Capitol Hill Tuesday to share the facts about the importance of tools like antibiotics in raising healthy food animals. Top livestock and poultry health experts from across the country presented information to attendees. The event was sponsored by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Chicken Council, National Pork Producers Council, National Milk Producers Federation, National Turkey Federation, American Meat Institute and National Meat Association.
Dr. Guy Loneragan, an epidemiologist at West Texas A&M University, told those gathered that maintaining access to FDA-approved safe and effective technologies, including animal health products, helps ensure both the health and resource efficiency of U.S. herds and flocks.
According to Dr. Leon Weaver, a veterinarian and dairy farmer from Montpelier, Ohio, - the U.S. dairy industry conducts more than 3.3 million tests each year on all milk entering dairy plants. So far, only less than one tanker in 38-hundred tests was positive for any animal drug residues, including antibiotics.
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“Indiana Moves on Livestock Care”
Indiana could have livestock care oversight in place by mid March after the Indiana State Senate passed H.B. 1099 by a vote of 50-0. The bill earlier passed the House by a 94-0 count. It now goes to Governor Mitch Daniels for his signature. The bill gives ultimate power in deciding standards for livestock and poultry care to the already existing Board of Animal Health.
According to Indiana State Representative Terry Goodin, members of the Board of Animal Health have experience, schooling and training to be able to make the decisions as to what is appropriate in animal care. Goodin said Indiana learned from Ohio and that is why the state decided to legislate the Livestock Care Commission Board so opponents can’t come back.
The bill’s language calls on the board to consider the following: The health and husbandry of the livestock and poultry. Generally accepted farm management practices. Generally accepted veterinary standards and practices. And the economic impact the standards may have on: livestock and poultry farmers; and the affected livestock and poultry sector and consumers.
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“Great Lakes Protection Established”
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson has released an action plan to guide the Obama Administration’s historic efforts to restore the Great Lakes. The plan lays out the most urgent threats facing the Great Lakes and sets out goals, objectives and key actions over the next five years to help restore the lakes. The plan was developed by 16 federal agencies as part of the federal inter-agency task force chaired by Administrator Jackson.
The action plan contains five priority - focus areas. Protection and cleanup of the most polluted areas in the lakes. Combating invasive species. Protection of high priority watersheds and reduced runoff from urban, suburban and, agricultural sources. Restoration of wetlands and other habitats. And implementation of accountability measures, learning initiatives, outreach and strategic partnerships.
Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle, co-chair of the Council of Great Lakes of Governors, says his state is – defined by the Great lakes, and one of our greatest responsibilities is to preserve this important freshwater resource for future generations. Some 30-million Americans get their drinking water from the Great Lakes, and the lakes also support a multi-billion dollar economy based on fishing, boating and recreational activities.
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“Cuban Trade Bill Introduced”
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson has introduced legislation to expand U.S. agriculture exports to Cuba. H.R. 4645, the Travel Restriction Reform and Export Enhancement Act, is co-sponsored by 30 other Members of Congress. If made into law, the act would eliminate the need to go through banks in other countries to conduct agricultural trades. The bill would also require agricultural exports to Cuba to meet the same payment requirements as exports to other countries. Presently, payment in advance is required.
Peterson says, - U.S. producers are the closest suppliers that can help meet the food and agriculture needs of the Cuban people. Opportunities to sell to paying customers in Cuba have been hindered by bureaucratic red tape and by arbitrary prohibitions on the ability of U.S. citizens to travel to Cuba. Peterson believes - this bill cuts the red tape and allows that trade and travel to happen.
The National Farmers Union supports the bill. NFU President Roger Johnson says - even though U.S. firms offer reliable trading partners, quality products and competitive prices, current U.S. policy hampers their ability to supply the Cuban market. Johnson says – if the United States is not the supplier, the European Union or Brazil will be happy to take our place.
