ND bill would exempt hog, dairy farms from anti-corporate ag law

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  Andrea Gantz

  A bill under consideration in North Dakota would exempt hog farms from the state's anti-corporate farming law.

  From WATTAgNet:
  A lawmaker from North Dakota is advocating a piece of legislation that would exempt dairy and swine operations from the state’s anti-corporate farming law.
  Sen. Terry Wanzek, R-Jamestown, says that hog operations and dairy operations are in a serious decline in North Dakota, and is hopeful that the new legislation may save those industries and give a boost to the state’s agricultural economy. Dairy production in North Dakota has dropped 42 percent in the past 10 years, and swine operations are on a similar decline, according to the Bismarck Tribune.
   In addition to being a state senator, Wanzek is also a farmer.
  Under the legislation, domestic corporations and limited liability companies would be allowed to operate dairy and hog farms, as long as the operations do not take up more than 640 acres of land.
  North Dakota's law against corporate farming dates back as far as 1932. The law currently allows corporations with as many as 15 shareholders to own farms or ranches, under the stipulation that the shareholders are related.
  Wanzek began his legislative career in 1993 when he was first elected to the state’s House of Representatives. He was elected to the Senate in 1995 and served in that chamber until 2003. After a four-year hiatus, Wanzek returned to the Senate in 2007.

House ag committee leaders say bill will save nearly $40 billion

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas and Ranking Member Collin Peterson released a discussion draft of the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013 on May 10. The act is a bipartisan bill that cuts spending, reduces the size of government and makes common-sense reforms to policy, its creators say.
The bill is the product of a multi-year process that included auditing for effectiveness and efficiency every single policy under the jurisdiction of the House Agriculture Committee.
"I'm pleased to release this bipartisan legislation with my friend and colleague Collin Peterson. It's a responsible and balanced bill that addresses Americans' concerns about federal spending and reforms farm and nutrition policy to improve efficiency and accountability. We will advance our bill in the committee next week and then begin preparing for full House consideration this summer,"  said Lucas.
"The discussion draft the Chairman and I released today sets us on a path to finally completing a five-year farm bill. It closely resembles the bipartisan bill passed by the Agriculture Committee last summer, including a common-sense commodity title that will work for all producers, much-needed reforms to dairy programs and continued support for the sugar program. The bill also builds on the investments the 2008 Farm Bill made to fruits and vegetables, farmers markets and local food systems. While I do believe that there are more responsible ways to reform nutrition programs, the bottom line is that this is the first step in the process and it is past time to pass a five-year farm bill," said Peterson.
The text of the bill can be found here.
Highlights of the bill include:

• Saving nearly $40 billion in mandatory funds, including the immediate sequestration of $6 billion. 
• Repealing or consolidating more than 100 programs. 
• Elmination of direct payments, which farmers received regardless of market conditions. 
• Streamlining and reform of commodity policy saving nearly $14 billion while also giving producers a choice in how best to manage risk. 
• Inclusion of the first reforms to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program since the Welfare Reform Act of 1996 saving more than $20 billion. 
• Consolidation of  23 conservation programs into 13, improving program delivery to producers and saving more than $6 billion. 
• Building on previous investments to fruit and vegetable production, farmers markets, and local food systems. 
• Inclusion of several regulatory relief measures to help mitigate burdens farmers, ranchers, and rural communities face. 
The House Agriculture Committee will conduct its next meeting on May 15. 

Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act resurfaces

New York Congresswoman Louise Slaughter has once again introduced the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act.
The legislation is designed to stop the overuse of antibiotics on the farm — a practice Slaughter said is accelerating the growth of antibiotic-resistance disease. The act is being introduced just two weeks after Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, warned that their strongest antibiotics don't work and patients are left with potentially untreatable infections.
"Since 1977, when the FDA acknowledged the threat of antibiotic-resistant disease and called for a reduction in the use of antibiotics in animals, we have been waiting for meaningful action to protect public health," said Slaughter. "Instead, we've gotten delays and half measure, and as a result, even common illnesses like strep throat could soon prove fatal. I've introduced this legislation because Congress must act immediately to protect the public health."
Slaughter has introduced the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act four times since 2007. In 2013, the legislation is updated to reflect what she refers to as the "severity of the growing crisis."
According the recently-released 2011 NARMS Retail Meat Survey, antibiotic resistance among cephalosporins found on chicken and turkey has increased by 23.5 percent and 14.1 percent, respectively. As a result, Slaughter has explicitly named cephalosporins as an eighth class of antibiotics that would be prohibited from non-therapeutic use on animals (previous versions of the legislation explicitly named seven classes.) The new text also clarifies the term "non-therapeutic use" to ensure that any use of medically important antibiotics outside of treatment of a sick animal is not permitted.

