The Hoosier Farmer - Issue 44 by Indiana Farm Bureau

U.S. Grain Entrapments

AFBF’s Educational Game Updated Page 3

Danger Down on the Farm Page 5

Non‐fatal

Fatal

17 19

31 10

19 11

Chart information courtesy of Purdue University

INSIDE: News in Brief................ 2 Around Farm Bureau.... 3 Leadership Development... 4 Communication............ 7 Around IFB................... 8

The Hoosier Farmer

A Publication for Voting Members of Indiana Farm Bureau

OCTOBER 7, 2013 Issue No. 44

Fun, philanthropy on the convention schedule —By Mindy Reef Public Relations Team While much of IFB’s state convention is designed with serious work in mind – sharing the kind of information that will improve your farm, your county Farm Bureau or your community – there are activities throughout the event that feature fun, and some offer the chance to contribute to good causes. Cookies and Canvas is a

new activity. Based on the popular Wine and Canvas events, Cookies and Canvas offers participants a chance to recreate a piece of art under the instruction of an artist who gives step-by-step directions. Participants are provided the materials they need to create their version of the selected masterpiece – easel, canvas, paint, brushes and an apron to wear during the process. The Cookies and Canvas

Stallman: Congress must finish a farm bill this year —From the AFBF Information Team The farm bill is an economic stimulus bill that creates jobs and helps small businesses and rural communities every year, according to American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman. Congress can – and must – finish a farm bill this year, Stallman said in remarks presented on Sept. 19 to the Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City. The current farm bill expired Oct. 1. “The only extension Farm Bureau supports is a fiveyear extension that looks a lot like the new farm bill that is working its way through Congress,” Stallman said. Although many political pundits in Washington and around the countryside are skeptical about the odds for passage of a farm bill in 2013, Stallman is optimistic. “I am confident that Congress can pass a five-year farm bill this year,” he said. Touching on another issue Indiana Farm Bureau P.O. Box 1290 Indianapolis, IN 46206

important to Farm Bureau, Stallman said the U.S. will lose billions of dollars in agricultural production to other countries if problems with the current immigration system are not solved. “We need to make it easier for farmers and ranchers to hire the foreign workers they need,” he said. “We need Congress to pass immigration reform now.” Authorization and funding of lock and dam projects is another critical issue on Farm Bureau’s agenda. “More than $20 billion worth of farm exports travel on our inland waterways,” Stallman said. “More and more of those waterways transportation structures are aging, failing or just plain outdated and obsolete,” he concluded. The ABC of Kansas City is an alliance of individuals, businesses and organizations that advocate growth and awareness of the food, fiber, agri-science and related industries in the Kansas City region.

sessions are on Friday, Dec. 13. The first runs from 9-11 a.m.; the second from 2:304:30 p.m. The cost for Cookies and Canvas is $25 and includes art materials and cookies. Sign up is available through the convention registration at www.infarmbureau.org/convention or by calling Tracie Trent, 317-692-7846. Sessions are limited to 50 people. Participants must bring cash or check to their session in the exact amount due; no credit cards are accepted. A condensed trade show will feature booths from IFB’s commodity partners, ag businesses and gifts. The trade show runs Dec. 13, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Dec. 14, 8 a.m.-noon. The State Young Farmer Committee is organizing the silent auction, which will benefit the Feeding America food bank network, inside the trade show area. The committee is taking items from counties to donate to the silent auction; please contact your county president or district Young Farmer representatives if you have an idea or an item to contribute. The committee suggests unique or local food products, framed photos, art, etc., valued at $25-$50. The Fort Wayne Philharmonic’s Holiday Pops,

For the most current information on IFB’s state convention, visit www.infarmbureau.org/convention. featuring contemporary and traditional Christmas and holiday music, is the entertainment option for this year’s convention. Tickets for Farm Bureau members will start at $10, with the opportunity to pay more to get better seats. Proceeds from IFB tickets will benefit Community Harvest Food Bank. The show is Friday, Dec. 13, at 8 p.m. The philharmonic performs at the Embassy Theatre, directly across the street from the convention center. Back into the world of serious work, young farmers (age 35 and under) still have time to sign up for the Discussion

Meet, which begins at 8 a.m. Friday, Dec. 13. Discussion Meet topics, a full set of rules and online registration are available on the IFB website, www.infarmbureau.org, under the “Programs” menu under “Young Farmer” and then “Discussion Meet.” The deadline to sign up is Nov. 1. State convention is Dec. 13-14 at the Grand Wayne Convention Center in Fort Wayne. More information, including a complete schedule, is available on the convention website or by calling Trent. The deadline to reserve a hotel room at the group rate is Nov. 1.

Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage

PAID

Berne, IN Permit NO. 43

The IFB District 2 Young Farmers organized a work day at the farm of Kent and Cheryl Hoffman, Whitley County. Kent was paralyzed in an accident more than a year ago, and Farm Bureau volunteers that included young farmers and board members from Elkhart, DeKalb, Kosciusko, Noble and Whitley counties came out on Sept. 14 to clean up around the barns and also from a remodeling that church members did while Kent was in the hospital. At the far left are Kent, Cheryl and Eric Hoffman. Pictured with them (standing, from left): Mike Hertsel, Travis Adams, Scott Burton, James Kemble, Orville Haney, Tina and Jon Goon and Nichole Smith. Kneeling: George, Sarah and Elizabeth Hertsel and Kevin Ousley. Not pictured are Katy Darr and Susan Lawrence. Photo by John Newsom

