“Sorghum Checkoff Hosts Mexican Buyer Group”
The Sorghum Checkoff along with the U.S. Grains Council hosted a group of six Mexican grain buyers recently to show them the value of importing U.S. sorghum. The buyers represented the Mexican pork and poultry industries and visited seven different elevators throughout the Sorghum Belt. The group started in Texas, touring the Planter’s Grain Coop in Odem and Attebury Grain in Saginaw. They then made stops at three Kansas elevators and finished with two more elevator tours in Oklahoma.
“This is the first time for many of the country elevators to know directly who their end users are in Mexico,” said Troy Skarke, a sorghum producer from Claude, Texas, and chair of the Sorghum Checkoff Market Development committee. “Elevator operators had the opportunity to discuss potential issues and learn how to better serve their end users. By strengthening these relationships, we hope to see continued business with Mexico.”
The participants on this mission took a closer look into the journey of the sorghum they purchase as it travels from the field to the elevators and from the U.S. shipping ports to Mexico. “This mission was important because Mexico is the No. 1 importer of U.S. sorghum,” said Brian McCuistion, general manager of the Planter’s Grain Coop. “We have been eager for them to see this year’s sorghum crop.”
Texas has tremendous production potential this year, and Mexico will likely be one of its strongest importers. The U.S. has maintained a great relationship with Mexican grain buyers. Providing quality sorghum has been the key in keeping that business strong. In 2009, Mexico accounted for 82 percent of U.S. sorghum exports. The Sorghum Checkoff hopes to continue the relationship with Mexico in 2010 through efforts like buyer tours.
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“Problems Found During NCBA Audit”
A routine compliance review of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association has revealed some weaknesses in the way NCBA expenses are charged as beef checkoff activities. The audit, covering January 2008 through February 2010 indicates a pattern of insufficient documentation and noncompliance. The review covered the Beef Promotion Operating Committee in the areas of beef promotion, research, consumer information and industry information; and compliance of checkoff expenditures of the Federation of State Beef Councils Division of NCBA.
The report notes that – maintaining complete and accurate documentation of expenses which supports the eligibility for checkoff reimbursement is the responsibility of NCBA and failure to do so is considered to be noncompliance. The report concludes – the nature of several of the exceptions and undetermined items reported clearly indicates that NCBA breached the financial firewall during the periods tested and that NCBA did not maintain sufficient documentation in many instances to adequately support the separation of expenditures between the policy side of NCBA and the checkoff side of NCBA.
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“NCBA Responds To Audit Report”
Late Tuesday afternoon the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association issued its response to problems found during an NCBA audit. Steve Foglesong, NCBA President and a producer from Illinois, pledged – where mistakes were made, we will correct them.
Foglesong says – NCBA understands the importance of compliance with the financial firewall and accepts this responsibility without question.
Compliance reviews are nothing new to the NCBA. A compliance review has been conducted every year of NCBA’s 14-year existence. Foglesong says – every time there is a review, there are lessons, and we consider those an opportunity to fine-tune our processes going forward. The accountant’s inability to determine compliance on select items does not mean non-compliance. Rather, Foglesong says, – it is an indication that written guidelines are needed to achieve compliance.
Foglesong continued – our commitment is to address the compliance review through a very factual and transparent process with our Federation partners, Cattlemen’s Beef Board and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which share accountability to producers who pay the checkoff. Foglesong added, – a complete response to the accountant’s report will be addressed with CBB, participants from state beef councils and state cattlemen associations and NCBA directors at this week’s Cattle Industry Summer Conference.
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“ASA Checkoff Operation Sound”
USDA’s Office of Inspector General has found “insufficient evidence” to support allegations brought by the American Soybean Association against the United Soybean Board, the U.S. Soybean Export Council and the law firm of McLeod, Watkins & Miller. The American Soybean Association says it is – pleased that we can put this issue behind our industry.
During the review, substantial management and board changes were made at the U.S. Soybean Export Council. The former USSEC CEO was placed on administrative leave and the board of directors has been restructured. As a result of those changes, the Checkoff Board believes – soybean farmer interests are being better served.
ASA believes soybean farmers benefit from a strong policy organization and our state affiliates, working for them on legislative and regulatory issues, as well as from a soybean checkoff working at the national and state levels. ASA believes we can create the best possible present and future for U.S. soybean farmers and the U.S. soybean industry.
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“Limited Energy Bill Not Renewable Fuels Friendly”
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has introduced a limited energy bill that does not include supports for renewable fuels. In a statement, Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis said it is – disappointing that the Majority Leader did not take the opportunity to include measures that would support the most viable alternative to imported oil – ethanol. Buis called ethanol – America’s fuel.
