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A publication of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture GOVERNOR-ELECT TIM PAWLENTY REAPPOINTS GENE HUGOSON AS COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE STATE DEPARTMENTS OF AGRICULTURE OFFICIALS APPOINTED NASDA BOARD APPROVES ESTABLISHMENT OF SPECIALTY CROP TASK FORCE NASDA MEMBERS TO MEET WITH MEXICO OFFICIALS IN MEXICO CITY ON FARM LABOR AND IMMIGRATION ISSUES NASDA PLANS FEDERAL-STATE FOOD SAFETY & SECURITY SUMMIT USDA ANNOUNCES THAT CROP INSURANCE AGREEMENT TO REMAIN IN FORCE FOR 2004 REINSURANCE YEAR State News--ACADEMY HELPS STUDENTS PLAN FUTURES IN AGRICULTURE Past Issues
What's New on the NASDA Website
Farm Labor Information, U.S./Mexico Working Group NASDA's Warehouse Task Force webpage
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GOVERNOR-ELECT TIM PAWLENTY REAPPOINTS GENE HUGOSON AS COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE Minnesota Governor-elect Tim Pawlenty has announced his seventh cabinet appointment by reappointing Gene Hugoson to serve as commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Hugoson has served as commissioner since being appointed by Gov. Arne Carlson in 1995 and reappointed by Gov. Jesse Ventura in 1999. "Agriculture is one of Minnesota's strongest and most important industries, accounting for nearly 20 percent of all jobs," Gov.-elect Pawlenty said. "Because it is so vital to Minnesota, we looked far and wide to make certain we had the most qualified person. It turned out he was already on the job: Gene Hugoson. Gene has the energy, the depth of knowledge and the integrity to lead the department forward in its mission to promote agriculture, protect our environment and ensure Minnesotans have safe, quality food products." The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has a biennial budget of $172 million and employs approximately 460 people. For nearly 30 years, Hugoson has run the family farm in Martin County, Minnesota. He was also a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1986 to 1995, serving on the Agriculture and Trade and Economic Development Committees. Gov.-elect Pawlenty said Hugoson's lifelong commitment to agriculture and his tireless promotion on behalf of Minnesota farmers, along with his extensive network of national and global relationships will serve Minnesota well. He noted that Hugoson is the incoming president of NASDA, which will give Minnesota a strong voice in national agriculture issues. "Minnesota needs a Commissioner of Agriculture who has dirt under his fingernails and understands the need to find new uses and markets for Minnesota crops," Gov.-elect Pawlenty said. Gov.-elect Pawlenty also cited the innovations under Commissioner Hugoson, including the creation of an online licensing system for all individuals or companies who hold licenses, certificates, and/or permits required by state law and regulated by the department and the expansion of online tools to help farmers learn more about regulations, marketing opportunities, and best practices. All this was accomplished while reducing staff by 25 percent. "As a farmer I know how important it is to have an administration in St. Paul that understands not only the historic importance of agriculture to our state, but also has a clear vision for the future," said Hugoson. "That's why it's such an honor to be a part of the Pawlenty-Molnau team." Hugoson graduated from Augsburg College in Minneapolis. He and his wife grow corn and soybeans on their family farm in Granada, Minnesota. (Contact: Rick Kirchhoff) STATE DEPARTMENTS OF AGRICULTURE OFFICIALS APPOINTED A number of state departments of agriculture leaders have been named this week. Many of these nominees must be confirmed by their state Senate. SANDRA LEE KUNIMOTO: Sandra Lee Kunimoto has been nominated by Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle as chairperson of the Hawaii Board of Agriculture and the Department of Agriculture. Since 2001, Kunimoto has been administrator of the Business Development and Marketing Division for the state Department of Business and Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT). She has served as director of marketing and business development for the Hawaii Agriculture Research Center; vice president of administration for Hawaiian Foliage and Landscape; general manager of Maui Farmers' Cooperative Exchange; research associate with the University of Hawaii Department of Horticulture; research supervisor for Sunnyside Nurseries in California; and technical consultant for FMC International in California. KEN GIVENS: Tennessee Governor-elect Phil Bredesen has named farmer and former State Representative Ken Givens as the next commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. Givens, a former