S P E C I A L
R E P O R T
‘Photo Contest’ Farm Bureau announces winners | 4
January 14, 2013 Vol. 92
‘Farmer lawsuit’ EPA withdraws order in face of lawsuit | 3
‘Farm Dust’
EPA stands by pledge on no new regs | 6
Corps makes progress on Mississippi River rock pinnacles
No. 1 fbnews.org
Latest marketbasket shows retail food prices decline slightly in fourth quarter 2012 Shoppers paid a bit less for food at the grocery store during the fourth quarter of 2012, with some popular fruits and veggies showing a decline in retail price. Lower retail prices for Russet potatoes, bagged salad and apples, among other foods, resulted in a slight decrease in the latest American Farm Bureau Federation Quarterly Marketbasket Survey. The informal survey shows the total cost of 16 food items that can be used to prepare one or more
meals was $50.54, down $1.36 or about 3 percent compared to the third quarter of 2012. Of the 16 items surveyed, 10 decreased and six increased in average price compared to the prior quarter. “While prices were down from the third quarter, compared to a year ago, the marketbasket price was actually higher compared to a year ago, by about 3 percent,” said John Anderson, AFBF’s deputy chief economist. “Throughout 2012, food prices were relatively
stable, thanks to very slow but steady growth in the general economy coupled with fairly stable energy prices. For this year, we expect food prices to rise by 3 to 4 percent, which is slightly higher than the average rate of inflation over the past 10 years.” Items showing retail price decreases for the third quarter included Russet potatoes, down 39 cents to $2.62 for a 5-pound bag; Prices Continued on Page 8
Congress edges away from fiscal cliff
Expedited dredging and rock removal, helped by higher temperatures and potential rainfall, will keep the Mississippi River near Thebes, Ill., deep enough for barges, at least through Jan. 31, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Continued on Page 6
©istockphoto.com/mccaig
n e w s p a p e r
WHEN THE 113TH CONGRESS reports for duty later this month, lawmakers will face a hefty work order that includes passing a comprehensive five-year farm bill and making considerable cuts to federal spending. In the early hours of the new year, Congress approved a plan to keep the country from going over the “fiscal cliff,” for now. The measure, with its provisions making permanent the $5 million estate tax exemption and extending the 2008 farm bill for nine months, is a mixed bag for farmers and ranchers. “While much work remains on addressing the spending side of the ledger, the fiscal cliff package that was just approved injected a good dose of certainty into our nation’s tax policy,” said American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman. “That is a major achievement.” The measure retained the $5 million per person exemption level for the estate tax, which was in danger of falling to just $1 million. In addition, the exemption
is indexed for inflation and any unused portion of the exemption can be transferred to a spouse. On the minus side, the top estate tax rate increased from 35 percent to 40 percent. Permanent capital gains tax provisions that retain lower rates for most taxpayers was a positive point, as was the inclusion of enhanced expensing provisions for businesses. The bill also permanently sets income tax brackets at 10 percent, 25 percent, 28 percent and 35 percent for taxpayers making less than $400,000 ($450,000 for a couple). For many, the marriage penalty is eliminated. The measure increases the Alternative Minimum Tax exemption for 2012 to $50,600 for individuals and $78,750 for married couples filing jointly and indexes it for inflation.
