03/05/2012

S P E C I A L

R E P O R T

‘The Social Farmwork’

Farmers and ranchers turn to social networks and blogging to connect with consumers | 4 March 5, 2012 Vol. 91

‘Missouri flooding’

Recovery, levee repair, flood protection top concerns | 3

‘Harvest for All’ Farmers and ranchers donate to hunger-relief program | 7

FCC revokes LightSquared waiver

No. 4 fbnews.org

Farmers, ranchers cheer wins in property rights, environmental regulation cases In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court last month settled the dispute over ownership of streambeds and stream banks, ruling that landowners, not the government, are the rightful owners.

American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman said farmers and ranchers prevailed with the Supreme Court’s ruling in favor of landowner property rights in the case of PPL v.

Montana.

“This decision also helps en-

sure that farmers and ranchers will not have to pay government for the use of land or water from streambeds that run alongside or through their property,” Stallman said. “This week’s decision is a win for Farm Bureau members, farmers and ranchers nationwide and all private property owners.”

The American Farm Bureau Federation filed a friend-of-the-court brief along with the Montana Farm Bureau in the case. Colorado Farm Bureau and Utah Farm Bu-

reau also filed briefs in the case in support of the petitioning landowners.

PPL v. Montana reversed a Montana Supreme Court decision that granted the state title to riverbeds long believed to be held by private property owners, such as the riverbeds and land on which the PPL power company operated hydro-electric dams. The state also attempted to charge PPL for Wins Continued on Page 3

‘Zest ‘n Zing’ cooking contest spices up Food Check-Out Week observation

Following the release of a government report showing that LightSquared’s plans to establish a nationwide broadband network throughout rural America would interfere with GPS receivers, the Federal Communications Commission last month proposed revoking a conditional waiver granted to the broadband company in January 2011.

Continued on Page 3

photo courtesy of Kathleen Dutro, Indiana Farm Bureau

The AFB Women’s Leadership Committee presented food and monetary donations to the Ronald McDonald House of Indiana.

(L to R) Angela Ryden, Colorado; Isabella Chism, Indiana; Ethel Nash, West Virginia; Beth Johnson, executive director, Ronald McDonald House; Ginny Paarlberg, Florida; Helen Norris, Kansas; Chair Terry Gilbert, Kentucky; Vice Chair Sherry Saylor, Arizona; Lillian Ostendorf, Montana; Denise Hymel, Louisiana; and Beth Pool, New Jersey.

n e w s p a p e r

By Cyndie Sirekis Farmer and rancher members of many local Farm Bureaus across the U.S. used the official theme of Food Check-Out Week 2012— “Stretching Your Grocery Dollar With Healthy, Nutritious Food”— as a jumping off point for conversations with consumers about how to cut costs while putting nutritious meals on the table for their families.

On the national level, the AFB Women’s Leadership Committee partnered with Indiana Farm Bureau to pilot Zest ‘n Zing: A Foodie Event for the At-Home Chef. The event, which was sponsored by AFBF, Indiana Farm Bu-

reau, Syngenta and Farm Credit Services, was held in downtown Indianapolis at the Eugene and Marilyn Glick History Center.

“A real concern during these difficult economic times is that consumers will turn to less-nutritious foods that lack essential vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients,” said Terry Gilbert, a Kentucky farmer and chair of the AFB Women’s Leadership Committee.

“Tips for better nutrition on a stretched budget, making sense of food labels and understanding USDA’s MyPlate guidelines are among the topics Farm Bureau members talked about with consumers, at supermarket demonstra-

tion stations and other venues,” said Gilbert.

In addition, said Gilbert, “Now more than ever, during special observances such as Food Check-Out Week, as they go about their dayto-day routines and through social media, farmers and ranchers are committed to participating in conversations with consumers, to answer the questions they have about food.”

Zest ‘n Zing featured a cooking competition with two Indianapolis celebrities, two chefs and two Indiana farmers working in teams to create a meal (appetizer, entrée Check-Out Continued on Page 8

Viewpoint

fbnews.org

2|

March 5, 2012

The

Bob Stallman

President, American Farm Bureau Federation

We can protect our farm kids

A

s a boy growing up in southeast Texas, I not only worked on my family’s farm, I lived and breathed it. What many people outside of rural America don’t understand is that farm work for a kid is not just a chore or a job—it’s a way of life. Learning to drive a tractor comes as natural as riding a bike and there’s nothing that teaches a kid more discipline and commitment than milking a cow. It was “American Gothic” painter Grant Wood who once said, “All the good ideas I ever had came to me while I was milking a cow.”

Farm work has always played a significant role in the lives of rural youth across the country, whether they are milking cows on their grandparents’ farm or harvesting apples as a summer job. But, because of general misunderstanding and overzealous activists, the ability of rural kids to perform traditional farm chores and jobs is in serious jeopardy.

Way of life A proposed rule released by the Department of Labor would have detrimental effects on farm families. No longer would kids be allowed to do many chores on their grandparents’ farms, nor would kids under 16 be allowed to

get a typical summer job at their neighbor’s farm—even with their parent’s consent. Under the DOL rule as it was proposed in September, a child can only work on a farm that is “wholly owned” by his or her parents.

Farm Bureau is hopeful that the recent decision by DOL to re-propose the “parental exemption” will be a positive step, but we simply don’t know. If DOL decides to, it could interpret the parental exemption in a way that would make it much more difficult—if not impossible—for nieces, nephews and grandchildren to work on the family farm.

Let’s take a look at Missouri hog producer Chris Chinn, who grew up doing chores on her grandparents’ farm. As she testified before Congress in February, she never would have had those life-shaping experiences if the DOL rule had been in place back then. Even more disturbing is that her two children won’t be allowed the same experiences of doing routine chores on their grandparents’ farm if DOL goes forward with its initial plan.

Hazardous rulemaking The DOL rule would also put strict limits on what hired youth can and can’t do. In updating its “hazardous occupation orders,” DOL is

saying that a youth under the age of 16 would be mostly prohibited from working with livestock or operating equipment that’s not driven by hand or foot power. Read literally, the DOL proposal would mean that a 15-year-old could not operate a handheld, battery-powered screwdriver to mend fences or be hired to mow lawns.

Farm and ranch families are more interested than anyone else in ensuring the safety of our farms. We have no desire at all to have young teenagers working in jobs that are inappropriate or entail too much risk. But, regulations need to be sensible and within reason—not prohibiting teenagers from performing simple, everyday farm functions like operating a battery-powered screwdriver.

Members of the House and Senate, on both sides of the aisle, have called for the rule to be withdrawn, and Farm Bureau agrees. But if DOL proceeds, as seems likely, we will be working actively to ensure that any final regulation makes sense, does not infringe on the traditional rights of family farms and does not unnecessarily restrict the ability of young people to work in agriculture. In other words, we need a rule that respects the significance of youth farm work in America and the importance it plays in our system of family-based agriculture.

