News Update
January 28, 2014
House-Senate Negotiators Announce Bipartisan Agreement on Final Farm Bill
House and Senate agriculture leaders announced a bipartisan, bicameral agreement Jan. 27 on a five-year farm bill that will reduce the deficit, grow the economy and provide certainty to the 16 million Americans whose jobs depend on agriculture, according to a House Agricultural Committee news release. The Agricultural Act of 2014 contains major reforms, including eliminating the direct-payment program, streamlining and consolidating numerous programs to improve their effectiveness and reduce duplication, and cutting down on program misuse.
According to the release, the bill also strengthens the nation’s commitment to support farmers and ranchers affected by natural disasters or significant economic losses, and renews a national commitment to protect land, water and other natural resources.
“I am proud of our efforts to finish a farm bill conference report with significant savings and reforms,” said Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK), chairman of the House Agriculture Committee. “We are putting in place sound policy that is good for farmers, ranchers, consumers, and those who have hit difficult times. I appreciate the work of everyone who helped in this process. We never lost sight of the goal; we never wavered in our commitment to enacting a five-year, comprehensive farm bill. I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting its passage.”
Industry groups have expressed mixed opinions of the proposed agreement. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), National Pork Producer’s Council (NPPC) and National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) hosted a media briefing this morning in which they vowed to oppose passage of the Farm Bill because it did not contain “fixes” to mandatory country-of-origin labeling (mCOOL). Said NCBA’s Scott George, passage of the Farm Bill without a fix for mCOOL will spur trade retaliation by Canada and Mexico that will endanger the U.S. livestock industry.
The National Farmers Union (NFU) and Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund United Stockgrowers of America (R-CALF–USA), both in favor of mCOOL as it stands in the bill, applauded passage of the agreement, as did the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) and the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC).
The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) noted that the farm bill reported by the conference committee renews funding for a number of important programs that were left stranded by last year’s farm bill extension, but fails to make much-needed reforms in the structure of farm policy. Ariane Lotti, assistant policy director with NSAC, said the organization would support passage of the Farm Bill with the caveat that it would continue to seek real reform.
Both the Senate and the House must pass the conference report before the bill would be sent to the President for signage.
For the House Committee on Agriculture’s announcement of the agreement, view the full release here.
Rancher Relief Fund Helping Hundreds of Ranchers
Four short months after the devastating winter storm Atlas struck western South Dakota, the Rancher Relief Fund (RRF) is poised to disburse an additional $3.3 million to hundreds of livestock producers in the impacted area.
Cory Eich, president of the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association, noted, “We can’t thank the Rancher Relief Fund donors enough. The outpouring of support from around the country has been gratifying and we’re pleased to be able to distribute over $4 million back to the livestock producers of western South Dakota and neighboring states who lost animals in the early blizzard.”
The Rancher Relief Fund distributed nearly $775,000 to impacted livestock producers prior to the application deadline of Dec. 31, 2013. With more than 600 applications received, the SD Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters (SDVOAD) will be working as quickly as possible to disburse an additional $3.3 million to the qualified applicants in the coming weeks.
All disbursements are based on criteria established by representatives of the founding livestock organizations. In order to qualify for assistance from the Rancher Relief Fund, applicants must demonstrate they are livestock producers and they must have lost a minimum of 10% of their livestock herd.
“With approximately 600 applicants reporting losses of roughly 43,000 head of cattle, sheep and horses, we recognize the financial assistance from the Rancher Relief Fund will not come close to fully reimbursing the ranchers that suffered devastating losses. However, we know every little bit helps in the wake of the historic storm,” said Bob Fortune, South Dakota Stockgrowers Association president.
For more information, please view the Rancher Relief page here.
Alltech Feed Survey Reports Slight Increase
in Global Feed Production in 2013
Results from the 2014 Global Feed Tonnage Survey released today by Alltech revealed a 1% increase in feed production, with global feed tonnage reporting in at 963 million metric tons, up from 954 million metric tons last year. Alltech assessed the compound feed production of 130 countries in December 2013 through information obtained in partnership with local feed associations and Alltech’s sales team, who visit more than 28,000 feedmills annually.
“We were surprised that the feed industry did not break the one-billion-metric-ton level in 2013, given the continued global growth in the consumption of animal proteins. The slower growth in feed production was likely influenced by a series of droughts that has plagued more than 30 countries worldwide in 2012, which, in turn has driven up the price of raw feed materials and food prices,” said Aidan Connolly, vice president of Alltech and director of Alltech’s annual Global Feed Tonnage Survey. “In our survey, we recorded that Asia had the highest tonnage and the highest feed prices, averaging around $524 per ton for pig finisher diets and around $480 to $553 for laying hens and broiler finisher diets. With a significant drop in cereal prices during the final months of 2013, our respondents expect the feed prices will be lower in 2014, resulting in a year of recovery and a return to stronger growth in terms of tons of feed produced.”
For more information, please view the full summary here.
Local Meat Producers Have More Options
for Their Meat Products
Consumer demand for locally grown foods and locally raised meat, poultry and eggs has grown. After a decline of small farms and slaughterhouses in the 1990s, the United States has seen resurgence in small, locally owned operations. According to Whole Foods Market, consumers are asking about locally sourced meats and want to know if the animal was raised ethically, is antibiotic free and organically raised. Most are processed at the same large USDA-approved slaughterhouses where they separate the animals by time and space and use different sanitizing agents.
Michigan has 27 slaughter facilities that are listed as USDA inspected. This means that if a small local farmer is interested in selling meat directly to the consumer, store or institution, their meat could accumulate a lot of miles from traveling to and from the slaughterhouse. There are a number of other meat-processing facilities in Michigan that are “custom-exempt,” but these are limited to the consumer bringing their own animal to them for butchering, such as the pig you bought at the county-fair auction. You already owned the live animal prior to slaughter. This meat is labeled “not for sale” and is strictly for the owner’s own consumption. Michigan State University (MSU) Extension has created additional resources for Michigan producers selling meat locally.
Another rising trend spearheaded through the USDA’s Know your Farmer, Know your Food program is the Mobile Slaughter Unit. The goal of this program is to help small farmers find USDA slaughter facilities near them.
For more information, please view the full release here.
Riparian and Stream Ecosystem Workshop Set
for Feb. 25 in Hallettsville
The Texas Water Resources Institute’s Texas Riparian and Stream Ecosystem Education Program will host a workshop from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Feb. 25 in Hallettsville for area residents interested in land and water stewardship in the Lavaca River basin.
The free workshop is co-hosted by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service office in Lavaca County, Lavaca County Wildlife Management Association and Lavaca-Navidad River Authority.
Nikki Dictson, AgriLife Extension program specialist for the Texas Water Resources Institute and coordinator of the program, said the workshop will concentrate on the nature and function of stream and riparian zones, as well as the direct economic impact and benefit of having healthy zones.
A riparian zone is the land area adjacent to the bank of a stream, creek or river, Dictson explained.
“Proper management, protection and restoration of these vital areas directly influence water quality and quantity, stabilize stream banks, and improve fish and aquatic habitats, communities and more,” she said.
The morning session will be at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 321 U.S. 77 South, and the afternoon session will include a tour of a field site along the river.
Dictson said workshop topics will include riparian and watershed management principles, water quality, riparian vegetation, hindrances to healthy riparian areas, stream processes, management practices and local resources.
For more information, please view the Angus Journal’s Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
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