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“Barley Protein Meal Supply Chain Established”
Osage Bio Energy of Glen Allen, Virginia, has signed a contract with Land O’Lakes Purina Feed to market its barley protein meal, a co-product of its ethanol bio-processing operation. Osage Bio Energy’s first plant, Appomattox Bio Energy, located in Hopewell, Virginia, is currently under construction and scheduled to come online in late spring 2010. The plant will become the first commercial scale barley-to-ethanol processing plant in the United States, producing up to 250-thousand tons of barley protein meal annually.
Osage Bio Energy’s plant will utilize a specialized milling technique that removes the hulls from the barley -- thus reducing the fiber and concentrating the protein and starch. The hulls will be pelletized on-site and sold as a renewable fuel source. The plant will convert waxy beta-glucans in the barley into ethanol, preventing them from becoming part of the BPM.
BPM features a low fat profile and high protein and lysine content relative to other grain-based feeds. Additionally, because the product is derived from barley that has not been genetically modified, it represents a new source of non-GMO animal feed for global customers.
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“HSUS, Others Sued Under RICO Act”
Feld Entertainment and the Ringling Brothers Circus are suing the Humane Society of the United States, its lawyers, and several other animal rights groups, under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. In a lawsuit filed on February 16th, Feld leveled bribery, fraud, obstruction of justice, and money laundering charges against HSUS and others.
David Martosko, Director of Research for the Center for Consumer Freedom, says - America’s farmers, ranchers, hunters, fishermen, research scientists, fashion designers, and restaurateurs have seen for decades how the animal rights movement can behave like a mobbed-up racket. After reviewing all of the evidence, Martosko says - a jury could actually do the humane thing and finally put HSUS out of business completely.
Earlier a Federal Judge ruled that these defendants collaborated to pay more than 190-thousan dollars to a former Feld employee who was an elephant “barn helper” for two years in the late 1990s, in exchange for his testimony against Feld. The testimony was declared - not credible - and was disregarded in its entirety. That lawsuit was dismissed.
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“Cotton Industry Questions Supreme Court Decision”
The National Cotton Council of America is concerned that the Supreme Court's move to allow a clearly incorrect lower court decision to stand would have significant negative repercussions on U.S. agriculture. NCC Chairman Eddie Smith, a Floydada, Texas, cotton producer, says - the Supreme Court's failure to review the NCC v. EPA case creates an uncertain regulatory future for the application of agricultural crop inputs. EPA has about 18 months to draft regulations informing farmers how EPA plans to implement these new requirements.
It is believed the new regulations could force farmers to obtain even more permits before they apply agricultural inputs. Smith said, - new permit requirements will increase costs both to farmers and many states that will carry much of this regulatory load. The NCC had participated in a legal action seeking to uphold agriculture's longstanding exemption to certain permitting requirements in the Clean Water Act.
Because of the broad interpretation of navigable waters in the Clean Water Act, it is generally believed, for the first time, every terrestrial pesticide application could be required to have a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit. Smith says - this could subject U.S. farmers to public hearings, additional costs, reporting, monitoring and citizen suits, all of which previously had been determined by EPA to be unnecessary to protect the environment and the public health.
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“Pea Aphid Genome Sequenced”
More than 20 aphid species are known to be resistant to current insecticides, and farmers in many areas have been forced to increase insecticide use in recent years. To help overcome this problem, an international group of researchers, including three Agricultural Research Service scientists, has sequenced the genome of the pea aphid, an achievement expected to lead to better controls and a deeper understanding of a major agricultural pest.
This breakthrough is important because aphids spread diseases that cost gardeners and farmers hundreds of millions of dollars each year. Sequencing an aphid genome will help scientists decipher how they reproduce, adapt to new surroundings and develop insecticide resistance.
Genomes from the honey bee, mosquito, fruit fly, silkworm moth and red flour beetle have already been sequenced. Comparing them with the aphid genome may lead to identification of genes that play key roles in how aphids and other insects feed, reproduce, spread diseases and fight off pathogens.
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President Obama has, for the first time, proposed specific legislation to overhaul the U.S. health system. According to officials at the White House, Mr. Obama’s bill represents a blending of legislation passed by the House and Senate last year. It is in effect the conference report that Democratic Senate leaders have been unable to pass since losing its 60th vote.
