In Farm Bureau Commodity meetings Arkansas Farm Bureau’s 2015 Winter Commodity Division meetings will take place Jan. 28 at the Wyndham Riverfront Hotel in North Little Rock. The purpose of these meetings is to review Farm Bureau policy and make recommendations to the state board of directors for implementation. Actions taken will determine the organization’s program of work on commodity issues during the coming year. All 12 of the organization’s commodity divisions will meet at this time. The format will be similar to last year, with half the meetings in the morning and the other half in the afternoon. The schedule of activities is as follows: • 8:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Registration. • 9:30-11:30 a.m. Beef Cattle, Cotton, Forestry, Soybean, Specialty Crops and Swine divisions meet. • 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Lunch. President Randy Veach will speak. • 1–3 p.m. Aquaculture, Dairy, Equine, Poultry, Rice and Wheat & Feed Grains
On Jan. 13, ArFB President Randy Veach addressed voting delegates at the American Farm Bureau Convention in San Diego, stating opposition to a proposal by the national resolutions committee to delete, in the name of political correctness, long-standing policy that defines the organization’s position on family and moral responsibility. The policy was reinstated with a strong majority of the vote. See more from the convention in this issue. divisions meet. Upcoming conferences The Arkansas Farm Bureau YF&R and Collegiate Conferences are scheduled for Feb. 20-21 at the Little Rock Marriott Hotel. The conferences have been combined to provide a better outreach to both these important leadership programs. Registration starts at 2 p.m. Feb. 20. A variety of workshops Feb. 21 will cover key issues NRCS recognized RCCP grant recipients Jan. 16 in Little Rock: (l to r) Dow Brantley ($10 million Sustaining Future of Rice grant); Jacqueline Dunn ($700,000 Red River project); Mike Sullivan and Kirk Hanlin, NRCS; Dr. Delia Haak and ArFB board member Gene Pharr ($1.1 million Illinois River project).
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affecting Arkansas agriculture, including insecticide restrictions and pollinators; animal nutrition, antibiotics and minerals; being an agriculture advocate; use of drones and your data; new irrigation technologies and tests; staying connected to your congressman and more. There will be children’s activities Friday night after dinner and a trip to the Museum of Discovery Saturday while parents attend the workshops.
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A Publication of Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation
January 23, 2015 • Vol. 18, No. 2
Baxter Co. FB held a legislative luncheon Jan. 5 in Mountain Home to discuss priority Farm Bureau issues with local legislators. Attendees included State Sen. Scott Flippo and State Reps. Nelda Speaks and John Payton. Also attending were field representatives Stetson Painter from U.S. Sen. John Boozman’s office and Joseph Didden from U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford’s office.
Jason Kelly (left), wheat and feed grains specialist with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, spoke about cost-cutting measures farmers should consider during the Jan. 8 Corn, Grain Sorghum and Soybean Producer Conference in Dumas. More than 100 producers from throughout southeast Arkansas attended the event.
phoning 501‐682‐2902 and the House of Representative’s office at 501‐682‐6211. Speaker of the House Jeremy Gillam and Senate Pro Tempore Jonathan Dismang have been invited to address the group during lunch. County representatives will serve as hosts to the legislators from their districts during a reception at 4:30 p.m. at Next Level Events. This is one of the most important meetings of the year. Counties are encour-
aged to be well represented. The objective of Farmer’s Day is to lobby legislators on Farm Bureau issues, so members who are comfortable in that role are encouraged to attend.
