04/30/2012

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‘Rural Development’ Farm Bureau works to grow entrepreneurship and economic development in rural communities | 4 April 30, 2012 Vol. 91

No. 8 fbnews.org

‘BSE’

Senate Ag Committee moves farm bill forward

‘Golden Plow’

After panel approval last week, the Senate Agriculture Committee’s farm bill is ready to be considered by the full Senate, which is encouraging news to farmers and ranchers, according to American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman.

“The bill is not perfect, but it is a suitable policy vehicle with a solid framework on which to make further improvements,” said Stallman. “Certainly, having a bill in place this year is in the best interests of all farmers.”

Stallman said the panel’s leaders, Chairwoman Debbie Stabe-

AFBF: Safeguards are working | 6

Rep. Goodlatte (RVa.) receives Farm Bureau’s highest award for sitting members of Congress | 7

Bring the world to you—be a host family This is the third in a series of articles about the IFYE exchange program.

now (D-Mich.) and Ranking Member Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), “deserve praise for structuring this legislation with crucial risk management tools for farmers and doing so in a fiscally responsible manner during one of the toughest budget climates our nation has ever faced.”

The bill would eliminate approximately $24 billion in spending for agricultural and nutrition programs, a savings that exceeds what was recommended to the deficit reduction Super Committee last fall.

Even with the cuts, the com-

mittee was able to protect and strengthen the federal crop insurance program. In a letter Farm Bureau sent to Stabenow and Roberts before the markup, the organization outlined its support for several points in the draft, including the lawmakers’ decision to not reduce funding for crop insurance and to focus programs on “a commodity title that attempts to encourage producers to follow market signals rather than making planting decisions in anticipation of government Farm bill Continued on Page 3

Farmer comments prompt DOL to drop youth labor proposal

Each year since its founding in 1948, the IFYE program has been bringing young adults (19-30 years old) from around the globe to experience life in the United States, implementing its original goal of “Peace through Understanding.” The visiting exchangees become members of their American families. They experience the American way of life and share their own culture in countless ways.

Continued on Page 2

photo courtesy of Arkansas Farm Bureau

n e w s p a p e r

THOUSANDS OF FARMERS AND RANCHERS spoke out about proposed Labor Department rules that could have made it illegal for children to perform even routine farm chores, such as operating farm equipment, repairing fences and working with animals, unless the farm on which the youth worked was wholly owned by his or her parents.

After receiving about 10,000 comments from farmers and ranchers describing how devastating proposed Labor Department rules would be to family farms, the administration last week withdrew its proposal that would have imposed unnecessary and impractical restrictions on youth working in agriculture.

American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman said the department made “the right decision for our nation’s family-based agriculture system.”

Stallman credited the many growers who spoke out against the rule with this win for agriculture.

“This victory for farm families is due to the thousands of farmers and ranchers who sent comments to the Labor Department opposing the rules and continued to voice their concerns with members of Congress,” he said.

“This announcement shows the strength of American agriculture and grassroots action.”

DOL last September proposed new hazardous occupation orders that would bar anyone under age 16 from using power-driven equipment, working with pesticides, working around manure pits and silos and other situations the department deemed too haz-

ardous. AFBF said the proposed ban on youths using equipment powered by anything other than hand or foot power could even make it illegal for them to use a battery-powered screwdriver or flashlight.

The proposed revision to the parental exemption was a big problem, too. Under the current parental exemption, a youth working for a parent may perform any task on a farm. The Labor Department traditionally interpreted this parental exemption to include all farms substantially Labor Continued on Page 3

Viewpoint

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April 30, 2012

Prime time for sharing the story of agriculture

By Ken Gordon Spring planting is in full swing in many parts of the country and is only a few weeks away in others. Most farmers have been preparing for this task since they wound down from fall harvest. Field work, particularly planting, is a highly visible undertaking for farmers. Because of that, planting season is ripe for farmers to engage with people who are not familiar with agriculture.

It’s unfortunate that a lot of people have completely lost touch with where their food comes from or how it gets to their table or favorite restaurant.

The editor of an agricultural publication once told the true story of an encounter she had with a person who made the dietary choice of being a vegetarian. That person truly believed it was OK, as a vegetarian, to eat chicken wings “Because they grow back.” Granted, this is an extreme example.

But, a growing number of people have lost touch with farming. And farmers have found that explaining modern production agriculture isn’t always easy. That’s not always what people are most interested in hearing about, anyway. Most people don’t want to hear national facts and figures about agriculture, either. And they don’t want to be on the receiving end of a one-sided lecture. They’re more interested in what the farmers near them do on their farms.

This brings to mind a quote located in the

“By listening carefully, farmers often discover they can address concerns consumers have about food by sharing their stories about their farms.”

Cox Corridors of the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. Daniel Webster is credited with saying, “When tillage begins other arts follow.

The farmers, therefore, are the founders of human civilization.”

Those of us involved with agriculture know that what Webster said so many years ago remains true today, but as citizens pursued other arts, they have forgotten what brought our nation to prosperity. Still, many people are curious about today’s agriculture.

An interesting dichotomy is that public curiosity with farming and ranching continues to increase as people become further removed from knowing how their food is produced.

This presents a great opportunity to fill that knowledge gap.

More and more often, farmers are joining in the national conversation consumers are having about food and farming. By listening carefully, farmers often discover they can address concerns consumers have about food by sharing their stories about their farms.

As urban populations expand into the countryside, farmers are finding increased opportunities to tell their stories. Interacting in this way helps consumers gain a true understanding of the passion farmers have for the environment, animal well being and how important, strong and viable farming methods are to our nation’s overall prosperity.

