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MO multi-issue ag bill heads to governor

May 17, 2013 By Leave a Comment

A multi-issue agriculture bill has been passed by Missouri lawmakers and sent to the governor for his signature, on this last day of the legislative session.

Among other provisions, the omnibus ag bill protects the right of children under 16 to work on family farms.

It makes the theft of Missouri livestock a Class B felony.

It allows for additional civil penalties to be imposed for violations of the Missouri Livestock disease control law.

It creates farmer market tax exemptions for producers with annual sales of less than 25-thousand dollars.

It expands the definition of eggs for inspection to include not only chicken but turkey, duck, goose and guinea eggs that are intended for human consumption.

It allows for the creation of University of Missouri Extension councils.

Filed Under: Crops, Livestock, News, USDA/Government Tagged With: , , , , ,

New Missouri law to expand egg inspections

May 10, 2013 By Leave a Comment

A bill that includes state inspection of more than just chicken eggs has been signed into law by Governor Jay Nixon.  Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Brian Munzlinger says the bill (SB 329) expands the definition of eggs that are being sold in Missouri.

“Right now, chicken eggs are the only thing that’s being inspected and with guinea, duck and a lot of the other eggs (turkey & goose) that are going for sale at a lot of these places, the Department of Ag has requested that they also be inspected since they are going for human consumption.”

Munzlinger says it is clearly a food safety bill. He tells Brownfield, “I’m sure nobody would want to crack a rotten egg in the skillet in their kitchen. It wouldn’t be good.”

Under the new law, the Missouri Ag Department will inspect for cleanliness and appropriate temperature of all those types of eggs to help prevent disease.

Filed Under: Livestock, News, USDA/Government Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

‘Egg bill’ not part of Senate Farm Bill draft

May 10, 2013 By Leave a Comment

The initial draft of the Senate Farm Bill, released on Thursday, does not include the so-called “egg bill” language dictating cage size for egg-laying hens. 

It confirms earlier speculation that Senate Ag Committee chair Debbie Stabenow would drop her plan to include the controversial provision in the farm bill markup. But National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) vice president of government affairs Colin Woodall expects it to come up again during the farm bill process.

The president of the United Egg Producers (UEP), Chad Gregory, has been highly critical of NCBA and other ag groups who are fighting against the egg bill.  But NCBA’s Woodall maintains the legislation sets “a dangerous precedent”.

“And in Washington, D.C., precedent is everything,” Woodall says. “So even though this is a deal between UEP and HSUS, HSUS didn’t make any deals with us or the pork producers or anybody else in livestock—and they will use that precedent to eventually come after all of us.”

UEP’s Gregory says the egg bill is critical to the egg industry’s survival.  Woodall argues federal legislation is not UEP’s only option.

“If this is really what the egg industry wants, then there are other mechanisms that they can use to push for adoption among their members—other than making Congress do the dirty work and force it upon their members,” Woodall says.

UEP represents farmers who produce nearly 90 percent of the eggs in the U.S.

Link to earlier story and interview with Colin Woodall

Filed Under: Events/Organizations, Livestock, News, USDA/Government Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Eggs fill a health need for recipients at food banks

May 9, 2013 By Leave a Comment

The high quality and versatility of eggs make them a sought after item by food banks.  Millions of eggs are donated by egg producers every year to food banks across America who feed the hungry.  Lisa Hamler-Fugitt, Director of the Ohio Association of Foodbanks, talks about the great need that eggs fulfill.

HEALTHY LIVING PROGRAM – Eggs fulfill need at food banks (1:30 mp3)

 

Filed Under: Feature Programs, Healthy Living Tagged With: , ,

Egg producers donate to Ohio foodbanks

May 8, 2013 By Leave a Comment

CIMG5220_webTo help celebrate May as National Egg Month and to help fight hunger in Ohio, the Ohio Poultry Association (OPA) held a breakfast reception at the Ohio Statehouse Wednesday, May 8, where they made a donation to the Ohio Association of Foodbanks.

“We’re excited to be here at the Statehouse thanking legislators for working and supporting the poultry industry, but also announcing our sixth year of contributing to the Ohio Association of Foodbanks over 800,000 eggs this year,” said Jim Chakeres , Executive Vice President of the Ohio Poultry Association.

In the six years that the OPA has partnered with Ohio Foodbanks, they have donated over 7 million eggs.

“We fully recognize that many consumers in the state of Ohio can’t afford to eat,” Chakeres said. “We want to be a part of the solution and help and get these wholesome foods to the people that need them the most.”

Audio: Jim Chakeres, Executive V.P. Ohio Poultry Assn. (1:15 mp3)

Lisa Hamler-Fugitt (Few-git), Executive Director of the Ohio Association of Foodbanks says there’s no question, the generosity of the state’s poultry and egg farmers is making a difference in Ohio.

“It is tremendous, it is the best source of protein that we have and again the source of protein is so important to our low income friends and neighbors across Ohio,” Hamler-Fugitt said. “Hunger and diet related diseases are connected, so when we can get a healthy, wholesome source of protein into our system, it’s like gold to us.”

Audio: Lisa Hamler-Fugitt, Executive Director, Ohio Assn. of Foodbanks (2:50 mp3)

Filed Under: Events/Organizations, News Tagged With: , , , , ,

Source: Stabenow reconsiders egg bill plan

May 6, 2013 By 1 Comment

Reports out of Washington indicate that Senate Ag Committee chair Debbie Stabenow may be backing off on plans to incorporate the so-called “egg bill” into the Senate farm bill markup.  That markup is expected to take place this week.

A source on Capitol Hill tells Brownfield that Stabenow has apparently changed her mind on including the controversial provision in the markup.  However, our source says the measure could resurface later on as an amendment to the farm bill.