NEWS IN BRIEF

Forage production for biomass energy to be showcased at workshop

News Bites —Compiled by Kathleen M. Dutro Public Relations Team

FBNews e-newsletter now published twice a month—FB-

—From the Purdue Ag Communication Service

News, the official e-newsletter of the American Farm Bureau Federation, has transitioned to a twice-monthly publication schedule. Read FBNews online fbnews. fb.org/ or subscribe to the electronic version by clicking on the link at the top of the FBNews website. (AFBF

9/18/13)

#MyFarmBill campaign seeks farmer stories—The Agriculture

Department has launched a social media campaign emphasizing the importance of a comprehensive food, farm and jobs bill. Using the hashtag #MyFarmBill, the campaign encourages individuals and organizations across the country to use social media channels to tell the story of what the farm bill means to them. To kick off the campaign, USDA launched an Instagram account at @USDAgov featuring a 15- second video of Secretary Tom Vilsack putting out a call for stories. The department’s Storify board is being updated daily with #MyFarmBill responses from Instagram, Twitter and Facebook: “Calling Ag Supporters: Share What’s at Stake using #MyFarmBill.” USDA is seeking more people to participate by highlighting how farm bill programs affect the nation’s rural and urban communities. (AFBF

9/20/13)

Farm size, questions on ‘Big Ag’ focus of next Food Dialogues—The U.S.

next Food Dialogues event, which will be held in Boston on Oct. 24. The topic of the Boston event will be “Does Farm Size Really Matter? From environmental stewardship to animal care, are small and big farms that different?” and it will feature a panel of farmers, ranchers and food pundits. The panel will explore farm size and ownership and will address recent attacks on industrial agriculture and food production. USFRA will announce the full-panel line-up in the coming weeks and is inviting speakers from all sides of the topic. USFRA plans to invite farmers – big and small – advocates and consumer brands to the conversation. USFRA will be extending an invitation to Chipotle to participate on the panel. The company recently ignited attention on this topic with its new animated film and video game concepts. For more information on this event, including how to register, visit www.fooddialogues.com. You can also follow USFRA on Twitter (@ USFRA using #FoodD) and check out the Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ usfarmersandranchers. (AFBF

Empowering Women Veterans conference set for Nov. 14-17—The Farm-

er Veteran Coalition invites all women who are veterans, active duty service members or farming with veterans to participate in the 2nd Annual Empowering Women Veterans Conference, Nov. 14-17, in Louisville, Ky. This event will focus on equipping women veterans with the business and farming tools they need to begin and achieve their entrepreneurial goals. Learn more and register online at http://1event.info/ EWVConfrence2013. (AFBF 9/12/13)

Website puts everything GMO-related on the table—

What’s for dinner? Many people around the world want to know far more than just what’s on their plates. They want to know how it got there and who and what was involved. And that “what” often means whether genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are on the menu. To help consumers answer these questions, the agricultural biotechnology companies that develop GM seeds recently launched the GMO Answers website, http://gmoanswers.com/.

Growing plants for fuel in Indiana will be the focus of an Oct. 15 Purdue Extension workshop targeted to those interested in biomass energy production. Biomass energy is the use of organic materials, such as grasses, grains, crop residues or livestock waste that can be converted to a source of fuel. The daylong workshop will focus on grasses that can be grown on land that isn’t well suited for row-crop production. About 15 percent of Indiana’s arable soil is considered marginal for corn and soybean production, said Chad Martin, Purdue Extension renewable energy specialist. “These less productive soils can be used for bioenergy grass production.” The workshop will be split into two sessions. The morning program will give participants an opportunity to see engines that run on alternative fuels at Caterpillar Inc., 3701 state Route 26 E., Lafayette. The session will include presentations by energy professionals and a facilities tour. To register for the morning session, contact Martin at martin95@purdue.edu by Oct. 7 (which is the day many readers of The Hoosier Farmer are slated to receive this issue).

Read more about GMO Answers and its mission on the FBNews website, fbnews. fb.org. (AFBF 9/12/13)

Ag and food statistics: Charting the essentials—USDA re-

Farmers & Ranchers Alliance will address the differences and similarities between large and small farms at its

9/16/13)

Administrative/Finance Team

Legal Affairs Team

Public Relations Team

Regional Managers

President...................................... Don Villwock Vice President.................................Randy Kron Second Vice President................. Isabella Chism Chief Operating Officer/Treasurer....Mark Sigler Receptionist...................................... Kim Duke General Fund Accountant.............. Tiffanie Ellis Office Manager & Meeting Planner.Kay Keown Controller.......................................Elaine Rueff Administrative Assistant....................Jill Shanley Executive Secretary..................... Beverly Thorpe

Director & General Counsel ...Mark Thornburg Staff Attorney ........................Sara MacLaughlin Legal Assistant........................... Maria Spellman

Director & Editor .......................Andy Dietrick Web Designer/Developer..............Diane Brewer Administrative Assistant...................Charla Buis Publications Managing Editor & Media Relations Specialist...... Kathleen Dutro Marketing & PR Specialist.............. Mindy Reef

Wayne Belden (1 & 3) Greg Bohlander (6) Jennifer Chandler Gish (9) Andrew Cleveland (4 & 6) Janice Deno (3) Seth Harden (7 & 9) Amy Hutson (5) Susan Lawrence (2) Chancey May (10) John Newsom (1 & 2) Kermit Paris (8) Keegan Poe (5 & 8) Brad Ponsler (10) E.B. Rawles (7) Allie Rieth (4)

District Directors Larry Jernas (1) Kerry Goshert (2) Kevin Underwood (3) Steve Maple (4) Dave Wyeth (5)

