NASDA News - March 2, 2010

NEW JOBS BILL IN SENATE INCORPORATES AGRICULTURE PROVISIONS
Published: March 02, 2010

For the second time in as many weeks, the Senate is working on what Democratic Leadership has dubbed as jobs legislation. Introduced by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.), the American Workers, State, and Business Relief Act restores and extends a multitude of programs and tax provisions, including unemployment insurance and COBRA health benefits, along with several small business provisions, tax deductions for teachers buying school supplies, and tax credits for energy-efficient homes.  The legislation will certainly not be void of contentious debate, as issues such as the expired estate tax, which is set to be reinstated in 2011 at daunting levels for American farm families, as well as utilizing unspent stimulus funds to pay for many of these programs.

The legislation also includes the critical agriculture provisions that were removed from the jobs bill that passed the Senate on Feb. 25.  As was previously reported, efforts were underway to ensure the federal biodiesel tax credit would be retroactively extended through the end of 2010 and provide critical disaster assistance to farmers and ranchers struggling from weather-related crop losses in 2009.  NASDA President Ed Kee sent a letter last week to Senate Leadership urging they immediately work on legislation to address these key provisions.  As Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) continues his controversial hold on a bill to grant a short term extension for several major programs, Senate leaders are behind closed doors debating the amendment process for the new jobs legislation.  (Contact: David Hickey)   

MEMBERS OF CONGRESS ASK ADMINISTRATION TO RESOLVE MEXICO TRUCKING ISSUE
Published: March 02, 2010

On March 1, Representatives Dennis Cardoza (D-Calif.) and Rick Larsen (D-Conn.), along with 54 other Members of Congress, sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk asking that they address tariffs imposed by Mexico on U.S. agricultural and manufacturing products.  The tariffs were imposed by Mexico after Congress terminated funding of the cross-border trucking pilot program in the FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act. 

Mexico retaliated by imposing import duties between 10 and 45 percent on over 90 products.  The impact has been significant.  For example, between April of 2008 and December 2009, U.S. frozen potato exports to Mexico have decreased by 50 percent while Canada’s exports to Mexico have increased by 64 percent. 

The Congressional letter asks that the Administration make public its strategy to resolve the dispute so that trade between U.S. and Mexico can be normalized.

The letter points out that Congress removed the funding limitations in the FY2010 Consolidated Appropriations Bill, leaving the resolution to the matter up to the current Administration.  President Obama has indicated a plan is being pursued that will fulfill U.S. obligations to Mexico under the North American Free Trade Act but despite these repeated assurances more detailed information has not been forthcoming.  (Contact: Amy Mann)

HOUSE AG PANEL TO REVIEW CEA REFORM AND EXPIRING STATE MEDIATION PROGRAMS
Published: March 02, 2010

On March 3, the House Agriculture Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management is scheduled to review implementation of the Commodity Exchange Act changes made in the 2008 Farm Bill.  Title XIII of the 2008 Farm Bill reauthorized the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) through 2013, expanded CFTC’s authority and oversight abilities, as well as increased civil and criminal penalties for market manipulation.  This will be the first time the subcommittee has met in 2010.  For more information on the hearing, please visit the House Agriculture Committee’s website.

Later that day, the full House Agriculture Committee will assemble for a business meeting to address several issues, including reauthorization of state mediation programs.  The Agricultural Credit Act of 2009 (HR 3509), legislation introduced last year by Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.), would reauthorize funding for state agricultural mediation loan programs through 2015.  Currently, the funding authorization for these critical programs is set to expire at the end of fiscal year 2010.  Also on the panel’s agenda is the Florida National Forest Land Adjustment Act of 2009 (HR 3954) and a review of the Budget Views and Estimates Letter of the Committee on Agriculture for the agencies and programs under jurisdiction of the Committee for fiscal year 2011.   (Contact: David Hickey)

TRADE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR FARMERS NOW UNDERWAY
Published: March 02, 2010

This week, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack commenced USDA’s Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) for Farmers Program.  The TAA for Farmers Program, which was reauthorized and modified by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), provides assistance to eligible agriculture groups that have been significantly impaired by import competition.  Assistance includes aid in the development of business adjustment plans to provide for a guide to dealing with prevailing economic conditions.