Groundwater: Out of sight, but not out of mind

By Kevin McCray

Some 44 percent of the U.S. population depends on groundwater, the water that fills cracks and other openings in beds of rock and sand, for its drinking water supply—be it from either a public source or private well. In rural areas, the number is about 96 percent. That fact alone justifies the need for National Groundwater Awareness Week, March 7-11.

But groundwater is important to us in many other ways, as well.

Groundwater provides much of the flow of many streams; often lakes and streams are “windows” to the water table. Groundwater adds 492 billion gallons per day to U.S. surface water bodies. In large part, the flow in a stream represents water that has flowed from the ground into the stream channel.

Scientists estimate U.S. groundwater reserves to be at least 33,000 trillion gallons—equal to the amount discharged into the Gulf of Mexico by the Mississippi River

FBNews

in the past 200 years.

The U.S. uses 79.6 billion gallons per day of fresh groundwater for public supply, private supply, irrigation, livestock, manufacturing, mining, thermoelectric power and other purposes.

Groundwater is tapped through wells placed in waterbearing soils and rocks beneath the surface of the Earth. There are nearly 15.9 million of these wells serving households, cities, business and agriculture every day.

Wells are constructed by the 8,100 contracting firms employing nearly 45,000 people dedicated to providing and protecting our nation’s groundwater supplies.

Irrigation accounts for the largest use of groundwater, about 67.2 percent of all groundwater pumped each day. Some 53.5 billion gallons are used daily for agricultural irrigation from more than 407,913 wells. Irrigation is a major reason for the abundance of fresh produce and grains that we all enjoy.

Don Lipton, Executive Director, Public Relations Lynne Finnerty, Editor Erin Anthony, Assistant Editor Phyllis Brown, Assistant Editor Cyndie Sirekis, Contributing Writer

March 5, 2012 Vol. 91

One ton of groundwater used by industry generates an estimated $14,000 worth of output.

These facts help us connect with the important role we each play as stewards, or protectors, of groundwater. There are simple steps that will help protect groundwater and the wells systems that distribute it.

Always use licensed or certified water well drillers and pump installers when a well is constructed or serviced, or when the pump is installed or serviced.

Keep hazardous materials away from any well. Never dump such materials, motor oil, or anything else that could affect water quality onto the land surface, into a hole or pit, or into a surface water supply.

These tips and more are available from state groundwater or water well associations, the National Ground Water Association, county agricultural Extension agents or state government agencies with responsibility for groundwater.

No. 4

Published semimonthly, except monthly in August and December, by the American Farm B ­ ureau Federation, 600 Maryland Ave., SW, Suite 1000W, Washington, DC 20024.

Phone: 202-406-3600. E-mail: fbnews@fb.org. Web site: http://www.fb.org.

Periodical postage paid at Washington, D.C., and additional mailing offices. Subscription rate for officers and board members of county and state Farm Bureaus—$6, which is deducted from dues. For other subscribers—$10.

Postmaster: Send address changes to FBNews, 600 Maryland Ave., SW, Suite 1000W, Washington, DC 20024.

(ISSN 0197-5617)

Visit wellowner.org to learn more.

National Groundwater Awareness Week is not a celebration such as July 4th has become. Instead, we should use the week to reflect more deeply on groundwater’s value and its contributions to our lives.

Kevin McCray is the executive director of the National Ground Water Association, a nonprofit group representing groundwater contractors, scientists and engineers, equipment manufacturers and suppliers.

Farm Bureau TV: www.youtube.com/farmbureautv

Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/farmbureau

“Like” us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/AmericanFarmBureau

March 5, 2012

fbnews.org

|3

Flood recovery continues in Missouri The flood waters in Missouri have receded, but as spring approaches, support for repairing the levee system and restoring flood protection continues to rise.

Last spring, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released massive amounts of water from the Mississippi and Missouri rivers’ upstream reservoirs, which were overflowing with record runoff from rain and heavy snowpack.

The earthen levees along the river were no match for the resulting deluge, which flooded hundreds of thousands of acres, including 295,000 acres along the Missouri River in the northwestern part of the state, two-thirds of which was cropland, according to USDA. Now, Missouri farmers and ranchers are looking as closely at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as they are the spring flooding forecast. Recent news that the Corps will improve communications with those living in the Upper Missouri River Basin, work closer with agencies monitoring weather conditions and be more flexible with releases is encouraging, says the Missouri Farm Bureau.

Missouri growers affected by the flooding are happy overall with the government’s response, particularly with their congressional lawmakers’ efforts to ensure enough money has been allocated for restoring the levee system.

Missouri state officials launched their efforts to help farmers before the first drop of water seeped over the river banks, and they have not let up. Last month, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon announced

the availability of more than $1.2 million in community development block grants to help six districts along the Missouri River rebuild levees, roads and drainage systems. Growers are also getting a hand from University of Missouri Extension staff, who are providing much-needed technical assistance to those with damaged land.

In addition, USDA in late January announced the availability of funding for the Emergency Conservation Program and Emergency Watershed Protection Program.

In welcoming this news, MoFB President Blake Hurst asked the department to be flexible with its EWPP deadline because water still covered much of the farmland in need of repair in June, so flooded farmers did not meet the eligibility requirement to apply before the June 30 deadline.

In a letter to USDA, Hurst also urged officials to be open to reallocating estimated unused funds from other states to unmet needs of farmers recovering from the Missouri River flood and allowing them to go ahead with repairs while waiting for those funds.

Among the remaining aftereffects of the flooding is the controversy over Bird’s Point Levee, which is on the Mississippi River.

On May 2, 2011, the Corps intentionally breached the levee, putting more than 130,000 acres of prime Missouri farmland underwater in the southeastern part of the state. The Corps said it would rebuild the levee only to 51 feet, 11 feet short of the levee height before it was intentionally destroyed.

MoFB was one of the most vocal in pointing out how flawed this plan is.

“The Mississippi River has exceeded 51 feet in 12 of the last 20 years,” Hurst explained soon after the Corps announced its intentions. “If the levees aren’t rebuilt to their original height, farmers near the levees will have to question whether it makes sense to farm that ground at all.”

And even in places where the levees are being rebuilt as they should, it’s not always being done fast enough. In Holt County, where more than 30 levees were breached, the slow pace of repairs has resulted in crop insurance costs increasing by $100 per acre.

A more general concern growers have is about the government’s waterway priorities. It’s not a new worry, but one brought to the forefront during the flooding.

While environmentalists see the Great Flood of 2011 as further evidence that Missouri River flows should be left unconstrained and be the exclusive domain of Mother Nature, growers have a different vision, Dan Cassidy, MoFB chief administrative officer, wrote in a recent column.