So while you are engaged in planting the seeds for this year’s crops, also think about ways you can help plant seeds of better understanding with the consuming public. As you are turning that planter at the end of the row, you might just be asked to join in the conversation. Don’t hesitate to do so.

Ken Gordon is a contributor to Farm Bureau’s “Focus on Agriculture” series of articles. He is a public relations consultant in Ohio.

Bring the world to you—be a host family Continued from page 1 Sharing your home and everyday life as a host family is truly an experience that will change your life and open a brand-new world to a young person from overseas.

Join in this unique adventure by becoming a host family. All it takes is a warm heart, an open home and a zest for an international family living experience.

Host families play a unique role in helping participants discover daily life in a new country.

They welcome the IFYE into their homes as a member of the family, rather than as a guest or tourist.

IFYE stresses family living as the heart of the learning experience, offering young people the chance to experience other cultures through personal involvement in the homes, schools and communities of their host countries.

IFYEs are expected to join in almost all aspects of U.S. family life, sharing quiet moments, as well as taking on household and family chores, celebrating birthdays and holidays, enjoying family outings and participating in community activities.

Host families are expected to provide love and understanding,

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care and guidance, as well as food and housing for the three- to fourweek hosting period. Families who volunteer to host exchangees receive no financial assistance.

The young person will bring his or her own money for incidental expenses and have health insurance coverage.

Host families are all sizes and backgrounds. Families with younger or older children at home, grown children and no children have all hosted international youth successfully, as have single adults and retired couples.

Host families are as diverse as America itself; they may be rural, suburban or city dwellers. The most important qualifications are a love of young people and a willingness to share everyday life experiences. Families are chosen on the capacity for caring and their capabilities for showing and sharing qualities that have made our country as it is. Just as importantly, IFYEs are selected for their desire to participate in a family living situation and expand their horizons.

Your family will gain while giving. The program offers an opportunity to host an international

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

April 30, 2012 Vol. 91

MarlaJean Waters (left) of South Dakota hosted Heui-Ling Tang, a 2010 International Four-H Youth Exchange participant from Taiwan. Host families discover other cultures as they welcome IFYEs into their families and help them learn about daily life in the U.S. young adult and to watch that person and the entire family grow in understanding of and sensitivity to another culture. Opening your home and heart to an international exchange participant can be an enlightening and rewarding experience for any family willing to take on the oppor-

No. 8

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

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tunity. You not only share your way of life, but you learn about another.

If you’re interested in becoming a host family, please contact Alan Lambert, president of the IFYE Association of the USA, at alane lambert@gmail.com or 605-3666107 for more information.

Farm Bureau TV: www.youtube.com/farmbureautv

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April 30, 2012

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Capitol View

Farm Bureau highlights Asia-Pacific trade opportunities Strong U.S. leadership in the Trans Pacific Partnership trade negotiations and in continuing engagement with nations in the Asia-Pacific region will yield positive results for American farmers and ranchers, the American Farm Bureau Federation recently said in a statement to a Senate Finance subcommittee.

Further opening trade in the Asia-Pacific region is critical to U.S. growers, who sent more than 43 percent of their exports to that region last year. This year, China is forecast to import $17 billion in goods grown in the U.S., while Japan will take in $13.5 billion worth. In South Korea, because of the implementation of the U.S.South Korea Free Trade Agreement, U.S. agricultural imports are expected to hit $6.9 billion, up from $6.75 billion last year.

The biggest trade-related issue in that region is the progress of the TPP negotiations and the potential addition of Japan, Canada and Mexico to the talks. Farm Bureau said it is optimistic that these countries’ interest in the trade partnership is “accompanied by a sincere desire to achieve the aims of the negotiations to eliminate or reduce tariff and non-tariff trade barriers between the participating countries.”

Including Japan, Canada and Mexico in the negotiations makes the agreement much more encompassing of U.S. goals for agricultural trade and would strengthen support for the TPP, according to Farm Bureau. It should also generate interest among other AsiaPacific nations for similar oppor-

tunities to improve trade relations with the United States and other participating countries, which currently include Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam and the U.S. As welcome as Japan, Canada and Mexico would be to the partnership, they must play by the same rules as the other countries involved, Farm Bureau emphasized.

“Simply put, new entrants must recognize and accept that the TPP is a comprehensive agreement, that all sectors—sensitive or not— should be included in the negotiation and that the process will not start again from the beginning,” Farm Bureau told the Senate Finance Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs and Global Competitiveness. “New entrants must recognize they are joining negotiations that are well under way.”

Farm Bureau cited Japan specifically. The fourth-largest U.S. agricultural export destination, Japan also has many restrictive policies in place against U.S. farm and ranch imports. “By agreeing to join the negotiations under the same conditions as other participants with no exclusions for sensitive products, Japan can demonstrate (as it has by efforts to review restrictive policies against U.S. beef imports) a strong signal of willingness to move quickly to resolve these long-standing issues.”

Another Asia-Pacific nation that offers trade opportunities for U.S. agriculture is Russia. Congress must approve Permanent Normal Trade Relations with Russia so

that U.S. farmers and ranchers can benefit from the market access arrangements for agricultural goods that were made as part of Russia’s World Trade Organization accession agreement, which was finalized in November 2011.

Farm Bureau also cautioned against the risks associated with the lack of synchronization in regulatory regimes for biotechnology products across the various countries the U.S. trades with. The biggest concern with this is the potential, unintended, low-level presence of biotech products that don’t have the same regulatory ap-

provals in importing countries.

“This risk can reduce export opportunities and international competitiveness for U.S. agriculture and can discourage innovation and access to safe, new, agricultural technologies for farmers,” Farm Bureau explained.