Obama’s communications director, Dan Pfeiffer, says the President’s bill contains changes modifying a proposed excise tax on high-cost health insurance plans and increasing subsidies to help lower-income families afford insurance. The Obama proposal also would give federal regulators the power to block premium increases by private insurers. Premium oversight has been historically controlled by states.
The new version of the 40 percent excise tax would affect plans for individuals costing more than 10,200-dollars a year and plans for families above 27-thousand. Those are nominally higher thresholds than in the previous versions, but the earlier bills assumed the tax would start in 2013, not 2018, and the new proposal contains a potential adjustment if health costs rise faster than expected. The thresholds would be indexed to the general inflation rate, plus 1 percent.
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The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to re-open the case of the National Cotton Council VS the the Environmental Protection Agency. Last week, Tyler Wegmeyer, director of Congressional Relations for the American Farm Bureau Federation, said if the Court decides to re-open the case; it will be like – a grand slam home run. On Monday, the nation’s highest court pitched a strike-out. Now, barring legislative relief, farmers can be held liable for drift of pesticides and other chemicals that may find their way into waters and streams.
American Farm Bureau President Bob Stallman says - the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals misfired - in its earlier ruling and - the Supreme Court compounded that mistake. Stallman points out that - all farmers know they must use chemicals properly. They also know the label on each chemical is the law of the land. Farmers will now have to go through redundant bureaucratic red tape for a duplicate permit to apply a safe product and Stallman calls that - preposterous.
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“Water Sustainability Program Announced”
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has signed a Secretarial order establishing a new water sustainability strategy for the United States. The Department of the Interior’s WaterSMART Initiative stands for “Sustain and Manage America’s Resources for Tomorrow.” As part of his order, the Department will increase available water supply for agricultural, municipal, industrial, and environmental uses in the western United States by 350-thousand acre-feet by 2012.
In making the announcement, Secretary Salazar said - the federal government’s existing water policies and programs simply aren’t built for 21st century pressures on water supplies. Pressures such as: - Population growth. Climate change. Rising energy demands. Environmental needs. Aging infrastructure. Risks to drinking water supplies. And others.
The program establishes: A national framework to integrate and coordinate water sustainability efforts. A WaterSMART Clearinghouse for the American public. Criteria that the Department applies to identify and support energy projects and actions that promote sustainable water strategies. And a water footprint reduction program to reduce overall consumption of potable water by 26 percent by 2020 and industrial, landscaping, and agricultural water by 20 percent by 2020.
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“Russia Increasing Poultry Production”
There is now confirmation that Russia wants to increase its capacity for poultry production. The plan is to completely avoid importing poultry meat during the next four to five years. Russia’s Agriculture Minister, Yelena Skrynnik, says for this year Russia plans to build 23 new poultry complexes with capacity of roughly 320-thousand metric tons.
In fact, the Agriculture Minister told Interfax News Agency that - advanced growth rates in poultry meat production make us able to not only meet internal needs for this product, but to start exporting to other countries. Skrynnik predicted Russia will increase domestic meat production by 25 percent by 2012. During that period imports will drop to 18 percent of overall consumption.
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“It’s Food Check-Out Week”
This week through Saturday is Food Check-Out Week. Farmer and rancher members of many local Farm Bureaus will reach out to consumers in their communities with information and cost-saving tips on putting nutritious meals on the table. Stretching Your Grocery Dollar With Healthy, Nutritious Food – is the official theme. It reflects the fact that Americans from all walks of life continue to experience an economic squeeze. Therefore, they are dining out less often and preparing more meals at home.
Terry Gilbert, a Kentucky farmer and chair of the American Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee, says - we are focusing on providing consumers with information on stretching their grocery dollars with healthy, nutritious food. Tips for better nutrition on a stretched budget, making sense of food labels and understanding USDA’s MyPyramid are among the topics Farm Bureau members will be talking about with consumers, at supermarket demonstration stations and other venues.