Scott Trennepohl (6) Jeff Gormong (7) Mark Bacon (8) Philip Springstun (9) Robert Schickel (10)

Indiana Agricultural Law Foundation

Public Policy Team Director........................................ Megan Ritter Policy Development & Industry Relations.........................Bob Cherry National Government Relations Policy Advisor................. Kyle Cline State Government Relations Policy Advisor & Counsel..........Amy Cornell Administrative Assistant .................... B.J. Fields State Government Relations Director...................................... Katrina Hall Administrative Assistant .............Wanda Hunter Senior Policy Advisor & Counsel..................................Justin Schneider Livestock Development Specialist... Greg Slipher Direct Retail Business Specialist........Bob White

Organizational Development Team Director............................................... Kim Vail Field Services Program Director.....Chris Fenner Program Assistant.......................Kathryn Rogers Education Coordinator.................... Julie Taylor Member Services Coordinator...........Anna Todd Administrative Assistant.................. Tracie Trent Young Farmer & Women’s Program Coordinator................... Meggie Foster

cently released a collection of charts and maps (www. ers.usda.gov/essentials) pre-

Indiana Farm Bureau Inc./ Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance Director of Affiliate Relations..... Julie Volbers-Klarich

The afternoon session will focus specifically on plants that can be grown for biomass energy production. It will run 1:30-4:30 p.m. at the Throckmorton-Purdue Agricultural Center, 8343 U.S. 231, Lafayette. “The grasses we’re focusing on are big bluestem, Indiangrass and switchgrass, which are all native, warmseason perennial grasses,” said Keith Johnson, Purdue Extension forage specialist. “Non-native grasses that a core group of researchers are looking at include Miscanthus and sorghum.” Register in advance for the afternoon session by contacting Lisa Green at lgreen06@purdue.edu or 765-494-4783. Johnson and Martin are part of a multistate working group called cenUSA Bioenergy that is researching ways to create a sustainable biofuels system for the central United States. Purdue University is one of the eight institutions involved in the effort, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. More information can be found at www. cenusa.iastate.edu/. CenUSA, Caterpillar Inc. and Purdue Extension are sponsoring the workshop. Research is supported by the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Energy.

senting key statistics on the farm sector, food spending and prices, food security, rural communities, natural resources and more. Visit the Rural Community Building Blog for more information and additional resources Farm Bureaus can use to help improve the quality of life in rural communities. (AFBF 9/23/13) Address Letters & Questions To: Indiana Farm Bureau Inc. Box 1290, Indianapolis, IN 46206-1290. Phone: 1-800-327-6287 or (317) 692-7776 E-Mail Address: askus@infarmbureau.org Duplicate Magazines If you are receiving more than one copy of The Hoosier Farmer®, please cut out both labels and return them to the address above. Magazine Design and Layout Davis Graphic Design www.davisgraphics.com The Hoosier Farmer® is published 14 times per year by Indiana Farm Bureau Inc., P.O. Box 1290, Indianapolis, IN 46206, and is furnished as a service to voting members and others. Controlled circulation. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Hoosier Farmer® P.O. Box 1290 Indianapolis, IN 46206-1290. Copyright 2013. All rights reserved.

Director..................... John Shoup

October 7, 2013

www.thehoosierfarmer.com

AROUND FARM BUREAU

AFBF updates online educational game —By the AFBF Information Team & Kathleen M. Dutro IFB Public Relations Team “My American Farm,” an educational game platform launched nearly three years ago by the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture, recently has been updated in several different ways in an effort to make the game more attractive to kids and more useful to educators. Its goal is to engage prekindergarteners through fifth graders in the discovery of relevant agricultural issues. Today the free site offers 17 agriculturally-themed games and more than 100 free educator resources such as lesson plans, activity sheets and comics. Among the recent additions: Updated kiosk program: The kiosk program is a free, offline version of the educational game site. It has become a popular resource to help educate about agriculture at fairs, expositions and children’s museums. The new version of the kiosk program can be downloaded at www.myamericanfarm. org. Among the games offered are enhanced versions of “Let’s Make Something

Tasty” and “Ag Spin ‘N Solve.” There is also an updated feature that will allow kiosk computers to be notified when future updates are available. New, updated games: A game designed specifically for pre-kindergarteners called “Load the Lunchbox” helps young learners connect the food in their lunchboxes to the farmers who produce it. Learners meet Farmer Luis who takes them on a trip to farms across the nation. At each stop, learners race to swipe the screen and harvest all of the nutritious food on the farm. Once harvested, learners earn a related item to add to their lunchbox. Accompanying the game is a new e-comic “Teaching Winter Wheat” that allows players to join Benjamin P. Farmington as he visits a wheat farm throughout the year to learn about how wheat is planted, grown, harvested, stored and processed. A new version of the popular game “Ag Spin ‘N Solve” has been launched. In this enhanced version, users pick from a variety of agricultural categories before spinning the prize wheel and solving a word puzzle. New subject areas and terms have been add-

ed to the game to help learners increase their understanding of the science and technology involved in agriculture. Two additional games will be released later this year. Tablet app: A new app that makes “My American Farm” accessible to tablet devices is now available for free download on iTunes and Google Play. The app features five games from “My American Farm” – “In My Barn,” “My Little Ag Me,” “Equipment Engineer,” “Farmer’s Market Challenge and “Ag Across America.” App users are rewarded with a virtual sticker after successfully completing each game. Stickers can be dragged and dropped onto a virtual passport, allowing users to track their progress. New resources have also been developed to provide guidance for using the app in a traditional or non-traditional setting. A formal lesson plan for classroom instruction, as well as tips and tricks for suggested integration in a variety of settings will be available at www.myamericanfarm.org/games.