“Last year’s flood provided a dose of reality for those farmers that toil on the most productive soil in the country. The land is too valuable to sit idle, and they plan to farm it,” he wrote.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency releases its official spring flood forecast on March 15. Flood risks for late winter and early spring are low.

Farmers, ranchers cheer legal victories Continued from page 1 back rent for the lease of the land going back to the construction of the dams.

The U.S. Supreme Court ultimately ruled that the Montana Supreme Court misapplied the legal test for determining title to the riverbeds. The Montana court had asserted that three major Montana rivers were “navigable” at statehood and therefore the law gave the state title to the riverbeds and associated property rights.

In reviewing Montana’s long history, the court ruled that several stretches were not navigable because of need for portage to get around major obstacles, such as the Great Falls. Importantly, the Supreme Court rejected the contention that current recreational use was evidence of “navigability” that determined ownership.

“MFBF filed a brief in this case

“This is a major victory in defense of the property rights of not only Montana’s farmers and ranchers, but property owners nationwide.”

• Jake Cummins, Montana Farm

Bureau executive vice president

arguing that our members would be irreparably harmed if the Montana Supreme Court’s ruling was allowed to stand and that the state’s claim was an unconstitutional taking of their property,” said Jake Cummins, Montana Farm Bureau executive vice president. “This is a major victory in defense of the property rights of not only Montana’s farmers and

Clarification The record of the Dec. 8 House vote on the dust regulation prevention bill (H.R. 1633), printed in the Feb. 20 issue of FBNews, was a record of members’ votes in favor of or opposing the American Farm Bureau Federation’s position on the bill, not a record of the “yeas” and “nays” on the bill, as some readers might have interpreted it.

FBNews historically has printed the “yeas” and “nays;” however, beginning this year, we are reporting whether members of Congress voted in support of the AFBF position on legislation. We apologize for any confusion and have refined the description of the information to ensure the clarity of future votes printed in FBNews.

ranchers, but property owners nationwide.”

In another legal success for growers, a U.S. District Court in Tallahassee, Fla., has ruled that Environmental Protection Agency-imposed numeric nutrient criteria for Florida streams and unimpaired lakes are unlawful because they are arbitrary and have no scientific basis.

The ruling resolves several challenges to federal numeric nutrient criteria imposed by EPA on Florida waterways. The court upheld EPA’s ability to issue federal standards under the particular facts at issue in Florida and upheld some of the particular EPA standards.

However, the court agreed with arguments raised by the American Farm Bureau Federation and its co-plaintiffs that two key types of restrictions were unlawful. This aspect of the ruling underscores that sound science must support such costly, federally imposed actions.

“Aiming nutrient standards at levels designed to prevent harm to the environment is good policy and is required under Florida law,” said AFBF General Counsel Ellen Steen. “EPA attempted to impose standards that would prohibit any increase above naturally occurring nutrient levels in pristine waters. The court recognized that EPA was arbitrary in assuming that any increase above pristine nutrient levels is harmful.”

Capitol View FCC revokes LightSquared waiver Continued from page 1 LightSquared proposed building a 4G wireless network, which would allow anyone, anywhere to access broadband. At first glance, that was good news for rural residents, nearly 30 percent of whom do not have access to broadband, according to a survey by the FCC and USDA. However, the proposed network interferes with GPS signals, which an increasing number of farmers and ranchers use for precision agriculture. In comments sent last month to the FCC, Mark Maslyn, American Farm Bureau Federation executive director of public policy, explained how important the accuracy of GPS technology is to growers, who use it to map field boundaries, roads and irrigation systems and to target the application of fertilizer and chemicals that combat weeds and crop diseases.

“Disruption to GPS has the potential to reduce farm profitability by raising production costs and affecting farm and ranch operations,” Maslyn wrote.

“Precision agriculture allows farmers and ranchers to run efficient, economical and environmentally conscious operations.”

When these concerns were raised, along with others from sectors like the U.S. military, the FCC granted LightSquared a conditional waiver to move ahead with its network only if it would not disrupt GPS receivers. However, a recent report from the Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration indicated that there was significant interference between LightSquared’s towers and GPS receivers.

In addition, according to the report, LightSquared was on such a tight timeline that even if a technical fix was possible, the amount of time and money it would have taken to retrofit millions of GPS receivers would be too prohibitive.

NTIA’s report was based on tests conducted through November 2011.

Increased broadband deployment in rural areas remains a priority for farmers and ranchers, emphasized RJ Karney, AFBF rural broadband specialist. “Broadband is vital for economic development, enhancing education, and improving medical care, but it must not come at the expense of GPS,” he said.

The Social

More farmers are connecting with consumers online A couple of years ago, FBNews printed a list of blogs by farmers and ranchers. The list would be much longer today. A list of ag bloggers maintained by the group Farmer Bloggers (http://farmerbloggers.com/followfarmer/index.html) has grown to 122, and there are likely that many more that just aren’t on the radar yet.

Farmers also are using social networks like Twitter and Facebook more than ever to share information about their farms or agriculture in general.

A group of blogging, tweeting and Facebooking farmers and ranchers formed the AgChat Foundation two years ago to help farmers and ranchers connect with consumers through social media platforms. Recognizing the value of farmers telling their stories through social media, the American Farm Bureau Federation has been a supporter from the very start.

AgChat also hosts conversations via Twitter every Tuesday night about food and agriculture. The number of people engaging in those conversations has grown to as many as 150 from 12 different countries. The number of people identifying themselves as being part of the AgChat community by using the #AgChat hashtag in their tweets has reached 12,000, according to Emily Zweber, AgChat Foundation executive director.

“Social media is an easy way to connect to consumers,” Zweber said, explaining farmers’ growing presence on social networks and blogs. “On our farm, we use social media as a risk management tool just like any other,

such as contracting grains or buying inputs. If we want to be able to continue farming, social media has to be in that risk management tool box.”

Three farmers’ recent blog posts are featured on these pages. For others who would like to join them in the blogosphere or on the social networks, Zweber says the AgChat Foundation’s website is a good place to find tips and tools on how to get started. A couple of tips from Zweber: • “I always say start small, and where you feel comfortable, whether it’s Facebook or Twitter,” she says. Don’t worry if you don’t understand everything at first. Once you get a handle on doing one or two things well, then you will be able to branch out to other networks and connect with more people.

• “Social media is about being social, not just messaging,” added Zweber, meaning it’s important to build relationships and reach out to non-ag communities and groups to connect your story with consumers.

And, consider applying to attend the next AgChat Conference in August. Anyone can apply and scholarships to help with the $300-$400 registration fee are available. Only about 100 applicants will be accepted, allowing for lots of individual attention for farmers and ranchers who are just starting out with social media or are interested in building their presence online. The group will announce the conference details this week at agchat.org.

