Vilsack on top NFU issues

Top priorities of the National Farmers Union are priorities of the Obama administration. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack addressed health care reform and climate change at the NFU Convention Monday in Rapid City, South Dakota. Make no mistake, says Vilsack, farmers and ranchers are getting the short end of the stick – paying more for less health care coverage. He says President Obama’s reform bill will directly help farmers and ranchers who are paying too much for health care by eliminating unfair practices, pre-existing conditions and caps, and giving them more choices, “My hope is, that this week, we take a very significant step towards that question as it relates to farm families by providing them some assistance and some help, so they can better afford creating competition so they have more choice and that they can’t be gamed in the system.”  The House budget committee Monday approved a framework to modify the Senate-passed health care bill opening the door for House approval of the bill by week’s end.

As for climate change, Vilsack told delegates that climate change is real and the benefits to producers are real. Vilsack says there are environmental and trade benefits from carbon capture. But, he says studies saying lots of trees must be planted to abate carbon were based on a flawed model, “And we (USDA) are in the process today of issuing a memorandum outlining some concerns with that model, and the fact that Texas A & M and Duke and Oregon State are going to be working with USDA to approve the model so that there’s an accurate description of precisely what’s to happen and will happen with a properly structured carbon market.”

With the right legislation, Vilsack insists there are net profit opportunities for farmers and ranchers. USDA’s carbon advisor says they’re keeping a hopeful eye on the bipartisan climate bill being put together by Senators Kerry and Graham.

Nat.’l Farmers Union ‘10 Convention underway

More than 400 farmers and ranchers are gathered in Rapid City, South Dakota for the National Farmers Union 2010 Convention, “Looking to our Roots, Growing Tomorrow’s Solutions.” Sunday night, NFU President Roger Johnson told members “we need all of you” and urged them to attend sessions on health care, energy, climate change, farm policy, and the dairy crisis as they form NFU policy. Above all, Johnson said Farmers Union is about FAMILY farmers and ranchers, “Whether they are small, whether they are large, whether they’re traditional, whether they’re organic, whether they raise fruits, or vegetables or livestock or grain or other commodities, we encompass all of them and we are very proud of that fact.”

AUDIO: NFU President Roger Johnson (25:00 min. MP3)

NFU Convention coming up in South Dakota

The National Farmers Union Annual Convention begins this weekend in Rapid City, South Dakota. NFU President Roger Johnson says he’s pleased Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack will be the keynote speaker on Monday, “I expect that he will be talking about climate change, renewable energy, probably all the other things he’s been talking about relative to the farm bill, food and all those sorts of issues that are important to all of us. Certainly, the dairy industry is something that we expect a lot of conversation around.”

In addition, sessions will be held on climate change, renewable energy, health care and other issues important to NFU members as they form their policy for the next year. The 2010 NFU convention is Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

AUDIO: NFU President Roger Johnson (11 min., MP3)

HSUS kicks off anti-confinement campaign

The vote in the Ohio House Wednesday was unanimous in establishing the Ohio Livestock Standards Board that voters approved last fall in the general election. While the measure moves to the Ohio Senate, where it is sure to pass, the Humane Society of the U.S. pushes its campaign to take another stab at Ohio livestock production. The Columbus Dispatch says HSUS director Wayne Pacelle is in Ohio to kick off the group’s signature campaign for a proposed constitutional amendment to ban what HSUS and its supporters call “extreme confinement” of pigs, chickens and other farm animals.  According to the Columbus Disptach, the HSUS claims to have 400-thousand members in Ohio. Just over 402-thousand valid signatures are needed by June 29th to place the statewide proposed confinement ban on the Ohio November ballot.

FAPRI ‘10 baseline “depends on recovery”

Members of Congress were given the FAPRI 2010 Baseline Report Tuesday and authors say the outlook for agriculture depends a lot on the general economy.

“So if we get recovery in the overall economy that should let people have a little more money to spend on things like meat and dairy products and that might help us to see at least a mild recovery in the overall farm economy after a very bad 2009,” says Pat Westhoff, co-director of FAPRI, the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute at the University of Missouri. He net farm income is expected to increase somewhat over the next two years mostly due to stronger livestock prices, assuming demand increases. The FAPRI report also projects more corn acres this spring and an increase in corn demand for ethanol production. Slightly lower prices for soybeans and fewer wheat acres are expected this year.