House Agriculture Committee chairman, retired from the Tennessee General Assembly in November to pursue other interests. During his 14 years in the House, Givens was instrumental in passing key legislation related to agriculture. Givens was first elected to the state House of Representatives in 1988. He served as chairman of the House Agriculture Committee from 1997 to 2002. In addition to agriculture issues, he took a special interest in children's health care issues. He is a member of the American Legion and the Hawkins County Cattleman's Association. Givens, a U.S. Army veteran, holds a bachelor's degree in history and political science as well as a master's degree in political science from East Tennessee State University. STEVE KERR: Vermont Governor-elect Jim Douglas has announced that Steve Kerr will join his administration as commissioner of agriculture. Kerr has been the executive director for the Vermont Farm Service Agency State Office since 2001. From 1991 to 2001, Kerr was the chief executive officer for the Holstein Association, a $15 million developer of genetic and related tools to Holstein cattle breeders. Prior to that, he was executive director of the Northeast Council of Farmer Cooperatives and dairy policy consultant to then-Representative James Jeffords. Kerr also served as the first agricultural development director of the Vermont Department of Agriculture. He has Bachelor's degrees in agronomy from the University of Massachusetts and geography/geology from Middlebury College. ROD NILSESTUEN: Wisconsin Governor-elect Jim Doyle has announced the appointment of Rod Nilsestuen as secretary of agriculture, trade and consumer protection. Nilsestuen served as president and CEO of the Wisconsin Federation of Cooperatives for 24 years. For the last four years, he has also headed the Minnesota Association of Cooperatives, which has worked in an alliance with WFC. He founded Cooperative Development Services, a first-of-its kind model for new cooperative development, spearheaded the overhaul of the Wisconsin Agriculture Marketing Act, and played a pivotal role in the creation and establishment of the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, a major dairy promotional program, as well as the Wisconsin Corn Promotion Board and the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board. He is a founding chair of the National Rural Cooperative Development Task Force, a pioneering effort that has resulted in the creation of 17 co-op centers and hundreds of co-op development projects nationwide. He is a 1970 graduate of University of Wisconsin-River Falls and received a law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1974. JOHN ETCHEPARE: Wyoming Governor-elect Dave Freudenthal has named retired Cheyenne rancher John Etchepare as director of the Wyoming Department of Agriculture. Etchepare was an owner of one of Wyoming's largest ranches, the Warren Live Stock Company, for 37 years. He has served as president of the Wyoming Wool Growers and as a director of the American Sheep Industry and was also active with the National Cattlemen's Association, the Wyoming Stock Growers and other organizations. Governor Mike Sullivan (1987-1995) appointed Etchepare to the Economic Development and Stabilization Board to assist in creating small businesses and industries throughout the state. Etchepare was also appointed to the State Land Force Committee to study the operation, revenues and future of state lands. He has also been a member of the Brand Inspection Task Force. He has served as president of the Wyoming Wool Growers and as a director of the American Sheep Industry and was also active with the National Cattlemen's Association, the Wyoming Stock Growers and other organizations. (Contact: Rick Kirchhoff) NASDA BOARD APPROVES ESTABLISHMENT OF SPECIALTY CROP TASK FORCE A NASDA Specialty Crop Task Force has been created to develop an effort to secure continued funding for the Specialty Crop Block Grant program and to work more closely with USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service and the office of the U.S. Trade Representative on issues affecting specialty crops. California Secretary William Lyons will chair the task force. Congress provided a total of $159 million for specialty crop production assistance as part of a $5.5 billion emergency farm assistance package approved by Congress and signed into law by President Bush in August 2001. It was the first time that funds from an emergency farm assistance bill had been distributed directly to the states in the form of a block grant for specialty crops. The task force will analyze the results of the Specialty Crop Block Grant program in all 50 states and develop a plan to take the results to Congress and the administration. Information about the specialty