April 28, 2010
www.gfb.org
Vol. 28 No. 17
HOUSE AG COMMITTEE HOLDS FIRST HEARING ON 2012 FARM BILL With the 2008 farm bill scheduled to expire on September 2012, the House Agriculture Committee opened its deliberations on replacement legislation last week with a hearing to discuss U.S. agriculture policy, the first formal hearing in the process to produce the new farm bill. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack spoke at the hearing and the committee was scheduled to hear more testimony from academics and economists this week. House Ag Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.), acknowledging that financial resources for the 2012 farm bill to be more difficult to access than they were for the 2008 version, the Food, Conservation and Energy Act. Some programs under the 2008 farm bill appear headed for change in the 2012 version. The most prominent may be the cotton payments program, which the Obama administration agreed to change in order to avert retaliatory tariffs from Brazil. In an ongoing trade dispute between the U.S. and Brazil, the World Trade Organization ruled the U.S. cotton program had adverse affects on Brazilian producers and authorized the South American country to levy tariffs on a wide selection of imported products from the U.S. Brazil agreed in March to hold off on imposing tariffs in exchange for changes to the cotton program and trade assistance from the U.S. to Brazilian producers. House Ag Committee members have also suggested a review of how the Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) program is administered. Both Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) and Committee Member Herseth Sandlin (D-S.D.) have said the ACRE requirements of statewide revenue losses have lowered the odds of farmers collecting payments. They suggested using countywide revenue losses as the standard in order to make the program more accessible. In his speech, Vilsack said it is important to continue to provide a safety net for agricultural producers, but he fielded criticism from Rep. Frank Lucas (R-Okla.), who pointed out the Obama administration’s proposed budget, which included cuts to direct payments, crop insurance and conservation programs. Lucas wondered if those proposals were a precursor to the administration’s stance on farm bill spending. Lucas told Vilsack he was concerned the administration believes providing highspeed Internet to rural areas and other nonfarm issues were more important than issues on the farm. The committee is developing proposals which Peterson will pitch over the next two months. Formal hearings on the 2012 farm bill will begin late next year.
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FARMERS REMINDED TO FILE ACREAGE REPORTS The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is urging producers interested in receiving payments under a number of federal programs to file their annual reports of acreage in order to meet FSA program eligibility requirements. The acreage must be reported to the local FSA county office. June 1 is the deadline to report tobacco planted acreage. July 15 is the deadline to report spring and summerseeded planted acreage. Accurate acreage reports are necessary to determine and maintain eligibility for numerous programs like the Direct and Counter-cyclical Program and newer programs authorized in the 2008 farm bill. Those include the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments Program (SURE), Average Crop Revenue Election Program (ACRE), Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP), Tree Assistance Program (TAP) and Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP). Prevented acreage must be reported within 15 calendar days after the final planting date. Failed acreage must be reported before the disposition of the crop. Fore more information about the acreage reporting process and deadlines, visit www.fsa.usda.gov. DERIVATIVES BILL APPROVED BY SENATE AG COMMITTEE A bill that would set up regulatory oversight to derivatives trading passed the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee last week by a 13-8 vote. The Wall Street Transparency and Accountability Act was expected to be worked into a larger financial reform bill in the Senate this week. Derivatives trading, the buying and selling of commodities futures used by many firms as a risk-management tool, is a $600 trillion market that is unregulated and has no reporting requirements. Some have argued that speculative trading in the derivatives market was a major factor in the U.S. financial system upheaval in 2008. The bill would require derivatives to be traded on an exchange in the same way stocks are traded and have a similar level of transparency. Certain parts of the market would be required to be cleared by a central repository, with exemptions available to businesses hedging their commercial risk. It prohibits banks acting as derivatives dealers from receiving federal assistance, including federal deposit insurance and access to the Federal Reserve discount window. The bill drew criticism from ranking member Frank Lucas (R-Okla.). “We widely agreed that end users did not cause the financial crisis and should not be regulated like they did,” Lucas said. The committee voted down a amendment proposed by Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) to exempt small businesses that legitimately use derivatives as a means of limiting their exposure to fluctuating interest rates. Chambliss used Farm Credit System institutions as an example, saying that the costs of adhering to the bill’s regulations would likely force those institutions to raise interest rates they offer their customers.