It is critical for the U.S. Trade Representative and USDA to continue their efforts to mitigate lowlevel presence events and increase coordination of biotech import policies by advocating for predictable, efficient, science-based regulation in the Asia-Pacific region.

U.S. TRADE WITH CURRENT FTA PARTNERS AND TPP COUNTRIES (In billions of U.S. dollars, 2010)

Source: Analysis by CRS, data from the ITC Note: NAFTA includes the United States, Canada and Mexico. The CAFTA-DR includes the United States, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

Senate Ag Committee moves farm bill forward

Farmer comments prompt DOL to drop youth labor proposal

Continued from page 1 payments.”

In the letter, Farm Bureau also gave a thumbs-up to the committee’s move to reject any provision linking conservation with crop insurance. In addition, Farm Bureau applauded the fact that the bill achieves the majority of necessary reductions in conservation funding from land-retirement programs rather than workingland programs.

“The bill also provides a firm foundation for continued cooperative, incentive-based conservation efforts,” Stallman noted after the committee markup.

Among the other provisions AFBF supports in the bill approved by the committee are using savings achieved from the elimination of direct payments, countercyclical payments, the average crop revenue election program and the SURE program to fund the new risk management provisions; maintaining the current marketing loan program; and mandating that USDA’s Risk Management Agency develop by 2013 a revenue in-

Continued from page 1 owned by the parent. However, in its recent proposal, the department suggested limiting the parental exemption only to farms “wholly-owned” by a parent.

“That means a brother and sister who jointly own a farm through a partnership or limited liability corporation would no longer be covered under the parental exemption, which in effect would prevent them from hiring their children, nieces, nephews or grandchildren to help work on the farm,” explained Kristi Boswell, AFBF labor specialist.

Stallman said growers will remain vigilant about preserving the parental exemption, and ensuring the safety of everyone on the farm.

“Farm Bureau will continue working to ensure that the parental exemptions that remain important to agriculture will be protected, and we will continue our work to help educate families about the importance of farm safety,” he said. “We also look forward to working with the Departments of Agriculture and Labor and rural stakeholders to develop a program to promote safer agricultural working practices.”

Stallman noted that farmers and ranchers value the federal

surance product that meets the needs of peanut producers.

On the bill’s dairy policy, Stallman told the committee that Farm Bureau supports eliminating the dairy price support program and the Milk Income Loss Contract program and using the funds associated with those programs to offer a voluntary gross margin insurance program for dairy producers, a program supported by dairy farmers all across the nation.

Standing by his support for the core principles of the measure and the progress made so far, Stallman said Farm Bureau would still seek to tweak the legislation.

“We will continue to seek improvements in several areas as this bill moves forward, particularly in how to provide more equity among commodities, and ways to better address deep, catastrophic losses,” Stallman said. “Now that this first phase has been completed, we will continue to assist senators in any way we can to assemble a final Senate bill that addresses the challenges and risks faced by today’s farm families.”

officials who listened to their concerns and the lawmakers who joined them in opposing the proposed rule.

He said Farm Bureau believes the administration’s decision to withdraw the proposal was the right one and family farmers greatly appreciate the personal involvement of USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack.

Stallman said Vilsack listened to farmers, ranchers and other rural Americans.

“We also know that this would not have happened without the early and strong efforts of Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.) and others in Congress, and we thank them for standing up for agriculture and the rural way of life.”

In a statement regarding its withdrawal of the proposed rule, DOL said rather than go the regulatory route, the administration would address farm and ranch safety in other ways.

“Instead, the Departments of Labor and Agriculture will work with rural stakeholders, such as the American Farm Bureau Federation, the National Farmers Union, [FFA], and 4-H, to develop an educational program to reduce accidents to young workers and promote safer agricultural working practices.”

Rural Dev

Rural schools struggle to keep pace with growing needs Nearly one in four children in the U.S. attends rural schools and enrollment is growing at a faster rate in rural school districts than in all other places combined, according to a report from the Rural School and Community Trust. There are also increasing rates of poverty, diversity and students with special needs within rural schools, which are vital to enhancing the lives of rural Americans and building strong, prosperous rural communities, said RJ Karney, American Farm Bureau Federation rural development specialist.

“There’s a misperception that rural America, and by extension rural education, is uncomplicated, stable and financially secure,” Karney said. “In reality, rural schools face all of the challenges their urban and suburban counterparts do, and more.”

For example, between 2000 and 2009, rural districts’ enrollment increased by more than 1.7 million students, or 22 percent, while enrollment in nonrural districts increased by only 1.7 percent. Also on the rise is economic trouble, with the percentage of rural students living in poverty climbing from 31 percent to 41 percent between 2000 and 2009.

“So there are more students and many of those students have greater needs, but there isn’t more money to meet those needs,” Karney pointed out.

Funding is not a new problem, particularly because rural

areas typically have more land held by the federal government, which amounts to a smaller tax base and less money for schools.

To help remedy that, Farm Bureau is calling for the reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act. The Secure Rural Schools Act was signed into law in 2000 to provide assistance to rural counties affected by the decline in revenue from timber harvests on federal land. In 2008, it was reauthorized through 2011. In addition to the $364.5 million the Forest Service expected to distribute under the law in 2011 for improvements to public schools, roads and stewardship projects, the Secure Rural Schools Act provided another $52 million for projects recommended by local resource advisory committees to maintain infrastructure, improve the health of watersheds and ecosystems, protect communities and strengthen local economies.

“Failing to reauthorize this law jeopardizes the economies and educational systems of more than 780 already struggling rural counties and school districts in 41 states,” Karney said. “Without this funding, these rural communities and school districts will lose more than $468 million each year.”