Colorado Farm Bureau establishes disaster fund to aid farmers and ranchers impacted by flooding

The “My American Farm” educational resource is a special project of the foundation. The site and resources are made possible through the generous support of title sponsor, DuPont Pioneer. To take advantage of the free “My American Farm” resources, games and activities, visit www.myamericanfarm.org.

Oct. 15 is deadline for Farm Bureau photo contest

—From the Colorado Farm Bureau Colorado Farm Bureau has set up a disaster fund to aid farmers and ranchers directly impacted by the recent flooding in northeast Colorado. One hundred percent of the funds will go directly to aiding these producers as they face the aftermath of this disaster. This flooding has led to a large impact within the agricultural industry within these areas, including damaged fields, stranded livestock, damaged facilities and infrastructure, including roadways and waterways. “We want to aid our state’s farmers and ranchers in any way that we can, and we offer our support to those who affected by this natural disaster,” said CFB President Don Shawcroft. Gov. John Hickenlooper signed an executive order on Sept. 13 declaring a disaster emergency due to the flooding affecting 14 counties:

www.thehoosierfarmer.com

—By Kathleen M. Dutro Public Relations Team

Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Boulder, Denver, El Paso, Fremont, Jefferson, Larimer, Logan, Morgan, Pueblo, Washington and Weld. The order authorizes $6 million for the disaster emergency fund from the general fund to pay for flood response and recovery. For more information on how to donate and aid these producers, or to make a

donation online, visit coloradofarmbureau.com/disasterfund/. Checks payable to the Colorado Farm Bureau Foundation can be sent to: Colorado Farm Bureau Foundation Attn: Disaster Fund 9177 E. Mineral Circle Centennial, CO 80112 Please note “Disaster Fund – Colorado Floods” in the memo line on the check.

Submissions to the 2013 photo contest sponsored by the American Farm Bureau Federation and the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture will be accepted until Oct. 15. The contest is open to all county and state Farm Bureau members and staff. Contest categories are: “Sharing the Story,” “Working on the Farm or Ranch,” and “My Scenic Farm or Ranch.” Special awards will be presented for “Animal Care,” “Safety” and “Farm Bureau Proud.” Three “Best in

Show” awards will also be selected. The purpose of the context is to help Farm Bureau obtain usable and appropriate photos which accurately portray today’s agriculture and safe practices of farmers and ranchers for future publications and promotions. In addition to monetary prizes, all winning photos will be featured on AFBF websites, via social media and during the AFBF Annual Convention in January 2014. For full contest details and to enter, visit AFBF’s website, www.fb.org. The link can be found in the “slide show” (the rotating series of photos) on the website’s front page.

October 7, 2013

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

The 2013 Leaders in Action class traveled to Washington, D.C., Sept. 9-11. This photo was taken on the roof of the building the American Farm Bureau Federation is housed in. From left to right: Jennifer Gish, IFB regional manager; Matt Turner, Gibson County; Sarah Jordan, Ripley County; Bruce Ungethiem, Vanderburgh County; Miranda Ulery, Harrison County; Kyle Cline, IFB government relations staff; Eric Lindauer, Spencer County; C.J. Fleenor, Orange County; Matt Schenk, Posey County; Megan Ritter, IFB government relations staff; Michael Baird, Washington County; Carla Schenk, Posey County; Deidra Gottbrath, Washington County; Chris Fenner, IFB staff; Luke Naville, Floyd County and Seth Harden, IFB staff.

Leaders in Action IFB’s leadership development program now accepting applications

LiA program members who are constituents of Rep. Larry Bucshon met in his office to talk about the farm bill, ag labor and water infrastructure. From left, Megan Ritter (from behind), Matt Turner, Eric Lindauer and Matt Schenk listen as Bucshon (center) shares his views on those Farm Bureau issues.

—Story & Photos By Mindy Reef Public Relations Team The application for period is open for the 2014 class of Leaders in Action, IFB’s leadership development program. The program is for individuals who want to enhance their leadership skills, specifically becoming more effective at the local, state or national levels in both volunteer and elected positions. The first two meetings for the 2014 program are in northern Indiana, though participants may come from anywhere in the state. • Session 1: Engaging Local Government Saturday, Feb. 22, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. EST Fulton County area (exact location TBD) • Session 2: Self-Leadership Saturday, April 12, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. EDT St. Joseph County area (exact location TBD) • Session 3: Communications Saturday, May 31, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. EDT Indiana Farm Bureau home office • Session 4: Farm Bureau History and Opportunities Friday/Saturday, Aug. 8-9, 6:30 p.m. – 4 p.m. EDT Indiana Farm Bureau home office • Session 5: Washington, D.C., trip, Sept. 8-10 Applications must be submitted by Dec. 2. Space is limited and acceptance will be based on application review. The cost is $200 per person for Farm Bureau members and $250 per person for non-members. Hotel rooms are provided only when meeting in Indianapolis and in Washington, D.C. Some meals in D.C. will not be covered. Some county Farm Bureaus may choose to pay for participants. For more information, contact your regional manager or Julie Volbers-Klarich, 317-692-8011, jvolbers-klarich@infarmbureau.org. Applications and additional information are also available online at www.infarmbureau.org under the “Programs” menu.