Pork, poultry producers back US 2012 spending bill

The U.S. 2012 agriculture spending bill includes language that will prevent the implementation of new regulations regarding livestock and poultry marketing, drawing support from the National Pork Producers Council and the National Turkey Federation.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration originally proposed a rule that the organization said addressed "the increased use of contracting in the marketing and production of livestock and poultry by entities subject to the Packers and Stockyards Act." The goal of the regulation, according to GIPSA, was "to level the playing field between packers, live poultry dealers and swine contractors, and the nation’s poultry growers and livestock producers."
Industry members, however, said the rule would amount to an unprecedented government invasion into the private marketplace. "The marketplace works well without government intrusion and this legislation is proof that many in Congress feel the same way," said National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President Bill Donald. The 2012 spending bill includes language limiting funding for further action on the proposed rule until Congress takes additional legislative action to amend the Packers and Stockyards Act in the next Farm Bill.
Overall, the government appropriated $17.25 billion in discretionary spending for the agriculture industry — a 13.4% reduction from 2011. Among the numbers:

• GIPSA received $37 million, a $3.26 million decrease from 2011.
• Production, processing and marketing under the office of the secretary received $4.29 million, a $758,000 decrease from 2011.
• The Agricultural Research Service received $993 million, a $140 million decrease from 2011.
• The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service received $790 million, a $73.3 million decrease from 2011.
• The Agricultural Marketing Service received $77.5 million, a $9.04 decrease from 2011.

Indiana resolution to provide the right to "engage in the agricultural production of meat, fish or poultry"

The Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee has passed a resolution to amend the Indiana constitution to provide that the people of the state have the “right to hunt, fish, harvest game or engage in the agricultural production of meat, fish or poultry as a valuable part of our heritage and shall be forever preserved for the public good subject to laws prescribed by the General Assembly and rules prescribed by virtue of the authority of the General Assembly.”  This according to a report by the Indiana Farm Bureau Organization.
The resolution, if adopted by the current General Assembly and the next assembly, will pass to the electorate for ratification. Voting of the constitutional amendment would appear to preemptively oppose activities by organizations such as the HSUS in their attempts to oppose and restrict commercial-scale production of food.

Global Pathogens Laboratory seeking ag volunteers for national flu study

The Global Pathogens Laboratory is looking for volunteers in the agricultural industry to participate in a new, year-long study.
The Prospective Study of U.S. Animal Agricultural Workers for Emerging Virus Infections will focus on those who work with turkeys, geese, ducks or swine and will monitor the workers and their household members for flu. Particular emphasis will be placed on those types of influenza that can be transmitted by both humans and animals. Participation requires one visit to a local health-care provider and self-collected nasal samples if participants become ill.

National Chicken Council opposes regulation rule change

The National Chicken Council opposes changes to a rule governing regulation of livestock and poultry. Calling the rule “one-sided, unrealistic and not in accordance with court rulings,” the council predicts the rule, as now proposed, will result in lengthy litigation and uncertainty.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) plans to publish the proposal that it said offers new protections for producers against unfair regulation. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the rule will “ensure a level playing field for producers,” against unfair practices and address new market conditions not already covered.

USDA small farmer initiative questioned

Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) have requested a list of awards made under the KYF2 (Know Your Farmers Know Your Foods) program including the names of organizations receiving funds and amounts distributed.
The letter from the senators questioned the desirability of expending funds on “locavore” projects and “feel-good” measures. In the opinion of the three senators these grants are “completely detached from the realities of production agriculture.”
USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan the original promoter of the National Organic Program under a previous administration, has favored community development programs and intends distributing up to $1 billion for the KYF2 initiative.
USDA Secretary Vilsack, in defending Deputy Secretary Merrigan characterized her policy as “an example of our efforts to enhance awareness of our programs and utilize them more effectively.”
The current administration has demonstrated a distinct bias towards alternative agriculture at the expense of conventional intensive crop and livestock production. This is understandable given the extremely pro-environmental, anti-commercial, background of policy makers and their complete detachment from the realities of modern grain and livestock production. ...Read the full blog on www.animalagnet.com.

UEP calls for legislation support

The UEP has urged producers to encourage their representatives in Congress to support H.R. 4638. This item of legislation, The Healthy Start Act, will amend the major reauthorization of the Federal Child Nutrition Program currently under consideration. Expanding school breakfast programs to provide the equivalent of a nickel of commodities with every school breakfast is the intent of the sponsors, Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin (D-SD) and Joann Emerson (R-MO).
Producers are encouraged to contact their representatives by email with the following message: “Please co-sponsor H.R. 4638 The Healthy Start Act. This bi-partisan legislation provides USDA with funding to include commodities in breakfast programs for the nation’s schools. This will allow millions more children to obtain a good start to their day and derive benefit from the nutritional qualities of eggs and other foods.”
For further information e-mail or call the UEP Washington liaison Howard Magwire at (202) 842-2345.