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KEITH SUTTON photo
Farmer’s Day at Legislature ArFB’s Farmers’ Day at the Legislature will be Feb. 10. Registration begins at 10:30 a.m., followed by lunch at 11:30 a.m. at Next Level Events in Little Rock. The luncheon will include a short informational update on the 90th General Assembly session, after which the group will board buses to the Capitol at 12:30 p.m. Participants will have the opportunity to meet with their senators and representatives, and are encouraged to contact them to ask about their schedule for that afternoon. The Senate office can be reached by
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ArFB’s State Women’s Conference is set for March 6-7 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Little Rock. Registration will begin at noon, March 6. Events scheduled for Friday consist of three creative workshops (Helping Feed the Hungry, Shortcuts in Preparing Meals and Ag in the Classroom/ Introduction of the new AITC Trailer), followed by dinner at Pulaski Technical Culinary Institute. Saturday’s schedule includes more workshops (Ag in the Classroom; Updates on Safety Programs, ValuePlus and M*A*S*H; and Farming and Ranching with the Help of Bees), with a closing luncheon featuring keynote speaker Jolene Brown. For more information on both conferences, contact Autumn Wood at autumn. wood@arfb.com or 501-228-1306.
ArFB President Randy Veach was the keynote speaker Jan. 20 at the Arkansas Crop Management Conference held in North Little Rock at the Wyndham Riverfront Hotel. More than 450 attended the conference where Veach spoke about the need for farmers, ranchers and agricultural organizations to work together confronting the many challenges facing agriculture.
The USDA says Arkansas wheat plantings have fallen the past year. Approximately 465,000 acres of wheat planted in the fall of 2013 were harvested last summer. That figure fell to 390,000 acres planted in October and November 2014. Extension economist Scott Stiles attributes the decline to lower crop bids for wheat as well as a record-breaking yield for the state last year.
In Arkansas ASU Agribusiness Conference Arkansas State University will host its 21st Agribusiness Conference Feb. 11 at the Fowler and Convocation centers in Jonesboro. On-site registration begins at 7:45 a.m. in the Fowler Center lobby. The morning general session will feature presentations on animal agriculture trends and their impact on Arkansas feed grain and oilseed markets by Ozark Mountain Poultry CEO Dr. Ed Fryar, succession planning for agribusiness owners with Legacy by Design founder Kevin Spafford, the outlook for the agricultural economy by USDA acting chief economist Dr. Robert Johannson and “Demographic and Cultural Shifts: Does Agriculture Still Carry Political Punch?” with Sara Wyant, editor and publisher at Agri-Pulse Communications, and Dr. David Schweikhardt, professor of agricultural economics at Michigan State University. Lunch will be served in the Convocation Center at noon, with a program featuring Dr. Ruth Hawkins, executive director of ASU Heritage Sites. The afternoon will be filled with concurrent
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Pseudorabies in Sevier County A pseudorabies outbreak has been confirmed near DeQueen in Sevier County. The outbreak claimed the lives of 10 hunting dogs after they encountered feral swine. The dogs were used to chase feral swine near a livestock pasture when an infected hog was caught and mauled by the dogs. Soon after, the dogs showed signs of “mad itch,” a common side effect of the viral infection. The symptoms were reported to the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission, Arkansas Health Department, U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Samples from the hog and dogs were collected and analyzed by Iowa State University as part of ongoing research on feral swine disease. Feral swine can be carriers of the pseudorabies virus, which is transmitted through nasal and oral secretions. The virus is fatal to pets and livestock. The Arkansas Department of Health stresses
New York author Margaret McNamara (right) was at the AFBF conference in San Diego to sign copies of her book “The Apple Orchard Riddle,” recipient of the “Book of the Year” award from the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture. In this humorous story, students learn a lot about apples and apple orchards, including how apples are harvested and cider is made.
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sessions on commodity markets and farm management, poultry market trends and issues, and succession planning tools and techniques. The meeting will adjourn at 4 p.m. For additional information and to register online, visit www.astate.edu/college/ agriculture-and-technology/.