In addition, the measure extends many expired tax provisions, including those related to biofuels and deductions for donated food, state and local general sales taxes, and tuition and fees for higher education. Growers are far less impressed with how Congress handled the farm bill, according to Stallman. “Extension of the 2008 farm bill is little more than a stop-gap measure,” he said. “We are glad that a measure is in place for most of this year, but we are disappointed that Congress was unable or unwilling to roll a comprehensive five-year farm bill proposal into the fiscal cliff package.” The extension through Sept. 30 applies to most provisions of the 2008 farm bill. It does not include Cliff Continued on Page 6
Viewpoint
fbnews.org
2|
January 14, 2013
The
Bob Stallman
President, American Farm Bureau Federation
Keeping our resolutions in 2013
T
he New Year is upon us, which means many of you have probably made a New Year’s resolution or two. The funny thing about resolutions is that they are easier to make than to keep (I speak from experience). Come Jan. 7, that piece of cheesecake typically wins out, while the elliptical machine is already starting to gather dust. But, when it comes to Farm Bureau, my resolutions—along with those of Farm Bureau leaders and members—never waiver. Continuing to build upon Farm Bureau’s 94 successful years of ensuring that farmers’ and ranchers’ voices are heard is one resolution we do not back away from. Should old acquaintance be forgot As we delve into 2013, Farm Bureau has several legislative and regulatory resolutions. First off is getting to know the new members of Congress as they take office and acquire committee assignments. It will be important for Farm Bureau to get to know these members and pay close attention to the makeup of the new committees, especially those important to agriculture and rural communities. Getting a new farm bill passed will be a top
resolution for farmers in the new Congress. Fortunately, congressional leaders will have the farm bill legislation from the 112th Congress to use as a well-discussed head start. I am optimistic the new Congress can pick up where the last one left off and pass a five-year farm bill by spring planting time. It also remains a priority for Farm Bureau to continue its goal of minimizing the effects of unfair taxes like the estate tax and capital gains tax. We will also continue our work in the regulatory arena and in the courts on environmental issues, like caring for the Chesapeake Bay. And we will work toward comprehensive labor reform. We need a solution that addresses agriculture’s unique labor needs with a market-based, flexible agricultural worker program, which reflects real-life workforce challenges for all crop and livestock producers. On the executive side, we will know President Obama’s budget priorities by early February. In my estimation, his main goal will be to focus on ways to reduce the deficit. While getting the country’s financial house in order is a priority for Farm Bureau members, it will also be important to make sure that farming programs receive adequate funding to carry out
their missions without taking disproportionate cuts. And there’s a hand my trusty friend Outside of the Capitol Beltway, Farm Bureau members will continue their resolve of advocating for agriculture through consumer outreach. Farmers have made significant strides in recent years of having genuine discussions about modern agriculture with their neighbors, community leaders and even strangers. Through the use of social media outlets, like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, farmers are not only telling consumers about how they raise food and care for their animals, they are taking them onto their land and into their barns to show them. Reaching out in this manner has not always been second-nature for farmers, but by working with one another and accepting a helping hand from other Farm Bureau members, we have accomplished a lot and we can only achieve more. By joining together in traditional Farm Bureau fashion, I am confident we can meet our 2013 resolutions head on and make the most of the many opportunities that this New Year holds.
Farmers and veterans: Strong, resilient and independent By Sabrina Matteson Most people have a clear image of what farmers are like. That’s because people create fixed stereotypes and then believe their own generalizations about members of a particular group. At a recent workshop in a rural Midwestern state, a group of people wrote down the stereotypical characteristics of those who work the land. This included: farmers are strong, have red necks, and wear overalls and plaid shirts; they get up early and go to bed with the sun; they tuck a straw in the sides of their mouths and smell like work (which really means sweat and manure); they are independent, self-reliant and shoot things that cause harm to their livestock; and they undertake great risks for little profit, enjoy hardship, think imaginatively and are highly respected by the community despite the fact that most folks would never do what they do. The list went on—identifying
FBNews
some great and some awful characteristics—but it’s striking how comparable these farmer traits are to stereotypes of those in the military. In 2008, Michael O’Gorman, an organic farmer from California, was struck by the similarities of farmers and soldiers. Farm kids have the skills to become great soldiers and soldiers can become great farmers. He thought it amazing that no one was helping veterans become farmers, even though they are so obviously suited to that life. Thus, the Farmer Veteran Coalition was born. Marc Henrie of Smithfield, Utah, served as a platoon leader in the Utah Army National Guard field artillery in Iraq. This cattle and hay farmer agrees that there are a lot of similarities between soldiers and farmers. “The main thing I would point out is our love for the land and our ability to work hard,” says Henrie. “Soldiers and farmers share long days, often working
Mace Thornton, Acting Director, Public Relations Erin Anthony, Editor Phyllis Brown, Assistant Editor Cyndie Sirekis, Contributing Writer Miranda McDaniel, Contributing Writer
January 14, 2013 Vol. 92
through the night. They have bonds with those they serve and are very loyal. Farmers and veterans are known as fearless risk-takers. Many are asked to do difficult tasks, often as they risk their own safety or livelihood. Both groups continue to hope for a bright future and are optimistic for what the future holds.” Paul Schwennesen of Double Check Ranch in Winkelman, Ariz., confirmed this love of hard work when he went off to boot camp. Other enlistees were complaining how difficult it was but Schwennesen thought that it was easier than life on the farm. “The military helped me to learn an organized, methodical approach to time management,” says Schwennesen. “There are lots of moving pieces in the military and the farm, and it is important to get them all to pull in the same direction at the same time. We are conditioned by the reality of our lives with early mornings, long hard days and physical exertion.”