Buis took the opportunity to promote Growth Energy’s ‘fueling Freedom Plan’ which establishes a path toward building out the infrastructure necessary to make significant reductions in our nation’s addiction to foreign oil by mandating the production of flex fuel vehicles and the installation of blender pumps.
Buis added, by omitting these measures from the bill, the Senate is maintaining our addiction to foreign oil rather than investing in a home grown fuel that has been proven to be cleaner and more economically beneficial for our country.
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“Growth Energy & Research Paper Author at Odds”
Growth Energy is at odds with a research paper released by Iowa State University’s Bruce Babcock. The paper suggests that allowing the ethanol tax credit and the tariff to lapse wouldn’t have much of an impact on the U.S. ethanol industry. According to Growth Energy, Babcock’s paper assumes that the Environmental Protection Agency approves E15 and it results in the use of a lot more ethanol, as much as 15-billion gallons.
Growth Energy has repeatedly pointed out that these government supports are important because ethanol only has access to a small portion of the transportation fuel market. However, with more market access, the government supports become less important. Growth Energy’s Fueling Freedom Plan would bust the market open and force all fuels to compete for the consumer’s dollar.
Growth Energy believes Babcock has muddied the waters of understanding by writing about E15 this way: most gas sold in the United States contains 10 percent ethanol — a limit the Environmental Protection Agency may increase to 15 percent this fall. Growth Energy says the words – may increase – the blend is dramatically different than his study which assumed not only the existence of E15, but also that the introduction of E15 “substantially increases U.S. ethanol demand.”
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“Lincoln Pleads for Child Nutrition Extension Passage”
Speaking on the Senate Floor Tuesday, Ag Committee Chairman Blanche Lincoln urged her colleagues to pass the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 before programs expire on September 30. The bi-partisan legislation would make the most historic investment in child nutrition programs since their inception. Chairman Lincoln noted – the bill is completely paid for.
In her statement, Lincoln said, – I come to the floor to ask for just eight hours of my colleagues’ time. Eight hours that will change the face of childhood hunger and obesity in this country and put us on a path to significantly improving the health of the next generation of Americans. Eight hours that will make an historic investment in our most precious gift and the future of this country – our children.
She pleaded for eight hours for the body to pass the bi-partisan “Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act” that will reauthorize federal child nutrition programs and address two of the greatest threats to the health and security of America’s children: hunger and obesity.
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“Legislation Extending Market Reporting Offered”
The chairman of the Senate Ag Committee, Blanche Lincoln, has joined Ranking Member Saxby Chambliss in introducing bipartisan legislation that would reauthorize mandatory price reporting for five years. This legislation will extend reporting requirements of livestock daily markets and makes two significant changes from existing law. The bill calls for Mandatory Reporting of Wholesale Pork cuts in order to expand transparency to the pork industry and further protect producers. The bill also instructs the Secretary of Agriculture to establish within one year an electronic price reporting system for dairy products.
Senator Chambliss says – mandatory reporting has proven to be a valuable tool for the livestock industry. Senator Lincoln says – Congress needs to act and approve this legislation quickly in order to maintain transparency and certainty in our livestock markets. This bill will guarantee transparency of the livestock marketing sector and help improve producers’ ability to access fair market prices.
Senator Chuck Grassley is speaking out in response to the bill. Grassley said, – it’s imperative that this law be extended before it expires or it’s likely the packer interests will be playing loose with the numbers and independent producers will be left in the cold. Grassley added – transparency in the market place is critical for fair and accurate reporting.
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“New Dynamic Emerging in WTO Talks”
World Trade Organization Director-General Pascal Lamy, reporting to an informal meeting of the Trade Negotiations Committee, said that – after some months of impasse in negotiations, my own sense is that we are beginning to see signs of a new dynamic emerging. Lamy called on negotiators to – build on the new dynamic by expanding the small groups discussion to all areas. He hopes to evaluate progress – somewhere around mid-October.
Lamy points to the fact that more Heads of Government have highlighted the central importance of the Doha Development Agenda. These Leaders have expressed concern at the slow progress in the negotiations and urged us to move towards a conclusion as soon as possible. Lamy says – what is clear from all these discussions is an overall desire to move the negotiations to a balanced and ambitious conclusion as soon as possible, consistent with the mandate and based on progress already made.
The Director-General says – clearly, it is too early to say whether this new dynamic is firmly rooted and can expand to all issues under the negotiating agenda. It is also too early to see how you engage on horizontal trade-offs across different areas. Nevertheless, Lamy believes – if this process lives up to its promising beginnings then Members will have to be prepared, when the time is right, to start testing “what ifs”.