October 7, 2013

LiA members spent their first day in Washington at the AFBF offices learning about issues. Cody Lyon (at podium), AFBF’s director of grassroots/political advocacy, led an exercise on a fictional bill that would offer free meals once a month to taxpayers. Matt Turner (left) sponsored the bill; Michael Baird, Sarah Jordan and Deidra Gottbrath served on the committee. The exercise shows how a bill can change from its introduction to its passage (or failure).

Senators Joe Donnelly and Dan Coats both met with the LiA program class. Above, Donnelly shares his insights on the Senate version of the farm bill and what he thinks it will take for the House to get a bill passed.

www.thehoosierfarmer.com

FARM SAFETY —Stories by Kathleen M. Dutro Public Relations Team

It can be dangerous down on the farm

Grain storage safety training for young workers offered by Purdue Purdue University has been studying the tragedies that occur at U.S. grain storage and handling facilities – entrapment, engulfment, entanglement, asphyxiation and falls – for about 25 years, and researchers have spotted a disturbing trend in the 1,500 cases they’ve examined during that time. About one in every five victims of serious accidents at grain storage and handling facilities is someone under age 21 said Purdue Extension safety specialist Bill Field. “And the peak years are 11 and 12,” he added. “The primary cause of these tragic events has been the lack of awareness of basic hazards associated with storage and handling of grain and failure to comply with safe grain-handling practices,” said Purdue farm rescue instructor Steve Wettschurack. Adults sometimes assume that a young person knows more about the dangers of flowing grain than he actually does. “That’s a bad assumption

to make,” Field explained. Purdue would like to change that, and one of the ways it’s doing so is by sponsoring one-day workshops on “Safe Grain Storage and Handling for Youth and Beginning Workers.” Two of the workshops were held before this issue of The Hoosier Farmer was published, but one is still upcoming and more could be scheduled if there is enough demand, Field said. The next scheduled workshop will be held Oct. 16 at the FFA Leadership Center in Trafalgar, Ind. Training will begin at 9 a.m. and end at 3 p.m. Participants in the workshops will learn the importance of the grain industry and career opportunities. Topics to be discussed include primary hazards associated with grain storage and handling, common ways workers become entrapped in flowing grain, basic safety practices, types of personal protective equipment, rights of workers under the provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Adminis-

4 1

79 1

23 1

125

6 9 8

Incidents in 2012

1 1

20 1 5

90 142 6 1

19 3

1 1 1

Total Number of Incidents

Distribution of grain entrapment cases across the United States.

tration, and steps to take in the event of an emergency. Sponsors of the training are Purdue’s Agricultural Safety and Health Program, U.S. Department of Labor/ OSHA Susan Hardwood Grant, Indiana Rural Safety and Health Council, Brock Manufacturing and Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance.

There is no cost to attend, but advance registration is required. Basic personal protective equipment and lunch will be provided. To register or for more information, contact Wettschurack at 765-714-4557 or swettsch@purdue.edu. “We have additional funding,” Field said. Those

interested in scheduling other workshops should call or write Field at 765-494-1191, field@purdue.edu; or Wettschurack at 765-714-4557, swettsch@purdue.edu. Materials are also available online, Field said, at www.grainsafety.us and www.grainquality.org.

Number of farm fatalities increases by 63%

www.thehoosierfarmer.com

No. of tractor-related fatalities

No. of all farm fatalities

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

Year

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

Indiana Farm Fatalities vs. Tractor Fatalities 1994‐2012

No. of all farm fatalities

No. of tractor‐related fatalities

25 15 20

Tractor‐related fatalities

“most frequently identified agent of injury” during 2012. Ages of the victims range from 2 to 79. You can find a link to the full report at The Hoosier Farmer’s website, www. thehoosierfarmer.com, or at the Indiana Rural Safety and Health Council’s website, https://engineering.purdue. edu/~agsafety/IRSHC/.

with a substantial proportion occurring on farms with 10 or fewer employees. “The number of farmrelated fatalities,” the Purdue study said, “regardless of the definition used, continues to represent a disproportionate share of the state’s workplace fatalities.” Incidents involving tractors – rollovers, falls, and collisions – remained the

All farm fatalities

Last year was “not a very good year” for farm families and farm workers when it comes to farm-related injuries and fatalities, according to a study released by Purdue on Sept. 17. “The 26 fatalities documented during 2012 was a 63 percent increase over the 16 cases documented in 2011,” the study says. “This increase represents a dramatic reversal in the downward trend in the frequency of fatalities over the past four years.” The 16 cases in 2011 were the second lowest total ever recorded. The lowest total recorded was in 2006, when only 8 fatalities were recorded. But there was some good news in 2012: “The 26 cases were, however, only about half the 54 documented in 1980, the peak year over the last four decades.” However you look at it, though, agriculture remains a dangerous way to make a living. Data from the Indiana Department of Labor, which uses a narrower definition of “farm workplace fatality,” shows that 16.8 percent of Indiana occupational fatalities between 2003 and 2010 occurred in the ag sector,