No. 1
Published monthly 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)
The Farmer Veteran Coalition provides education, risk management training, funding and technical assistance to prepare veterans to become farmers. Assistance for internships also is offered, particularly for disabled veterans to obtain the necessary training to run their own operations as they heal from war-related injuries in a productive environment. Let’s count our blessings that there is an organization working to transition our veterans, who have already sacrificed so much for us, into a life for which many of them are so perfectly suited. While we’re at it, let’s abandon the stereotypes and instead honor the noble similarities between farmers and veterans by welcoming more of them as they embark on a different way of serving our nation. Sabrina Matteson is director of rural affairs at the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Farm Bureau TV: www.youtube.com/farmbureautv
Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/farmbureau
“Like” us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/AmericanFarmBureau
fbnews.org
January 14, 2013
|3
Capitol View
EPA withdraws order in the face of farmer’s lawsuit In a surprise about-face, EPA has withdrawn an order demanding that West Virginia poultry grower Lois Alt obtain a Clean Water Act discharge permit for stormwater runoff from her farmyard or face up to $37,500 per day in penalties. While the action is a great victory for Alt, it leaves unresolved a major legal issue with serious implications for other livestock and poultry farmers that must be addressed, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia ruled in October that AFBF and West Virginia Farm Bureau have the right to join Alt’s lawsuit. EPA had aggressively opposed Farm Bureaus’ participation. EPA’s withdrawal of the order comes six months after Alt filed her legal action and a mere six weeks before Alt and AFBF are scheduled to file briefs challenging EPA’s interpretation of the law. In withdrawing its order, EPA cited new management practices identified during a May 2012 reinspection of the farm. However, EPA’s inspection report also states that dust, feathers and small amounts of manure were still observed on the ground at the farm —which was the very same basis of EPA’s original order, according to AFBF General Counsel Ellen Steen. “EPA still has not backed away from its position that any amount of pollutant on the ground at a livestock or poultry farm requires a Clean Water Act permit,” according to Steen. “The more likely reason for EPA’s withdrawal is that it does not want to defend its position in court.”
“This is a personal victory for Lois Alt, but it should not have taken a federal lawsuit to convince EPA to withdraw an order that was illegal from the start,” said AFBF President Bob Stallman. “EPA’s withdrawal of the Alt order without correcting its legal position still leaves other farmers and ranchers hanging in uncertainty, vulnerable to the same threats that Ms. Alt faced.” EPA’s November 2011 order
Poultry farmers Lois and Tony Alt (right and center) talk with Stephen Butler (left), West Virginia Farm Bureau administrator.
West Virginia poultry grower Lois Alt was told by EPA to get a Clean Water Act discharge permit for stormwater runoff from her farmyard or face up to $37,500 per day in penalties.
threatened Alt with $37,500 in fines for each time stormwater came into contact with dust, feathers or small amounts of manure on the ground outside of her poultry houses as a result of normal poultry farming operations. EPA also threatened separate fines of $37,500 per day if Alt failed to apply for a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System permit. Alt responded by filing her own legal challenge to the EPA order in June 2012. “EPA says its withdrawal is based on a May 2012 re-inspection of the farm, but I can’t help but notice that EPA only withdrew the order after Farm Bureau was granted intervention in October,” Steen explained. “It’s like upsetting the chess board when you know
you are in danger of losing. All signs are that EPA does not want to defend its position in court.” “EPA knows very well that most farmers lack the resources to fight back when they face an EPA order—even if the order has no legal basis,” noted Stallman. “We are happy for Ms. Alt that EPA has flinched, but the principles for which she stood remain in danger.”
In 2012, FBNews ran a series of articles on the IFYE Association’s in-depth learning experience through which 4-H alumni and other young adults live with host families in other countries to increase global awareness, develop independent study interests and improve language skills. Since its founding in 1948, IFYE has helped thousands of young people from across the United States, Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the South Pacific learn about life in other countries. While programs vary from country to country, with some emphasizing an agricultural work experience, volunteering at an adult training center or working with a local youth development program similar to 4-H, all have living with a family and learning about the culture as the key component. Now, the organization is reaching out to Farm Bureau members as Alan Lambert, president of the IFYE Association of the USA,
and other representatives are connecting with participants in the state Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers programs. After having the opportunity to interact with more than 100 Wisconsin Farm Bureau members— many of them Young Farmer and Agriculturalist program members—at the Wisconsin Farm Bureau annual meeting in December, Lambert and his colleagues are looking forward to attending numerous state YF&R gatherings this year. Many of Lambert’s conversations with Wisconsin Farm Bureau members centered on the hosting aspect of the exchange. Host families, who are interviewed and given an orientation if selected, typically host an international delegate for three weeks before the delegate moves to another family. The delegate’s biographical information and interests are a factor in making host family placements. Though most of the inbound delegates are
Launching in February
photo courtesy of George Hubka, MG News
IFYE connects with Farm Bureau members, YF&R
At the Michigan Farm Bureau annual meeting Max Esking (left), a 2012 IFYE exchange delegate from Germany, chats with Wayne Wood, Michigan Farm Bureau president, and Joan and Larry Gould, Michigan Farm Bureau members. Larry Gould (far right) was a 1965 IFYE delegate to Mexico. in their 20s, there are no age restrictions for host families. Family members only have to be willing to open their hearts and homes to an individual from another culture. In addition, Wisconsin Farm Bureau’s district coordinators were enthusiastic about bringing IFYE to the Collegiate Farm Bureau chapters, which will help drum up interest in potential outbound participants.