Members of ArFB’s state and county Women’s Committees gathered for a photo at the AFBF Convention in San Diego. Pictured (l to r) are Jae Tipton, Betty Carter, Sherry Felts, Mary Smith, Thelma Veach, Janice Marsh, Peggy Miller, Heather Keenen, Kristian Dabbs, Donna Bemis, Sonya Harrell, Angela Jones, Belinda Wright, Roberta Golmon and Sandra Jackson.
that pseudorabies is not transmissible to humans, but feral swine can be carriers of multiple viruses, parasites and bacteria that can lead to severe illness, most notably swine brucellosis. Caution should be used when encountering and processing feral swine due to the potential health risks to both humans and pets. In 2013, the Arkansas Legislature passed a law prohibiting the possession, sale or transporting of any live feral hog, except to Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission-approved terminal facilities by licensed individuals. The intent of the law is to limit the spread and impact of feral swine, as well as the diseases to domestic livestock producers and native species. Soil & water conference The 17th annual Arkansas Soil and Water Education Conference will be held from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Jan. 30 at the Arkansas State University Convocation Center in Jonesboro. The conference will address the latest issues and trends in soil and water conservation. The cost is $20 per person, which includes lunch. To register online visit http://agri.astate.edu and click on Arkansas Soil & Water Education Conference. The deadline to register is Jan. 26. Walk-ins are welcome at the cost of $40 per person.
For more information, contact Chris Jones at 870-972-2043 or chrisjones@ astate.edu.
Elsewhere Major grant to rice industry, DU On Jan. 14. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced approved grants from the first round of proposals to the new Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP). The USA Rice Federation, Ducks Unlimited and more than 40 collaborating partners are pleased that the “Rice Stewardship Partnership – Sustaining the Future of Rice” project was selected for $10 million in support. This project will help rice producers conserve natural resources such as water, soil and waterfowl habitat while having long-term positive impacts on their bottom line. “U.S. rice farms are valuable, not just for the nutritious commodity they produce and their positive impact on the economy, but also as important contributors to the entire ecosystem, and the announcement from NRCS and USDA recognizes that fact,” said USA Rice Federation Chairman Dow Brantley, an Arkansas rice farmer. “Wildlife and waterfowl depend on our farms as much as any of us do.” Editor Keith Sutton
keith.sutton@arfb.com
In the Market As of January 20, 2015 Arkansas will have $1.3 million available in REAP Funds The USDA has announced $1.3 million will be available for the Rural Energy for America Program, or REAP for short. REAP provides a 25-percent cost share for implementing energy efficient or renewable energy projects on a farm. REAP can be used to cover virtually any energy upgrades on your operation. The program can be used to upgrade chicken houses, irrigation equipment or any other fixed energy equipment on your farm or rural business. The deadline for applications is April 30. Arkansas Farm Bureau is working with Bruce Everly, a grant writer whose company has written hundreds of REAP grants and energy audits. Almost 90 percent of his applications have gotten funded nationally, and more than 95 percent of the grants he has written in Arkansas have received funding. For more information please, contact Everly at 317-2280134, or contact Matt King for general information about the program at 501-228-1297. Chinese economic growth the slowest in 24 years For 2014, China’s economy grew at a 7.4 percent clip, the slowest pace since 1990 and below the Chinese government’s target of 7.5 percent. China’s economy is expected to slow more this year. The International Monetary Fund lowered its 2015 Chinese GDP forecast to 6.8 percent from 7.1 percent previously. New strain of bird flu detected in Taiwan The H5N3 strain of bird flu was discovered in Taiwan this week, the first time this strain has been detected in the country, according to animal inspection authorities. Three new strains
of bird flu viruses have been detected in Taiwan over the past week. And have found the virus on 101 poultry farms. China bans U.S. poultry, eggs due to bird flu China has joined a list of some 20 countries that have barred U.S. poultry and egg imports after discoveries of the H5N8 bird flu in wild birds and in backyard flocks of guinea hens and chickens in Oregon, as well as the detection of the H5N2 strain in two flocks of mixed poultry and other birds in southeastern Washington State. China’s ban, which took effect Jan. 8, covers shipments of breeding stock, including live chicks and hatching eggs, as well as poultry and eggs, according to the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council. USDA approves Roundup Ready Xtend soybeans, cotton USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service granted Monsanto’s new GMO soybeans and cotton, which resist a new herbicide that combines dicamba and glyphosate, “non-regulated” status Thursday. Monsanto still needs approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and is still waiting on final approval from China for the import of its Xtend soybeans, something the company is hoping will come in time for a commercial launch of the product in 2016. Disappointing December soybean crush Favorable profit margins, an ample supply of soybeans and strong meal demand were expected to lead to a record soybean crush pace in December. Based on a Reuters survey, traders expect NOPA members to report soybean crushings at 166.9 million bushels. Unfortunately, the NOPA crush report came in below expectations at 165.383 million bushels. This has put additional pressure on soybean prices as the market is now focusing on large supplies in 2014-15.