Stabenow’s office and Senate Ag Committee staff did not respond to Brownfield’s request for confirmation.

Reports that Stabenow planned to include the measure, which would set national standards for cages that house egg-laying hens, generated a flurry of protests last week from many farm and livestock groups.  National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) president Scott George told Politico that his group would oppose the farm bill if the egg language were added. 

The egg bill is the result of an agreement between the Humane Society of the United States and United Egg Producers (UEP).  In comments made to Politico, UEP president Chad Gregory lashed out at NCBA and the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) for opposing for egg bill.

“It’s insane, ludicrous for a staff person of NCBA or NPPC to be deciding the fate of a family egg business that has been in business for several generations,” Gregory said. “This egg bill has nothing to do with them.”

NCBA, NPPC and other livestock groups are concerned that allowing the federal government to dictate production standards for eggs could set a precedent for other segment of the livestock industry.

Filed Under: Events/Organizations, Livestock, News, USDA/Government Tagged With: , , , ,

Indications House will take up a farm bill

May 6, 2013 By Leave a Comment

The leadership of the U.S. House reportedly intends to bring a farm bill up for debate this summer, according to a memo from House Majority Leader Eric Cantor to House Republicans last Friday. Markup of a farm bill in the House Agriculture Committee could begin May 15th – according to Committee Chairman Frank Lucas.

Last year, that Committee passed a farm bill but it was never allowed to be brought to the House floor for debate by House leadership.

Meanwhile, the Senate Ag Committee could begin its farm bill markup as early as this week. At issue are concerns over the federal Egg Bill possibly being made a part of the measure, although there are reports that Senate Ag Chair Debbie Stabenow may be backing away from that idea.

Nebraska Senator Mike Johanns says that including the egg bill – which would require colony cages for all egg laying hens nationwide – would kill the farm bill as other livestock groups are opposed the measure crafted by the United Egg Producers (UEP) and the Humane Society of the U.S.

UEP president Chad Gregory says egg producers “desperately need a federal standard for egg production” which has nothing to do with any other livestock production.

Filed Under: News, Top Stories, USDA/Government Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

The market potential for cage-free eggs

May 5, 2013 By Leave a Comment

A new report on the market potential for cage-free eggs predicts accelerated growth in cage-free egg sales and profits. 

The report was written by Oklahoma State University ag economics professors Dr. Jayson Lusk.  It is based on Lusk’s own research and his analysis of a consumer survey on egg buying practices commissioned by a group called the World Society for the Protection of Animals.   

In the report, Lusk examines consumers’ food purchasing behavior related to their level of knowledge of production methods and pricing structures and makes predictions on market-share trends for cage-free eggs.   

In this interview with Brownfield, Lusk discusses the mindset of consumers when it comes to animal welfare and the food products they are purchasing—issues that apply to other segments of the livestock industry as well.

AUDIO: Dr. Jayson Lusk (11:51 MP3)

Filed Under: Feature Programs, Rural Issues Tagged With: , , , , ,

Nebraska Farm Bureau: Keep egg measure out of the farm bill

May 2, 2013 By Leave a Comment

The president of Nebraska Farm Bureau says federal legislation dictating the size of cages for egg-laying hens “has no place in the Farm Bill”.

Steve Nelson was reacting to reports that Senate Ag Committee chair Debbie Stabenow plans to include the so-called Egg Bill in her markup of the Senate Farm Bill, which is expected to take place next week.

“The fact that Debbie Stabenow would even consider starting  the discussion on a new farm bill by including legislation initiated and advocated for by extremist organizations is a slap in the face to American farm families,” Nelson says.  “Including legislation to set a ‘one size fits all’ standard for the housing and treatment of egg-laying hens would set a dangerous precedent and only encourage further bullying of farm families by activists through baseless legal actions and public smear campaigns.” 

Nelson says such action by Stabenow “threatens the prospects of passing a much needed farm bill”.

“This is a huge issue and it certainly takes the regulatory control of government well beyond where we’ve been and into an area where it’s just completely unnecessary to have this kind of regulation in the farm bill,” Nelson says. “I still hope that there’s some way that some common sense will prevail and they’ll say ‘no, this doesn’t need to be in the farm bill’—and then they can move on.”

Agri-Pulse says Stabenow is being pressured by the Michigan Agri-business Association and others who support the Egg Bill, which is the result of an agreement between the Humane Society of the United States and United Egg Producers. 

AUDIO: Steve Nelson (2:54 MP3)

Filed Under: Events/Organizations, Livestock, News Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Stabenow to include egg bill?

May 1, 2013 By 1 Comment

Senate Ag Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow reportedly plans to include the so-called Egg Bill, supported by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and the United Egg Producers (UEP), in her markup of the Farm Bill.

Agri-Pulse reports that the chairwoman’s staff told staff members of pork, beef, and turkey groups, and the American Farm Bureau on Tuesday that she was aiming to include Senate Bill 820, sponsored bya bipartisan group of senators, including Stabenow herself and Democrat Dianne Feinstein. A companion “egg” bill was introduced in the House, HR 1731. The ag groups are strongly opposed to the legislation which would set federal standards on cages for egg laying hens.

Stabenow worked last year to shut down similar legislation in the Senate-passed farm bill. Agri-Pulse says Stabenow has been at the receiving end of political pressure from the Michigan Agri-Business Association and others who support the bill. The Association says the bill is supported “by every commercial egg producer in Michigan.”

Stabenow has indicated markup of the farm bill in her committee could begin as early as May 9th.

Filed Under: Livestock, News, Top Stories, USDA/Government Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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