A one-year reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools Act is included in the Senate’s surface transportation bill (S. 1813), which passed in March. House and Senate lawmakers are expected to soon begin negotiations on the trans-

portation reauthorization. Their discussion will be based on the Senate transportation bill and one passed by the House, which does not include Secure Rural Schools.

Another Farm Bureau-backed education bill is the All Children Are Equal (ACE) Act (H.R. 2485), which would correct a major flaw related to number weighting for disadvantaged students.

Currently, a weighted formula is used to allocate Title I funds for the education of disadvantaged students under No Child Left Behind. Intended to send funds to school districts with a high concentration of poverty, the formula systematically discriminates against the school districts it was intended to benefit—rural, small town and moderate-sized urban school districts with a high concentration of poverty.

“The number weighting formula favors districts with large numbers of low-income children but relatively low poverty percentages,” said Karney.

“Smaller cities and rural districts with higher poverty rates get the short end of the stick.”

The ACE weighting system would be based on the district’s poverty rate, allowing districts with a higher concentration of poverty to receive their fair share of Title I funding.

While the House Education and Workforce Committee was working on the NCLB reauthorization, Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-Pa.) offered the ACE Act as an amendment, but it was rejected.

Karney said Farm Bureau continues to rally support for the ACE Act.

House Ag Committee reviews rural development programs As Congress looks for ways to cut tens of billions of dollars from farm bill programs, farm payments aren’t the only thing facing scrutiny.

The rural development subcommittee of the House Agriculture Committee last week held a hearing in preparation for writing the 2012 farm bill and looked at whether there is potential for savings by reducing duplication and overlap among rural development programs.

“Getting our debt under control will take shared sacrifice,” said Rep. Timothy Johnson (R-Ill.), subcommittee chairman. “Every single component of federal spending needs to be examined for efficiencies and savings. As the committee considers how to reauthorize current programs in the next farm bill, it’s important to seek ways to weed out activities and authorities that are either redundant or ineffective.”

Chuck Conner, president and CEO of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, testified that USDA’s rural development programs play a vital role in ensuring prosperity in rural America, home to more than 50 million people and comprised of three-quarters of the nation’s land area. While rural development programs have offered many benefits to America’s farmers and rural economies, he said NCFC

supports streamlining the number of programs.

“With a significant decrease in funding for farm bill programs, coupled with declining USDA resources to administer those programs, consolidation of programs, where feasible, is Warranted,” he testified.

There are more than 88 programs administered by 16 different federal agencies specifically targeted at rural development, according to Connor. USDA administers most of the rural development programs and has the highest average of program funds that go directly to rural counties, approximately 50 percent.

Donald Larson, a county commissioner from Brookings County, S.D., testifying on behalf of the National Association of Counties, said USDA’s rural development programs should be a priority in the next farm bill, “because they are a critical source of grant and loan funding that is leveraged by rural businesses, rural communities and rural people” to overcome infrastructure development and funding obstacles and create jobs.

He urged that rural development investments not take disproportionate cuts as Congress faces pressure to cut mandatory funding in the farm bill. However, one way he sug-

gested making those programs more effective is by shifting them to a broader, regional approach.

Frank Dunmire, executive director of the Illinois Rural Water Association, testified that plentiful drinking water is just as important to rural business as it is to rural homes. He said that water quality and affordability are important factors for businesses looking to locate or stay in a rural community.

“I am a little biased,” he said, “but I believe that USDA’s water programs are the most important for rural communities that this subcommittee will address in the farm bill.”

Also last week, Iowa Farm Bureau member Andrew Pittz was in Washington to participate in a farm bill symposium at American University. He said the framers of the 2012 farm bill should focus on the “interconnectedness” of farm, rural development and agricultural research programs.

“This farm bill is vital for our rural communities,” Pittz said. “Big, small, organic or conventional, we need to approach this farm bill as a unified agriculture and make sure we protect all our agricultural interests and in turn our rural way of life.”

April 30, 2012

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Kansas Farm Bureau looks to home-grown entrepreneurs Well before a Kansas Association of Community Foundations study predicted that Kansas’ rural communities would see very little of the $65 million that would be transferred from one generation to the next by 2020, the writing was on the wall—or the side of yet another shuttered Main Street business—for many rural Kansans.

For three years, Kansas Farm Bureau looked at what communities in other states were doing to keep their young people and wealth in the towns and counties they’re growing up in.

The organization determined there are five key elements to rural revitalization: leadership; youth retention; economic development and entrepreneurship; community philanthropy; and broadband.

“We need to get people who grew up in these communities to want to come back for a reason,” explained Harry Watts, KFB managing director of governmental relations. “No longer can we attract businesses to come from the outside. It needs to be developed from within.”

Through its Kansas HomeTown Prosperity Initiative, Kansas Farm Bureau helped three communities, Atwood, Onaga and Sedan, implement a strategic rural revitalization plan based on the five pillars.

In Atwood, in Rawlins County in the northeastern part of the state, new families are mov-

ing in, more jobs are available, income has increased and school enrollment is on the rise for the first time since 2000—after a 34 percent drop in student population.

“The Atwood model verified what needs to be done,” Watts said. “We’re taking this model and applying it to other communities.”

The county is also making an effort to capture part of the wealth transfer from one generation to the next.

“You have generations who have shown a commitment to these communities,” Watts said.

By donating 3 to 5 percent of their wealth to a community foundation, that commitment will last for generations to come. Watts said the money could then be invested in leadership, youth retention and entrepreneurship programs.