Administered by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), the TAA for Farmers Program is available for producers of raw agricultural commodities, as well as fishermen, who can demonstrate - due to a sizeable increase in imports - a greater than 15 percent decrease in their national average price; the quantity of production; the value of production; or in cash receipts, when compared to the average of the three preceding marketing years.  Prospective participants are encouraged to expeditiously prepare their petitions as the deadline is April 14, 2010. 

For more information on the TAA for Farmers Program, including background on the program, the interim rule, and further details for prospective participants, visit the FAS website, or contact the TAA for Farmers Program staff, Office of Trade Programs, at (202) 720-0638, or (202) 690-0633, or by e-mail at tradeadjustment@fas.usda.gov.  (Contact: David Hickey)

SPRAY DRIFT COMMENTS DUE FRIDAY
Published: March 02, 2010

Comments of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Draft Guidance for Pesticide Registrants on Pesticide Drift Labeling are due Friday, March 5.  EPA’s proposal includes language instructing users of a pesticide to “not apply this product in a manner that results in spray [or dust] drift that could cause an adverse effect to people or any other non-target organism.”  Many agriculture organizations have expressed concerns about aspects of the proposal, including the ramifications of including vague language such as “could cause” on pesticide labels.  NASDA will submit comments to the docket (EPA-HQ-OPP-2009-0628) later this week.  (Contact: Nathan Bowen)

EPA TO RENAME OFFICE OF PREVENTION, PESTICIDE AND TOXIC SUBSTANCES
Published: March 02, 2010

The Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Prevention, Pesticide and Toxic Substances will be renamed to the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. The transition will occur April 22.  (Contact: Nathan Bowen)

WV: STUDY REVEALS GOOD WATER QUALITY IN MOST EASTERN PANHANDLE STREAMS
Published: March 02, 2010

The West Virginia Department of Agriculture’s (WVDA) “Potomac Headwaters Water Quality Report” shows that water quality in the state’s Eastern Panhandle is in good condition overall, and has been relatively stable over the past 10 years. The report was compiled from more than 25,000 water samples gathered from 10 sub-watersheds between July 1998 and June 2008 and documented levels of nutrients, sediment and fecal coliform. An abbreviated version of the report is available at www.wvagriculture.org.

WVDA began its water quality testing program in 1998, shortly after seven streams in the region were placed on the state’s list of “impaired waterways” for fecal coliform contamination. “What this report shows is that – contrary to the fears of some – agricultural practices did not kill our streams,” said West Virginia Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass.

He noted that Chesapeake Bay Program models show that agriculture has achieved 50 percent of the goals laid out for it, while urban sources of pollution currently stand at more than negative 60 percent of their goals because of continued sprawl and development.

 “Voluntary agricultural conservation programs implemented in the mid-1990s have been shown to protect water quality,” Commissioner Douglass added.

Those programs focused on implementing best management practices (BMPs) such as nutrient management plans, litter and manure storage structures, relocation of livestock feeding areas, and buffers that reduce runoff from farmland.

Farmers in the Eastern Panhandle have spent millions of their own dollars on cost-share programs. Thanks to those efforts, the North Fork of the South Branch of the Potomac River was removed from the impaired streams list in 2002, one of the few such success stories in the country.

However, farmers in West Virginia’s rural panhandle counties are facing a new federal regulatory initiative from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the form of a new total maximum daily load (TMDL) program intended to restore water quality in the Chesapeake Bay.