Like Lambert did in Wisconsin, at the YF&R conferences he and his colleagues will be attending this year, they will discuss the program’s goals and objectives and travel and hosting opportunities, as well as provide literature. For information on outbound experiences and hosting opportunities, please contact Lambert at alanelambert@gmail.com or 605-366-6107.
Photo Con
Farm Bureau announces photo contest winners Twenty-five photographs submitted by 20 Farm Bureau members and staff were chosen as the winners of the 2012 Farm Bureau Photo Contest. The contest, held by the American Farm Bureau Federation together with the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture, selected winners in five categories that accurately portray today’s farm and ranch families and their efforts to keep farms a safe place to work and a healthy place to live. The winners by category are: Safety & Health: Mary Ann Renner, Ferndale, Calif., first place; Sydney Edwards, Wen-
dell, N.C., second place; William Burleigh, Tavares, Fla., third place; Andy Lucas, Montrose, Ga., honorable mention; Staci Lee, Kindred, N.D., honorable mention. At Work on the Farm or Ranch: Sydney Edwards, Wendell, N.C., first place; Tina Witte, Atkinson, Ill., second place; Robert DeGrandchamp, South Haven, Mich., third place; Peggy Gannon, Jefferson, Iowa, honorable mention; Brenda Hastings, Chardon, Ohio, honorable mention. At Home on the Farm or Ranch: Michelle Shooter, Rowland, N.C., first place; Tina Witte, Atkinson, Ill., second place; Rita Kleve, Holyoke, Colo., third place; David Sean Hinton, Carrollton, Ohio, honor-
able mention; Jacki Picco, Richmond, Va., honorable mention. Consumer Outreach: Dani Walker Kreutter, Waterloo, Ind., first place; Raquel Landry, Lake Charles, La., second place; Barb Iverson, Woodburn, Ore., third place; Claire Smith, Belmond, Iowa, honorable mention; Brenda Hastings, Chardon, Ohio, honorable mention. My Scenic Farm or Ranch: Laurie Link, Meadville, Mo., first place; Barb Iverson, Woodburn, Ore., second place; Cynthia Elder, Fancy Farm, Ky., third place; Peggy Gannon, Jefferson, Iowa, honorable mention; Tom and Kay Luxton, Hillpoint, Wis., honorable mention.
My Scenic Farm or Ranch
Winners will be highlighted at the AFBF annual meeting, Jan. 13-16, in Nashville, Tenn., and the top three placing photos in each category received monetary prizes. First place winners were awarded $200, second place, $150, and third place, $100. Placing photos will also be used by AFBF and related companies, publications and promotions in the future. You can view the photos online at fb.org. From the “Newsroom” option in the menu bar, click on “News Releases.” Select “Farm Bureau announces photo contest winners.” At the bottom of the news release is a link to the images.
Consumer Outreach
Laurie Link, Meadville, Mo.
Dani Walker Kreutter, Waterloo, Ind.
Safety & Health Mary Ann Renner, Ferndale, Calif.
At Home on the Farm or Ranch Michelle Shooter, Rowland, N.C.
At Work on the Farm or Ranch
Sydney Edwards, Wendell, N.C.
R E P O R T
ntest Winners
January 14, 2013
S P E C I A L
At Work on the Farm or Ranch
At Home on the Farm or Ranch
Tina Witte, Atkinson, Ill.
Tina Witte, Atkinson, Ill.
Safety & Health Sydney Edwards, Wendell, N.C.
Consumer Outreach
My Scenic Farm or Ranch
Raquel Landry, Lake Charles, La.
Barb Iverson, Woodburn, Ore.
At Home on the Farm or Ranch
Consumer Outreach Barb Iverson, Woodburn, Ore.
Rita Kleve, Holyoke, Colo.
My Scenic Farm or Ranch Cynthia Elder, Fancy Farm, Ky.
