News Update
September 14, 2012
Farmers Can Take Steps to Avoid Fall Harvest Fires
As the fall harvest progresses, the risk of farm fires increases, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). These fires can spread rapidly and cause significant losses in crops and machinery.
The DNR offers the following tips to help avoid farm fires:
- Prepare machinery. An overheated bearing or spark from an improperly lubricated fitting can instantaneously ignite dry plants and field debris. Make sure fire extinguishers are fully charged and the right size and type for the area. Fire extinguishers are divided into four categories, based on different types of fires. Each fire extinguisher also has a numerical rating that serves as a guide for the amount of fire the extinguisher can handle. The higher the number, the more firefighting power.
- Keep equipment clean. Throughout the day, remove chaff, leaves and other combustibles from motors, exhausts and moving parts. A gas-powered leaf blower is great for blowing debris from machinery.
- Service grain storage and drying equipment. Inspect all bearings, belts and motors. Keep weeds mowed around the facilities to discourage a fire from spreading. Be sure extinguishers are fully charged and the proper size and type for the area.
- Turn off interior lighting in filled bins. A grain fire can start if grain surrounds the bulb. Turn off the light's breaker to avoid accidentally turning the light on. This also applies to hay storage facilities.
- Till a 30-foot break around building sites, remote bin sites and outside storage facilities to minimize the potential spread of fire. Remove weeds and other combustibles around structures and stored equipment.
For more information and the full release, click here.
NFU Urges Congress to Schedule
Floor Time to Vote on Farm Bill
The National Farmers Union (NFU) sent a letter today urging Congressional representatives to sign a meeting request to discuss scheduling floor time for a vote on the farm bill, which is set to expire on Sept. 30. The request letter is being circulated by Reps. Kristi Noem, R-S.D., and Peter Welch, D-Vt.
"The Senate and the House Committee on Agriculture have already passed their own versions of the farm bill and the full House must act soon," NFU President Roger Johnson noted in the letter. "As such, I urge you to sign the letter to request a meeting with Leader Cantor in order to move the farm bill process forward."
Also on Sept. 12, Rep. Bruce Braley, D-Iowa, filed a discharge petition to get the 2012 farm bill voted on by the full House. If a majority of the House of Representatives signs the petition, the bill will be automatically taken to the floor to be voted on. To view who has signed onto the petition, click here.
"The filing of today's discharge petition is necessary because House leadership has refused to bring the bill to the floor. We are encouraging all of our members to contact their representatives to stress the importance of signing the petition and force Congress to act," said Johnson.
For the full release, click here
California County Eyes Meat Processing Plant
Officials in Calaveras County are looking into building a livestock processing facility to serve the region's producers and boost the local economy, according to a report by the Calaveras Enterprise.
A group called CalaverasGROWN has secured a USDA grant to study the feasibility of building a plant in the Central Sierra region, and the results of this study will be presented at two public meetings this month, according to the report.
A new plant would serve ranchers who currently have to transport their livestock to Orland, Calif., which is three hours north of Calaveras, the Enterprise reports.
For more information and the full release, click here.
Poll: Drought Conditions Add to Importance
of Conservation to Farmers
American farmers value conservation programs, particularly in times of drought, and reject cutting conservation funding, according to a poll released today by the National Farmers Union (NFU).
The bipartisan poll, conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research — a Democratic polling firm — and Public Opinion Strategies — a Republican polling firm — surveyed 400 American farmers across 13 Midwestern and Great Plains states on their views regarding farm bill conservation programs. The results show that farmers view conservation programs as highly important, including in a time of drought, and they strongly oppose any plan to cut conservation in order to fund short-term drought relief.
"The findings in this poll clearly show strong support for critical conservation programs that are helping to lessen the effects of the current drought," said NFU President Roger Johnson. "Cutting funding for conservation in order to pay for a short term drought bill is detrimental to the long-term vitality of America's agricultural land."
The U.S. Senate passed its version of the farm bill in June in a bipartisan vote, while the U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture Committee finished its mark up of the bill in July. House leaders declined to bring the farm bill to a vote before adjourning for its month long recess in early August.
For the results of the poll and the full release, click here.
K-2 Kids Can Now Explore the Farmers Market Online
The popular agricultural gaming site MyAmericanFarm.org now includes a revised version of the "Farmers Market Challenge" game, updated to include K-2 learners. The game has been updated to give K-5 grade level students the opportunity to practice essential math skills while learning about food and healthy choices.
The Farmers Market Challenge game, which is aligned to Common Core State Standards for Mathematics, also now includes an "Easy Reader" e-Comic book that takes young readers on a virtual trip to a farmers' market with their friends. Both the game and e-Comic book can be found at www.myamericanfarm.org/games/farmers_market_challenge/.
The My American Farm educational gaming resource is a special project of the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture. Its mission is to build awareness, understanding and a positive public perception of agriculture through education. My American Farm currently has educator resources, fun family activities, videos, e-readers and 16 online games, including its first pre-kindergarten/kindergarten game, "In My Barn."
The site and resources are made possible through the generous support of title sponsor, DuPont Pioneer. The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture is the 501(c)(3) affiliate of the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Stretching Feed Supplies and Improving Nutrition
Mid-Missouri cattle producers can learn techniques to improve feed alternatives and strategies to stretch their hay supplies Sept. 20 at the Beef Forage Field Day at MU's Beef Research and Teaching Farm, just south of Columbia off Highway 63.
Sign-in begins at 5:30 p.m. and the outdoor program begins at 6 p.m. The Missouri Corn Growers Association is sponsoring a free meal following the workshop. Call the Beef Research Center at 573-882-2829 to register and reserve a meal.
Justin Sexten, University of Missouri beef nutritionist, the Missouri Corn Merchandising Council and the Missouri Cattlemen's Association are working together to explore alternative forages and to demonstrate how to improve digestibility of corn stover and lower-quality Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) hay by 15% while doubling the feeds' protein content. "We'll show what we have for getting cows through the winter," Sexten said.
Incorporating a specific treatment process called ammoniation, producers can treat corn stover at a cost of approximately $25 per ton of forage. The added nutritional value makes it an economical choice in a season filled with climatic and economic challenges.
Sexten will also demonstrate treatment of processed corn stover with calcium hydroxide. Similar to ammoniation, stover digestibility is improved with this process and the protein content remains unchanged. The process is relatively unknown and has generated lots of questions. "We will be learning, but we do know it increases digestibility in the rumen."
Pasture Plant Identification Tour Set for Oct. 1 in Brownwood
What plant is that? Find out by attending the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service's Pasture Plant Identification Tour set for 4 p.m. Oct. 1 on the Burns Ranch.
Burns Ranch is 13 miles north of Early on U.S. Highway 183 or five miles south of May on U.S. Highway 183.
Scott Anderson, AgriLife Extension agent in Brown County, said that Ricky Linex, wildlife biologist with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, in Weatherford, will be the expert providing instruction on pasture plant identification.
"We'll also have ranch owner Paul Burns with us that day to discuss their management and pasture reseeding techniques," Anderson said. "We'll also tour parts of the Burns Ranch. So, if you want to really see what reseeded pastures can look like, make plans now to attend this program and tour. I think it will be well worth your time."
Two Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units will be offered to licensed pesticide applicators.
Individual registration is $10 payable on arrival.
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