crop grants can be found on the NASDA website. The task force is open to all NASDA members. If you are interested in serving on the task force, please contact Jennifer Yezak Molen, Jennifer@nasda.org. An organizational conference call is scheduled for January 10. (Contact: Jennifer Yezak Molen) NASDA MEMBERS TO MEET WITH MEXICO OFFICIALS IN MEXICO CITY ON FARM LABOR AND IMMIGRATION ISSUES On January 16, NASDA members will be meeting with Asociacion Mexicana de Secretarios de Desarrollo Agropecuario (AMSDA) representatives in Mexico City to get a better understanding of how labor migration looks from a Mexican perspective, and to think about ways that state government can begin to deal with these issues while waiting for federal authorities to address these matters at their root. AMSDA is an association of NASDA's counterparts in Mexico, the secretaries of agriculture of each Mexican state. This meeting is a followup on the meeting held in Chicago, Illinois in July 2002, where NASDA developed its current farm labor policy which was approved at the annual meeting in October. Further study of farm labor issues was identified as an action item in the 2002-03 U.S./Mexico Accord Work Plan. New York Agriculture Commissioner Nathan Rudgers, farm labor task force chair, will lead the NASDA delegation. NASDA President, Idaho Agriculture Secretary Patrick A. Takasugi, and U.S./Mexico Working Group Chair, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Susan Combs, will also participate in this important meeting. Other states that will be represented at the meeting include Florida, Kentucky, and New Jersey. During the Chicago meeting, participants identified points of common interest and these will also be reviewed during the January meeting. They included: (1) Mexican agricultural workers in the United States deserve treatment that is fair in every respect, including the right to pay and benefits equal to those of U.S. citizens who are doing the same work in the same part of the country; (2) the safety and health of Mexican workers should also be protected to the same extent as U.S. workers; (3) immigration rules and practical arrangements that permit Mexicans to freely return to their homes in Mexico and to eventually move back to that country if they do not qualify or wish to seek permanent residence in the United States, are in the interest of both countries; (4) since migrant labor frequently leads to long periods of separation from spouses and children, the humane treatment of family issues should figure in planning for and regulating immigrant labor; (5) both countries need to work to remove both the need and the opportunity for "coyotes" and other middlemen to rob migrant agricultural workers of the legitimate fruits of their labor; and (6) there is need for much better information on both sides about the current pattern of agricultural labor migration, and about both countries' rules and procedures covering the movement of this labor. Also in the July meeting, a point of particular interest that participants wanted to explore in a meeting with Mexican secretaries is whether state-to-state collaborations might be initiated with a view to facilitating the migration and return of Mexican workers under optimal conditions. It was noted that the majority of Mexican workers in a given U.S. state frequently come from the same state and sometimes even the same few counties (municipios) in Mexico. This natural linkage may point the way toward identifying logical pairings of U.S. and Mexican states to address farm labor concerns. Additional information may be found on NASDA's website, under the Tri-National Agricultural Accord logo. NASDA members are invited to participate in this meeting and to become members of the U.S./Mexico Working Group. Members may contact Texas Commissioner Susan Combs, Chair of the working group or Lisa Elledge, of her staff, about joining the group. Lisa's e-mail address is Lisa.Elledge@agr.state.tx.us . You may also contact Jennifer Yezak Molen on NASDA's staff about the upcoming farm labor meeting and the U.S./Mexico Working Group. (Contact: Jennifer Yezak Molen) NASDA PLANS FEDERAL-STATE FOOD SAFETY & SECURITY SUMMIT NASDA is planning to host a special Federal-State Food Safety Summit on February 4, 2003, when the leaders of state departments of agriculture convene for their midyear meeting in Washington, D.C. This executive level forum is being coordinated to bring together state agricultural commissioners, secretaries, and directors; state health agency directors; and senior administration officials to discuss food safety and security oversight. The theme for the full-day session is "Homeland Security--Protecting Agriculture and the Food Supply." A major topic for discussion will be the role, responsibilities, and resources