NASDA News March 3, 2008

NASDA URGES ACTION ON AGRICULTURE WORKFORCE LAW
Published: March 03, 2008

       State agriculture leaders are urging Congress and the administration to quickly take action to ensure a viable and available workforce for production agriculture and agriculture-related industries. NASDA members recently approved a resolution supporting agricultural workforce needs which was offered by Alabama Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks and Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner Michael Strain on behalf of the Southern Association of State Departments of Agriculture (SASDA). 
       NASDA President and North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson sent letters to key congressional committees, and the secretaries of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The letters note that food processing, landscaping, seafood, and other industries depend upon H-2B workers for seasonal employment. The current program caps the number of H-2B visas that can be issued to 66,000 per year. A statutory exemption of some returning workers from counting against that cap expired on September 30, 2007. An estimated 150,000 to 200,000 experienced H-2B workers will not be able to reenter legally to sustain these industries unless Congress acts to renew the returning worker exemption. NASDA's letters urge policy makers to renew the H-2B returning worker exemption immediately. 
       Johnson pointed out that many agriculture and related industries are losing sales, profitability, and the ability to survive. NASDA also supports the "Agricultural Job Opportunities, Benefits, and Security Act" (AgJOBS), bipartisan legislation which addresses critical labor needs of production agriculture. A copy of the letters is posted on the NASDA website. (Contact: Charlie Ingram)

FARM BILL NEGOTIATIONS INTENSIFY AS DEADLINE APPROACHES
Published: March 03, 2008

       House and Senate agricultural leaders are continuing to hold intense negotiations on the 2007 farm bill with administration officials and could reach an agreement on a final funding framework any day now. Lawmakers are struggling to reach a compromise before March 15 when the current farm bill expires (see separate story). 
       Last week, congressional Agriculture Committee leaders held a high-level meeting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to discuss the farm bill budget. One of the major difficulties facing lawmakers is how to pay for the proposed increase in farm bill funding and what revenue offsets will be used. The administration has repeatedly threatened to veto the farm bill if it includes any tax increases. The leadership meeting on February 27 included House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.). They initially said they would provide a list of proposed funding offsets by February 29, but later acknowledged more time was needed. 
       At press time, the agricultural media reported that administration officials had proposed a list of budget offsets and policy changes to congressional leaders over the weekend. According to press reports, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) said the administration would agree to a $10 billion budget increase over baseline spending, but some of the proposed offsets were unacceptable to Congress. Details on the Administration's proposal and budget offsets have not been released. (Contact: Charlie Ingram) 

SENATOR INTRODUCES BEGINNING FARMERS TAX INCENTIVE ACT
Published: March 03, 2008

       Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) recently re-introduced legislation (S. 2637) to provide an incentive for active agricultural producers to sell their farmland to beginning farmers and ranchers. Rep. Lee Terry (R-Neb.) has introduced companion legislation (H.R. 5134) in the House. 
       Hagel said the legislation is critical to the future of agriculture because more than half of the nation's producers will reach retirement age in the next ten to fifteen years. The legislation would provide three tiers of tax breaks according to type of sale. Under tier one, active farmers and ranchers selling their land to a beginning farmer or rancher would benefit from a 100% reduction in the capital gains tax rate, up to $500,000 of a single sale. Tier two would allow active farmers and ranchers selling land to someone keeping the land in agricultural production to receive a 50% reduction in the capital gains tax rate. Finally, tier three provides that active farmers and ranchers selling land to anyone would receive a 25% reduction in the capital gains tax rate. (Contact: Charlie Ingram)

HOUSE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE ADOPTS BUDGET LETTER
Published: March 03, 2008

       The House Agriculture Committee adopted their budget views and estimates letter on February 27 which outlines the committee's budget recommendations for the FY09 Budget Resolution. Each congressional authorizing committee is required to submit its views to the House Budget Committee before lawmakers consider their annual budget resolution. 
       The budget letter states that the chief priority of the committee continues to be reauthorization of the farm bill. It urges the Budget Committee to provide the funding necessary to continue administering conservation, nutrition, renewable energy, credit, and farm safety net programs. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) and ranking member Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) noted that farm policy and programs impact all consumers, save taxpayers billions of dollars, and enhance the well-being of farmers, ranchers, needy citizens, and consumers by ensuring a safe, affordable food supply. The budget letter did not recommend any specific spending numbers, but noted the current budget baseline is $60 billion less than when the 2002 farm bill was written. 
       A copy of the budget and estimates letter is available on the committee website at http://agriculture.house.gov/inside/publications.html. (Contact: Charlie Ingram)