Rawlins County’s success as a HomeTown Prosperity community primed it to be part of the Kansas Entrepreneurial Communities Initiative, which uses an entrepreneur-focused development strategy that emphasizes growthoriented entrepreneurs and enhanced opportunities for attracting people and growing businesses.

KECI is built on a support system that includes KFB, USDA-Rural Development, NetWork Kansas, the Kansas Small Business Development Centers, the Kansas Department of Commerce and the RUPRI Center for Rural Entrepreneurship.

In Rawlins County and across the Great Plains, locally owned, smaller businesses with a family owner and a few employees are the mainstay of the economy. Unlike elsewhere in the Great Plains though, beginning in 2000 and continuing until the Great Recession began taking its toll, personal income generated by the businesses in Rawlins County rose by 133 percent. Even now, while incomes have moderated, they are still at record high levels.

Initially piloted in six communities, there are about 15 now involved in KECI. Though Watts is confident KFB has a winning formula for rural revitalization, the road is long and rough, he said. “This will be done one community at a time, one person at a time.”

He emphasized Farm Bureau’s county-based structure uniquely positions the organization to make a real difference in rural America.

“We already work with multiple generations who are committed to their communities,” Watts said. “We can do this on the local level.”

While KFB has devoted a considerable amount of time and energy to rural revitalization, funding for the HomeTown Prosperity Initiative and the Kansas Entrepreneurial Communities Initiative came from USDA-RD and Small Business Administration grants the organization pursued.

Farmers engage local leaders in ‘Community Conversation’ The news in recent years has been full of stories about Michigan’s high unemployment rate relative to the nation and the decline of Detroit due to the struggles of America’s automobile manufacturing and related industries. But across the state in Ottawa County, a growing population enjoys a healthy economy; it’s one of the fastest-growing counties in Michigan, and that’s due in large part to the county’s agriculture.

“There are over $390 million in annual cash receipts from farms,” said Dr. Adam Kantrovich, county Extension director at Michigan State University. The county has the second-highest level of cash receipts from agriculture in the state, a title it swaps every year or two with neighboring Allegan County.

From milk, fruits and vegetables, corn and soybeans, to hogs, beef cattle and greenhouse plants —you name it, they grow it in Ottawa County, says Jason Jaekel, a Michigan Farm Bureau field staffer serving the county.

“The way we like to describe it is if it’s grown east of the Mississippi River, it’s probably found in Ottawa County,” he said.

The county still has a good manufacturing base, and its location on the banks of Lake Michigan makes it a top tourist destination.

But the area’s farmers would like residents and local government leaders to know how important agriculture is in their lives. In ad-

dition, they want to start a dialog with local leaders about how to build on the area’s strengths, especially agriculture, to further economic development.

That was the starting point for a Community Conversation event held by Ottawa County Farm Bureau and MSU-Extension April 18.

Attendees included Farm Bureau members, township supervisors, school superintendants, planning and zoning administrators, city managers, county commissioners, Chamber of Commerce representatives and state legislators.

“The main focus was outreach,” explained Jaekel, “to say, ‘Here we are as farmers and here’s the impact we’re having on Ottawa County. We have resources. You have the ability to help us. How can we fit into your goals.’”

The attendees started with a brainstorming session on three types of challenges in growing the local agricultural and general economy: regulations, market access and developing the local workforce.

Then, working in smaller groups, the participants decided on four more-focused issues for further discussion: a branding and marketing campaign for local agricultural products; attracting livestock production facilities, particularly pork processing, to the area; boosting agricultural and vocational education; and smart growth planning to balance the interests of maintaining

land for agricultural production with preserving development rights. The committees formed at the event will meet again this summer to continue their work.

Community Conversation is a pilot program that may be replicated across the state, according to Luke Meerman, a farmer and vice president of the Ottawa County Farm Bureau. He said the Michigan Farm Bureau board of directors looked at the idea and picked Ottawa County to be the testing site for it. The county board endorsed the idea wholeheartedly, he said.

“The idea of reaching across boundaries is very exciting,” said Meerman. “Too often those boundaries we’ve created are all selfmade. Once we cross those boundaries, we find out there’s not that big a difference in what we’re all trying to accomplish. I think that for the community as a whole, this is how to move forward as a group. We’re so interconnected.

We cannot view ourselves as islands unto ourselves.”

Meerman said the county’s farmers have “a lot of capital to work with” in reaching out to local leaders, and not just on what’s important to them, but on what’s good for the whole community, the state and the nation.

“The farmers are a group that they respect and admire, but had not had a chance to talk with face-to-face,” Meerman said. “I think they were surprised by how

much we were thinking about community issues already, such as childhood education—how do we reshape Michigan’s education vision, starting in Ottawa County.

I think it was refreshing for them to learn from us personally that we do have things we can work on together.”

Kantrovich says that a local agriculture branding and marketing effort would succeed. Sales of turkey produced locally and processed at a facility established by the region’s turkey growers in a neighboring county are excellent, he says. Getting a large, commercial hog processing facility in the county could offer the same type of opportunity. Many of the region’s hog producers now have to send their animals to Indiana for processing, according to Jaekel.

Consumers’ support for Meijer, a growing regional chain of retail stores with Michigan roots, also shows the potential of a local branding effort.

“You can have a Wal-Mart and a Meijer store across the street from each other, and people will gravitate to the Meijer store because it’s right here in Michigan,” said Kantrovich. “People would be more likely to look for that [local] brand.”

He said that the attendees also are taking a regional approach to looking at opportunities for growth, “because what takes place on zoning, education, economic development, etc., here affects the county next door.”