of federal, state, and local agencies with food security oversight. Other topics that will be discussed include surveillance, threat analysis, communications, readiness, emergency response, and recovery. NASDA is working with USDA and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officials to organize and coordinate the summit. The interactive program is being designed to allow state and senior administration officials to have direct and substantive discussions on critical issues. Federal officials that are being invited to participate include USDA Secretary Ann M. Veneman, USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety Elsa Murano, Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) Administrator Garry McKee, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tommy Thompson, and FDA Commissioner Mark B. McClellan. Nathan Rudgers, commissioner of the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets and chairman of NASDA's Food Regulation Committee, has expressed the importance of developing a stronger and more cooperative working partnership between local, state, and federal agencies on food safety and security issues. NASDA participated in a federal-state forum on food safety a few years ago; but since that time, there have been significant changes in the missions, organization, budget, and activities of federal and state agencies related to food safety and security issues. One important change is that USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has recently reorganized their structure to create a new Office of Food Security and Emergency Preparedness (OFSEP). A preliminary meeting agenda is being sent to NASDA members and additional information will be provided as program details are finalized. (Contact: Charlie Ingram) NASDA TRADE SHOWS NASDA's two trade shows, the U.S. Food Export Showcase (USFES), held in conjunction with the FMI (Food Marketing Institute) Show May 4 to 6, and the American Food Fair (AFF), co-located with the NRA (National Restaurant Association) Show May 17 to 20, are moving into high gear to finalize exhibitor recruitment and put the finishing touches on international attendance promotion. This is the eleventh consecutive year that NASDA has worked with the FMI Show and the fourth consecutive year that NASDA has worked with the NRA Show. Both events are cosponsored by the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) through the Market Access Program, and promoted by FAS offices worldwide. Both events also benefit from a grant through the Emerging Markets Program for promotion in China. Both events provide excellent opportunities for U.S. companies to meet strong international domestic buying audiences. For more information contact NASDA click on the USFES or AFF icons on the NASDA website at http://www.nasda.org. (Contact: DeWitt Ashby) AGRICULTURAL GROUPS ORGANIZE FLY-IN FOR EMERGENCY AGRICULTURAL DISASTER ASSISTANCE; ODOM PLANS TO PARTICIPATE This week, members of the Agricultural Disaster Coalition continued to meet to discuss a fly-in effort planned for Jan. 8 and 9 in Washington, D.C. The group expects a wide-spread coalition of more than 100 participants including farmers, implement dealers, seed dealers, and bankers. Participants will meet with congressional members and administration officials urging support for emergency disaster assistance for crop and livestock producers who have suffered losses during the 2001 and 2002 agriculture production years due to natural disasters. Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner Bob Odom will be one of the coalition members meeting with members of Congress next week. In October 2002, NASDA joined agricultural groups in a letter urging cosponsorship of H.R. 5383, the "Emergency Agricultural Disaster Assistance Act of 2002," which provides emergency assistance for agricultural producers who have suffered crop and livestock production losses as a result of natural disasters during the 2001 and 2002 production years. H.R. 5383 was the companion legislation to the Senate amendment passed by a 79 to 16 vote in September. On December 19, NASDA joined the agricultural groups again in a letter to members of Congress urging them to support emergency agricultural disaster assistance when the 108th Congress convenes. The letter points out that 90 percent of U.S. counties have received a USDA disaster designation and that more than 40 percent of the counties have received designations in both 2001 and 2002. Among the agricultural groups participating in the fly-in are: the National Farmers Union, American Farm Bureau Federation, National Cotton Council, National Association of Wheat Growers, and the U.S. Apple Association. NASDA members are invited to participate in the fly-in. If you are interested, please contact Jennifer Yezak