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“Iowa Receives Clean Air Act Program Dollars”
EPA has awarded the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship 70-thousand dollars to assist with outreach, education and implementation of the Clean Air Act’s Risk Management Program. All fertilizer facilities that handle, process or store more than 10-thousand pounds of anhydrous ammonia are subject to EPA’s chemical safety requirements.
EPA Regional Administrator Karl Brooks says – EPA wants to assure the continued safe handling of anhydrous ammonia. According to Brooks – this grant is designed to prevent releases and protect the health and safety of area residents, employees at the facilities, emergency responders and the environment.
Funding will provide for on-site audits, workshops and follow-up safety assessments at agricultural retail anhydrous ammonia facilities in Iowa. Anhydrous ammonia is generally safe provided handling, storage and maintenance procedures are followed. However, it is toxic and can be a health hazard. Inhaling anhydrous ammonia can cause lung irritation and severe respiratory injuries.
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“ARS Signs Partnership Agreement”
Officials with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service have signed an agreement with the Kansas Bioscience Authority to help commercialize ARS-developed technologies in the key areas of: animal health, human health, plant biology, bioenergy and biomaterials. Under the terms of the five-year Partnership Intermediary Agreement, ARS and KBA will work together to increase awareness among Kansas businesses about opportunities for collaborative research, licensing and commercialization of technologies developed in ARS laboratories.
ARS Administrator Edward Knipling says this agreement will – build on a groundswell of bioscience innovation by partnering members of Kansas’ entrepreneurial community and higher-education institutions with ARS scientists conducting world-class research at more than 100 locations nationwide.
ARS has similar agreements with the Maryland Technology Development Corporation, the Mississippi Technology Alliance, the Wisconsin Security Research Consortium, the National Association of Seed and Venture Funds, the Georgia Research Alliance, the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority in Pennsylvania, and the Center for Innovation at Arlington, Texas.
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“Research to Look at Climate and Freshwater Systems”
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar have announced joint scientific research projects that address the effects of climate change on freshwater systems and sensitive aquatic species in the northwestern and southeastern United States. The multi-year 500-thousand dollar joint USDA-DOI projects will make use of existing data, field studies and modeling to better understand the effects of climate change on aquatic ecosystems. Information from the project will help guide science-based land-use decisions by federal agencies and others engaged in long-term planning for climate adaptation.
Ag Secretary Vilsack says – this research will provide tools and information to help ensure that aquatic ecosystems in the Northwest and Southeast remain healthy in the face of climate change. According to Secretary Salazar, – conserving our nation’s fisheries and aquatic ecosystems will be a challenge as climate change continues. These collaborative research projects will provide the science and technology needed by the Interior Department and other natural resource managers to plan for coping with these challenges.
In the Northwest the project’s goal is to identify how climate change will affect water temperature, quality and quantity, as well as the likely effects of increasing and more fluctuating water temperatures on cold water-dependent fish such as trout and salmon. In the Southeast, the project’s goal is to develop tools managers can use to minimize the effects of climate change on aquatic ecosystems and the cold water-dependent species in them, as well as on related ecosystem service such as drinking water quality and wildlife-based recreation.
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“New Genetics Tool Available to Researchers”
Agricultural Research Service scientists have developed a new tool for deciphering the genetics of a native prairie grass being widely studied for its potential as a biofuel. The genetic map of switchgrass, published by Christian Tobias, a molecular biologist at the ARS Western Regional Research Center in Albany, California, and his colleagues, is expected to speed up the search for genes that will make the perennial plant a more viable source of bioenergy.
Understanding the genetic composition of switchgrass could produce big rewards. To make switchgrass more commercially viable as a biofuel, scientists are searching for ways to increase yields and make it easier to break down the plant cell walls, an essential step in producing ethanol from cellulosic biomass.
The genetic map could lead to genes associated with cell wall composition, crop yields and other useful traits. Scientists will be able to use the genetic map to compare the genetic profile of switchgrass to that of rice, sorghum and other plants with better understood genomes and find analogues to genes linked to specific traits in those crops.
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“World Ag Expo Taking Shape”
The leadership of World Ag Expo has announced plans to organize activities and information around several core hot topics during the 2011 Expo next February. These topics include: water, immigration, global competitiveness, potential changes in federal legislation and demands on the future of animal agriculture.
The 44th annual World Ag Expo 2011, will run February 8-10 at the International Agri-Center show grounds in Tulare, California. An estimated 100-thousand visitors from 80 countries are expected to attend. The expo is the largest annual agricultural show of its kind with 1,600 exhibitors on 2.6 million square feet of show grounds.
