Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen says – from production to use to market access, ethanol producers around the country are making meaningful contributions to America’s economic prosperity, energy security, and environmental health.

The annual outlook covers numerous topics including: the ethanol industry’s economic impact and contributions, value in rural markets, next generation biofuels, building new markets, progressive policy, ethanol blended fuels, indirect land use change, food and fuel, world markets, and consumer awareness. The Pocket Guide covers domestic market expansion, increasing national security, stimulating America’s economy, expanding the global marketplace, statewide efforts made across the nation, and food vs. fuel.

Source: NAFB News Service

For U.S. pork, complete tariff implementation will take up to 10-years. Still, the National Pork Producers Council is pleased. U.S. pork products have significant tariffs on them– 25 percent on frozen product and 22.5 percent on fresh or chilled pork. Under the KORUS FTA, tariffs would be eliminated on all U.S. frozen pork and some processed frozen pork by January 1, 2016. Fresh-chilled pork would be duty-free within 10 years after implementation.

More Reaction to U.S. & South Korea FTA

Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says – this is good news – the fact the U.S. – South Korea Free Trade Agreement will be implemented on March 15^th. Mr. Grassley is a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee with jurisdiction over international trade. He points out – there could be future trade disputes between the two countries because some items may not be spelled out in the agreement. Still, Grassley believes – U.S. workers deserve the boost from this new market access.  They’ll rise to the challenge with quality goods and services.

Meanwhile, Chad Blindauer, Chair of the National Corn Growers Association’s Trade Policy and Biotechnology Action Team, says – developing new markets for our country’s agricultural products is vital to producer income and also helps our sector lead the nation in economic growth and international competitiveness. Imports of U.S. corn for feed, as well as distillers grains, will now be guaranteed to enter South Korea duty free immediately.  The United States exported 241-million bushels of corn to Korea in marketing year 2010-11.

Source: NAFB News Service

“Thanks to the hard work and dedication of all Americans devoted to agriculture, U.S. agriculture is a bright spot in our economy and provides a livelihood for 1 in 12 Americans,” said Dr. Catherine Woteki, USDA Chief Scientist and Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics. “Nearly 2 million individuals working in agriculture in the United States live with a disability that affects their work and daily life. The AgrAbility program provides these producers with the training and resources they need to remain profitable, to maintain their quality of life, and to continue to contribute to our nation’s supply of food, feed, fiber and fuel.”

NIFA awarded the funds to land-grant universities that have joined with nonprofit disability organizations to address the specialized needs of American farmers and ranchers with disabilities. Projects include educating professionals on how to assist those with disabilities and directly training disabled agricultural workers. Past AgrAbility projects have improved customers’ financial stability, access to life activities and the ability of states and regions to deliver timely services to those with disabilities.

Since initial funding in 1991, NIFA has awarded grants to more than 35 states resulting in on-farm assistance to more than 15,000 farmers while educating thousands of professionals on how to accommodate those with disabilities in agriculture. The typical award provides up to $180,000 per year for up to four years to qualifying universities.

In addition to the state project grants, one national grant provides additional support for a National AgrAbility Project, which is directed jointly by Purdue University and Goodwill Industries. These national partners joined to provide technical assistance and professional training for the state projects, produce resource materials and distribute information related to the project. For more information, visit www.agrability.org.

Fiscal Year 2011 grant recipients are:

1. University of Arkansas, Little Rock, Ark., $180,000
2. University of California, Davis, Calif., $180,000
3. Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colo., $180,000
4. University of Delaware, Newark, Del., $180,000
5. University of Georgia, Athens, Ga., $180,000
6. Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., $180,000
7. Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kan., $180,000
8. University of Kentucky, Lexington, Ky., $180,000
9. University of Maine, Orono, Maine, $165,716
10. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minn., $180,000
11. University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo., $180,000
12. University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Neb., $180,000
13. North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, N.C., $179,975
14. Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, $180,000
15. Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Okla., $180,000
16. University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn., $180,000
17. Texas AgriLife Extension, College Station, Texas, $178,002
18. Utah State University, Logan, Utah, $180,000
19. University of Vermont, Burlington, Vt., $180,000
20. Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va., $180,000
21. West Virginia University, Morgantown, W.V., $180,000
22. University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisc., $180,000
23. University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyo., $172,153

Through federal funding and leadership for research, education and extension programs, NIFA focuses on investing in science and solving critical issues impacting people’s daily lives and the nation’s future. For more information, visit www.nifa.usda.gov.

During FFA Week, there will be a lot of Blue Jackets worn, along with T-shirts, hoodies, and other FFA  clothing; and many pins and personalized awards will be handed out.  Ever wonder where all that comes from?   Tucked away on the west side of Indianapolis is a nondescript building which  houses all the official, and not so official, dress items of the national FFA organization. Leann Shiller, manages the FFA merchandise center where all the pins, plaques, and awards are made, “About half of all the items ordered here at the center require some kind of personalization.  We work very hard to get it right and get it shipped out fast.” In a modern and efficient operation, the center turns around hundreds of thousands of individual orders in as little as 48 hours. Computerized engravers and laser devices turnout a wide variety of plaques and awards, all personalized for the student or chapter. A staff of 25 full time employees operates the 5 year old facility.