Facts on farming

By Val Wagner—Feb. 23 A few weeks ago, a question was asked on Facebook by a local news station regarding farmers and government payments. Don’t worry, I won’t go into my feelings about that topic right here… but I do want to try to explain something to those that aren’t involved in agriculture.

It seems as if there is a misconception about farmers. (Not shocking, I know.) But the comment that was made online really struck a chord with me…and it should for you, too. You can read about my reaction at wagfarms. com/2012/01/23/a-matter-of-fact/.

But I thought maybe we should have some numbers, so that people can understand what really goes into farming.

Now, to be honest with you, I’m using numbers for my area, so things can be markedly different where you’re at…but in the end, it should all pencil out about the same.

Let’s start with the basics. Crops are figured by the acre (which is roughly half a soccer field). So most of the items you purchase to put crops in and take them off are calculated based on how much it costs per acre. Crops that I will use in these examples are spring wheat, corn and soybeans … some of the more common crops in my area.

Check this out: Example 1: spring wheat The average yield (crop that they harvest) per acre for spring wheat is 49 bushels/acre in my area. The average market price is estimated at $7.54 per bushel. If you multiply that out, you would come up with an average income of $369.46 per acre. Not too bad, eh?

Well, that just doesn’t happen by itself. Let’s look at what it took to get there. The average direct costs associated with planting, pest management (taking care of bugs), nutrient management (taking care of soil), insurance, fuel, repairs, etc., is $192.92 per acre.

Indirect costs, such as overhead, machinery depreciation, purchasing new machinery (usually just new to you, not new-new) and land charges, run about $117.52 per acre. The costs total $310.44 per acre. Hmmm…a little too close to that first number, right?

So, in an average year, planting spring wheat, a farmer can expect to make roughly $59 per acre. And that’s with fuel costs averaged at $3.40/gallon for gas and $3.20/gallon for diesel. We all know what is forecast for those numbers, right?

I’ll spare you all the rundowns of the other two crops and just give you the final numbers: Soybeans would average about $103 per acre and corn (for grain) would averge about $150 per acre.

So what’s the average farm size in Dickey County (where I live)?

It’s 1,100 acres. So let’s say we planted our whole farm to corn, and we had 1,100 acres, we would (according to these numbers) roughly make $165,000. (Also, remember, that would be if you planted every acre and were able to harvest it. Most of the time, there are significant areas of drowned-out crops, etc.) And if we planted our whole farm to wheat? $65,000. (And let me tell you, we would never, ever, dream to plant our whole farm to one crop. You remember that saying

about all your eggs in one basket, right?) But seriously, folks, that’s not how it works. Those are the numbers we shoot for and strive to reach…and like most professions, very little goes as planned.

For example (and these hit a little close to home): Imagine having to harvest all your wheat in one direction, doubling your fuel costs. Or having a pest move in, doubling your pest management inputs. Or having a wet spring, dry summer, late fall, whatever you may have, lowering your yields substantially.

No, to be honest, farmers on a national average follow the graphic below a little more closely.

And that would be why so many farmers and/oOr their partners seek off-farm employment.

But we will plant a crop this spring, in hopes that we’ll meet or exceed our goal yields, while trimming as much off the expenses as we can…just like any good business person would do.

And that’s a fact.

P.S. I would especially like to thank Kacey Holm, our county Extension agent, for his assistance in getting me these numbers. Extension rocks!

Val Wagner and her husband farm in Monango, N.D., raising corn, soybeans, wheat, alfalfa and cattle. Wagner, mother of four sons, blogs at Wag’n Tales (wagfarms. com). She also helps out over at Real Farmwives of America & Friends (realfarmwivesofamerica.com), a blog that involves the contributions of a growing group of farm women.

Twitter: @wagfarms Facebook: Wag’n Tales

March 5, 2012

l Farmwork S P E C I A L

R E P O R T

Agvocate or Agtivist?

By Mike Haley—Feb. 28

Three years ago during a brainstorming session between [farmers] Ray Prock, Darin Grimm and me, we came up with a word to describe agricultural advocates that has grown to become a common word used within the agricultural community. The terms “agvocacy” and “agvocate,” combined with other efforts in the agricultural community, became the basis for why the three of us worked with other leaders in the agricultural social media community to build the AgChat Foundation in an effort to encourage other agvocates to embrace the tools of social media and proactively share information about their knowledge of agriculture.

The goal of getting more agricultural individuals to speak up has for the most part been a success. Several recent events involving agriculture have proved that when a story involving farming

or ranching occurs there are literally thousands of farmers, ranchers and agricultural professionals that are willing and able to speak their minds and share their viewpoints about the situation. As stated on the AgChat Foundation’s website, agvocacy is: …a combination of agriculture and advocacy. The inherent active nature of the word has led many farmers and others in ag to make it a favorite for many in the #AgChat community and spread it to other channels and personal conversations. Agvocacy is not about targeting any selected group, such as media or elected officials—it’s representative of ag proactively telling our story.

When agvocating, it’s important to be proactive and listen to others’ concerns. It involves connecting with those outside

THEORETICAL REACH OF AGTIVISTS AND AGVOCATES

of agriculture that are curious about today’s farmers and ranchers. Finding common ground on things and building from there provides opportunities to grow the conversation. It is through relationship development and discussion that understanding moves the image of agriculture forward. That said, agvocating is one way to get information about agriculture to the people who are interested.

Not all actions on behalf of agriculture can be considered agvocating, though, as some actions are more along the line of agtivism. Agtivism is different because it has a narrower goal to educate everyone about agriculture. It may not include interacting with consumers every day, but is geared toward setting the record straight quickly when they see misrepresentations about agriculture. Individuals practicing agtivism, or agtivists, often take offense to others with opposing views and dismiss their concerns about agriculture to prove their point that today’s agriculture practices must exist in order to feed the world.

These two distinct actions have very real effects on how they are able to connect and build relationships with the general public.

I liken the way that an agvocate communicates with others to how the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) communicates with others. Even though HSUS has a goal of eliminating our right to consume animal protein, they walk a much finer line in their communications to the public and find ways that their ideals can connect with mainstream cultural beliefs and concerns. A similar comparison can be made between an agtivist and the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

(PETA). PETA has the same agenda of eliminating animal protein; however, their communications are much more blunt, expecting others to fully embrace their thoughts overnight, thus disconnecting themselves from mainstream values and allowing themselves to be labeled as extremists, which ends up only resonating with those that already support their beliefs.

There are several different ways to share your passion, none of which are necessarily incorrect methods. If you are passionate about spreading information about agriculture to those outside of agriculture, it’s important to look at your goals and what type of individual you are trying to reach. From there you can best determine if you should work hard at becoming an agtivist or an agvocate, or a combination of the two. Just realize that one action could get in the way of the other, because crossovers will stay around for a while.

So, what are you?

cides, because the coverage is so much better. Expensive, but very, very worth it.