Safety and Health
William Burleigh, Tavares, Fla.
At Work on the Farm or Ranch
Robert DeGrandchamp, South Haven, Mich.
Capitol View
fbnews.org
6|
January 14, 2013
EPA stands by pledge on farm dust regs, for now With the recent announcement that EPA will retain the current 24-hour standard for coarse particulate matter, the agency is standing by its promise not to further regulate dust that’s kicked up during routine farming and ranching activities. However, the rules will come up for review again in less than five years. “There were concerns that EPA would tighten standards for farm dust without scientific evidence that it puts human health at risk,” explained Andrew Walmsley, American Farm Bureau Federation air quality specialist. As it is required to do every five years, EPA was reviewing Clean Air Act rules for controlling particulate matter, which is essentially soot and dust. Soot is fine, manmade particulate matter from cars and factories. Coarse particulate matter or dust, on the other hand, is natural and just a fact of rural life. “You kick up dust when you work the land, move your cattle and when you drive on rural dirt roads,” explained Walmsley. Despite comments made by EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson in 2011 that the agency had no intention of putting more stringent rules in place for farm dust, farmers and
ranchers still urged officials to completely exclude dust from regulation, unless there is scientific evidence to show that it harms people’s health. Almost all of the data on the environmental effects of dust comes from studies done in urban areas, which would be unaffected by any
tightening of the rules. As it is, rural areas in the Southwest and the Plains cannot meet the current standards. Plus, EPA’s own information shows there’s no need for a stricter standard. There were also worries about how new rules
would change the way producers work. “With tighter standards, ranchers would have to keep their livestock from kicking up dust, farmers would have to forgo combining their soybeans on a dry day in the fall and growers would have to find tillage practices that eliminate dust,” Walmsley explained. Despite EPA’s formal announcement that it is not changing the existing daily standard for coarse particles, which includes farm dust, the threat of stricter dust regulations remains as EPA will be reassessing the rules in 2016, as required by law. So concerned were farmers and ranchers in 2011 when EPA was reviewing these air quality standards that they reached out to the agency and Congress, prompting Reps. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) and Robert Hurt (RVa.) to introduce a bill to exempt naturally occurring dust from federal regulation unless it harms human health. The bill (H.R. 1633) would also have ensured that the benefits of any regulation would outweigh the costs. Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) introduced a similar Farm Bureau-supported measure (S. 1528) in the Senate.
Congress edges away from fiscal cliff, issues remain Continued from page 1 the new dairy gross margin/supply management program, but rather continues the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) program and restores it to a 45 percent rate. Related provisions authorize $80 million for livestock indemnity payments; $400 million for the livestock forage disaster program; $50 million for emergency assistance for livestock, honeybees and farm-raised fish; and $20 million for trees assistance. How-
proved by the Senate and the House Agriculture Committee during the 112th Congress.” Importantly, the bill does preserve the baseline for consideration of the farm bill this year. As the new Congress punches in, lawmakers already face a huge work order. On top of the farm bill, legislators have to get spending in check. The measure puts off for two months—until March 27—the automatic spending cuts that, along with a slew of tax in-
ever, these programs have yet to be funded by the Appropriations Committee. As with the disaster provisions, the measure authorizes but does not fund any of the 37 expiring agriculture programs that lost their base. Stallman emphasized that the extension does not let the 113th Congress off the hook. “We will continue to insist on the kind of reforms that were included in the proposals ap-
creases, had the country teetering on the fiscal cliff. “The fiscal cliff package did not do enough to cut federal spending in a meaningful way. Without progress on the spending side, we are on a one-way road to fiscal disaster. It is our hope that the new Congress will exercise the leadership needed to put our nation on a path toward fiscal responsibility and agricultural innovation and prosperity,” Stallman said.