President Barack Obama signed an executive order in May 2009 calling for a substantial acceleration of efforts to restore the health of the Chesapeake Bay. States remain responsible for implementing pollution reduction measures, but EPA may take over state programs that do not meet deadlines or that do not result in the pollution reductions sought.

 “I find it fitting that the State Seal of West Virginia features a farmer and a coal miner,” said Commissioner Douglass. “The agricultural community is about to find itself in the same position that the coal industry has been in for the past year – defending itself for producing essential goods in an efficient and dependable manner.”

Commissioner Douglass added that farmers need to continue to build upon the environmental progress that they have already made. “Farmers were the first environmental stewards. They know better than anyone that their economic well-being is tied directly to the quality of the natural resources available to them,” said Commissioner Douglass.

 “My fear is that the relatively small number of farmers will be a far easier target for EPA than the rest of the nearly 17 million mostly urban residents of the watershed. As small farms are forced out of business, it will be American consumers who suffer through higher food prices and an increased dependence on foreign food producers,” he said.   More information is available online. 

KY: COMMISSIONER FARMER SUPPORTS CREATING LIVESTOCK CARE STANDARDS GROUP
Published: March 02, 2010

Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer has expressed his support for state legislation that would establish a commission to set standards for livestock and poultry care on Kentucky farms.

 “These guidelines should be based not on emotion, but on scientific research and widely accepted practices,” Commissioner Farmer said. “The commission would develop standards at the state level, taking the pressure off local governments and creating consistency throughout the Commonwealth.”

Senate Bill 105, sponsored by Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman David Givens (R-Greensburg), and co-sponsored by 18 other state senators from both sides of the aisle, is in the House Agriculture and Small Business Committee. It passed the Senate unanimously Feb. 11.

The bill would create a 14-member Kentucky Livestock Standards Commission chaired by the state agriculture commissioner. The commission would include five representatives from livestock commodity organizations (horses, cattle, pigs, goats/sheep and poultry); the dean of the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture; the chair of the Kentucky Animal Control Advisory Board; the director of either the University of Kentucky Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center or the Murray State University Breathitt Veterinary Center; one representative each from the Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association, Kentucky County Judge/Executive Association and Kentucky Farm Bureau, and one citizen at large with an interest in food safety. The state veterinarian would be a non-voting member.

The commission would set standards that apply only to livestock and poultry on farms of all sizes. The commission would have no investigators. Complaints would be handled by local enforcement officials. The commission would not preclude the authority of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and the Kentucky Board of Veterinary Examiners and would not pre-empt local planning and zoning ordinances.

Industry groups, other organizations and individuals that have endorsed SB 105 include the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association, the Kentucky Pork Producers Association, the Kentucky Soybean Association, the Kentucky Corn Growers Association, the Kentucky Small Grain Growers Association, the Kentucky Horse Council, the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, the Kentucky Sheep and Goat Development Office, the Kentucky Dairy Development Council, Kentucky Farm Bureau, the Kentucky Poultry Federation, the Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association, the Kentucky Livestock Coalition, the Kentucky Association of Counties, the Kentucky County Judge/Executive Association, the Kentucky League of Cities, 37 state senators and Commissioner Farmer. (Contact: Bill Clary, 502-564-1137)

MD: STATE AG OFFICIALS ANNOUNCE RECORD CONSERVATION EFFORTS BY FARMERS IN 2009
Published: March 02, 2010

The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) has released its 2009 annual report highlighting the 25th anniversary of the Maryland Agricultural Water Quality Cost-Share (MACS) Program in helping Maryland farmers do their part to protect water quality in the streams and rivers that feed the Chesapeake Bay.  Funded through a mix of capital resources and user fee-based programs—including the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund and Chesapeake Bay 2010 Trust Fund, MACS provides grants to farmers who install best management practices (BMPs) on their property to protect natural resources on their property.