10 5 5

Chart information courtesy of Purdue University

U.S. Grain Entrapments 60

Non‐fatal

Fatal

17 19

31 10

19 11

Chart information courtesy of Purdue University

October 7, 2013

RULES & REGS

Court’s Chesapeake Bay decision deals a blow to AFBF, farmers nationwide —By the AFBF Information Team A federal district court’s recent decision upholding EPA’s total maximum daily load, or TMDL, for the Chesapeake Bay wrongly puts federal agency staff in charge of intensely local land use decisions, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. AFBF and other groups challenged the TMDL as an unlawful overreach of EPA’s power under the Clean Water Act and as based on faulty science and inadequate opportunity for public comment. “We believe the ruling is incorrect and has huge implications for farmers and many others in the Chesapeake Bay area and nationwide,” said AFBF President Bob Stallman. Those implications include EPA’s power to tell a farmer he can’t work the land anymore. And it isn’t only farmers and ranchers who could find themselves in EPA’s crosshairs. The TMDL affects towns, homebuilders, forest landowners and anyone else

whose activities may result in nutrient or sediment runoff across the bay’s 64,000-mile watershed. According to a brief AFBF filed in the case, TMDLs are required by the Clean Water Act as “informational tools” to help states reduce pollution in impaired waters. A TMDL provides a total “cap” on pollutant loads into a body of water, and states are then charged with working toward achieving the goals set out in the TMDL. The Chesapeake Bay TMDL imposed caps on nitrogen, phosphorous and sediment reaching the bay. AFBF argued, however, that EPA’s TMDL didn’t just set a “total” load, it went much further and told states how to divide or “allocate” that load among farms, towns, homeowners, and businesses throughout the entire watershed flowing to the Bay and all of its tributaries. AFBF argued those “allocations” exceed the power Congress granted to EPA. “This plan directly encroaches on state authority over land and water quality planning – not only in

states bordering the bay, but in states hundreds of miles away,” the brief charged. “With the authority EPA has asserted in the (Chesapeake) Bay TMDL, there’s nothing to stop EPA from going farm-to-farm across the countryside, setting ‘allocations’ that restrict or even prevent farming,” said Ellen Steen, AFBF general counsel. “Congress required that state and local authorities – not EPA – would have authority over local land use and farming in particular. People at the local and state levels understand the local issues and the local economies,” said Steen. “They take to heart – far more than an EPA bureaucrat would – the impact these decisions will have on local economies and rural communities.” In regard to the ruling, Stallman emphasized that the lawsuit is not about how farmers and ranchers care for the land and water, but about the limited authority Congress gave EPA to regulate local land use decisions. “Win or lose in this lawsuit, farmers care deeply

AFBF objects to inflammatory attacks in privacy suit —By the AFBF Information Team The American Farm Bureau Federation has responded to the inflammatory tactics of three environmental activist organizations who have asked to intervene in AFBF’s recent privacy lawsuit against

the Environmental Protection Agency. AFBF’s suit in federal court in Minnesota seeks to protect farmers’ and ranchers’ personal information from disclosure by EPA under the Freedom of Information Act. While AFBF did not oppose the groups’ request to intervene in the case, it

filed a response objecting to the false accusations about poultry and livestock farmers. AFBF also objected to the groups’ efforts to detract the court’s attention from the important privacy questions presented in the case. “Instead of addressing important issues of whether

The assembly halls at the IFB home office in Indianapolis were filled to capacity for the Aug. 28 Drainage School. More than 130 farmers, public officials, agency personnel, attorneys and members of the general public attended the annual seminar that promotes an understanding of the laws and regulations that control drainage of land in Indiana. The event is sponsored by Indiana Farm Bureau. Photo by Andy Dietrick

October 7, 2013

about our natural environment and want to do our part to improve water quality. But Congress did not authorize EPA to dictate how farmers, builders, homeowners, and towns would share the responsibility of achieving clean water,” Stallman said. AFBF and its allies in this case – which include Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, the Fertilizer Institute, National Pork Producers Council, National Corn Growers Associa-

tion, U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, National Chicken Council, National Turkey Federation and the National Association of Home Builders – are reviewing the decision and will likely appeal, according to Stallman. “We wouldn’t have filed this lawsuit if we weren’t prepared to go the distance,” said Steen. “This isn’t the first district court to get it wrong. That’s why we have appellate courts.”

farmers and ranchers are entitled to the same privacy protections for their homes that other citizens enjoy, these groups are trying to make this case into a referendum on whether livestock and poultry farmers are adequately regulated under the Clean Water Act,” said AFBF President Bob Stallman. “Their brief is filled with exaggeration and fabrication about how livestock and poultry farmers operate their farms and how they are regulated. Those statements have nothing to do with this case and are purely an effort to vilify family farmers in the court and in the press.” “They have really put forth in their motion very inflammatory and exaggerated statements about how livestock and poultry farmers operate their farms,” said American Farm Bureau attorney Danielle Quist. “They are simply false statements and they have nothing to do with this lawsuit. This is not a lawsuit or a referendum about wheth-

er or not farmers and ranchers are following the Clean Water Act or whether EPA is properly enforcing it. This is a case about privacy.” AFBF filed suit in July to stop EPA from publicly releasing personal information about hundreds of individual farmers and ranchers and their families. The organization is asking the court to clarify EPA’s obligation to keep personal information about citizens private when responding to Freedom of Information Act requests. The protection of information such as farmers’ and ranchers’ names, home addresses and GPS coordinates, phone numbers and email addresses is at stake. Co-plaintiff National Pork Producers Council joined AFBF in its response to the court. For a podcast on this issue, visit AFBF’s website, www. fb.org, and under the “Newsroom” tab, click on “Newsline.”