Peterson Prepares to Draft 2012 Farm Bill

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) last week began discussing elements of a new farm bill, a process that is expected to play out over the next 18 months. Many long-time Washington observers believe the next farm legislation could be significantly different from that of the recent past for a wide range of reasons.
The week of April 26, Peterson said his panel would hear from experts and academics on "the broad picture" of where they perceive the current bill is working or not working, and trends they see for the future." The first week of May will feature field hearings in Des Moines, Boise, Fresno and Cheyenne, Wyo. The week of May 14 Peterson will hold hearings Georgia, Alabama, Texas and South Dakota.
The chairman says that at this point, everything is on the table, and that he is not advocating that policy go in any specific direction. Rather, he said, what he wants now if for a discussion about whether the current set of programs "make sense for the future." Peterson says his overall interest "is providing a safety net for the average-sized commercial production farmer."
One program likely is a candidate for change" the U.S. cotton program, given the recent agreement between the United States and Brazil that averted sanctions being imposed on a host of U.S. products. Peterson has said in the past that commodity programs that were structured to closely resemble each other may not work in the future. "Is it right to do it [the next farm bill] on a commodity-by-commodity basis? Or should we look at a whole-farm approach?" Peterson asked. "I've gotten some push back on that, but we at least should think about it."
Peterson acknowledged the budget will be a factor but said he is "not going to get too excited about it until we get to the point of marking up a bill." And, he expects the amount of money that will be available for farm programs –– based on Congressional Budget Office projections of baseline spending –– will be considerably different than it is at present.
Peterson would not say whether direct payments to farmers need to be reduced, saying instead that the various components of the economic safety net for farmers needs to be looked at as a whole to see how they work together.
Some have suggested that the current commodity loan programs could be ended or changed significantly and the dollars allocated for use elsewhere. Peterson said the problem with the current loan program is that loan rates are set at such low levels that the program does not function properly, "And the money isn't there to raise those rates significantly."

Kansas State studies effects of proposed climate legislation on agriculture

An analysis of six economic studies by a Kansas State University team has concluded that the effect of proposed U.S. climate legislation would be largely neutral to positive for the agricultural sector.
Team leader Bill Golden of KSU’s agricultural economics department said, "Overall, the research suggests U.S. agriculture has more to gain than lose with the passage of H.R. 2454," which is also known as the Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, or the Waxman-Markey bill. "The bill specifically exempts production agriculture from emissions caps, provides provisions to ease the transition to higher fertilizer prices and fosters the development of carbon offset markets, which will likely enhance agricultural revenues."
The studies considered by the KSU team make different assumptions about key variables that can have significant impact on the results, and not all of them included the various offset categories as they exist in the House-passed legislation. By analyzing the studies in light of recent revisions to the legislation, the KSU team was able to make the following key findings:
*In the short-run, per-acre profitability for both crop and livestock producers may decline but, for the most part, the short-term declines will be modest, with changes in production costs ranging from 0.3% to 6.4% by 2025.
*If other countries adopt similar legislation, the market for agricultural commodities will adjust in the long run and return producers' profits to pre-H.R. 2454 levels.
*The economic impacts will vary regionally and by crop and livestock sub-sector. The impacts depend on cultural and management practices and the farm-specific ability to sequester carbon and receive offset income.
*H.R. 2454 establishes a renewable energy standard that mandates a portion of all U.S. electricity be produced from low-carbon renewable energy sources. As the market for these energy sources expands, the agricultural sector will benefit financially.
"At the present time, it is not completely clear how renewable energy legislation and climate offset markets will function together," said Golden. Potential offsets include dairy digesters, improvements in soil management and tillage practices, advancements in nutrient management and alternative manure-management systems. “What is clear is that these markets have the potential to provide significant financial benefits to agricultural producers.”
American Farmland Trust sponsored the research, which did not cover the testimony presented to the House Agriculture Committee in December. The organization expects to conduct another summary analysis that will include this new research.
A copy of the KSU Study is available on American Farmland Trust's Web site or through Kansas State University.