According to the report, during its fledgling year in 1984, MACS provided Maryland farmers with $434,000 in grants to install roughly 130 conservation projects on their farms.  Twenty-five years later in 2009, MACS provided Maryland farmers with a record $19 million in conservation grants to install 2,370 capital and special projects on their farms to control soil erosion, manage nutrients and protect water quality in streams, rivers and the Chesapeake Bay.

 “Farmers who received MACS grants over the last 25 years invested more than $14 million of their own money into these conservation projects and agree to shoulder additional maintenance and upkeep expenses for a minimum of 10 years,” said Maryland Agriculture Secretary Earl F. Hance.  “Such action on the part of Maryland farmers dispels the notion that conservation takes a back seat—even in tough economic times."

According to the report, in FY 2009, $10.7 million in MACS grants were used to help Maryland farmers plant 239,000 acres of cover crops statewide.  Doubling the acreage planted in cover crops is a prominent feature in Governor Martin O’Malley’s suite of 27 ambitious two year milestones aimed at accelerating the Bay cleanup.

Expanding the amount of manure transported annually out of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed from poultry farms with high soil phosphorus levels is another milestone outlined in Governor O’Malley’s Bay restoration plan.  In FY 2009, MACS helped Maryland poultry farmers transport 52,000 tons of poultry litter out of the Bay Watershed, exceeding the milestone goal by 168 percent.

Established in 1984, MACS provides farmers with grants to cover up to 87.5 percent of the cost to install best management practices (BMPs) on their farms to prevent soil erosion, manage nutrients and safeguard water quality.  Cover crops planted after the harvest to absorb residual fertilizer, streamside buffers of grasses and trees planted to protect waterways from sedimentation and farm runoff and animal waste management systems constructed to help farmers safely handle and store manure resources are among 30 BMPs eligible for MACS grants.

To learn more about the progress and accomplishments of the Maryland Agricultural Water Quality Cost-Share Program and download copy of the 2009 annual report, visit MDA’s web site. (Contact: Sue duPont, 410-841-5889)

IL: ILLINOIS PRODUCTS EXPO TO FEATURE HOMEMADE FOODS AND WINES
Published: March 02, 2010

Tasty, Illinois-made food products from more than 60 companies are on the menu for the 2010 Illinois Products Expo.  And, best of all, samples are free!

The 12th annual “Food and Cooking Extravaganza,” which also features products from state wineries and agribusinesses, will be held March 6-7 in the Orr Building on the Illinois State Fairgrounds.  In all, about 80 companies, including 15 new companies, are scheduled to participate. 

 “The Illinois Products Expo introduces consumers to the great food that is made in our state,” Agriculture Director Tom Jennings said.  “Ultimately, the department’s goal is to build demand for these Illinois-made products and get grocery stores to stock them on their shelves.”

Seven Springfield area grocers continue to do just that.  Country Market, County Market, Humphrey’s, Schnucks, Shop-N-Save, Meijer and Walmart all have added products featured at the Expo to their stores.

The Expo’s food offerings will include fresh meat products, gourmet seasonings and sauces, homemade jams and jellies and specialty dressings.  Beverages also will be available.  Expo visitors can quench their thirst with coffee, soda or a sip of Illinois wine from one of 18 vintners.  Wine will be sold by the sample, glass and bottle. 

Expo hours are:  Saturday, March 6, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, March 7, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Admission is $4.  Children 10 and younger will be admitted free of charge.

Drawings will be held for door prizes, including baskets of Illinois food products and a $949 Weber Genesis S-310 gas grill. Learn more about the products to taste at the Expo, visit the Illinois Department of Agriculture’s website and click on “Illinois Products Expo.” (Contact: Jeff Squibb, 217-558-1546)

MT: 2010 CROP & ROTATION ECONOMICS COMPARISON TOOL AVAILABLE
Published: March 02, 2010

NASDA, Agriculture, Agriculture Policy, State Agriculture, State Departments of AgricultureTo assist farmers considering planting options for 2010 and future years, the Montana Department of Agriculture developed spreadsheets that allow farmers to compare the relative profitability of different crops and crop rotations. 

