Wheat prospects look good — for now. Growers remain optimistic about high yield potential. page 3
SWAT team members will advise the IFB Board on river infrastructure funding proposals. page 5
Be careful while spraying this spring. DriftWatch.org lists locations of pesticide-sensitive crops. page 6
FAS administrator brings TPA cause to state ag leaders Monday, April 6, 2015
BY KAY SHIPMAN FarmWeek
USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) Administrator Philip Karsting found unified support among Illinois agriculture leaders for granting President Barak
Two sections Volume 43, No. 14
Obama Trade Promotion Authority (TPA). Last week, Karsting met with ag leaders and government representatives at the Sangamon County Farm Bureau building, Springfield. “We want to make sure
Philip Karsting, left, administrator of USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service, chats with Teutopolis farmer Kevin Miller, member of the IFB Farm Production and Marketing Strength with Advisory Team, last week. Karsting discussed the importance of Trade Promotion Authority with agriculture leaders in Springfield. (Photo by Kay Shipman)
Group makes strides toward Cuba trade BY JOANIE STIERS FarmWeek
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A diverse group of Illinois leaders encourages President Obama to follow through and remove Cuba from the State
everyone in farm country has an interest in agricultural exports ... the farm community, too,” Karsting said, after a closed-door meeting. Karsting noted the president highlighted his trade agenda Jan. 20 in his State of the Union Address. That includes “growing the economy ... and creating good opportunities here at home,” he added. Thoughtful, pragmatic people should negotiate trade agreements; however, other nations will step in if the United States isn’t involved, Karsting warned. “We feel Americans should sit down and have a hand in writing the rules,” he added. Teutopolis farmer Kevin Miller described ag leaders’ response to Karsting and TPA as “a unified voice.” “Everyone is for trade for agriculture,” said Miller, a member of Illinois Farm Bureau’s Farm Production
and Marketing Strength with Advisory Team. “Even the shippers who were here — we all understand Illinois exports depend on trade agreements. For us to be consistent, economic suppliers over the years, these trade agreements need to be in place.” Tamara Nelsen, IFB senior director of commodities, agreed with Miller’s assessment that “agriculture groups uniformly are on the side of the administration and promotion of TPA.” Nelsen continued, “We’ve moved from talking about what the benefits of trade are for agriculture to the importance of trade because we’ve seen the benefits. We need to be talking to other sectors, like small and medium businesses and manufacturing firms.” IFB has always supported congressional-granted TPA. Congress has granted trade
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promotion authority to every president since Gerald Ford. TPA “enables the president and USDA and USTR (U.S. Trade Representative) to have a process and foundation to include Congress ... and allows an up or down vote,” Nelsen said. A lengthy, arduous negotiation process involves much work with constituents before an agreement is finalized, she noted. Karsting described agriculture stakeholders’ interest in “moving the needle” on TPA. “Illinois farmers need to be sure they understand what is at stake,” he said. “We cannot sit back and rest on our (export) laurels because we know the world changes. “At the end of the day, people look at the deal and say, ‘Are we better off with or without that?’ And in agriculture’s view, we say, ‘We’re better off with it,’” Karsting summarized.
Sponsors of Terrorism list, among other efforts to normalize relations with the island neighbor. The Illinois Cuba Working Group (ICWG), of which Illinois Farm Bureau is a
member, reconvened last week in Chicago to reflect on its progress and outline its next steps, said Tamara Nelsen, IFB’s senior director of commodities who attended the meeting. “As we have already seen, this is a step-by-step process, and removing Cuba from the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism is an important next See Cuba, page 2
Illinois State Trooper and Safety Education Officer Sean T. Ramsey provides some driving simulator tips to Illinois FFA Treasurer Willow Krumwiede, center, and Illinois FFA Reporter Andrew Klein. The officers joined more than 400 other FFA members attending the 2015 Illinois Farm Bureau & Affiliates Youth Conference. Staged at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Springfield, the conference theme focused on “Proud Traditions, Sparking Ambitions.” Attendees learned about career opportunities, personal development and the importance of their role in the future of agriculture. (Photo by Cyndi Cook)