USDA to train farmers in sustainability, marketing

The USDA will advance $17 million to 29 institutions to train farmers in sustainability and aspects of marketing.
The 2008 Farm Bill authorized the funding awarded through the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the successor to the Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service.
Farmers with less than 10 years of experience are eligible for course work offered by land grant universities and qualified institutions. Funding is part of the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food program, initiated in September 2009. The object of the initiative is to promote the success of family farms including direct marketing to consumer and schools in the local area of production. Education, outreach mentoring and internship opportunities are offered by the program.
The funding announcement was made by Kathleen Merrigan, deputy secretary of the Department of Agriculture, at an event at Hidden Stream Farm in Elgin, Minn.

Let’s focus on formulating the right food policies

We know all about least-cost formulation and cost-effective production when it comes to getting the best out of our livestock through scientifically-based feed rations, but we are woefully inadequate when it comes to getting across to the general public - and politicians in particular - the essence of what we are achieving in terms of improvements in the efficient use of valuable world resources.
We are taking increasing criticism from poorly informed pressure groups and others that claim livestock are eating ingredients that could and should be used to feed people!
Whether we are formulating feeds or formulating policies, the principles to my mind, are the same - taking a safety first approach; aiming for an efficient use of resources; getting the best return from the money and effort applied; and achieving the objectives that we set out to achieve at the beginning.
It’s about time we took a stand and began to defend our industry where it matters - among policy formulators and the public. Read the rest of the blog.

Ohio passes livestock standards board initiative

Following a campaign with strong support from the agricultural community led by the Ohio Farm Bureau, Ohio's State Issue #2 passed with support from nearly two-thirds of voters.
The ballot initiative aims to establish a 13-member board for science-based standards on housing and management of livestock. The measure is widely regarded as a preemptive approach to block a California Proposition #2-style initiative that would effectively ban confined housing of livestock, including caged hens.
The board will be chaired by the Ohio agriculture commissioner, with elected officials appointing the other members. The board must be bipartisan.
In a widely publicized debate November 2, John Fisher, chief executive of the Ohio Farm Bureau, said his opponent, Wayne Pacelle, president of the humane society of the United States (HSUS), promoted a vegan agenda under the guise of welfare.
“We're all about the humane treatment of animals, just not treating them as humans,” Fisher said.
With the adoption of Ohio State Issue #2, the HSUS will have to consider a subsequent constitutional amendment or attempt to advance its program through legislation. The passage of California Proposition #2 by a wide margin in 2008 created momentum for the HSUS and resulted in appeasement by the legislature of Michigan, which recently adopted HSUS wording in an amendment eliminating confined livestock within 10 years.
The November 3 Ohio reversal of the trend established by HSUS represents a model for other state farm associations to oppose attempts to stop intensive livestock production.

Brunei aims to export to Singapore

According to reports, Brunei is in negotiations to export chicken to the Singapore market next year.
Brunei’s Agriculture Department is in talks with the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) of Singapore. Brunei officials are said to be pushing through legislation regarding controls on poultry production and a national disease control program for increased bio-security measures to satisfy import requirements.
To make poultry export possible, Brunei plans to double its current production. The country hopes to export its poultry under the Sultanate's Brunei Halal brand.

Bill to help dairy, allow Chinese chicken imports

According to reports, legislators in Washington, D.C., are considering an appropriations measure that contains emergency aid to dairy farmers and lifts an import ban of two years on Chinese poultry.
The agreement would give $290 million to dairy farmers and also authorize USDA to buy $60 million in cheese and other dairy products to reduce surpluses.If passed, Chinese poultry that meets this country’s safety standards could again be imported.

Bill on climate courts controversy

Senators and farmers' unions in the U.S. are arguing over climate change legislation which was passed by the House in June, the Associated Press reported.
The legislation, over which the Senate is expected to vote this fall, would cap emissions from major industrial sources, including power plants, factories, refineries and electricity and natural gas distributors. Emissions from agriculture, however, will be excluded.
The bill is being opposed because the steep rise in fuel and fertilizer costs would eat into farmers' and ranchers' profits. However, the bill's supporters argue that the offset provisions built into the bill, which allow companies to meet their pollution targets by investing in offset projects such as methane-capturing farms, will more than make up for the losses suffered by the farmers.
According to a USDA report, the 1-7.2% loss in income that farmers would suffer due to an increase in energy costs and, therefore, fertilizer which requires a large amount of energy to be produced, will be compensated by tens of billions of dollars granted for projects to reduce greenhouse gases.

Illinois promotes domestic food production

Illinois Governor Patrick Quinn has signed House Bill 3990 which establishes the Illinois Local Food Farms and Job Council. This body will promote domestic food production in Illinois.
The tenor of legislation appears to favor small-scale and organic enterprises. The bill will provide funding and resources to promote locally grown food and to assist in processing and distribution to Illinois markets.