Molen. (Contact: Jennifer Yezak Molen) CANADA AND MEXICO BAN SHIPMENT OF POULTRY PRODUCTS FROM CALIFORNIA DUE TO EXOTIC NEWCASTLE DISEASE OUTBREAK This week, the California Farm Bureau said that Canada and Mexico have banned shipments of poultry and poultry products from California because of the outbreak of Exotic Newcastle Disease. The disease, which threatens the state's $3 billion poultry industry, is harmless to humans but fatal to birds. State agriculture officials said Canada will stop all shipments of poultry and its products from California for 14 days. Mexico, the state's leading export market for poultry, also called for a similar ban. Agriculture officials ordered more than a million chickens destroyed after finding new cases of the disease. The outbreak was discovered in September in backyard chicken flocks in Los Angeles County. Ventura County will join Riverside, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Orange counties with quarantine restrictions after the discovery of an exotic Newcastle infection there, state officials said. "This is an alarming situation that seriously threatens our poultry industry," said California Secretary William (Bill) J. Lyons, Jr. "We are working with the industry and our partners in the federal government to respond quickly and decisively." The disease does not pose a risk to human health. Poultry and egg products are safe to consume. The quarantine bans the transportation of live birds or poultry products, except eggs that have been sanitized, outside the quarantine area. A statewide outbreak of the disease in the 1970s threatened the entire U.S. poultry and egg supply and led authorities to destroy nearly 12 million chickens. It cost $56 million to eradicate the disease. California is the nation's third-largest egg producer. More than half the state's 12 million egg-laying hens are in the quarantine zone. Officials have emphasized that chicken and eggs remain safe to eat, and that the virus does not harm humans even if an infected chicken is consumed. There is no cure for the disease. (Contact: Jennifer Yezak Molen) USDA ANNOUNCES THAT CROP INSURANCE AGREEMENT TO REMAIN IN FORCE FOR 2004 REINSURANCE YEAR This week, USDA announced that the Risk Management Agency's (RMA) Standard Reinsurance Agreement (SRA) and Aquatic Crop Reinsurance Agreement (ACRA) would remain in effect for the 2004 reinsurance year. The SRA and the ACRA define the terms of reinsurance between RMA and the companies participating in the crop insurance program. The Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000 (ARPA) permits the reinsurance agreements to be negotiated at the discretion of USDA once during the 2001 through 2005 reinsurance years. The renegotiated SRA and ACRA then would be in effect indefinitely or until new legislation comes into force. USDA's decision to defer cancellation of the SRA until later was made after careful consideration of many factors. The current unsettled nature of the industry was a major concern. This is reflected in lingering drought conditions in some parts of the country coupled with the demise of the largest company participating in the crop insurance program. Moreover, there is a growing recognition of the need to increase operational efficiencies within the companies and to reduce program costs. In making the announcement, Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman said, "Deferring the negotiations will give all parties more time to evaluate ways to improve program effectiveness and to reinforce the strong foundation required for even more effective risk management in the future." USDA is expected to announce in 2004 that it will seek renegotiation of the SRA and the ACRA that would become effective with the 2005 reinsurance year. "We believe this approach makes the most sense," said Ross J. Davidson, administrator of the Risk Management Agency. "We reached this decision after consultation with participating insurance companies and are optimistic that the additional time will enable us to cooperatively achieve meaningful changes for the program, including substantial cost savings and enhanced regulatory oversight of the delivery systems." (Contact: Jennifer Yezak Molen) STATE NEWS VIRGINIA AG DEPARTMENT FIRST TO IMPLEMENT SYSTEM FOR SCHOOLS TO CUSTOM ORDER USDA-DONATED FOODS The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS), along with agencies of three other states, is piloting a new USDA system to place orders for foods from the USDA's food distribution program. VDACS, which administers the USDA food distribution program in the Commonwealth, is the first one of the four states to hand over to schools the responsibility for placing food requests in the new system. The USDA commodity food program supplies approximately $18 million in food assistance