LAWMAKERS CALL FOR NEW CUBA POLICY
Published: March 03, 2008

       A bipartisan group of 24 senators have sent a letter to the administration requesting a reassessment of current U.S. policy toward Cuba and to allow new economic partnerships. The letter was prompted by the recent resignation of Cuban President Fidel Castro. 
       The lawmakers noted that current policy deprives the U.S. of influence in Cuba including the opportunity to promote principles that advance democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. The letter says that restricting the ability of U.S. farmers, ranchers, and businesses to trade with Cuba, has made the U.S. irrelevant in Cuba's growing economy, allowing Cuba to build economic partnerships elsewhere. The letter was sent to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and signed by a number of farm state senators. (Contact: Charlie Ingram)

USDA RELEASES ANALYSIS ON FAILURE TO ENACT A NEW FARM BILL
Published: March 03, 2008

       USDA released a document on February 29 which provides a detailed description of what would happen if a new farm bill is not enacted or an extension of the 2002 Farm Bill is not approved by March 15. The fourteen page analysis was prepared at the request of the House and Senate Agriculture Committee staff. 
       The current farm bill expires on March 15, 2008. If a new farm bill is not enacted by that date or the 2002 farm bill is not extended, then the "permanent" farm bill laws from 1938 and 1949 would legally be in effect. USDA's analysis states that such a result would "dramatically narrow the universe of producers who receive support, and would do so in a way that most producers will view as irrational." 
       The first part of the USDA document describes the impacts on commodity programs. The second part focuses on the effects of other programs and explains that many conservation, energy, trade, nutrition and other programs would be eliminated or substantially curtailed. The USDA document is fourteen pages long and is available on the USDA website at http://www.usda.gov/documents/fbpaper022908.doc. (Contact: Charlie Ingram)

SENATE REVIEWS BEEF RECALL AND FOOD SAFETY
Published: March 03, 2008

       The Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee held a hearing last week on the recent beef recall from California-based Westland/Hallmark Meat Company. The panel is chaired by Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wisc.) and USDA Secretary Ed Schafer was one of several witnesses who testified. 
       During the hearing, several lawmakers expressed concern about the beef recall and urged USDA to be more vigilant in maintaining food safety. Kohl called on USDA to enforce tougher standards, continuous surveillance and stiffer penalties at meat processing plants to prevent all downer cattle from entering the food supply. Specifically, Kohl pressed Schafer to audit all 900 meat processing plants that slaughter cattle to make sure they have language-appropriate materials for their workers and that those employees receive sufficient training. He also proposed that USDA install camera monitors on every slaughter line at meat processing plants. These cameras would ensure that at no part in the process do downer cows go undetected by inspectors.
       Finally, Kohl said the policy loophole in the downer cattle ban should be closed to ensure all animals, even those that pass initial inspection, are not slaughtered and allowed to enter the food supply if they cannot stand in the slaughter line. In 2003, USDA reported the first case of mad cow disease in the country and immediately issued a ban of downer cattle from the food supply. Last year, USDA made revisions to the rule. Kohl also asked the Agriculture Secretary for input on legislation to prevent future failures of the agency's meat inspection and urged a "bright line" rule banning downer cattle from the food supply. (Contact: Charlie Ingram)

NATIONAL 25X'25 SUMMIT IN OMAHA TO SHAPE NEW RENEWABLE ENERGY FUTURE
Published: March 03, 2008

       Learn how American agriculture and forestry will help shape a new energy future March 11 to 13 when the 4th National 25x'25 Renewable Energy Summit program will take place in Omaha, Nebraska, at the Embassy Suites Hotel. The summit will underscore the opportunities and challenges of bringing the 25x'25 renewable energy vision to life, and will address the latest in policy, research and marketplace developments. Program topics include overcoming logistical and market obstacles to a 25x'25 energy future, addressing biofuel pushback, the next generation biofuels, energy efficiency--the option of first choice, achieving a sustainable energy future, agriculture and forestry's role in a reduced-carbon economy, and broadening the 25x'25 partnership.
       Summit participants will hear the latest from leading renewable energy experts from across the nation, including Dr. Steven Chu, Nobel laureate and director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, where he has worked to meet the challenge of a growing demand for energy. Chu co-chairs a 90-member, international InterAcademy Council (IAC) study, "Lighting the way: Toward a Sustainable Energy Future; Transitioning to Sustainable Energy." Chu, who shared the 1997 Nobel Prize in Physics for the development of methods to cool and trap atoms with laser light, is leading an unprecedented, multi-institute, $500-million research effort to develop new sources of energy, including biofuels, and reduce the impact of energy consumption on the environment.
       Some of the other pre-eminent authorities on land-based renewable energy sources and energy efficiency to address the summit include Dr. Lowell Catlett, a Regents professor at New Mexico State University and renowned futurist; Charles Zimmerman, Wal-Mart vice president who oversees sustainable facility development; Doug Berven, director of Corporate Affairs for biofuels firm POET LLC; Susan Sloan, American Wind Energy Association; Former Rep. Charlie Stenholm, 26-year veteran of the House of Representatives; Jay Wolf, past president of Nebraska Cattlemen and a current member of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association board, and Terry Francl, senior economist with the American Farm Bureau Federation.
       To see the latest in bioenergy research, there will be a pre-conference tour March 11 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Agricultural Research and Development Center. The ARDC - one of the largest and most dynamic research facilities in the world, with approximately 400 employees conducting research and educational programs on more than 9,600 acres--is engaged in extensive research on bioenergy crops, the utilization of dried distiller's grains, and carbon sequestration of dry-land and irrigated crops.
       An "Early Bird" reduced registration fee, which offers a $30 savings, is available through March 5th. Registration for accredited media is free. For program details and to register, please visit http://www.25x25.org. (Contact: Rick Kirchhoff)