Capitol View

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April 30, 2012

Farm Bureau: BSE safeguards are working A case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy was found last week in California on a dairy farm. It is the nation’s fourth confirmed case of BSE. Evidence of BSE was found when the cow was delivered to a California rendering facility that provides tissue samples to the Agriculture Department on a regular basis. BSE was later confirmed at the USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa.

In a statement, American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman reassured the public that American beef and dairy products are safe.

“The safeguards our government has in place to detect any incidence of this disease are clearly working,” he said.

“The report of a cow with bovine spongiform encephalopathy, discovered during the prerendering process, is proof that our detection system works.

“Scientists say the animal displayed an atypical case of BSE, meaning it is a rare form not generally associated with feed

©istockphoto.com/naphtalina

The discovery of a case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in a California dairy cow shows that the safeguards the government has in place to detect any incidence of the disease are clearly working, according to American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman. consumption,” continued Stallman. “USDA scientists said they remain confident in the health of the national herd and the safety of beef and dairy products.”

The cow had never been presented for human consumption and milk does not transmit BSE. USDA Chief Veterinary Officer John Clifford echoed Stallman’s

assertion about how well the systems in place for protecting animal and human health are working. He also said the finding should not disrupt trade.

“This detection in no way affects the United States’ BSE status as determined by the OIE [World Animal Health Organization]”, Clifford said. The United States has in place all of the elements of a system that OIE has determined ensures that beef and beef products are safe for human consumption: a mammalian feed ban, removal of specified risk materials, and vigorous surveillance.

Consequently, this detection should not affect U.S. trade.”

However, maintaining beef export markets may take vigilance by U.S. trade officials. Major news outlets reported that South Korean retailers were pulling U.S. beef from their stores. Canada, Mexico and Japan—top markets for U.S. beef—have said the BSE case would not affect their imports.

Congress moves toward transportation negotiations farmers to transport their products to market, especially if that market is across a state border. It also attempts to address the patchwork of state regulations that could result in farmers and ranchers being required to have commercial drivers licenses for transporting their own goods across state lines, even if that’s a mere few miles from their operation.

“Under the current situation, merely the act of crossing state lines can trigger conflicting requirements for some farmers who

ment exempts certain farm truck drivers from regulations on maximum driving and on-duty times during harvest and planting seasons.

“This would be particularly crucial during the two busiest times of a farmer’s year,” Walmsley said.

The provision would apply to drivers transporting agricultural commodities within 100 miles of the farm that produced them, or those carrying farm supplies for agricultural purposes within 100 miles of the wholesale or

are doing nothing more than hauling their own crop,” explained Walmsley. “These regulations can be particularly burdensome for farmers and ranchers living in counties bordering another state where their best market might be just across the state line.”

Additional Farm Bureau-supported language would clarify certain driving restrictions during planting and harvest season for producers who are transporting agricultural goods. The amend-

retail distribution point. Each state would determine its own planting and harvest periods.

Also included in the Senate bill is a one-year reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination program.

“The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination program has been successful in maintaining a stable source of funding for rural schools, police, roads, libraries and other critical county services,” explained RJ

©istockphoto.com/mccaig

House and Senate lawmakers will soon begin discussions on a bill that funds federal highway and transit programs. On the negotiating table are a handful of provisions that will help keep farmers and ranchers on the road and provide funding for rural communities.

The House on April 18 approved a 90-day extension of highway programs (H.R. 4348) to keep them going beyond their current June 30 expiration. Tacked on to the extension were provisions relating to the approval of the Keystone XL pipeline, project streamlining, Gulf Coast restoration, harbor maintenance and coal ash.

Passage of the extension makes it possible for House and Senate legislators to put together a single transportation reauthorization bill for both chambers to approve and send to the White House for President Barack Obama’s signature.

Reauthorization negotiators will be working with the House’s extension bill and a two-year surface transportation reauthorization passed by the Senate in March. That bill, the Moving Ahead for Progress for the 21st Century (MAP-21) Act (S. 1813), included a handful of Farm Bureau-supported provisions.

“Lawmakers negotiating the final bill shouldn’t be surprised to hear from their farmer and rancher constituents about how important is to keep the farm vehicle and rural funding parts of the Senate legislation intact,” said Andrew Walmsley, American Farm Bureau Federation transportation specialist.

One of the farm vehicle-related provisions in the Senate bill would protect farmers from burdensome regulations meant for commercial truck drivers and make it easier for

Karney, AFBF rural development specialist.

In addition, a reauthorization of the County Payments Act is part of the bill. The act provides jobs in rural counties. Those jobs, in turn, provide a tax base to support rural communities’ many social, health, transportation and infrastructure needs. The act also provides funds necessary to educate rural school children.

The Senate Democrats who will be negotiating the transportation reauthorization are Sens. Barbara Boxer (Calif.), Max Baucus (Mont.), John Rockefeller (W.Va.), Richard Durbin (Ill.), Tim Johnson (S.D.), Charles Schumer (N.Y.), Bill Nelson (Fla.), and Robert Menendez (N.J.).

The Republicans are Sens. James Inhofe (Okla.), David Vitter (La.), Orrin Hatch (Utah), Richard Shelby (Ala.), Kay Bailey Hutchison (Texas), and John Hoeven (N.D).

The House Republicans involved in the negotiations are: Reps. John Mica (Fla.), Don Young (Alaska), John Duncan (Tenn.), Bill Shuster (Pa.), Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va.), Rick Crawford (Ark.), Jaime Herrera Beutler (Wash.), Larry Buschon (Ind.), Richard Hanna (N.Y.), Steve Southerland (Fla.), James Lankford (Okla.), Reid Ribble (Wis.), Fred Upton (Mich.), Ed Whitfield (Ky.), Doc Hastings (Wash.), Rob Bishop (Utah), Ralph Hall (Texas), Chip Cravaack (Minn.), Dave Camp (Mich.) and Patrick Tiberi (Ohio).

