Friday's Headlines

“House Ag Committee Sets Priorities”

The House Committee on Agriculture has passed its Budget Views and Estimates – reflecting the committee’s priorities - and sent it on to the House Budget Committee in preparation of the Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Resolution. Priorities of the committee include USDA implementation of the 2008 Farm Bill, modernization of the Farm Service Agency computer system, enactment of derivatives market legislation, and oversight hearings on waste, fraud, and abuse on programs under its jurisdiction.

Ag Committee Chairman Collin Peterson says - the current economic crisis is having broad impact on our nation and the benefits provided by that broadly supported legislation are essential to the well-being of millions of Americans. Peterson said the committee urges - the Budget Committee to take these points into consideration while crafting a responsible budget resolution for the coming fiscal year.

Ranking Member Frank Lucas encouraged the Budget Committee to honor the commitments made to our producers in the 2008 Farm Bill. Lucas pointed out that - at a time when our country is facing an economic crisis and commodity prices are plunging, it is important that we do the best we can to provide our farmers and ranchers with the safety net they need.
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“Coalition Opposes Cuts in Safety Net”

A broad coalition of farm groups is expressing strong opposition to the more than 16-billion dollars in cuts to the farm safety net proposed in President Barack Obama’s 2010 budget. In a letter sent to the chairmen and ranking members of the Agriculture and Budget Committees in both the House and the Senate, the coalition warned that the cuts - threaten, once again, to change the rules midstream on American farm and ranch families.

The letter noted that the round of cuts is being proposed just eight months after the 2008 farm bill was passed, which at the time contained more than 7.6 billion dollars in cuts to the safety net despite the fact that the cost of the provisions over the preceding six years was already 21.8 billion under budget. The proposed cuts constitute less than one quarter of one percent of the total federal budget and make up just 16 percent of the total farm bill’s cost.

American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman says - points out that - the ink is barely dry on the new farm bill, and all of the provisions have not yet been fully implemented. Stallman says - the bill must be fully implemented and allowed to work before changes are considered.
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“House Ag Committee Wants Many Viewpoints”

The House Agriculture Committee is seeking comments on proposals to address global climate change. The Committee is soliciting the opinions of more than 400 agricultural, environmental, scientific and educational groups and other members of the public, through a print- and web-based questionnaire – available on the house web page.

Committee Chairman Collin Peterson said - for years our farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners have been participating in conservation and carbon sequestration programs, working to reduce emissions and increase efficiency, and support a thriving renewable energy industry. Now we on the Committee would like to know where and how these efforts will fit into the overall task of addressing global climate change.

The Chairman said - there are many different ideas out there and this questionnaire is meant to ensure that we hear from as many viewpoints as possible on how to incorporate the good work America's farmers, ranchers, and conservationists are already doing into climate change initiatives, and identify potential benefits for the
future.
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“R-CALF President Calls Hearing – Business As Usual”

R-CALF USA President /Region VI Director Max Thornsberry was in Washington, D.C. this week testifying before the House Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy and Poultry. Thornsberry called the hearing - business as usual. He said - it is unbelievable, but true, the new USDA was represented by the very people who already spent over 100-million dollars in taxpayer dollars during the old Administration to coerce U.S. livestock producers into surrendering their private property rights just to appease the international World Trade Organization. Thornsberry claimed the WTO - wants every U.S. farm and ranch and every U.S. farm animal to be registered in a federal database.

Veterinarian Dr. John Clifford, the Deputy Administrator of Veterinary Services for USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, testified in support of NAIS on the grounds that - establishing an internationally recognized system of traceability will enhance the competitiveness of U.S. exports and animal products. But, Thornsberry testified that imposing costs on U.S. livestock producers and requiring them to surrender their personal and real property to a federal database in order to comply with international edicts is - a wholly inappropriate consideration.

Thornsberry said - it is clear that USDA decided to conform to international standards and is now working backward to invent the need to impose this burdensome NAIS on U.S. livestock producers. Thornsberry was particularly disheartened that comments and questions made by members of Congress at the hearing demonstrated a belief that NAIS would miraculously address food safety problems. He said - NAIS is not a food safety issue.
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“Minnesota Student Wins Ag Day Essay Contest”

A 10th grade student at Redwood Valley High School in Redwood Falls, Minnesota is the 2009 Ag Day Essay Contest winner. Kelly Kohler was declared winner by the National Ag Day sponsor Agriculture Council of America during an Ag Day event in our nation’s Capitol. To win, Kelly wrote an original essay under the theme "Agriculture - Every Day in Every Way."

In her essay she wrote: - These days, agriculture is so deeply rooted in society that it is taken for granted and often ignored. The products that come from farms and agricultural processors are so commonplace that they are always expected. The food farmers produce goes to nourish the masses that largely overlook the farmers' entire existence.

This year Ag Day is March 21st, the first day of spring. Ag Day is a nationally coordinated program that envisions consumers, young and old, talking about agriculture. The contest is sponsored by CHS Inc., The Council for Agricultural Science & Technology, High Plains Journal, National Association of Farm Broadcasting, National Agri-Marketing Association, Country Living Association and McCormick Company.
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“Rural Development Funds Electrical Upgrade Loans”

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced that 13 rural utilities and cooperatives in 15 states have been selected to receive more than 271-million dollars in loans to build and repair more than four-thousand miles of distribution and transmission lines and make system improvements that will benefit 56-thousand rural customers.

Secretary Vilsack said - President Obama is delivering on his commitment to invest in America's infrastructure and create jobs. Vilsack declared - our rural communities need reliable, affordable electric service in order to support business expansion and broaden economic opportunities. These loans will spur growth in rural America by enabling cooperatives to deliver improved service to more customers.

The funding is being provided through USDA Rural Development's Electric Programs, which Congress authorized under the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 to provide loans and loan guarantees to help utilities, cooperatives, states and local governments provide or improve electric service in rural areas. The Electric Program also helps finance energy conservation and renewable energy systems.
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“Benefits to Burning Wheat Residue Shown”

Continuous winter wheat cropping systems are used in some parts of the Pacific Northwest where high amounts of rainfall result in excessive residues that must be managed after grain harvest. Conventionally managed winter wheat crops typically require multiple tillage operations before this residue is adequately incorporated into the soil. Although CM techniques reduce residues and control weeds and diseases, repeated tillage also promotes higher levels of soil erosion.

After investigating further, Agricultural Research Service scientists and cooperators have shown that with careful management, the practice of burning fields to remove straw left after winter wheat harvest and before reseeding does not result in any more soil erosion than other postharvest practices. The researchers found that after the postharvest residue is burned, only one or two tillage operations, including seeding, are needed in the next round of crop production. They said the undisturbed plant crowns that remain after burning help hold soil in place.
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