Corps makes progress on Mississippi River rock pinnacles from Carlyle Lake in Illinois, which is expected to provide up to an additional six inches of water where the rock pinnacles are being removed. “We’ll take every inch we can get,” said Andrew Walmsley, American Farm Bureau Federation transportation specialist. Appreciative of the Corps’ responsiveness, farmers, ranchers and many others are hopeful the administration will be open to doing everything necessary to keep traffic moving on the Mississippi. To that end, as part of the request Farm Bureau sent to Obama and administration officials at the end of last year, the groups also asked that the president declare an emergency pursuant to section 501(b) of the Stafford Act to release water from the Missouri River reservoirs to preserve a nine-foot channel on the Mississippi River to sustain commercial navigation. If the water gets too low, barge operators might be unwilling or even unable to float their loads, Walmsley pointed out. At the very least, they’ll go significantly lighter. And if the barges don’t go or they’re carrying far less than normal, the effects will be felt well beyond Midwestern agriculture. “Typically, barge traffic in December and January represents close to $7 billion in economic ac-
tivity,” Walmsley said. “We’re seeing impacts all the way down the river, including potentially $130 million in lost wages and the loss of about 20,000 jobs.” For farmers and ranchers, the impacts could run in the billions. “It’s projected that approximately 300 million bushels of grain and oilseeds worth about $2.3 billion would be delayed if the stretch of the river near Thebes
is shut down,” Walmsley said. And, as with many other aspects of agriculture, timing is everything. “Our global competitiveness is at stake,” he continued. “We export a lot of our ag products this time of year. We get in before South American farmers have their harvest.” In addition, growers are awaiting barges coming up the river full of the fertilizer and other inputs they’re going to need for the spring.
photo courtesy of the u.s. army corps of engineers
Continued from page 1 It was only a little more than a year ago that levels along the Mississippi River and many of its tributaries were close to record highs. However, the summer’s intense Midwestern drought has the Mississippi running well below normal. At the urging of Farm Bureau and dozens of other organizations whose members would be affected by shipping delays on the Mississippi, in December the Corps quickly went to work removing rock pinnacles near Grand Tower and Thebes, Ill., about halfway between Cairo, Ill. and St. Louis, Mo. “The Mississippi River is a critical national transportation artery, on which hundreds of millions of tons of essential commodities are shipped...,” Farm Bureau and the other national organizations wrote in a letter to President Barack Obama and top administration officials. “Substantial curtailment of navigation will effectively sever the country’s inland waterway superhighway, imperil the shipment of critical cargo for domestic consumption and for export, threaten manufacturing industries and power generation, and risk thousands of related jobs in the Midwest.” In addition to the rock removal, the Corps has also released water
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is close to finishing the removal of rock pinnacles from the Mississippi River near Grand Tower and Thebes, Ill. The removal is part of the Corps’ effort to keep the river open to barge traffic.
January 14, 2013
fbnews.org
|7
State FB Links
Iowa FB: Nutrient plan key to avoiding regulations By Dirck Steimel The Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy offers farmers a sciencebased and voluntary plan to reduce nutrient losses from fields, maintain productivity, and avoid potentially costly and restrictive federal regulation, state agriculture and conservation officials said last month at the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting in Des Moines. “I really do believe that if we don’t address these issues ourselves, then we should expect regulation at some point,” Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey said during an educational session about the new nutrient reduction plan. “I don’t know if that’s two years from now or 20 years from now, but I believe we can see something will be asked of us if we don’t address these issues.” The draft nutrient reduction plan was developed by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), with a science assessment by Iowa State University (ISU). Under the plan, IDALS will manage the agricultural portion of the plan, designed to be a voluntary program that offers strategies for farmers to maintain agricultural productivity, protect natural resources and reduce nutrient losses. The IDNR will be working with major cities and industries throughout the state to reduce nutrient discharges from point sources to Iowa’s waters. The Iowa nutrient reduction strategy was prompted by an EPA Gulf Hypoxia Action Plan that
calls for 12 states along the Mississippi River to reduce nutrient loadings to the Gulf of Mexico. Iowa is only the second state to complete its statewide nutrient reduction strategy. IFBF is committed to making the Iowa nutrient reduction strategy a success, said Craig Hill, IFBF president. During his annual meeting address, Hill urged Farm Bureau members to learn about and comment on the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy. “It is in our best interest to engage in this water quality discussion using science and the best understanding of a very complex biological system,” he said. The nutrient reduction plan, Northey said, is designed to help farmers find better ways to keep nitrogen and phosphorus on their own fields while maintaining productivity. To accomplish that, he said, it was important to look at research to determine the benefits and potential downsides of each practice. It is also important that the Iowa plan offers farmers options to choose voluntary practices that fit best with their operations, Northey said. In contrast, he said, regulations would likely be a onesize-fits-all model that would limit choice and force farmers into certain practices. Northey praised the work by ISU researchers to gather the research on various nutrient reduction practices and how they work in different soil types and topographies. “This is an amazing effort that has not been repeated in other parts of the country,” he said. The research clearly showed that an array of conservation
photo by Gary Fandel, Iowa Farm Bureau Federation
The Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy offers a science-based, voluntary approach to nutrient loss that will provide farmers more flexibility and choice than federal regulations would, Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey told Iowa Farm Bureau members last month. practices, and likely a combination of practices on the same fields, will be required to meet the nutrient loss reduction targets, said Matt Helmers, an ISU Extension engineer who helped lead the scientific effort to develop the strategy. In addition, he said, the research also showed that some practices, such as restricting fall nitrogen applications, may not have as much positive impact as many observers expected. Iowa farmers have already installed a lot of conservation structures that help reduce nutrient loss, said Dean Lemke, chief of the Water Resources Bureau at IDALS. “We know that conservation investments in Iowa, both public and private, are some $300 million per year, so we are not
starting at zero,” Lemke said. Iowa farmers have long shown an eagerness to participate in conservation programs, Lemke said. But it is important that Iowa farmers step up to show leadership in reducing nutrient loss. “The goal is to make Iowa a global leader in addressing nutrient reduction as it is a leader in producing food and fuels,” according to Lemke. To find out more about the Iowa nutrient reduction strategy, visit http://www.nutrientstrategy. iastate.edu/. Dirck Steimel is news services manager at Iowa Farm Bureau Federation and editor of IFBF’s Spokesman and Family Living publications.