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COMMUNICATION

Ag outreach has come a long way in a short time —By Andy Dietrick Public Relations Team A few days after I started working at IFB, just about five years ago, Proposition 2 was overwhelmingly passed by voters in California. If you remember, Prop 2 dictated cage size for all egg-laying operations in that state. The new law was not the result of a policy debate with reasoned testimony or a science-based husbandry recommendation. It was passed by voters (consumers), most of whom had little or no knowledge about what they were voting on. Prop 2 was a tipping point and a wake-up call for agriculture. There is a steady stream of attacks on and campaigns against today’s agriculture. Some are national, professional and targeted (ethanol, antibiotics, pesticides, animal rights, GMO). Others leverage national issues to differentiate specific products (Whole Foods, Panera, Chipotle, organics/natural). And some disputes are strictly local, like ag zoning and livestock permitting. There is never a shortage of controversy, and that won’t change. But what has

changed is how agriculture responds, and a lot has happened since Prop 2 passed. First is the fundamental recognition that consumers matter. Even in states without ballot initiatives, informed (or misinformed) consumers impact public policy and drive markets. The second is an understanding that consumers don’t want to be lectured or “educated.” They simply want information about today’s agriculture and some degree of transparency in the food system. These are findings from ongoing “consumer trust” research conducted by the Center for Food Integrity and others. Based on that research a number of consumer outreach coalitions have been formed in the last few years. The U.S Farmers and Ranchers Alliance, GMO Answers and Common Ground are national examples. Indiana’s Family of Farmers, Illinois Farm Families and Ohio Proud are just three of the many state initiatives. Coalitions are an important consumer interface, but in the social media channels where most consumer ques-

AFBF endorses house waterways bill —From the AFBF Information Team The House version of a bill to update the nation’s marine infrastructure will help America’s farmers and ranchers compete in global markets, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. Repairs, construction and upgrades to America’s waterways and marine transportation system will help ensure the reliability of the nation’s most affordable, energy efficient and environmentally sustainable mode of transporting agricultural products, AFBF said. H.R. 3080, the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2013, will help modernize the lock and dam infrastructure on the inland waterways system while also making necessary investments in the nation’s shipping ports. It was introduced by Reps. Bill Shuster, R-Pa., Nick Rahall, D-W. Va., Bob Gibbs, R-Ohio, and Timothy Bishop, D-N.Y “Farm Bureau believes having an efficient and reliable inland waterway system linked to competitive ports

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is vital to America’s ability to provide affordable agricultural products domestically and to compete internationally,” said AFBF President Bob Stallman in a letter to the four members of Congress. “Given their ability to move large amounts of cargo, the nation’s inland waterways are a strategic, economic and military resource.” According to Stallman, 41 states, including all states east of the Mississippi River and 16 state capitals, are served by commercially navigable waterways. More than 60 percent of America’s grain exports and many other important commodities such as fuel, coal and agricultural inputs also move through our inland waterway system. “Due to this importance, Farm Bureau policy explicitly supports the maintenance and improvement of our transportation infrastructure including the lock and dam system and other vital waterway infrastructure,” Stallman said. “We will encourage other members of Congress to support you in this effort.”

tions are asked and antiag campaigns are waged, personal connections and engagement are the key. IFB didn’t squash Panera’s questionable online campaign that characterized livestock farmers who administer antibiotics as “lazy.” It was the hundreds of actual farmers and ranchers who voiced their personal disappointment on Panera’s Facebook page who killed the campaign. When Chipotle created a futuristic computer generated world (complete with online game) where conventional agriculture was blamed for destroying the landscape and food system, no single national group gave the industry response. It was the thousands of Facebook comments/shares and hundreds of blog posts (many with pictures of how farms look in the real world) that brought balance to the

online discussion. Chipotle management tried to explain “The Scarecrow” away as an educational piece, but the real learning was provided by hundreds of farmers who shared stories, photos and videos about how they farm. Five years sounds like a long time. But agriculture is a large industry, with many sectors, levels and policy differences. Getting everyone engaged with the same “farm voice” in places where we’re not always comfortable has taken a few years. The first Facebook comment is always the hardest; the first Tweet sounds the silliest. As we all get better at it our voice will get louder and the message more clear. But agriculture is getting there, thanks to the literally millions of personal and virtual consumer touches that are taking place. Much has been accomplished, and there is much more to do.

But I am amazed at how quickly this leviathan of an industry has responded, at how quickly so many of you have added your voice to the food/farm conversation. We at IFB thank you for helping to bring balance to what has for far too long been an anti-agriculture monologue.

Who’s Who at Indiana Farm Bureau Meggie Foster, Young Farmer/ Women’s Program coordinator —By Mindy Reef Public Relations Team New Young Farmer and Women’s Program Coordinator Meggie Foster may not have come from a Farm Bureau family, but she’s spent enough time with the organization in the last several years to feel like it’s always been part of her life. In the nine years since her first exposure to the Farm Bureau – as an intern for the public relations team – she’s spent time on the Hancock County board and was selected for the State Young Farmer Committee. She plans to use those first-hand experiences to motivate members around Indiana. “I have enjoyed serving as a volunteer for the past several years, so I think I’m most looking forward to working with Farm Bureau volunteers across the state,” she said. “I hope to lift up and recognize our outstanding young farmers and women in agriculture and encourage the next generation to serve in a more active leadership role within our organization.” Her positive experience on the staff side of Indiana Farm Bureau in the summer of 2004 was another reason to apply for the job. “I now find myself back in the home office in Indianap-

Meggie Foster with her husband, Dallas, and daughters Ruby and Reagan. Photo courtesy of the Foster family

olis and it couldn’t feel more like home to me,” she said. In her new role, she’ll spend time providing resources and guiding the county Young Farmer and county woman leader programs. She also will work with the State Young Farmer Committee and the Women’s Leadership Committee, organizing their events, awards and other activities. Immediately prior to joining IFB, she served as associate editor at Farm World Newspaper in Knightstown, Ind., where she compiled weekly articles and photography, edited content, managed digital and social media content and paginated the newspaper each week. She also coordinated a farm writers’ conference, the MidCountry Media Writ-

ers’ Conference, beginning in 2011. Before Farm World, she spent two years as a communications specialist for the Indiana State Department of Agriculture. Originally from a dairy farm in central Ohio, Foster now lives on a farm near Greenfield with her husband, Dallas, and two daughters, Reagan, 3, and Ruby, 5 months. She holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural communication with a minor in animal science from Purdue. In her spare time, she enjoys being with her family, traveling, showing registered Jersey dairy cattle, blogging (find her at www.hoosierfarmbabe.com) and riding horses.