New private crop projections for 2015 Informa Economics is now estimating the 2015 corn acreage at 88.6 million, up from a prior forecast of 88.01 million, while lowering projected soybean acreage to 88.03 million. These projections are similar to other forecasts and, assuming “normal” weather this year, domestic soybean supplies will remain burdensome into 2016. Russian official: No plans for formal grain export ban for now Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich reiterated the country has no plans to formally ban grain exports for now. But he did say more radical measures may be needed at some point if informal grain export restrictions don’t work. According to Russia’s ag ministry, the country has 1.65 MMT of exportable wheat supplies left for 2014-15. Exporters have already shipped 16.85 MMT of wheat since July 1. Another GMO labeling group set to launch Former campaign advisors for the failed GMO labeling ballot initiative in California are launching U.S. Right to Know, a new organization that will call for more transparency in the food system. Fresh out of the gate, the new group promises to release a report entitled “Seedy Business” that looks at the lobbying and money spent by the food industry to hide less-thanglowing details about the food supply. According to the report, the industry has spent more than $100 million to defend genetically engineered crops and pesticide use.
CONTACT • Matt King 501-228-1297, matt.king@arfb.com.
The 96th Annual AMERICAN FARM BUREAU CONVENTION
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ith the theme “Tradition, Perseverance, Vision: Farm Bureau Proud,” the 96th Annual Convention of the American Farm Bureau Federation took place Jan. 9-14 in San Diego, California. ArFB was well represented at the event with more than 150 delegates and staff in attendance. photos by STEVE EDDINGTON and KEITH SUTTON
Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack (left) and AFBF President Bob Stallman talked about today’s biggest agriculture issues in a town hall meeting on the trade show floor.
Alechia Meador (second from left) of Green Forest, winner of ArFB’s 2014 Young Farmers & Ranchers Achievement Award, was among the top 10 finalists for the national award. At top right, ArFB President Randy Veach proudly carried the Arkansas state flag in the opening general session of the convention. Speaker Rorke Denver, a U.S. Navy SEAL, connected his experiences in the military with farming and ranching, providing insights on teamwork and courage when faced with pressure-filled situations.
Stephanie Smith of Brookland had the chance to meet animal expert and TV personality Jack Hanna who signed autographs at the IDEAg Trade Show. Farm Bureau Press Insert — Vol. 18, No. 2
ArFB’s 12 voting delegates and 18 alternates, including state board member Bruce Jackson of Lockesburg, voted on policy proposals in the business session.
Baxter Co. FB President Elliott Golmon and his wife Roberta of Norfork enjoyed breakfast at the Foundation Flapjack Fundraiser. More than 1,500 attended.
96th ANNUAL AFBF CONVENTION
Nighttime view from the Hilton San Diego Bayfront. The conference hotel was within walking distance of many attractions in the historic heart of San Diego, including the convention center, the popular Gaslamp Quarter, Petco Park, the Seaport Village and the USS Midway Museum. At left, Dr. Temple Grandin, best-selling author, autism activist and livestock industry consultant, was an American Farm Bureau Distinguished Service Award recipient. At bottom left, Joe Smith of Brookland competed in the first round of the national YF&R Discussion Meet.
Sue Billiott of Smithville was honored for her two-year term on the AFBF Women’s Committee during the Women’s Leadership Luncheon Sunday.
Farm Bureau Press Insert — Vol. 18, No. 2