For more than a decade Food Check-Out Week has benefited Ronald McDonald House Charities. Since the program was initiated, Farm Bureau members have donated around 3-million dollars in food and monetary contributions to Ronald McDonald Houses and other worthwhile charities during Food Check-Out Week. The third week of February was selected for Food Check-Out Week as a bridge to National Nutrition Month in March.
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“Warning Label Sought for Hot Dogs”
In 2006 there were 61 food-related choking deaths in children. All directly related to that American staple, the hot dog. Calling it a choking risk for children, the official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics has a new policy calling for the federal Food and Drug Administration to require warning labels on foods - including hot dogs - or for manufacturers to redesign the food items to minimize the risk.
Hot dogs are included in a category of foods considered to be high risk for choking, along with raw carrots, grapes and apples, hard candies, popcorn, peanuts and marshmallows. Pediatricians encourage parents to cut these foods into portions too small to get caught in a child's throat, but also believe the extra step of a warning label will prevent deaths.
Janet Riley, President of the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council says her organization has always echoed the pediatricians' recommendation to slice hot dogs into small pieces for young children, remove the casings if they're present, and follow other safety guidelines. But before labeling becomes a federal requirement, Riley says, a study should evaluate the effectiveness of choking-hazard labels that already exist. About half of the packages sold in the hot dog category already carry choking warnings.
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“WTO Negotiations Update Offered”
World Trade Organization Director-General Pascal Lamy is suggesting a – stocktaking - take place at the end of March. Mr. Lamy, who also serves as Chair of the WTO Trade Negotiations Committee, says - some progress is taking place, but gaps remain. Still, Lamy says - capitals remain engaged and committed to injecting momentum from the political level into the Geneva process.
In Agriculture, Lamy says - work continues on two tracks — templates and on the bracketed or otherwise annotated issues in the draft modalities. In particular, there is an agreed definition of the Value of Production, which is fundamental to commitments on Overall Trade-Distorting Domestic Support. On the modalities, some technical issues are under discussion. Consultations are also continuing on tariff simplification, Tariff Rate Quota creation, tropical products and preference erosion.
The Swiss Confederation hosted an informal ministerial meeting at the end of January. During that meeting Lamy says he detected an unwavering commitment to the progress achieved to date as the basis for entering into the last stage of the negotiations. Ministers have pledged to continue to resist protectionist pressures.
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“Cotton Producers Near Planting Decision”
Cotton producers have discussed planting more cotton seriously for well over a year; but the right set of conditions has not arrived to bring the decision to a conclusion. But, according to Ernie Flint, Area Agronomist with Mississippi State University, higher offerings since the first of February have revived the discussion after almost a month of downward movement and negative feelings.
The dominant market factor. According to Flint, seems to be an almost 13-million bale world shortfall for last year’s crop and a projected 5-million bale shortfall for the 2010-2011 production year. Flint says an increase in annual world production of over 10-million bales is projected for this year.
Flint says, - the most likely reason for considering at least a partial return to cotton is that it is the crop that paid the bills through the years. We have a massive infrastructure dedicated to cotton that will continue to decline in value if left idle. The agronomist notes, - the past few years have taught us that other crops can be grown more successfully than we thought; but we have also realized that cotton should remain a strong part of our cropping mix.
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“Scientists Better Understand Scab in Barley”
Studies involving the fungus that causes the disease known as scab in barley have helped Agricultural Research Service scientists identify the specific tissues the fungus infects. The fungus Fusarium graminearum is the culprit behind scab in barley and wheat grain crops. Scab reduces yield by causing sterility and shrunken kernels, and contaminates the grain with mycotoxins.
Plant molecular geneticist Ron Skadsen at the ARS Cereal Crops Research Unit in Madison, Wisconsin infected barley seed spikes with Fusarium containing a green fluorescent protein that makes the fungus glow neon-green when examined under a fluorescence microscope. He found that Fusarium attacks the protruding seed tip of the developing seed, the soft tissue connected with it just under the hull and, to a lesser extent, the seed's outer hull.