Item number 2: Fuel containment diking and a loading pad.

Now, this is something that we could have applied for and waited around for government conservation funding, but this is important. We decided to make it a priority issue, get it built, and move on. In reality, this was the one major item that was holding our verification up, so now we should have no trouble obtaining our certification.

When it comes down to it, we will end up making the same business investments that other farmers make: more grain storage, maybe a newer semi tractor,

or even a new combine. But right now, we’re going to make sure we’re doing whatever it takes to protect our natural resources, because at the end of the day, if we don’t have our land, then that combine is going to be a really expensive lawn ornament.

Mike Haley and his wife Pam raise hay, soybeans, wheat, corn and cattle in Ohio. He blogs at Haley Farms (haley-farms.com/blog/our-blog/) and together with other farmers and ranchers at Just Farmers… (justfarmers. biz/blog/). Haley is one of the pioneers of agricultural blogging and social media and helped form the AgChat Foundation, founded to help farmers and ranchers gain the skills needed to effectively engage with the public via Twitter, Facebook, blogs, YouTube and other social media outlets.

Twitter: @farmerhaley Facebook: Haley Farms

Priorities

By Jeff Vanderwerff—Jan. 2 Like all farmers, we spent the last couple weeks of a successful year talking about what to do with the fruits of our labor (that would be profits, which can be rare in the farming world) and decided to come up with some priority items for 2012. Now, I’ve heard lots of chatter from other farmers about the new combine or tractor they wanted to pick up, or about pre-paying for some of their fertilizer for next year. Our list, however, looked a little different.

Item number 1 on the 2012 goals list: obtain MAEAP (Michigan Agricultural Environmental Assurance Program) verification.

For those that don’t know, this

is a voluntary, grower-initiated stewardship program under which your farm goes through an extensive third-party audit to certify that you are using the best environmental stewardship practices. It can be costly, and is time-consuming, but it is worth it to know we are doing everything possible to protect our natural resources. We needed to complete a couple of major items before we could proceed, so that’s where the money went first.

Item number 1: New orchard sprayer. Our old sprayer worked, but this new machine is the most state-of-the-art sprayer available.

It will allow us to better control where we spray, and also allow us to use lower use rates of our pesti-

Jeff Vanderwerff is a fourth-generation fruit and grain farmer in Michigan. He has also produced several videos for his YouTube channel (www.youtube. com/user/agsalesman?feature=watch).

He blogs at Through the Windshield (agsalesman.blogspot.com).

Twitter: @agsalesman Facebook: Jeff VanderWerff

For the Record

fbnews.org

6|

March 5, 2012

House passes bill to allow offshore oil drilling The House on Feb. 16 passed the Protecting Investment in Oil Shale, the Next Generation of Environmental, Energy and Resource Security (PIONEERS) Act (H.R. 3408). The bill passed by a vote of 237-187. The bill would allow for the development and recovery of energy resources in the Outer Continental Shelf, open less than 3 percent of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil development and promote U.S. oil shale resources, technology and development. By opening more energy resources in the U.S., the nation could become more energy secure and help moderate oil and gas prices. The bill is to be combined with the House transportation reauthorization bill (H.R. 7) once the House has passed it also. Increasing U.S. energy security is an important issue for farmers and ranchers, the American Farm Bureau Federation said in a letter to all members of Congress urging them to vote for the energy bill. “Farm Bureau believes finding comprehensive energy solutions can only strengthen American security while helping agriculture’s long-term economic health,” AFBF wrote. “Supporting these components will help strengthen U.S. energy security, create jobs, promote economic development and benefit America’s farmers and ranchers.” AFBF urged a “yea” vote on H.R. 3408.

LEGEND: — Vote in favor of the AFBF position — Vote opposing the AFBF position — Not voting Name Party Alabama 1 Bonner (R) 2 Roby (R) 3 Rogers (R) 4 Aderholt (R) 5 Brooks (R) 6 Bachus (R) 7 Sewell (D)

Vote

Alaska AL Young (R) Arizona 1 Gosar (R) 2 Franks (R) 3 Quayle (R) 4 Pastor (D) 5 Schweikert (R) 6 Flake (R) 7 Grijalva (D) 8 Vacant Arkansas 1 Crawford (R) 2 Griffin (R) 3 Womack (R) 4 Ross (D) California 1 Thompson (D) 2 Herger (R) 3 Lungren (R) 4 McClintock (R) 5 Matsui (D) 6 Woolsey (D) 7 Miller, George (D) 8 Pelosi (D) 9 Lee (D) 10 Garamendi (D) 11 McNerney (D) 12 Speier (D) 13 Stark (D) 14 Eshoo (D) 15 Honda (D) 16 Lofgren (D) 17 Farr (D) 18 Cardoza (D) 19 Denham (R) 20 Costa (D) 21 Nunes (R) 22 McCarthy (R) 23 Capps (D) 24 Gallegly (R) 25 McKeon (R) 26 Dreier (R) 27 Sherman (D) 28 Berman (D) 29 Schiff (D) 30 Waxman (D) 31 Becerra (D) 32 Chu (D) 33 Bass (D) 34 Roybal-Allard (D) 35 Waters (D) 36 Hahn (D) 37 Richardson (D) 38 Napolitano (D) 39 Sanchez, Linda (D) 40 Royce (R) 41 Lewis (R) 42 Miller, Gary (R) 43 Baca (D) 44 Calvert (R) 45 Bono Mack (R) 46 Rohrabacher (R)

Name Party Vote 47 Sanchez, Loretta (D) 48 Campbell (R) 49 Issa (R) 50 Bilbray (R) 51 Filner (D) 52 Hunter (R) 53 Davis (D) Colorado 1 DeGette (D) 2 Polis (D) 3 Tipton (R) 4 Gardner (R) 5 Lamborn (R) 6 Coffman (R) 7 Perlmutter (D) Connecticut 1 Larson (D) 2 Courtney (D) 3 DeLauro (D) 4 Himes (D) 5 Murphy (D) Delaware AL Carney (D) Florida 1 Miller (R) 2 Southerland (R) 3 Brown (D) 4 Crenshaw (R) 5 Nugent (R) 6 Stearns (R) 7 Mica (R) 8 Webster (R) 9 Bilirakis (R) 10 Young (R) 11 Castor (D) 12 Ross (R) 13 Buchanan (R) 14 Mack (R) 15 Posey (R) 16 Rooney (R) 17 Wilson (D) 18 Ros-Lehtinen (R) 19 Deutch (D) 20 Wasserman Schultz (D) 21 Diaz-Balart (R) 22 West (R) 23 Hastings (D) 24 Adams (R) 25 Rivera (R) Georgia 1 Kingston (R) 2 Bishop (D) 3 Westmoreland (R) 4 Johnson (D) 5 Lewis (D) 6 Price (R) 7 Woodall (R) 8 Scott, A. (R) 9 Graves (R) 10 Broun (R) 11 Gingrey (R) 12 Barrow (D) 13 Scott, D. (D) Hawaii 1 Hanabusa (D) 2 Hirono (D) Idaho 1 Labrador (R)