National Women’s Leadership Conference slated for April 2013 in Las Vegas
Maslyn retires as American Farm Bureau Federation public policy executive director
The 2013 American Farm Bureau National Women’s Leadership Conference will be held April 5-8 at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas, Nev. The conference, with the theme “Engaged, Empowered & Strong,” is open to all women who are members of Farm Bureau. Early-bird registration pricing is available through Jan. 18; registration closes March 13. Check with your state Farm Bureau coordinator of Women’s Leadership Programs (in states with Women’s Leadership Programs) or annual meeting coordinator (in states without Women’s Leadership Programs) to register. Hotel reservations may be made online at http://
Mark Maslyn, executive director of public policy for the American Farm Bureau Federation, is retiring effective Feb. 1. Throughout his Farm Bureau career of 32 years with AFBF and New York Farm Bureau, Maslyn’s work has been critical to Farm Bureau’s policy implementation efforts. Maslyn became the executive director of the public policy department in July 2004. He was previously the deputy executive director of AFBF’s Washington, D.C., office for 10 years. He joined the AFBF staff as assistant director of national affairs in 1984. Before that, Maslyn worked for five years for the New York State Senate and Assembly. He had previously served as assistant director of governmental relations, director of political education and manager of national affairs for the New York Farm Bureau. A native of the Finger Lakes region in western New York, Maslyn earned his bachelor’s degree in political science and history from St. John Fisher College in Rochester. He is a certified member of the American Society of Association Executives.
bit.ly/Sqx15s or by calling 877603-4389 with reservation code SPWLC23. The deadline for making hotel reservations is March 13.
New state FB presidents Farmers and ranchers in three states have been elected new Farm Bureau presidents. Pictured left to right are: Jimmy Parnell, president, Alabama Farmers Federation, succeeding Jerry Newby; Ryck Suydam, president, New Jersey Farm Bureau, succeeding Richard Nieuwenhuis; and Jim Holte, president, Wisconsin Farm Bureau, succeeding Bill Bruins.
Grassroots
fbnews.org
8|
January 14, 2013
A federal judge in Baltimore, Md., late last month ruled in favor of a fourth-generation Maryland farm family accused by the New York-based Waterkeeper Alliance of violating the Clean Water Act. The “federal court ruling that the Waterkeeper Alliance failed to prove that chicken houses owned by Alan and Kristin Hudson on the Eastern Shore of Maryland violated the Clean Water Act by polluting the Pocomoke River is welcome news,” said American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman in a statement. “America’s farmers and ranchers are committed to producing safe and nutritious food. We work to protect and enhance the environment, while responsibly caring for our animals, the public and our neighbors.” The Hudsons took over the family farm from Alan’s dad in 1994. With just two chicken houses, the farm is small compared to the average chicken farm on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The Hudsons also raise corn, soybeans, hay and a few beef cattle. In 2010, the Waterkeeper Alliance filed a federal lawsuit against the Hudsons accusing them and co-defendant Perdue Farms of creating a “longstanding manure pile” that discharges pollutants via “trenches” into a field ditch in violation of the Clean Water Act. The Hudson’s farm, in fact, had never had a “longstanding manure pile.” The Waterkeepers made this accusation because they mistakenly thought a lawfully obtained pile of biosolids, delivered to the farm from Ocean City, Md., a populous resort area, was chicken manure. At the Waterkeeper Alliance’s behest, the Maryland Department of the Environment investigated the situation, asked the Hudsons to move the biosolids pile to a different location on the farm, and concluded that “no further action is required on [the farm’s]
photo courtesy of maryland farm bureau
Maryland poultry growers triumph in court