Westhoff says crop insurance will be a more important part of government expenditures on agriculture, “By the end of our 10-year baseline outlook, we’re spending almost as much on the crop insurance program as we are on the basic farm programs funded by the Commodity Credit Corporation.”

Over the next 10 years, the FAPRI report says, direct payments make up the bulk of government payments.

AUDIO: Pat Westhoff, co-director, FAPRI, University of Missouri (5 min., MP3)

Senate passes biodiesel extender, disaster aid

A one year retroactive extension of the biodiesel tax incentive passed the Senate Wednesday, part of the jobs bill.

National Biodiesel Board Federal Affairs Vice President Manning Feraci says the lapse in the tax credit at the end of 2009 has been disruptive to the biodiesel industry.

The incentive is designed to make biodiesel price competitive with conventional diesel fuel. Since its lapse, the US biodiesel industry has seen a dramatic drop in demand and production.

The House and Senate now have to reconcile differences between the two versions. Both provide for a one year retroactive extension of the biodiesel tax incentive.

Senate Ag Committee and Ranking Finance Committee chair Charles Grassley of Iowa voted against final passage of the Senate Tax Extenders Act on Wednesday. In a statement following the passage of the bill, which restores the biodiesel tax incentive, Grassley said he opposes the contingency to include more deficit spending to fund it. Grassley faults congressional leaders for what he calls “irresponsible and even offensive” actions. The bill, which also extends unemployment benefits, passed 62 to 36.

The American Soybean Association applauds the passage of the legislation and is urging quick reconciliation and retroactive restoration of the dollar per gallon tax credit on biodiesel which Congress allowed to lapse on December 31st.

The bill also includes Senate Ag Chairman Blanche Lincoln’s 1.5 Billion dollar disaster aid for Arkansas farmers affected by weather related disasters. Counties that received a primary disaster declaration in 2009 are eligible.  Producers in Lincoln’s home state of Arkansas, as well as Mississippi, were especially hard hit.

Brownfield’s Tom Steever contributed to this report

11 Million dollar verdict against hog operation

The largest monetary award against a hog farm in an odor nuisance case has been awarded in the state of Missouri.

A Jackson County jury last week awarded an 11 million dollar verdict against Premium Standard Farms hog producers, a subsidiary of Smithfield Foods. The odor lawsuit was filed on behalf of residents living near the farming operation in northern Missouri. The case was filed in 2002 by seven households.

Premium Standard Farms issued a statement following the verdict last Thursday that they are disappointed with the verdict and have grounds to appeal. They also say they will seriously consider not making future investments in the state of Missouri – that the verdict “threatens the viability of the Missouri farm economy when a farm has been granted a permit to operate by the state” and is in compliance with state and federal regulations. Premium Standard Farms says there is a gaping hole in Missouri law allowing such a thing to happen and the legislature should move to correct it.

IL Corn President meets with CARB board

The president of the Illinois Corn Growers Association came to California just before 2010 Commodity Classic began in Anaheim to meet with the California Air Resources Board, or CARB.  Tim Lenz tells Brownfield about those meetings and why it’s so important to educate that board.   He says the future of Midwest corn ethanol is at stake.

TimLenz, President, Illinois Corn Growers Association (5 min., MP3)

Missouri action seeks to preempt HSUS action

A proposed constitutional amendment has moved forward in the Missouri legislature that would protect livestock care practices in Missouri. A resolution passed the Missouri House last week. If it passes the senate, the measure would go before Missouri voters in the November general election.

AUDIO: Leslie Holloway, Missouri Farm Bureau (3 min., MP3)

Animal care proposal advances in MO House

A move in the Missouri legislature to protect livestock care practices has gained some traction. A resolution supported by the Missourians for Animal Care Coalition passed the Missouri House last week. Missouri Farm Bureau’s legislative director Leslie Holloway says the intent is, “To try to ensure that additional restrictions on raising animals, whether it be livestock or dogs or whatever the case may be, are under the jurisdiction of the General Assembly rather than interests that might come in from out of state such as the Humane Society of the United States.”

If passed by the Senate, the animal care constitutional amendment would go before Missouri voters in November when an HSUS-backed ballot proposal cracking down on dog breeders is expected to also be in front of voters.

AUDIO: Leslie Holloway, Missouri Farm Bureau Director of State and Local Governmental Affairs (7 min., MP3)

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