Name Party 2 Simpson (R)

Vote

Illinois 1 Rush (D) 2 Jackson (D) 3 Lipinski (D) 4 Gutierrez (D) 5 Quigley (D) 6 Roskam (R) 7 Davis (D) 8 Walsh (R) 9 Schakowsky (D) 10 Dold (R) 11 Kinzinger (R) 12 Costello (D) 13 Biggert (R) 14 Hultgren (R) 15 Johnson (R) 16 Manzullo (R) 17 Schilling (R) 18 Schock (R) 19 Shimkus (R) Indiana 1 Visclosky (D) 2 Donnelly (D) 3 Stutzman (R) 4 Rokita (R) 5 Burton (R) 6 Pence (R) 7 Carson (D) 8 Bucshon (R) 9 Young (R) Iowa 1 Braley (D) 2 Loebsack (D) 3 Boswell (D) 4 Latham (R) 5 King (R) Kansas 1 Huelskamp (R) 2 Jenkins (R) 3 Yoder (R) 4 Pompeo (R) Kentucky 1 Whitfield (R) 2 Guthrie (R) 3 Yarmuth (D) 4 Davis (R) 5 Rogers (R) 6 Chandler (D) Louisiana 1 Scalise (R) 2 Richmond (D) 3 Landry (R) 4 Fleming (R) 5 Alexander (R) 6 Cassidy (R) 7 Boustany (R) Maine 1 Pingree (D) 2 Michaud (D) Maryland 1 Harris (R) 2 Ruppersberger (D) 3 Sarbanes (D) 4 Edwards (D) 5 Hoyer (D) 6 Bartlett (R) 7 Cummings (D) 8 Van Hollen (D)

Name Party Massachusetts 1 Olver (D) 2 Neal (D) 3 McGovern (D) 4 Frank (D) 5 Tsongas (D) 6 Tierney (D) 7 Markey (D) 8 Capuano (D) 9 Lynch (D) 10 Keating (D) Michigan 1 Benishek (R) 2 Huizenga (R) 3 Amash (R) 4 Camp (R) 5 Kildee (D) 6 Upton (R) 7 Walberg (R) 8 Rogers (R) 9 Peters (D) 10 Miller (R) 11 McCotter (R) 12 Levin (D) 13 Clarke (D) 14 Conyers (D) 15 Dingell (D) Minnesota 1 Walz (D) 2 Kline (R) 3 Paulsen (R) 4 McCollum (D) 5 Ellison (D) 6 Bachmann (R) 7 Peterson (D) 8 Cravaack (R) Mississippi 1 Nunnelee (R) 2 Thompson (D) 3 Harper (R) 4 Palazzo (R) Missouri 1 Clay (D) 2 Akin (R) 3 Carnahan (D) 4 Hartzler (R) 5 Cleaver (D) 6 Graves (R) 7 Long (R) 8 Emerson (R) 9 Luetkemeyer (R) Montana AL Rehberg (R) Nebraska 1 Fortenberry (R) 2 Terry (R) 3 Smith (R) Nevada 1 Berkley (D) 2 Amodei (R) 3 Heck (R) New Hampshire 1 Guinta (R) 2 Bass (R) New Jersey 1 Andrews (D) 2 LoBiondo (R) 3 Runyan (R) 4 Smith (R) 5 Garrett (R) 6 Pallone (D) 7 Lance (R) 8 Pascrell (D) 9 Rothman (D) 10 Payne (D) 11 Frelinghuysen (R) 12 Holt (D) 13 Sires (D) New Mexico 1 Heinrich (D) 2 Pearce (R) 3 Lujan (D) New York 1 Bishop (D) 2 Israel (D) 3 King (R) 4 McCarthy (D) 5 Ackerman (D) 6 Meeks (D) 7 Crowley (D) 8 Nadler (D) 9 Turner (R) 10 Towns (D)

Vote

Name Party 11 Clarke (D) 12 Velazquez (D) 13 Grimm (R) 14 Maloney (D) 15 Rangel (D) 16 Serrano (D) 17 Engel (D) 18 Lowey (D) 19 Hayworth (R) 20 Gibson (R) 21 Tonko (D) 22 Hinchey (D) 23 Owens (D) 24 Hanna (R) 25 Buerkle (R) 26 Hochul (D) 27 Higgins (D) 28 Slaughter (D) 29 Reed (R) North Carolina 1 Butterfield (D) 2 Ellmers (R) 3 Jones (R) 4 Price (D) 5 Foxx (R) 6 Coble (R) 7 McIntyre (D) 8 Kissell (D) 9 Myrick (R) 10 McHenry (R) 11 Shuler (D) 12 Watt (D) 13 Miller (D) North Dakota AL Berg (R) Ohio 1 Chabot (R) 2 Schmidt (R) 3 Turner (R) 4 Jordan (R) 5 Latta (R) 6 Johnson (R) 7 Austria (R) 8 Boehner (R) 9 Kaptur (D) 10 Kucinich (D) 11 Fudge (D) 12 Tiberi (R) 13 Sutton (D) 14 LaTourette (R) 15 Stivers (R) 16 Renacci (R) 17 Ryan (D) 18 Gibbs (R) Oklahoma 1 Sullivan (R) 2 Boren (D) 3 Lucas (R) 4 Cole (R) 5 Lankford (R) Oregon 1 Bonamici (D) 2 Walden (R) 3 Blumenauer (D) 4 DeFazio (D) 5 Schrader (D) Pennsylvania 1 Brady (D) 2 Fattah (D) 3 Kelly (R) 4 Altmire (D) 5 Thompson (R) 6 Gerlach (R) 7 Meehan (R) 8 Fitzpatrick (R) 9 Shuster (R) 10 Marino (R) 11 Barletta (R) 12 Critz (D) 13 Schwartz (D) 14 Doyle (D) 15 Dent (R) 16 Pitts (R) 17 Holden (D) 18 Murphy (R) 19 Platts (R) Rhode Island 1 Cicilline (D) 2 Langevin (D) South Carolina 1 Scott (R) 2 Wilson (R) 3 Duncan (R) 4 Gowdy (R)