The Democrats are: Reps. Nick Rahall (W.Va.), Peter DeFazio (Ore.), Jerry Costello (Ill.), Jerrold Nadler (N.Y.), Corrine Brown (Fla.), Elijah Cummings (Md.), Leonard Boswell (Iowa), Tim Bishop (N.Y.), Henry Waxman (Calif.), Ed Markey (Mass.), Eddie Bernice Johnson (Texas), Earl Blumenauer (Ore.) and Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D.C.).

fbnews.org

April 30, 2012

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State FB Links

Rep. Goodlatte earns Farm Bureau’s Golden Plow Award The American Farm Bureau Federation has honored Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) with its “Golden Plow” award. The award is the highest recognition the organization bestows on members of Congress.

Goodlatte was presented the award for his long-standing support of America’s farmers and ranchers by AFBF President Bob Stallman and Virginia Farm Bureau President Wayne Pryor. The award was presented during an event in Harrisonburg, Va. “Congressman Goodlatte is a consistent, strong budget conservative and has set a solid example of the courage required to rein in government spending—which all of us as taxpayers applaud,” Stallman said.

“Congressman Goodlatte is a vigorous defender of private property rights, both real and intellectual, and he continues to lead the fight against regulatory overreach.

He is a champion for private forestry and has worked tirelessly to ensure farmers of all sizes have access

to the conservation programs that assist them in maximizing their farms’ economic returns while contributing measurable results toward enhancing the environment.”

The Virginia Farm Bureau nominated Goodlatte for the award. According to Stallman, since Goodlatte was first elected in 1992 to represent Virginia’s 6th Congressional District, he has “applied his common sense, expertise and determination to finding solutions to the challenges facing American agriculture.”

Goodlatte has served on the House Agriculture Committee and on the Judiciary and Education & Workforce committees—assignments where he has worked on a number of issues facing growers.

Stallman said that Goodlatte’s consistent leadership in Congress is highlighted by his tenure as House Agriculture Committee chairman, from 2003 until 2007.

While House rules impose term limits on chairs, Stallman said agriculture continues to benefit from

AFBF President Bob Stallman, right, and Virginia Farm Bureau President Wayne Pryor, left, on April 13 presented Farm Bureau’s top award for members of Congress to Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), near right. Also on hand for the presentation was Matt Lohr, near left, Virginia’s Commissioner of Agriculture.

Goodlatte’s leadership as the committee’s vice chairman.

AFBF’s Golden Plow award recognizes members of Congress—

State Focus

regardless of party affiliation—for distinguished agricultural leadership and support of Farm Bureau policies.

Newsmakers

Maine passes agritourism bill

Missouri House seeks to follow Iowa in criminalizing lying animal rights activists

Maine farmers banded together to secure passage of “An Act to Promote Agricultural Activity in Maine by Limiting the Liability for Agritourism Activities” in the state Legislature. Gov. Paul LaPage signed the bill into law on April 9. Agricultural tourism has become a large part of Maine agriculture in the past few years as more people want to reconnect with local food sources or just enjoy the open space that a farm provides. The bill limits liability for damages during agritourism activities, provided participants have been notified about the risks of those activities. Thus, the legislation encourages people to visit working farms, while protecting farmers’ liability.

The Maine Farm Bureau prompted farmers to contact their legislators to tell them how liability protection was important to them. LePage says the new law will bring new customers to farms. Walter Whitcomb, Maine’s agriculture commissioner, says the law expands opportunities in Maine agriculture, especially for young farmers.

The bill will offer farmers protection as the public flocks to pick-your-own farms, open house events, corn mazes and many other activities that farms provide.

The Missouri House has endorsed legislation that would make it a crime to sneak into farms in order to show alleged abuse or neglect of farm animals. A second House vote is needed to advance the bill to the Missouri Senate. The legislation would create the crime of “agriculture production facility interference.” It would apply to anyone who makes or distributes photos, videos or audio recordings of the activities at an agricultural facility without the consent of the owner.

The bill also would make it a crime for people to gain employment or access at agricultural facilities under false pretenses. “Unfortunately, we live in a society where these activists are becoming more and more of a problem to agriculture,” said Missouri Rep. Casey Guernsey (R), the sponsor of the legislation. “We cannot afford to allow these groups to target our industry of agriculture in Missouri like they have in Iowa.” Last month Iowa became the first state to make it a crime for people to lie in order to gain access to a livestock operation to record alleged animal abuse, after livestock operations were targeted by activist groups.

Scott Piggott will assume the position of chief operating officer at Michigan Farm Bureau effective May 1. Piggott has been with MFB since February 2000 and has most recently served as the manager of the MFB agricultural ecology department. Piggott succeeds John Vander Molen, who is retiring in June after 36 years.

Matthew W. Ingram of the Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation has been given dual responsibilities as the new director of the organization division and assistant to the executive vice president. Ingram’s transition into these new roles comes after serving nearly three years as director of accounting and finance, more than eight years as an area program director and two summers as a college intern for KFB. Additionally, Andrew T. Brothers has accepted the position of assistant director, accounting and finance at KFB. Brothers comes to KFB after serving seven years with the Kentucky Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co., three years as an accounting intern and four years as a staff accountant. Both Ingram and Brothers assume their new roles April 30.