Previous studies using detached barley seeds found the fungus will liquefy the starchy interior of the seed within five days after inoculation. Skadsen found that, even 16 days after infection, Fusarium doesn't penetrate the starchy endosperm when the seed remains attached to the spike. Knowing which parts of the barley plant Fusarium attacks gives insight into how the infection process works and where to target breeding and biotechnology strategies.
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“Maple Syrup Season Begins”
As winter loses its grip in Pennsylvania, warmer days followed by cold nights signal the beginning of maple syrup season. That’s when sugars made with last summer's sun move from their storage sites into the tree's trunk. Mid-February to early March normally heralds the arrival of the "right" conditions, and the season runs until early April most years.
Bob Hansen, Penn State Cooperative Extension forest resources educator, explains that - maple sugar products are truly North American. Many woodlot owners look forward to the maple season as an important part of their family heritage. For some, according to Hansen, it is a major cash crop. Among the state's diverse farm products, it is one of the few to be produced, processed and often sold entirely on the farm.
Tapping done properly generally does little harm to the tree. Commercial maple producers collect sap in stainless steel buckets or weave a web of plastic tubing to connect trees and move sap to a common collection point. Small producers, working with only a few trees, can collect sap in clean plastic jugs suspended from the spile. Syrup by law has at least 66 percent sugar solids.
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Monday, February 22 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
“Commission in Place to Tackle Federal Budget”
President Obama has signed an executive order creating a bipartisan commission to address the government’s budget problems. The President acknowledges that he is asking its members to attempt "the impossible." Republican leaders reluctantly consented to join the panel as they continue to reject any solution that involves higher taxes. Analysts in both parties say the effort faces a dauntingly poisoned political atmosphere.
In making the announcement President Obama said, - the trajectory is clear, and it is disturbing. But the politics of dealing with chronic deficits is fraught with hard choices, and, therefore, it's treacherous to officeholders here in Washington. One should not get too excited. Mr. Obama has given the panel until December 1 to deliver a solution. That would be after the fall elections and the legislative isles may be full of lame-ducks.
Obama said - everything is on the table - in the quest to balance spending and tax collections by 2015. This suggests he is willing to abandon his campaign pledge not to raise taxes on the middle class. Something, Republicans say they will not consider. Former Clinton chief of staff Erskine Bowles and former Republican Senator Alan Simpson of Wyoming will chair the commission.
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“FB Making Moves on EPA Endangerment Finding”
In a letter sent to all Members of Congress - American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman is calling for the adoption of the resolution of disapproval of the EPA’s endangerment finding and proposed regulation of greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act. Stallman says a Congressional member can show support for agriculture by introducing a resolution of disapproval and adding their name to a discharge petition to bring the resolution to the floor for a vote.
But Stallman says the effort to halt EPA’s misguided regulation can’t succeed without bipartisan support and leadership from members on both sides of the aisle. He says Democrats and Republicans need to work together and avoid partisan fights to halt regulation that could critically injure the U.S. economy.
The resolution of disapproval has been introduced in the Senate and is expected to be voted on in a few weeks. It would only require a 51-vote majority to pass.
In related news - Farm Bureau has filed a legal challenge to the EPA’s endangerment finding. Stallman says EPA regulation of greenhouse gas emissions from farms and ranches through the Clean Air Act could lead to costly and burdensome mandates on America’s food, fiber and renewable fuel producers - and the U.S. Court of Appeals needs to conduct a thorough review of the endangerment finding.
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“U.S. Wind Energy Potential Barely Tapped”
An analysis from the National Renewable Energy laboratory shows that onshore U.S. wind resources could generate more than nine times current total U.S. electricity consumption. That’s nearly 37-million gigawatt-hours. Current U.S. wind installed capacity is 35 GW and there is currently 158 GW installed world-wide.
The latest U.S. estimate of potential capacity is three times that determined in a survey done previously by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory. AWEA says the larger estimates are due to improved wind turbine technology, with today's taller turbines tapping better winds at higher elevations, and to more refined wind measurements.
Texas, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, the Dakotas, Iowa, Wyoming, Oklahoma and New Mexico are the top 10 states in onshore wind potential.