Vote

Name Party 5 Mulvaney (R) 6 Clyburn (D) South Dakota AL Noem (R) Tennessee 1 Roe (R) 2 Duncan (R) 3 Fleischmann (R) 4 DesJarlais (R) 5 Cooper (D) 6 Black (R) 7 Blackburn (R) 8 Fincher (R) 9 Cohen (D) Texas 1 Gohmert (R) 2 Poe (R) 3 Johnson, S. (R) 4 Hall (R) 5 Hensarling (R) 6 Barton (R) 7 Culberson (R) 8 Brady (R) 9 Green, A. (D) 10 McCaul (R) 11 Conaway (R) 12 Granger (R) 13 Thornberry (R) 14 Paul (R) 15 Hinojosa (D) 16 Reyes (D) 17 Flores (R) 18 Jackson Lee (D) 19 Neugebauer (R) 20 Gonzalez (D) 21 Smith (R) 22 Olson (R) 23 Canseco (R) 24 Marchant (R) 25 Doggett (D) 26 Burgess (R) 27 Farenthold (R) 28 Cuellar (D) 29 Green, G. (D) 30 Johnson, E. (D) 31 Carter (R) 32 Sessions (R) Utah 1 Bishop (R) 2 Matheson (D) 3 Chaffetz (R) Vermont AL Welch (D) Virginia 1 Wittman (R) 2 Rigell (R) 3 Scott (D) 4 Forbes (R) 5 Hurt (R) 6 Goodlatte (R) 7 Cantor (R) 8 Moran (D) 9 Griffith (R) 10 Wolf (R) 11 Connolly (D) Washington 1 Inslee (D) 2 Larsen (D) 3 Herrera Beutler (R) 4 Hastings (R) 5 McMorris Rodgers (R) 6 Dicks (D) 7 McDermott (D) 8 Reichert (R) 9 Smith (D) West Virginia 1 McKinley (R) 2 Capito (R) 3 Rahall (D) Wisconsin 1 Ryan (R) 2 Baldwin (D) 3 Kind (D) 4 Moore (D) 5 Sensenbrenner (R) 6 Petri (R) 7 Duffy (R) 8 Ribble (R) Wyoming AL Lummis (R)

Vote

March 5, 2012

fbnews.org

|7

State FB Links

Farmers & ranchers contribute to anti-hunger program The farm and ranch families of Farm Bureau last year raised more than $556,273 and donated more than 10 million pounds of food to help hungry Americans as part of Farm Bureau’s Harvest for All program through Feeding America, the nation’s largest food banks network. Combined, the monetary and food donations provided nearly 13 million meals.

Members of Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers & Ranchers program spearhead Harvest for All across the country, but all facets of Farm Bureau contribute to the effort.

For the first time, 20 state Farm Bureaus heeded the call to action.

The joint effort between Farm Bureau and Feeding America is a national community action program through which farmers and ranchers can help ensure that every American enjoys the bounty they produce.

“The Harvest for All initiative is one of the most important community service efforts undertaken

by Farm Bureau members, especially in these tough economic times,” said American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman.

Aside from raising food and funds, farmers and ranchers also tallied 10,159 volunteer hours assisting hunger groups through Harvest for All in 2011.

“This effort clearly shows farmers and ranchers from across the nation are stepping up to the plate to ensure that all Americans have food on their dinner tables,” said Glen Cope, AFBF YF&R chairman and an Aurora, Mo., beef producer. “I am extremely proud to be part of Farm Bureau and especially the Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee, whose members always go that extra mile to help those in need.”

The Illinois Farm Bureau took top honors for raising the most funds and volunteer hours in 2011, raising $401,000 and volunteering 4,000 hours. The New York Farm Bureau was No. 1 in food donated at 6 million pounds. By winning the three categories, Illinois received a $3,000 grant and New York received a $1,500 grant to donate to the food banks of their choice.

Second-place winners were Indiana Farm Bureau for funds donated, at $49,000; California Farm Bureau Federation for food donated, at 1.4 million pounds; and Michigan Farm Bureau for volunteer time, at 3,600 volunteer hours.

Second-place winners each received a $1,000 grant from AFBF to donate to the food banks of their choice.

In addition, five state YF&R committees received $500 grants for “most innovative” programs.

The winners are Maryland for its

Illinois Farm Bureau won the award for raising the most funds and the most volunteer time for hunger relief efforts in the state. Monica Stevens, Illinois Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee chair, accepted the award for most funds raised from (L to R) James Borys of Feeding America, United Soybean Board director John Butler and outgoing national YF&R Committee chair Ben LaCross.

“Freezing for a Reason” activity, Virginia for its “Fresh Food for Virginia’s Cooperative Project,” Michigan for its “Pick a Peck for People” activity, North Carolina for its “Fill a Truck” campaign and Montana for its “Hoofin’ It for Hunger 5K Walk/Run.” The awards were presented in February during AFBF’s YF&R Leadership Conference. The

United Soybean Board sponsored $10,000 in awards.

Since Harvest for All began nine years ago, Farm Bureau families have gathered more than 49 million pounds of food, logged nearly 60,000 volunteer hours and raised more than $1.8 million in donations. Combined, the food and money donated amount to more than 55 million meals.

State Focus

House passes California water bill

Texas Farm Bureau applauds court decision on groundwater

The House on Feb. 29 passed a bill to cap the amount of water allowed to flow into San Francisco Bay for endangered species and restore water deliveries to San Joaquin Valley communities. Farmers in the San Joaquin Valley in 2009 left 100,000 acres of some of the nation’s most productive farmland fallow because of too little water.

Three years of drought and water diversions for a fish on the threatened species list, the delta smelt, resulted in state and federal water authorities cutting off deliveries of irrigation water to some areas. The Sacramento-San Joaquin Valley Water Reliability Act (H.R. 1837), sponsored by Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), is not expected to pass in the Democrat-controlled Senate. Paul Wenger, president of the California Farm Bureau Federation, said the bill’s passage in the House highlights the need to reach bipartisan solutions to the state’s water problems “at a time when dry weather and water shortages are returning to California.” Ultimately, he said, the state must build and expand water storage and delivery facilities.

The Texas Supreme Court on Feb. 24 ruled that property owners, not water authorities, own the groundwater below their land. The case involved the local water authority’s attempts to limit two farmers’ use of their groundwater by granting permits to pump much less water than the farmers had requested. A lower court will now decide whether the farmers have takings claims and whether the aquifer authority must pay them. The Texas Farm Bureau said the court’s ruling was a victory for property owners.

“This is another in a long line of recent successes defending private property rights, including key eminent domain reforms,” said Kenneth Dierschke, TFB president. “The ruling recognized the passage of SB 332—Texas Farm Bureau’s priority legislation on groundwater ownership passed in the last legislative session—that says a landowner’s interest in groundwater in place cannot be taken for public use without adequate compensation.” Dierschke said the ruling goes beyond state water codes, giving landowners a constitutional protection under takings laws regarding private property.