Spreadsheets were developed for both dryland and irrigated production and are customizable to allow farmers to make estimates that are reasonable for their farms, says Chad Lee, business development officer, who created the guide. A link to the spreadsheets and instructions can be found on the department's website.

The department developed the decision tools to help farmers evaluate opportunities to raise alternative crops and compare the economics of different crop rotations. 

A presentation on pulse crop economics also is available through a link on the web page that includes the spreadsheets and instructions: http://agr.mt.gov/business/cropandrotationtools.asp.  Lee made the presentation to a standing-room-only audience at the Northern Pulse Growers Association's "Montana Pulse Day" event in Great Falls on February 16, 2010. (Contact: Chad Lee, 406-444-3144)

MN: MDA CONFIRMS EMERALD ASH BORER INFESTATION IN MINNEAPOLIS TREES
Published: March 02, 2010

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) today confirmed an emerald ash borer infestation in four trees in the Prospect Park East River Road neighborhood of Minneapolis within Tower Hill Park.  This infestation is within a mile of the St. Paul neighborhood in which the tree pest was found last year.

The infestation was discovered through an ongoing survey of ash trees in the vicinity of the South St. Anthony Park neighborhood, where EAB was found in May 2009.  While this marks the first time emerald ash borer has been found in Minnesota outside Ramsey County, state officials said the discovery was anticipated.  Last fall, scientists determined that the St. Paul infestation had been in place for about three years prior to detection.  Since the adult beetles can fly up to 2 miles each year, officials expected that the bug had spread into Minneapolis.

 “When we found the St. Paul infestation last May so close to the border of the two cities, we knew there was a good chance we’d find it in Minneapolis,” said MDA Plant Protection Director Geir Friisoe.  “That’s why we included Hennepin County in the initial EAB quarantine, even though it had only been confirmed in Ramsey County.”

The EAB quarantine in place for Ramsey and Hennepin Counties prohibits moving from the counties any items that may be infested with EAB, including ash trees and ash tree limbs, as well as all hardwood firewood.  This quarantine remains in effect in 2010.

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board’s Forestry Division is responsible for planting and maintenance of public trees on Minneapolis city streets and parkland.  The Park Board’s forestry division has been working with MDA to prepare for the arrival of EAB.  Next steps will include removal of infested trees and an intensified survey of all ash trees in the surrounding area. 

EAB is an invasive beetle that kills ash trees.  Its larvae kill ash trees by tunneling into the wood and feeding on the tree’s nutrients.  Since its accidental introduction into North America, EAB has killed millions of ash trees in 13 states.  The metallic-green adult beetles are a half inch long, and are active from May to September.  Signs of infestation include one-eighth inch, D-shaped exit holes in ash tree bark and serpentine tunnels under the bark. (Contact: Michael.schommer@state.mn.us)

PA: STATEWIDE TRAINING SESSIONS SANCTIONED BY US DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Published: March 02, 2010

Animal disease response training sessions happening around Pennsylvania will enable farmers, veterinarians and first responders to become frontline defenders against animal illness or agriterrorism, Agriculture Secretary Russell C. Redding said today.

Nine training sessions will be held throughout the state from March 5 through April 9.

 “Animal agriculture is the foundation of our state’s leading industry as it generates nearly $3.9 billion in economic activity here,” Redding said. “The first line of defense to protect our animal agriculture sector and consumers are farmers, veterinarians and emergency responders. Training is critical in helping them prepare for, respond to and recover from threats to animal and human health.

 “We are pleased to partner with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Kirkwood Community College to promote these training sessions.”

Trainers from Kirkwood Community College in Iowa will deliver the free trainings. Courses will focus on biosecurity, quarantine procedures, personal protective equipment and disease disposal, cleaning and disinfection. Kirkwood Community College was one of only 14 applicants selected by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to deliver the training.