October 7, 2013

affordable Medicare Supplement plans.

N E IFB and MHI – oneTyear later W O R K S

One year after the launch of a partnership that makes Medicare supplements available to Indiana Farm Bureau members, hundreds of members are now enjoying considerable monthly savings. Through an agreement with a sister Farm Bureau company, IFB continues to make it easy for members and prospective members to save money on Medicare supplements. “We have been extremely pleased with this partnership,” said IFB President Don Villwock. “It has done exactly what we had hoped it would when we began the program last year. As I said then, last August when we launched it, our members who are eligible for Medicare definitely owe it to themselves to make a quick call and see how this program can benefit them.” Today, more than 475 IFB members have a Medicare Supplement plan – which pays what Medicare doesn’t pay for seniors – issued through this partnership with Members Health Insurance Company. MHI is a health

company affiliated with the largest Farm Bureau in the nation, the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation. Contracts have been issued to IFB members in almost all of Indiana’s 92 counties. Also, another tremendous benefit of the program is that it generates new members for IFB. To date, at least 70 new Farm Bureau memberships have been generated through the program. “It truly has been a winwin arrangement for all of us,” explained Villwock. “We really wanted to find something that could help our members with their health care costs, and this program is certainly doing that for our senior members. And at the same time, it is introducing the Farm Bureau to Indiana residents who haven’t had a relationship with us in the past.” With the upcoming Medicare open enrollment period, slated for Oct. 15Dec. 7, many other Indiana residents will have the same opportunity to take advantage of this relatively new

AROUND IFB

CDC: Antibiotic overuse threat ‘urgent’ —From the AFBF Information Team

IFB-MHI partnership. “Though the Medicare market, especially if someone is new to Medicare, can be somewhat overwhelming, we can make the process as easy as possible,” said Anthony Kimbrough, CEO of Members Health Insurance. “Just give one of our customer service specialists five minutes of your time, and they can help you walk through the process, answer your questions, and most likely tell you how much money you can save with one of our Medicare Supplement plans. These are the same specialists who talk daily with our Tennessee Farm Bureau members, so they understand how we expect our members to be treated.” Call MHI toll-free at 1-888-708-0123, and you can also visit the website at www.mhinsurance.com.

Larry Stouffer (center) of Wabash, Ind., a voting member since 1969, is the winner of free popcorn for a year, courtesy of Indiana Farm Bureau and Preferred Popcorn of Palmyra, Ind. Stouffer won the popcorn by entering the drawing held at the Farm Bureau building during the Indiana State Fair. He is shown with IFB regional manager Allie Rieth and Wabash County Farm Bureau President Phil Dale. Preferred Popcorn has for three years donated popcorn for this drawing as well as the popcorn IFB pops and distributes during the 17 days of the Indiana State Fair. Although the company is headquartered in Palymra, which is in Harrison County, it has growers all over the state, and one of its largest growers is actually a near-neighbor to the Stouffers. Photo by Kathleen M. Dutro

Calendar of Events October 23, 24 November 1 7, 8 12 13 18 19 26

October 7, 2013

Joint meeting, Indiana Farm Bureau Board of Directors and Women’s Leadership Committee. Indiana Cooperative Summit, IFB Home Office. IFB Campaign Management School, IFB Home Office. District 9 fall meeting, Crawford County Fairgrounds. IFB Women’s Leadership Committee meeting. District 3 fall meeting. District 4 achievement awards dinner, Taylor University. District 3 fall meeting.

The overuse of antibiotics has caused three kinds of bacteria to become urgent threats to health in the United States, federal officials said in a landmark report issued Sept. 16. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, Antibiotic Resistance Threats in the United States, 2013, is the first to categorize the threat of such germs, from “urgent” to “serious” to “concerning.” It is also the first to quantify the toll of “superbugs,” which cause at least 2 million infections and 23,000 deaths each year. “It’s not too late” to respond, rein in the infections

and keep antibiotics working by reserving them for when they are truly needed, but several steps must be taken right away, CDC Director Tom Frieden said. Analysis of the report by American Farm Bureau Federation staff indicates that contrary to the claims of activist groups and many national media outlets, the report contains only six mentions of animal use with no new information. The largest antibiotic resistance threats are not connected to the use of antibiotics to keep food animals healthy. The full report can be found on the CDC’s website at www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/threat-report-2013/.

MEMBER BENEFIT

Effective immediately and continuing through April 1, 2014: Chevrolet and GMC are offering exclusively to Farm Bureau members in participating GM states an additional $1,000 incentive on the acquisition of any new 2013 and 2014 regular cab, heavy-duty (2500/3500 series) trucks. This is in addition to the standard $500 Farm Bureau members’ incentive for a total of

$1,500

Stackable with all retail promotion

Visit Indiana Farm Bureau’s website at www.itpaystobeamember.org for a complete listing of member benefits and services. www.thehoosierfarmer.com