Leann Shiller

But the most important job of the center, according to Shiller, is designing and safeguarding the quality the most visible symbol of FFA, the blue jacket, “We make sure the fabric is right, the color is right, and the fit and feel is right.” She told HAT that over the years the basic design of the jacket has changed but design and quality is very tightly controlled. She says while the fabric for the jackets is imported, they are assembled in the US in Van Wert, Ohio.

As for the rest of the FFA wardrobe, there is an enormous amount of creative design and high fashion research that goes into anything that has the FFA name on it, “We are always working to find new items for our students and trying to figure out what they want and need.” Schiller, whose background is in the high fashion trade, tracks current fashion trends for young people and works to adapt those styles to items that fit the FFA image. During the national convention, the merchandise center will sell over $700,000 in FFA merchandise to students.

“It was just always exciting to see someone because at that time and where I’m from it wasn’t something I was familiar with, state officers. So you’re just really excited to see someone there that cares enough that they wanted to spend some time with you because they genuinely care about the organization. So it’s a fun time for everybody I think.”

Just one year removed from the local chapter experience for most of the officers, FFA week is an exciting week for them to get back to the schools.

“It helps remind us about what we’re doing and how important it is as state officers going and speaking to the students and just getting them excited. And they also get us excited for the rest of our year as state officers. It’s also exciting to see them recruiting new members and chapters doing everything they can to try and get more involvement in their schools.”

Mattox also likes to see the community involvement generated by FFA week.

“You have a lot of chapters branching out in to their community by having breakfasts and dinners and all sorts of things that really help share that message that FFA is really an awesome organization.”

As part of his travels this week, Mattox will talk about the ABC’s of agriculture with pre-schoolers in Lafayette. Is that too tough a task for him?

“No it’s exciting if anything because they don’t even know all the juicy details! We can just give them the gist of it and they’re excited already.”

FFA week continues through Sunday. Hear more in the full HAT interview with Jacob Mattox:

After reviewing the video the panel reports that most of what is shown in the video are normally accepted production practices and there was nothing that could be considered abusive. It was noted that employees appeared to be competent and well-trained and that the barn floors and the pigs themselves were clean. In one part of the video an employee is seen using tape on a piglet’s incisions following castration. One of the experts noted such a practice is considered more welfare friendly than stitches because it is less intrusive and requires less handling of the pig.

The experts did see several flies in a farrowing room. They determined that was a point of concern and something the experts felt the farm needs to correct. They also questioned the use of the practice of “back feeding”. The experts noted it is unclear if this practice involves sows or pigs and its exact purpose.

The pig panel includes: Dr. Temple Grandin, an animal scientist at Colorado State University: Dr. Candace Croney, associate professor of animal science at Purdue University; and Dr. Tom Burkgren, DVM, executive director of American Association of Swine Veterinarians. CFI officials say they will apply the review panel concept to other animal agriculture sectors as they show interest.

Source: NAFB News Service

Alexander points out that – with increasing demand and tightening supplies, movement of the KORUS FTA should encourage cattlemen and women to think beyond the current prices for live cattle and think long term. Think about where demand is heading and look beyond the borders of the United States. Now is the time to retain heifers and rebuild what has now become the smallest U.S. cowherd more than five decades.

NCBA was a key player in working vigorously to ensure passage of the trade pact with South Korea. Alexander says the KORUS pact – will phase out tariffs on U.S. beef over the next 15 years and will make U.S. beef a more affordable and appealing choice for our valued Korean customers.

ASA Supports FTA Implementation

The American Soybean Association congratulates President Barack Obama and the administration for completing its review of the free trade agreement between the United States and South Korea, which will take effect on March 15. On that date, nearly two-thirds of U.S. agricultural exports to Korea will become duty-free, including U.S. soybeans for crushing and U.S. soybean meal. Additionally, U.S. food-grade soybean producers will have access to the South Korean market for the first time. The implementation of the agreement will also trigger the gradual elimination of tariffs on refined soybean oil over five years, and the elimination of tariffs on crude soybean oil over 10 years.

ASA President Steve Wellman, a soybean farmer from Syracuse, Nebraska, says – this free trade agreement creates landmark opportunities for soybeans and other U.S. agricultural exports, including meat and poultry. Trade agreements that significantly improve access to foreign markets for these products are a main focus of ASA’s efforts in Washington.

Source: NAFB News Service

When asked by a member of the audience about energy policy, Hastert was adamant about the importance of renewable fuels and ethanol in particular. “We need to use ethanol,” he said. “I fought for ethanol from the time that I was in Congress for 15 years and finally got through the Ways and Means Committee along with a guy named Nussle from Iowa and we got ethanol with the tax credits so it could be a viable product. If we sit back and don’t do anything about it, we’re going to lose it.”