to Virginia schools each year. The USDA's new Electronic Commodity Ordering System (ECOS) is a Web-based, encrypted program that allows school districts to enter food requests directly into a centralized USDA computer system. ECOS will also provide information to help the schools track their commodity funding levels, commodity recalls, and the delivery status of their orders. In addition to testing the new system, VDACS also helped develop it. VDACS' Tom Nations, USDA-donated food ordering coordinator for the state, served on the USDA task force responsible for the creation of ECOS and helped provide a state office perspective about the features needed to make the new program effective. Under the old arrangement, schools have had little input into the selection of USDA-donated foods. Although they could decline specific USDA food offerings, school food service directors in the Commonwealth have not been able to request specific USDA foods or quantities. The new system allows much more input by the recipients and gives them greater control in the food selection process. ECOS food surveys will enable school systems to specify their preferences so that USDA food offerings will better meet their individual needs. Tom Nations offered this appraisal. "By using ECOS, school districts will receive food their students want and they will know in advance what products they are getting. We will be moving away from the 1980s-era data base system we have been using in which all USDA food was allocated to each school system based on the number of meals served by each school. I think school food service directors will be very pleased about making the change." Virginia joined California, Connecticut, and Illinois as participants in testing the new system. The Commonwealth launched its pilot project in March 2002 and included its northern Virginia service region in June 2002. Based on the success of the initial test, Virginia held training sessions for the remaining school systems in the summer and fall. School systems throughout the state will use ECOS to place food requests in January 2003, in time to place state orders for the 2003-2004 school year. The Food Distribution Program of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services oversees the allocation and delivery of food donated by the USDA to approved feeding operations for children and financially needy people. It assists approximately 562,000 children, 105,000 adults and 88,000 households through agencies which include 132 public school districts; 96 private or state schools; 104 public or private nonprofit institutions; 59 state hospitals and correctional facilities; and 107 summer camps and feeding programs. The Food Distribution Program also provides marketing assistance for food products produced by Virginia and U.S. farmers. (Contact: Marion Horsley, 804/225-3820) ACADEMY HELPS STUDENTS PLAN FUTURES IN AGRICULTURE The Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) is offering a unique educational opportunity to Missouri high school sophomores considering a career in agriculture. Through its Missouri Agribusiness Academy, the department gives students the opportunity to learn more about the state's diverse agricultural industry and what types of jobs are available. "The academy provides young people the opportunity to explore a wide variety of career opportunities available in agriculture," said Lowell Mohler, director of the Missouri Department of Agriculture. "This experience is helpful as they set their goals." Established in 1988, the program annually awards academy memberships to 30 Missouri high school sophomores interested in pursuing agriculture-related degrees. Academy participants tour agribusiness operations and are introduced to leaders in agriculture, government and education. Members are selected based on their written applications and interviews. To be eligible for the academy, students must come from a farm family or be active 4-H or FFA members. Applications are available from 4-H extension youth specialists, FFA advisors, and high school counselors. Students also can receive applications by visiting the department's web site at www.mda.state.mo.us or contacting the Missouri Department of Agriculture, Division of Market Information and Outreach, P.O. Box 630, Jefferson City, MO 65102, (573) 751-5618. Applications must be postmarked by Feb. 3, 2003. Those students selected to participate in the 2003 academy will spend June 9 to 13 in the St. Louis area where they will tour local agribusinesses and hear from agricultural, business and civic leaders. The students will also be guests at the 2003 Governor's Conference on Agriculture held in November at Tan-Tar-A Resort. (Contact: Sally Oxenhandler, 573/751-8596) |
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