Page B-1 Monday, January 10, 2011 Woodford County
Jolene Neuhauser
Jolene’s Journal
Defensive Driving Class to be offered March 1
The Woodford County Farm Bureau was recognized for its achievements during the 96th annual meeting of the Illinois Farm Bureau held in St. Louis December4-7, 2010. A member of Membership Group IV, Woodford County reT h e Wo o d f o r d C o u n t y ceived the following program awards: Farm Bureau will be offering a Bronze Ag Literacy Defensive Driving Class on Member Relations March 1 starting at 9 a.m. The County Farm Bureaus in Membership Group IV are those class will be an all day session with between 3000 and 5400 members. with a break for lunch. Cost As part of its Annual Meeting, Illinois Farm Bureau presents for the program will be $12 per program and committee awards in recognition of outstanding person and will cover materials county Farm Bureau volunteer efforts throughout the year. for the class. Woodford County received a Bronze for Women’s Committee S t a t e Tr o o p e r D u s t i n achievement. Pierce will be the instructor for Sean Arians, a Woodford County native, was also elected as the class. State Young Leader Chair for the year 2011. Arians will serve on To register, please call the the Illinois Farm Bureau Board in an Advisory Role. He repreFa r m B u r e a u a t 4 6 7 - 2 3 4 7 . sents District 7 quite well. Raised in Woodford County, pretty Class size is limited to 30 parclose to the Marshall County Line, he currently works for Precision ticipants. Planting, in Tazewell County, and resides in McLean County! The Illinois Farm Bureau is a member of the American Farm Bureau Federation, a national organization of farmers and ranchThe EPA has finalized its ers. Founded in 1916, IFB is a non-profit, membership organizaSpill Prevention, Control and tion controlled by farmers who join through their county Farm Countermeasures (SPCC) rule Bureau. IFB represents two out of three Illinois farmers. that governs oil and fuel storage for many businesses, including farms. Nov. 10, 2010 was deadThe Illinois Farm Bureau lege or University student. The line for farms to comply with the Foundation has various schol- recipient must be pursuing a new rules if they were in operaarships with different/specific degree in agriculture or a relat- tion before 2002. However, if you still have criteria – all of which is avail- ed field, a member or depenquestions or other concerns able on their website. Applica- dent of a Woodford County about the SPCC rule, a meeting tions are available by going to Fa r m B u r e a u M e m b e r, n o t is being held on Wednesday, their website: www.iaafounda- b e e n a p a s t r e c i p i e n t o f a January 12 at 1 p.m. in the WCFB Foundation scholartion.org Far m Bureau Auditorium. Another scholarship from ship, exhibit potential for sucFirst Farm Credit Services is cessful completion of course Don Herring from Evergreen FS available by going to www.1st- of study and be a resident of will be the speaker. The SPCC rule pertains to farmcredit.com. All their crite- Woodford County. To request farms that have above-ground oil an application, contact the ria is listed there as well. storage with an aggregate capaciT h e Wo o d f o r d C o u n t y Woodford County Farm Buty greater than 1,320 gallons or Farm Bureau Foundation will r e a u a t 4 6 7 - 2 3 4 7 o r be offering a $750 scholarship. wcfb@mtco.com. Applications completely buried storage capacity of more than 42,000 gallons. This will be for a Current Col- are due March 18. Residential home oil containers
WCFB President Wayne Blunier, right, receives a plaque for Program and Committee Achievement from Illinois Farm Bureau President Phillip Nelson at the 2010 IAA Annual Meeting . The Meeting was held December 4-7 in St. Louis.
Review of on-farm fuel storage requirements on Jan. 12
Ag scholarships available
Comments from the President By Wayne Blunier December was an exciting month for Illinois Farm Bureau. It started with our annual meeting in St Louis. Things went well at the meeting and the delegates finished their work a half day ahead of time. Woodford County was represented by four delegates and five alternates. We take turns participating on the delegate floor. Just after our annual meeting, we learned of the tax agreement that was worked out by President Obama and the Republican leadership. It contained many items that the Farm Bureau has been working on for several years. I have a list of twenty three items that benefit farmers. I will highlight a few of them. We knew that the estate tax which did not exist in 2010 was to come back in 2011 with a high tax rate of 55% and an exemption of one million dollars. The agreement which has now passed Congress and been signed into law, contains the Farm Bureau position of a 35% maximum tax rate and a five million dollar exemption and if one spouse does not use the full exemption it passes to the remaining spouse so the total exemption for a couple will be ten mil-
lion dollars before the taxing begins. The new law also indexes the estate tax exemption for inflation. This will help pass the farm business to the next generation. Also, the new tax law extends for two years tax incentives for biodiesel (2010-2011). It extends for one year tax incentives for ethanol and the tariff on imported ethanol (2011). It extends for two years higher Section 179 Small Business Expensing provisions (2011-2012). It also extends the lower capital gains tax rates for all taxpayers (2010-2011). When you read this we will be in the New Year and I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year. I find farmers optimistic this year as they face the New Year with a fall that allowed them to get many fall jobs done. Grain prices are up as we have enough grain but not a big surplus. This brings a smile to the grain farmers but adds to the challenge of the livestock farmers. Each year is different. What will 2011 bring? Woodford County farmers are some of the best in the world and I know we will face together whatever 2011 brings to us.
and oil tanks smaller than 55 are exempt. The rules require farms that meet a certain storage threshold to prepare and implement a plan and have a secondary containment str ucture around their tanks. Under the rules, there are different compliance requirements based on a facility’s storage capacity. To qualify, the smaller facilities must not have had a single discharge of more than 1,000 gallons into navigable waters within the three years prior to the date the SPCC is certified. The farm also cannot have had two oil discharges of more than 42 gallons into navigable water within a 12-month period. In addition to meeting the spill history requirement, smallercapacity facilities must have 10,000 or fewer gallons of aggregate storage and cannot have any single above-ground storage con-
tainer with capacity of more than 5,000 gallons. Facilities that meet the smaller-capacity category may use an EPA plan template and self-certify their plan. They do not have to have a plan certified by professional engineer. Facilities that have 10,000 or fewer gallons of aggregate storage and a single tank of more than 5,000 gallons would fall into a second-tier category. They also may self-certify a plan, but it would not be an EPA template plan. Facilities with more 10,000gallon storage capacity must have a plan approved by a professional engineer. Farms that have come into operation since 2002 must be in compliance by Nov. 10, 2011. If you have any questions about your compliance attend the meeting at 1 p.m. January 12 in the Farm Bureau Auditorium.
Utilizing Marketing Tools meeting Jan. 25 in Eureka Is one of your g oals for the New Year to become a better grain marketer? With the w i l d r i d e t h e m a r ke t s h ave been on this year it probably wouldn’t hurt to freshen up on your knowledge of marketing tools that are available to you. To assist you with this, the Woodford County Farm Bureau is sponsoring a morning session on Utilizing Marketing Tools. T his session will be Tuesday, Januar y 25. It will begin at 9 a.m. and will be held in the Farm Bureau Auditorium in Eureka. Coffee and rolls will be provided.
Kent Stutzman of Advanced Trading will speak on marketing tools available to farmers. Terry Bline, General Manager of Roanoke Farmers Association will offer information on the tools that are available to you through your County Elevator. In addition, Joe Kapraun, with GROWMARK, will talk about foreign markets, especially Korea, and their importance to Agriculture. If you are looking to further your marketing knowledge we hope to see you on January 25 at 9 a.m.