“I encourage Pennsylvania farmers, veterinarians and emergency responders and others to participate in what is sure to be a valuable training experience to help protect the state’s animal agriculture industry and millions of consumers,” Redding added.

For more information about Pennsylvania’s agriculture industry, visit www.agriculture.state.pa.us.

Find registration and additional information about the training courses and locations at www.agpreparedness.org. (Contact: Justin Fleming, 717-787-5085)

VA: THANK A FARMER DURING AGRICULTURE WEEK, MARCH 14 – 20, 2010
Published: March 02, 2010

March 14 through 20 is Virginia Agriculture Week. The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) suggests that it’s the perfect opportunity to give credit where credit is due. During this special week, take a minute to thank a farmer.  No engraved note paper or frilly bouquets required; a thoughtful nod will do.

Of course every farmer has a lot of help, but gratitude for all of Virginia’s growers will not be misplaced. Here are a few good reasons:

Start with your breakfast cereal and milk. Consider the fruit you add, the cotton robe you are wearing when you eat it and the cut flowers that decorate the breakfast table. You can thank a farmer for these.

Add the turkey sandwich, apple, potato chips and ginger ale you’re having for lunch, your mid-afternoon peanut snack and the steak with mushrooms, fresh vegetables, crusty rolls and Virginia wine you enjoy for dinner. Kudos to the farmers who had a hand in putting all this on your table.

Outside look for newly laid sod, an array of colorful bedding plants tucked into a blanket of mulch, bird seed in the feeder and firewood stacked by the back door. A pat on the back for the farmers who helped array your backyard.

Farmers don’t ask for gratitude and none would expect it however well deserved. But it is time to thank our farmers, not only for the rich and varied agricultural bounty which provides nourishment, clothing, shelter and beauty for all Virginians, but for the intangible, indomitable spirit that keeps them going despite rough times and daunting obstacles.

The benefits of agriculture extend far and wide.  What starts as the growing and harvesting of food and fiber, ends up with almost everything we eat, wear and use. It’s time to thank our farmers for that.

For additional information about Agriculture Week, visit the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ website and www.agday.org. (Contact: Elaine J. Lidholm, 804-786-7686)

MO: DEPARTMENT OF AG TAKES ACTION TO PROTECT FARMERS AND GRAIN SELLERS
Published: March 02, 2010

The Missouri Department of Agriculture has suspended the grain dealer’s license of Prairie Pride, Inc., Deerfield, Mo., after discussions with the board of directors and management. This action prohibits them from engaging in any grain-related business transactions until further notice. In addition, the Department of Agriculture petitioned the Circuit Court of Vernon County to seize the grain and grain-related assets of Prairie Pride, Inc.

The Department of Agriculture’s Grain Regulatory Services program is currently conducting an audit and is working with Prairie Pride, Inc. to expedite payments to farmers and grain dealers as applicable. For more information on grain-related issues, contact Grain Regulatory Services at (573) 751-4112. (Contact: Misti.Preston@mda.mo.gov)

MA: FARM TECHNOLOGY REVIEW COMMISSION MEETING THURSDAY, MARCH 4TH
Published: March 02, 2010

The Farm Technology Review Commission will hold its next full meeting on Thursday, March 4th at the MDAR Amherst Office from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM.

The Farm Technology Review Commission (FTRC) is chaired by the Commissioner of Agriculture, Scott Soares, and is comprised of state officials and farming representatives. The role of the Commission is to study and recommend options for updating farming technology including, but not limited to ways to promote energy conservation, collaborative purchasing, purchasing and selling of energy and energy saving technology. In addition, the Commission will also recommend alternative options for agricultural sustainability and growth, and analyze regulations and statutes to ensure that they are not impediments to the adoption of farming technology.  For details follow this link.  (Contact: gerard.kennedy@state.ma.us)