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“EU Expects to Reach Renewable Energy Target”
An analysis by the European Wind Energy Association indicates that the EU will meet its 2020, 20-percent renewable energy target - even exceed it. In fact, of 21 member states, 13 will meet the 20 percent target and 8 will exceed their national targets.
The top nation is Spain, which believes it will reach 22.7 percent renewables by 2020. Next on the list is Germany which expects to be 0.7 percent above its 18-percent target.
Only six forecast they will not manage to reach their target Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Bulgaria and Denmark, though the latter two countries state that with fresh national initiatives they could meet or exceed their targets. None of the six expect to be more than 1 percent below their target.
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“NFU Thanks Ag Secretary for Call to Bring Biodiesel Tax Credit Back”
During his address to USDA’s annual Agricultural Outlook Forum - U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack called on Congress to reestablish the expired biodiesel tax credit - citing it as a job creator in rural America. The dollar per gallon tax credit expired at the end of 2009. National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson on Friday thanked the Secretary for recognizing the importance of the blenders’ tax credit for future development and delivery of biodiesel.
NFU has long supported the tax credit for biodiesel - recognizing the role tax incentives play in making biodiesel available to consumers. Johnson says they’ll continue to work with Congress to emphasize the importance of the credit to America’s farmers and ranchers.
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“Grains Council Conference Highlights Importance of Free Trade”
Without free trade agreements between the U.S. and markets in Latin America and Southeast Asia - U.S. Grains Council Directors warn the U.S. risks losing export competitiveness. Speaking during the Council’s 7th International Marketing Conference - USGC Regional Director in Panama Kurt Schultz said the fact that pending deals with Colombia and Panama have not been ratified is one of the biggest threats facing the U.S.
According to Schultz - Colombia is the largest market for U.S. corn in the region - and holds great export potential due to its expanding livestock, swine and poultry industries. But until a free trade agreement is ratified - he says the United States will be at a disadvantage. A similar warning came from the Council’s Regional Director in Southeast Asia Adel Yusopov. Yusopov said the U.S. is long overdue in recognizing the economic significance of Southeast Asia and its potential for U.S. ag exports.
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“Alternative Way to Treat Bunt Disease Possible”
Potato tuber moths, apple codling moths and tilletia fungi cause bunt diseases. To date, the problem in wheat has been controlled by chemical fungicide seed treatments. But that hasn’t kept researchers from looking for alternative controls, just in case those chemicals lose effectiveness or are discontinued. What they have found is that a cocktail of compounds emitted by the beneficial fungus Muscodor albus may offer a biologically based way to fumigate certain crops and rid them of destructive pests.
In field trials conducted since 2007, ARS plant pathologist Blair Goates found that treating wheat seed or the soil with a formulation of Muscodor and ground rye completely prevented common bunt under moderate disease conditions.
Testing Muscodor against potato tuber moths, which damage potato leaves and tubers, and apple codling moths, which feed inside apples, researchers found that 85 to 91 percent of adult codling moths died when exposed to Muscodor fumes, while 62 to 71 percent of larvae died or failed to pupate. In apple storage tests, a 14-day exposure to Muscodor killed 100 percent of cocooned codling moth larvae, which are especially difficult to control.
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“Giant Step Taken in River Restoration Project”
The largest river restoration project in U.S. history is one step closer to becoming reality. Last week, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar joined Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, PacificCorp Chief Executive Officer Greg Abel and the chairmen of the Klamath, Yurok and Karuk Tribes in announcing final agreements that could potentially lead to removal of four dams on the Klamath River.
The Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement and the Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement provide a framework for removal of the dams by 2020. This is contingent on Congressional approval and a scientific assessment by the Interior Department confirming that their removal is indeed in the public interest. The agreements also outline activities that would be undertaken to restore fisheries and provide water supply certainty to communities and water users in the Basin.
In announcing the agreements, Secretary Salazar said - the Klamath River, which for years was synonymous with controversy, is now a stunning example of how cooperation and partnership can resolve difficult conflicts. Governor Schwarzenegger said - everyone here cares about the magnificent Klamath River and we are taking action now to preserve this natural wonder for generations to come.
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