Source: Domestic Fuel

Bob Kraft

As the short session of the Indiana General Assembly winds down, several key pieces of legislation that will impact farmers are in need of action. Indiana Farm Bureau is calling on its members to lobby lawmakers on two key issues: farmland assessment and inheritance taxes.  The State Department of Local Government Finance has released new regulations on the assessment of farmland that take into account soil fertility factors. These new regulations were announced just a few weeks before assessment was to begin.  “The bottom line is that this would increase assessment by as much as 60% in some cases,” says Bob Kraft with Indiana Farm Bureau.  Legislators in both houses are upset with the last minute revisions.  In the Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday, Sen. Brandt Hershman (R-Buck Creek) offered an amendment to HB 1190 (Rep. Suzanne Crouch, R-Evansville & Sen. Hershman) that will delay the effective date of the new DLGF rules by a year.  House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Jeff Espich has indicated that he expects a similar amendment on a Senate bill in his committee. Kraft is urging farmers to contact lawmakers to express support for a delay in the implementation of the new rules.

Another issue requires farmer support is efforts to eliminate the Indiana inheritance tax. On Thursday in the House Ways & Means Committee, Rep. Eric Turner (R-Cicero) presented SB 293 rather than the author, Sen. Jim Smith (R-Charlestown).  SB 293 includes changes to the exemptions in the inheritance tax law and contains phase-down language.  As the bill left the Senate, it does not completely eliminate the inheritance tax.  Farm Bureau’s Katrina Hall testified in favor of the bill, noting how dramatically IFB members are affected by inheritance tax and stressed preference for the complete elimination language that is included in HB 1199, authored by Rep. Eric Turner (R-Cicero).  HB 1199 phases-out the inheritance tax over 10 years starting two years from now.  HB 1199 has not yet been scheduled for a hearing in the Senate. Kraft is urging Farm Bureau members to lobby lawmakers for the elimination of the tax.

Kraft said IFB is also seeking farmer support for legislation that would prevent cities and towns from having jurisdiction over aquifers.  The House Utilities Committee heard testimony on SB 132 (Sen. Beverly Gard, R-Greenfield & Rep. Dave Wolkins, R-Winona Lake).  The bill will require the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission to collect, compile, and publicize in the aggregate data regarding water use by water utilities in Indiana.  The controversial portion of the bill is a section that would exclude underground aquifers from the definition of “watercourse” as that term is used in several statutes that give cities and towns the authority to regulate “watercourses” ten miles outside their municipal boundaries.  A Supreme Court decision last fall concluded that municipalities had the authority to regulate aquifers.  This means that a town could require a farmer to obtain a permit to pump water from the aquifer with a well on the farmer’s property, or they could prohibit the withdrawal of water altogether.  It could also set up a race among municipalities that are within ten miles of one another to claim the aquifer first.  Farm Bureau is one of the strongest voices calling for the legislative reversal of the Supreme Court’s decision to include aquifers in the definition of “watercourse.” At the hearing last Wednesday, Farm Bureau’s Justin Schneider testified in support of the bill.  The Indiana Association of Cities & Towns and several mayors testified against reversing the Supreme Court’s decision.  Following a lengthy hearing, Committee Chair Jack Lutz (R-Anderson) decided not to take a vote on the bill but announced that a vote would be taken this week.  Legislators are being asked by the mayors of the municipalities in their districts to vote against SB 132.  All legislators need to hear from their constituents who support the bill.

Jim Dickrell, Editor of Dairy Today, will talk about dairy policy at the 3 meetings next week in Rockville, Decatur and Goshen, Indiana.

“You know we were hoping to have a new Farm Bill and know everything that was going to be happening at this time. That is not the case but Jim will be discussing things that are possibly in the wings, things that are going on out there today.”

Attorney Todd Janzen will be at the Decatur and Goshen events to give background on farm regulations.

“This will be geared more toward the smaller farms not regulated by CFO or CAFO regulations. Todd will help them to understand the things that they need to be doing and how to be careful so that they do not become a regulated farm.”

The wide variety of topics will include two by Purdue specialists.

“At the Rockville, Warrenton and Columbus meetings we’re going to have Dr. Jonathan Townsend from Purdue speaking on reducing mastitis in your dairy herd. At the Warrenton and Columbus meetings Chad Martin will be speaking on energy audits for dairy farms.”

NRCS will do a demonstration on cover crops and tillage programs and there will be discussion on current issues that face dairy farmers in addition to an update on the IPDP itself.

There is no cost for IPDP members and additional family attendees are $10 each. Non-members pay just $20, although that fee can also be applied to membership. Lunch is included at every location.

Please RSVP by emailing Dr. Mike Schutz at mschutz@purdue.edu.  You can also call Leman with questions at 317-695-8228.

The meeting schedule is:

*Rockville: February 28 – Byron Seeds Headquarters

*Decatur: February 29 – Back 40 Junction Restaurant

*Goshen: March 1 – Elkhart County Fairgrounds

*Warrenton: March 6 – The Log Inn

*Columbus: March 7 – Bartholomew County Fairgrounds

IPDP is assisted in presenting the meetings by Purdue Dairy Extension Team and the Indiana Forage Council.