Late last year, a federal judge ruled that activist organization Waterkeeper Alliance failed to prove that Alan and Kristin Hudson’s farm violated the Clean Water Act. The Hudson’s are a fourth-generation farm family. part other than to spread the [biosolid pile] in the spring for the next crop growing season.” Despite this, the Waterkeepers moved ahead, amending its lawsuit to contend the Hudsons operate a “factory farm operation” and that pollutants from poultry manure have entered local waterways via the exhaust fans in the poultry houses, and through ordinary foot traffic as people enter and exit the houses in the daily care of their animals. Senior U.S. District Court Judge William Nickerson’s ruling “reinforced what the Maryland Department of the Environment concluded three years ago: that Alan and Kristin Hudson have not done anything wrong and are not guilty of violating the Clean Water Act,” said Lee
Richardson, president of the Wicomico County Farm Bureau and a member of SaveFarm Families.org. “The Hudsons were unjustly accused in a witch hunt by the Assateague Coastal Trust and the Waterkeeper Alliance and their agenda against modern agriculture.” SaveFarmFamilies.org, supported by the Maryland Farm Bureau, along with the Wicomico County Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers, and a number of other organizations, was created to help the Hudsons with the more than $100,000 in legal expenses they’ve amassed. In addition to ruling that Waterkeepers failed to prove its case, Judge Nickerson took aim at the group’s methods, stating, “When citizen groups take up the mantle, however, they must do so responsibly and effectively. The court finds that in this action, for whatever reason, Waterkeeper did not do that.” Stallman said he hopes similar organizations will take note of Nickerson’s decision. “This victory for the Hudson family should serve as a wake-up call for activist groups that our nation’s courts should not be used for unsubstantiated attacks on hardworking farm and ranch families,” he said. The case should also put farmers and ranchers throughout the country on alert, according to Richardson. “We are grateful that justice prevailed and common sense won the day,” Richardson said. “However, we remain concerned that other farmers will suffer the same fate as the Hudsons at the hands of bullies armed with millions of celebrity fueled dollars and an attitude of taking farmers down at all costs, with or without evidence.” Nickerson has not yet ruled on whether the Hudsons and Perdue Farms will be awarded legal costs. In addition, the Waterkeeper Alliance has not said whether it will appeal the case.
Retail food prices decline slightly in fourth quarter 2012 Continued from page 1 bagged salad, down 35 cents to $2.59 per pound; deli ham, down 31 cents to $4.89 per pound; apples, down 26 cents to $1.60 per pound; sirloin tip roast, down 22 cents to $4.52 per pound; flour, down 20 cents to $2.37 for a 5-pound bag; chicken breasts, down 7 cents to $3.10 per pound; vegetable oil down 5 cents to $2.86 for a 32-ounce bottle; eggs, down 4 cents to $1.90 per dozen; and bacon, down 2 cents to $4.21 per pound. These items showed modest retail price increases for the quarter: whole milk, up 18 cents to $3.73 per gallon; orange juice, up
11 cents to $3.41 per half-gallon; white bread, up 10 cents to $1.85 for a 20-ounce loaf; ground chuck, up 8 cents to $3.55 per pound; shredded cheddar cheese, up 5 cents to $4.31 per pound; and toasted oat cereal, up 3 cents to $3.03 for a 9-ounce box. The year-to-year direction of the Marketbasket Survey tracks with the federal government’s Consumer Price Index (http://www.bls. gov/cpi/) report for food at home. As retail grocery prices have increased gradually over time, the share of the average food dollar that America’s farm and ranch families receive has dropped. “Through the mid-1970s, farmers received about onethird of consumer retail food expenditures for food eaten at home and away from home, on average. Since then, that figure has decreased steadily and is now about 16 percent, according to the Agriculture Department’s revised Food Dollar Series,” Anderson said. Using the “food at home and away from home” percentage across-the-board, the farmer’s share of this quarter’s $50.54 marketbasket would be $8.09. AFBF has been conducting the informal Quarterly Marketbasket Survey of retail food price trends since
1989. The mix of foods in the marketbasket was updated in 2008. According to USDA, Americans spend just under 10 percent of their disposable annual income
on food, the lowest average of any country in the world. A total of 107 shoppers in 31 states participated in the latest survey, conducted in October.
Corner Post More Communities Warm Up to Winter Markets Top 10 States for Winter Farmers Markets
Winter farmers markets have increased 52 percent, from 1,225 in 2011 to 1,864 in 2012 * New to the Top 10 list
Source: USDA, National Farmers Market Directory