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VIDALIA ONIONS NOW BEING SHIPPED, GET HELP FROM SHREK April 27 was the official first shipping date for Vidalia® Onions, based on the recommendation of the Vidalia Onion Advisory Panel, and Georgia’s official state vegetable will be getting a promotional assist from animated character Shrek. Onions shipped prior to April 27 are required to have Federal-State inspection certificates. According to Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Tommy Irvin, the harvest was delayed because of heavy rains in December and extreme cold winter weather. The Georgia Department of Agriculture has registered 80 Vidalia onion growers for 11,600 acres to harvest in the 20-county growing area. In 2008, the farm gate value of the Vidalia onion crop was $139 million, making it the most valuable vegetable crop in Georgia that year. In 2009, 11,640 acres of Vidalia onions were planted, producing an estimated 4.5 million 40-lb. units. The Vidalia Onion Committee, which has Shrek-themed games on its Web site, began using Shrek displays at retail outlets this month, hoping the tie-in with the May 21 release of “Shrek Forever After” will encourage younger consumers to eat Vidalia onions. The promotion includes 6-foot cardboard cut-outs of Shrek in thousands of stores, kid-friendly Vidalia onion recipes and chances to win prizes including a 50-inch television, a Nintendo Wii game system and a Shrek video game. For more information about Vidalia onions, visit www.vidaliaonion.org. DOUGHERTY FARM BUREAU PRESIDENT JOHN MASTERS PASSES AWAY Long-time Dougherty County Farm Bureau President John Masters died on April 22. He was 73. Masters is survived by his wife Hazel Albrecht Masters, sons Matthew John Masters and Mark Hanson Masters, and grandchildren Andrew John Masters, Nathan Owen Masters, Lilly Jennifer Masters and Sally Albrecht Masters. Masters was involved in cattle farming throughout his life and served as DCFB president for 15 years, along with working on the Flint River Regional Water Council. “Everyone at Georgia Farm Bureau was saddened to learn of John’s death,” said GFB President Zippy Duvall. “His involvement in our organization and his work on behalf of agriculture, especially his efforts to represent agriculture on the Flint River Regional Water Council, has proven extremely valuable, and he will be sorely missed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Masters family.” Masters worked for 30 years with M&M/Mars before retiring in 1999, and he was a member of Porterfield Memorial United Methodist Church. Masters was a past president of the Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 354. Memorials may be sent to Porterfield Memorial United Methodist Church, 2200 Dawson Rd., Albany, GA 31707; American Cancer Society, P.O. 1201, Albany, GA 31702; Lights of Love, P.O. Box 1828, Albany, GA 31702; American Red Cross, Albany Chapter, 500 Pine Avenue, Albany, GA 31701 or to a charity of your choice. Condolences may be sent to the Masters at 6505 Walker-Ducker Sta. Rd., Albany GA 31707.
Leadership Alert page 4 of 4 UPCOMING EVENTS 2nd ANNUAL ST. JUDE BENEFIT ANTIQUE TRACTOR RIDE May 1 Macon County This 20-mile ride is a fundraiser for the St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. Riders will pay a $25 entry fee per tractor. The parade will leave the farm of Charles Hughes located at 3344 South St., Marshallville, Ga. 31057 at 10:30 a.m. The ride will stop for lunch at Yoder’s Deitsch Haus on Hwy. 26 and return back to the Hughes farm by 3 p.m. The public is invited to join the riders for lunch to visit and take a closer look at the tractors. For a small donation, the public can vote for their favorite tractor. Anyone wishing to make a donation to the fundraiser may mail checks made payable to St. Jude Children’s Hospital to Neil Skipper at 107 Gregg Dr. Macon, Ga. 31216. The Bibb County Farm Bureau is also selling $1 raffle tickets for a handmade University of Georgia birdhouse and a handpainted window featuring a beautiful farm scene. Tickets may be purchased individually or six for $5, 12 for $10 or 25 for $20. Checks for the birdhouse raffle tickets can be made out to St. Judes and should be mailed to the Bibb County Farm Bureau at 100 Northside Crossing Macon, GA 31210. All proceeds from the raffle will go to St. Jude’s. Contact Pat Steed at pgsteed@gfb.org for more information about the raffle. For more information contact Neil Skipper at 478-747-2832 or dnskipper64@yahoo.com or call James Emory Tate at 912 375-8367. 2010 PINE TREE FESTIVAL & SOUTHEAST TIMBER EXPO Through May 5 Emanuel Co. Rec Complex Swainsboro This celebration of the timber industry will include chainsaw carving demonstrations, a logging competition and a forestry field day as well as musical performances from Bucky Covington and Jimmy Wayne. For more information, visit www.pinetreefestival.org . 45th ANNUAL GA PECAN GROWERS ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE May 6 Ga National Fairgrounds Perry Event begins at 8 a.m. and runs to 5 p.m. For more information contact Janice Dees via e-mail at georgiapecan@gmail.com or 229-382-2197. PESTICIDE USE, SAFETY AND HANDLING TRAINING May 7 Houston County Cooperative Extension Office Perry Participants can earn five hours of commercial pesticide credit in multiple categories. Course begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m. Cost is $40 and includes course materials. For more information, contact Karen Atkins at atkinsk@uga.edu or 478-987-2028, or visit www.ugaextension.com/Houston. U.S.A. - INDIA BUSINESS SUMMIT May 10 – 11 Cobb Galleria & Conference Center Atlanta The goal of this summit is to promote business and investment between the U.S. and India in key areas of technology, agriculture, healthcare, infrastructure, supply chain, logistics, real estate and investment etc. Special emphasis is to connect entrepreneurs and small-to- medium size businesses. For more details, visit www.usaindiabusinesssummit.com. DEEP SOUTH POULTRY CONFERENCE May 12 UGA Tifton Rural Development Center Tifton This conference provides education programming for poultry producers with emphasis on broiler and breeder management. Contact Claudia Dunkley at (229) 386-3363 or cdunkley@uga.edu. LEGUME MANAGEMENT FIELD DAY May 13 Central Georgia Research and Education Center Eatonton This field day lasts from at 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and will cover forest legume development and use of forest legumes in grazing systems. For more information, visit www.caes.uga.edu/commodities/fieldcrops/forages/events/misc/LegFD10.htm.