AFBF hosts spring orientation April 17-18 Thirty-seven Farm Bureau and affiliated company employees attended the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Spring Employee Orientation seminar. Participants were: Beau Bishop, Arkansas; Jamie Pruitt, Delaware; Michael Rogalsky and Jaime Sprivey, Florida; Holly Jacobs, Kansas; George Hieneman, Stacy Lowe, Fran McCall and Mike Tobin, Kentucky; Cole Iaquinto and Kate Krepps, Michigan; Kate Sartell, New Hampshire; Callie Birdsell, DeShon Cromartie, Jessica Hucks, Lendy Johnson and Herb Vanderberry, North Carolina; Ashlee Doan and Joey Tigges, North Dakota; Susan Gaughan, Ty Kellogg and Spencer Waugh, Ohio; Crystal Ensminger and Owen Weikert, Pennsylvania; Cynthia Grimes, Veronica Nigh and Leah Willger, AFBF; Brian Cook, Dwayne Elliott, Linda Lance, Richard Marcus, Denise Morin and Mike Pappas, American Agricultural Insurance Co.; and Jennifer Anderson, Jody Bauer, Mara Garris and Beth Randklev, American Farm Bureau Insurance Services Inc.

Grassroots

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fbnews.org

April 30, 2012

Conducting agriculture’s diverse orchestra

By Paul W. Jackson

photo courtesy of michigan farm bureau

through Farm News when it comes out, because you sure When individual members of can’t get the information that’s an orchestra warm up behind there from local papers.” the curtain, the sound is disLooking to Farm Bureau to dicordant, even messy. rect and fine-tune outside influIt’s the same for agriculture ence is important to Tuinier, when it’s trying to produce a he said, because too many lawsingle, harmonious song from makers and consumers are out many different parts. From the of touch with most, if not all, apple grower to the zucchini of the seemingly discordant producer, farmers all strive for parts that make up agriculture. a single goal. Their song may “We did some lobbying on be about getting government our own, and when they came off their backs or fighting buout to our place—Post Gardens reaucratic nonsense. But if they Greenhouses—the legislators all play their parts separately there were impressed,” he said. in Lansing or Washington, it’s “There was so much they didn’t just a lot of noise to lawmakers. know, and I think they were To the front steps Farm Buimpressed that this is actually a reau, baton in hand. It doesn’t production facility. They didn’t Greenhouse operator Jerry Tuinier (near left); Colette McClinton (left), Wayne County, aspire to play every instrument know that we go from Easter well. That’s up to the players on lilies to flowers for early spring Mich., Farm Bureau president; and another Farm Bureau member visit with Roy the farm. But it knows that if crops to Mother’s Day flowers, Jones (right), aide to Rep. Alberta Tinsley-Talabi (3rd district, Detroit), at Michigan the song is disharmonious, no then spring crops, then hardy Farm Bureau’s February Legislative Seminar in Lansing. Tuinier says that Farm Bureau one will listen. mums, then poinsettias and amplifies and harmonizes the voice of individual farmers and agricultural sectors.

When all the players come back to lilies again.” together to make beautiful When it appreciates one music, it keeps Jerry Tuinier player’s role in the orchestra, our legal defense, and did a great really nowhere. That’s why Farm humming Farm Bureau’s tune.

Tuinier said, perhaps society job supporting us,” he said. “We Bureau is valuable, because it “Farm Bureau is one of the will be able to appreciate the inwent to court as an individual, tries to be proactive and stop bad leading lobbying groups, and it tricate melodies but we felt that we were very well legislation that helps all parts and harmonies supported, and harms all of agriof agriculture,” within agriculwe felt as if culture from even “As just one commodity, said the Wayne “Farm Bureau is all through Farm becoming law.” we don’t have enough of a ture that pull County, Mich., under Bureau the whole Of course, about what you put into agriculture indus- Tuinier said, indi- voice out there. But when together greenhouse opFarm Bureau’s erator. “Green- it, like anything else.” direction. Not try was behind us. vidual efforts are houses never only can anyWe ended up loskey to pulling ag’s greenhouses are joined had much of ing in court, but harmonious, diwith Farm Bureau, which one who joins a voice on their own. As just Farm Bureau we did get our property taxes lowverse membership represents all the other one commodity, we don’t have hear that song, ered, and that was a great savings together. enough of a voice out there. But he said, but for us.”

“Farm Bureau segments of agriculture when greenhouses are joined they can do it Knowing that not every indiviis all about what with Farm Bureau, which repdual farmer’s case can be solved you put into it, too, you have an organi- for less than the resents all the other segments price of most

by Farm Bureau’s cadre of lobbylike anything zation and people who of agriculture too, you have an concert tickets. ists, attorneys and agricultural else,” he said. “If organization and people who “It’s not exadvocates, Tuinier said it’s easy to you put nothing will stand behind you.” will stand behind you.” pensive, and overlook the value of Farm Bureau in, you might get Tuinier tries to shake one paryou get camamembership. nothing out.” ticular tune from his head, a raderie and the knowledge that “I suppose you never really need Even farmers who tend to stay tax issue he dealt with several there is someone there to help anything until you run into trouon the sidelines can benefit from years ago. you when you need it,” he said. ble,” he said. “If you do and you membership, though.

“Farm Bureau helped with “Someone is there to help.” have no one behind you, you’re “It’s a great organization that That’s a tune that everyone in keeps informing farmers about agriculture can hum. things that are important to them, whether it’s a notification of meetings that keep you Paul Jackson is the editor of Michiup to date on pesticide rules or gan Farm News, Michigan Farm Bukeeping us informed on new As of April 18, 2012 reau’s newspaper. laws,” Tuinier said. “I always look Quota states Pennsylvania: 53,398 member families

State quota, Navigator status Quota and Navigator states Montana: 16,896 member families