News Update
October 11, 2011
Ag Secretary Vilsack Stresses Importance of the American Jobs Act for Iowans
Monday, Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack joined business and community leaders to discuss the Administration’s strategy to strengthen the U.S. economy and to highlight what passage of the American Jobs Act would mean for Iowans.
“The American Jobs Act provides commonsense steps we can take right now to put more people back to work and put more money in the pockets of working Americans, without adding a dime to the deficit,” said Vilsack. “In Iowa, this Act will provide a tax cut for over 60,000 businesses, support the jobs of 4,100 teachers and first responders and immediately provide over 5,000 construction workers a job improving highways and other critical infrastructure. Iowa families will receive a tax cut of around $1,580.”
Secretary Vilsack also highlighted the need for quick passage of the pending trade agreements with Columbia, Panama and South Korea. The agreements were sent to Congress this week and are awaiting approval.
“Full implementation of all three agreements will help farmers and ranchers add more than $2.3 billion a year to the American economy, which will support nearly 20,000 jobs,” said Vilsack. “The Korean agreement alone will increase agricultural trade by $1.9 billion and have a greater economic impact than the last nine trade agreements combined.”
Full details on the three trade agreements and comprehensive fact sheets on how the agreements will benefit farmers are available at: http://www.fas.usda.gov/.
36th Annual American Agri-Women Convention Set for
Nov. 10-13 in Wichita
Women involved in agriculture from throughout the United States and Canada will head to Wichita, Kan., Nov. 10-13 for the 36th annual American Agri-Women (AAW) convention. Their purpose reflects the mission of the 40,000-member organization: Gather resources and knowledge to represent the agriculture industry in an educated, professional and passionate manner.
Kansas Agri-Women, a state affiliate, is hosting the event. The convention’s theme is “Sharing America’s Harvest.” Download the convention registration form here.
Speakers and programs will cover the latest issues in agriculture, including sustainability, marketing, advocacy and more. Keynote speakers include:
- Kyle Bauer, general manager of KFRM, a leading ag radio station
- Jay Lehr, author, The Heartland Institute science director, and environmental and groundwater expert
- Ted Schroeder, Kansas State University ag economics professor and commodity marketing expert
- Judge Tommy Webb, Kansas District Magistrate Judge, and leadership and motivational speaker
Breakout sessions will cover such key topics as animal welfare, estate planning and property rights. The sessions will also provide training on social media, leadership, and more to give attendees tools for their own farms, ranches and agribusinesses, and for their work representing agriculture. View the full agenda here.
The convention will be at the Hyatt Regency Wichita.
2012 Farm Bill Debate to be Featured at Texas Ag Forum
Discussion of the 2012 Farm Bill will take center stage at the Texas Ag Forum scheduled to be Oct. 24 at the Omni Austin Hotel at Southpark in Austin.
The event will bring together commodity and farm organization leaders from across the state, said Joe Outlaw, co-director of the Agricultural and Food Policy Center at Texas A&M University and Texas AgriLife Extension Service economist.
“The 2012 Farm Bill debate may be unlike any other,” Outlaw said. “The next farm bill will be deliberated while Congress and the administration grapple with the federal budget deficit. Everything is on the table, so agriculture must be prepared to face significant cuts. The debate will center around how much money is allocated for commodity programs and what is the best way to spend that money to provide a safety net for America’s producers.”
Outlaw said this year’s Ag Forum is intended “to update farmers and ranchers on the debate ongoing in Washington and the various policy options that are being discussed.”
The forum will feature presentations from policy makers, university experts and farm group representatives.
“Anyone who is interested in production agriculture or the food and fiber system will find this meeting valuable,” Outlaw said. “We are asking some very busy people for their perspectives. We have a commitment from Chairman Frank Lucas of the House Committee on Agriculture to participate via telephone.”
Other expected presenters, according to Outlaw, are Juan Garcia, U.S. Department of Agriculture-Farm Service Agency (USDA-FSA) deputy administrator for farm programs; Bart Fischer, chief economist for the House Agriculture Committee; and Tom Zacharias of National Crop Insurance Services.
“In the afternoon, we will have speakers representing various commodity group proposals,” Outlaw said.
Advanced registration is $125 and covers attendance and meals. To register or for more information, call 512-450-0555 and ask for Gloria Johnson. Same day registration is $150.
Stockgrowers Welcome New Executive Director
The South Dakota Stockgrowers Association Oct. 1 welcomed Silvia Christen to the position of executive director. Christen has been working for the association as development director since 2009. She takes the place of Margaret Nachtigall, who retired in September.
“Growing up on my own family’s farm I saw just how important it is that we fight for our rural communities and family agriculture,” Christen said. “We’ve got a lot of work ahead, and it’s going to be a challenge, but I enjoy working for the Stockgrowers membership, and I’m excited for this new opportunity.”
Christen is a native of northern Missouri where she grew up on her family’s diversified crop and livestock operation near Green City. She has a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from the University of Missouri and has lived in South Dakota since 2006.
Christen can be reached at the Stockgrowers office by calling 605-342-0429 or by emailing silvia.sdsga@midconetwork.com.
Editor’s Note: The articles used within this site represent a mixture of copyrights. If you would like to reprint or repost an article, you must first request permission of Angus Productions Inc. (API) by contacting the editor at 816-383-5200; 3201 Frederick Ave., Saint Joseph, MO 64506. API claims copyright to this web site as presented. We welcome educational venues and cattlemen to link to this site as a service to their audience.