California collegian wins national Discussion Meet Tino Rossi (center) of Bakersfield, Calif., is congratulated by Ben LaCross, immediate past chairman of the AFBF Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee, and Jennifer Thatcher, manager of the CHS Foundation (contest sponsor), for winning the AFBF YF&R Collegiate Discussion Meet. Rossi is a freshman at California State University, Fresno. He won the contest following a discussion about the need for social media strategies to present an accurate portrayal of farmers and ranchers. The Discussion Meet competition is designed to simulate a committee meeting where discussion and active participation are expected from each college-age participant. Participants are judged on their ability to exchange ideas and information on an agricultural topic. Rossi received $2,500 from CHS Foundation. Runners-up were Will Callis of Colorado, Beth Nordwald of Missouri and Caitlyn Prichard of Florida. Each received a $1,000 award from CHS Foundation. Forty-eight competitors from 32 states competed in this year’s AFBF Collegiate Discussion Meet. All competitors received $250, courtesy of CHS Foundation, in recognition of their efforts and making it to the national level.

Grassroots

fbnews.org

8|

March 5, 2012

YF&R Conference offered training, networking Approximately 1,000 young farmers and ranchers gathered Feb. 18-20 in Grand Rapids, Mich., for the annual American Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers & Ranchers Leadership Conference.

The conference, combined with the national Beginning Farmer and Rancher Conference co-hosted by USDA and AFBF, featured sessions on effective risk management strategies, Internet marketing, farm succession, communicating with consumers and other topics aimed at helping young farmers and ranchers be successful.

The conference kicked off with a Harvest for All service project. Young farmers and ranchers spent the morning of Saturday, Feb. 18, volunteering at Feeding America’s West Michigan Food Bank. In just two hours the volunteers sorted and repackaged a total of 4,224 pounds of food. Harvest for All awards were given on Sunday to states with the most donations and creative programs to increase donations to food banks in 2011. See page 7 for the story on the Harvest for All awards.

The conference included the annual AFBF Collegiate Discussion Meet, a contest designed to elicit constructive criticism, cooperation and communication while discussing agricultural issues. See page 7 for details.

AFBF President Bob Stallman spoke to attendees on the first day of the conference, relating his story of returning to the family

farm and attending his first YF&R meeting.

“Attending that first state Young Farmer & Rancher Conference that I did kind of opened up the world for me,” he recalled. “It networked me with a lot of people. I sometimes thought as a young farmer, having all the burdens I did, that I was the only one feeling the way I did. I found out that there were a lot of other young farmers and ranchers that felt the same way.

And I also found out that our future depended on us being involved in an organization that was going to speak up on behalf of agriculture.”

The general session on Saturday featured a keynote address by Jane Eckert of Eckert AgriMarketing. Eckert spoke about returning to her family’s farm and both the challenges and rewards of choosing a farming career.

Sunday’s general session keynoter was Matt Lohr, Virginia commissioner of agriculture and the first-ever AFBF YF&R Excellence in Agriculture award winner. Lohr spoke about how he went on to get involved in the political process and he encouraged other young farmers to do so, perhaps even setting their sights on running for public office, as well.

The closing general session speaker was Bryan Townsend, whose background includes a career as a sports announcer, talk show host and radio station manager. His humorous message encouraged young farmers and ranchers to lead the industry with enthusiasm and put their whole heart into what they do.

During a luncheon at the YF&R conference, attendees participated in a Centennial Development Project activity, sharing ideas about how to ensure the American Farm Bureau’s success in its next 100 years after celebrating its centennial in 2019.

The annual networking and leadership development event for Farm Bureau members aged 18-35 also is where the new chairman of the AFBF YF&R Committee, elected at the AFBF annual meeting in January, takes over from the outgoing chairman.

Ben LaCross, a Michigan producer of cherries and other tree fruits, presided over most of the conference before handing the reins to new chairman Glen Cope, a fourthgeneration cattle rancher from Missouri.

Next year’s AFBF YF&R Leadership Conference will be Feb. 8-11 in Phoenix, Ariz.

‘Zest ‘n Zing’ spices up Food Check-Out Week Continued from page 1 and dessert) for four people. A variety of foods and seasonings were available to the competing teams, including pork, sausage, bacon, dairy products, pasta, fruits and vegetables.

“Tonight we pit two teams against each other to see who has the most zest and zing!” was the apt description of the cook-off provided by Isabella Chism, a member of the AFBWLC who also chairs the Indiana Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee.

Farmers Heather Hill and Liz Kelsay competed on opposing cooking teams. Hill, a pork producer, was on “Team Pork,” which won the competition, according to a panel of celebrity judges. Kelsay, a dairy farmer, was on “Team Moo.” Both are members of the Real Farm Wives of America and Friends, a group of women who blog about life on and off the farm.

Breaks in the cooking action allowed Hill and Kelsay to respond to audience questions about their farms, food production and such mysteries as “What’s the shelf life of refrigerated raw pork?” and “Is it ever safe to eat moldy cheese?”

Prior to the cooking competition, about 200 attendees tasted samples and visited with representatives of Indiana food companies and farms, including Smith Dairy, Maple Leaf Farms, N.K. Hurst and Clabber Girl.

The taste-testing and lively 60minute cooking competition was popular with attendees.

“This has been a great event,” said Debbie Trocha, executive director for the Indiana Cooperative Development Center. “It gave me the chance to talk with farmers about their growing practices …why they do what they do,” she said.

Proceeds from ticket sales benefited the Ronald McDonald House

of Indiana and Gleaners Food Bank, which serves Indiana’s hungry.

A planning kit that county and state Farm Bureaus can use to host Zest ‘n Zing events is being developed for 2013.

Also during Food Check-Out Week, Gilbert and the committee donated $2,500, as well as food, to the Ronald McDonald House of Indiana, on behalf of AFBF. Ronald McDonald Houses provide a “home-away-from home” for the families of seriously ill children re-

ceiving medical treatment at area hospitals. Since the mid-1990s, Farm Bureau members across the nation have donated more than $3 million in food and monetary contributions to Ronald McDonald Houses and other worthwhile charities during Food Check-Out Week.

Food Check-Out Week was held Feb. 19-25. The third week of February was selected to celebrate American food and as a bridge to National Nutrition Month in March.

Corner Post U.S. Agricultural Trade-Weighted Dollar Continues Depreciation1 Index values, 2005=100

Real U.S. agricultural trade-weighted dollar exchange rate, using U.S. agricultural export weights, based on 192 countries.

1

photo courtesy of Kathleen Dutro, Indiana Farm Bureau

Zest ‘n Zing teams compete, preparing a meal and dessert for four people. (L to R) Team Pork: Chef Jason Anderson; Indianapolis radio personality Dave Smiley; and Heather Hill, Indiana farmer. Team Moo: Liz Kelsay, Indiana farmer; Chef Chip Huckaby; and Paul Poteet, “Indiana’s Weatherman.”

The U.S. dollar will continue to decline in value compared to other currencies, according to USDA’s Long-term Projections. The dollar depreciation, part of a global rebalancing of trade and financial markets after the recession, could strengthen U.S. agricultural exports.