TROXLER APPOINTS DELOZIER DIRECTOR OF NCDA&CS MEAT AND POULTRY INSPECTION DIVISION
Published: March 03, 2008

       North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler has appointed Donald H. Delozier of Raleigh as director of the Meat and Poultry Inspection Division at the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
       Delozier has assumed his duties. He replaces Dr. Steven Wells, who retired in January. Delozier previously served as coordinator of the division's Talmadge-Aiken inspection program, a cooperative arrangement with USDA. 
       Under the program, state employees inspect meat plants that are subject to USDA examination. "Meat and poultry processing is a growing business in North Carolina, and we have added personnel and resources to keep pace with this growth," Troxler said. "Food safety is a top priority of the department, and Don Delozier's many years of experience with federal and state regulations will be great assets as he takes on leadership of this important division."
       The NCDA&CS Meat and Poultry Inspection Division inspects meat and poultry plant products, practices and conditions to ensure compliance with state and federal laws. The division's work helps ensure that meat and poultry plants produce safe, wholesome and properly labeled meat and poultry products. The division has 120 employees.
       Delozier joined the NCDA&CS in 2001 after a 34-year career with the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. He held various positions with USDA, including field inspector, trainer, circuit supervisor, quality control specialist and senior staff officer at the FSIS Technical Center. He attended the University of Baltimore, and received his food technology certification through studies at Mississippi State University and Wisconsin State University. He served as president of the Association of Technical and Supervisory Professionals for seven years.
       Delozier's hobbies include playing golf and spending time with his two daughters, who live in Georgia.   (Contact: Brian Long, 919/733-4216)

GOVERNOR KAINE ANNOUNCES $4.25 MILLION IN FARMLAND PRESERVATION GRANTS ~ Fourteen localities receive funding to place lands under permanent conservation easement ~
Published: March 03, 2008

       Governor Timothy M. Kaine has announced the distribution of $4,250,002 dollars to fourteen Virginia localities to preserve farmland within their boundaries through local Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) programs. PDR programs compensate landowners who permanently preserve their land by voluntarily placing a perpetual conservation easement on it. 
       "For the past several years, we have lost valuable farmlands to development at an alarming rate," Governor Kaine said. "Today we have taken an historic step to ensure that well-managed farmland around the Commonwealth will be preserved and available for continued agricultural use, now and into the future. These funds will benefit Virginia's farmers, the local economies and the environment."
       Twenty-one local PDR programs exist in Virginia, seventeen of which have some level of local funding currently available. This is the first time that the Commonwealth of Virginia provided state matching funds for certified local PDR programs.   
       Eight localities received $403,220 each: The counties of Albemarle, Clark, Fauquier, Goochland, Isle of Wight, and James City plus the cities of Chesapeake and Virginia Beach. Stafford County received $299,242; Frederick County $265,000; Rappahannock $165,000; New Kent County $150,000; Cumberland County $100,000; and Northampton County $45,000. Grant applicants had to report how much funding was available for their local PDR programs as of July 2, 2007, and the state funds matched that amount up to $403,220 per locality. 
       "Preserving farmland is not just a theoretical exercise for me," said Virginia Agriculture Commissioner Todd P. Haymore. "I grew up on a farm in Pittsylvania County, which fortunately is still in the family. As farmers approach retirement, I see the appeal of turning land-based assets into a more liquid form that will support them as they age. PDR programs have the potential to allow farmers to have it both preservation and financial support, and I encourage all localities to consider carefully a PDR approach to farmland preservation."
       Localities interested in future rounds of grant applications for PDR matching funds should contact the Office of Farmland Preservation, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, 102 Governor St., Richmond VA 23219 or call 804/786-1346. Or they may e-mail Kevin Schmidt, the Program Coordinator, at kevin.schmidt@vdacs.virginia.gov. (Contact: Elaine Lidholm, 804/225-4260)