“EPA Renews Agriculture Charter”
Officials at the Environmental Protection Agency say they will renew the charter of its independent agricultural advisory group, the Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Committee. This action reinforces EPA’s commitment to a strong partnership with the agriculture community to protect human health and the environment.
Lawrence Elworth, agricultural counselor to the administrator, says – EPA is dedicated to an open and constructive working relationship with the agriculture community, – and this partnership – provides a great opportunity for EPA to create a better understanding of the intersection of the environment, agriculture, and rural communities.
EPA established the program in February 2008 as a policy-oriented committee to provide advice, information, and recommendations to the administrator on a broad range of environmental issues of primary importance to agriculture and rural communities. The committee meets twice yearly, and consists of approximately 25 members.
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“Senate Ag Committee Focuses on Rural Economy”
The Senate Agriculture Committee held a field hearing in Arkansas Monday. Chairman Blanche Lincoln said putting the economy back on the right track is her number one priority. Three formal panels presented remarks and the audience was given the opportunity to provide written feedback.
In her opening remarks, Lincoln said the hearing provided an opportunity for Arkansans to begin a new dialogue with the Senate Agriculture Committee that would help shape the committee’s agenda moving forward. Together, she said, with your help and input we will use this Chairmanship to put people back to work and reverse the devastating effects our ailing economy has had.
Senator Lincoln pointed to the problems wet weather has presented the state’s agricultural producers. As a result, there are concerns for producer income and related agriculture industry jobs. She said that is why she has co-signed a bill to provide additional direct payments to producers in Counties where there’s a USDA declared disaster. To date, over half of the counties in Arkansas have received a disaster declaration.
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“Health Care Change Faces More Challenges”
A government run insurance option could spell doom for the Senate’s version of health care reform. Even though they voted for cloture Saturday, at least four Democratic Senators are voicing their dissatisfaction with the public option. The four Senators are: Joe Lieberman, Ben Nelson, Mary Landrieu and Blanche Lincoln, the Chairman of the Senate Ag Committee.
Senator Nelson says, – I don’t want a big-government, Washington-run operation that undermines the private insurance that 200 million Americans now have. Lieberman says – I don’t want to fix the problems in our health-care system in a way that creates more of an economic crisis. Senators Landrieu and Lincoln remain unhappy over a public option with a state opt-out clause.
Senate Minority Leader Reid says the Senate will begin deliberations on the 848-billion dollar bill next Monday, November 30th, and will consider amendments through most of December. Senators are eager to vote on health care before Christmas and complete negotiations with the House no later than the end of January, so they can turn their attention to legislation aimed at creating jobs and getting reelected.
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“Funds Will Help Mississippi River Basin Water Quality”
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says 41 watersheds in 12 states have been selected to participate in a new initiative to improve water quality and the overall health of the Mississippi River Basin. The selected watersheds taking part in the Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative cover over 42 million acres, or more than 5 percent of the Basin’s land area.
The initiative will provide approximately 320-million dollars in USDA financial assistance over the next four years. The priority watersheds are in Arkansas, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee and Wisconsin. The Mississippi River Basin will help producers implement conservation and management practices that prevent, control and trap nutrient runoff from agricultural land.
Secretary Vilsack says the announcement is another step toward working cooperatively with agricultural producers, partner organizations and State and local agencies to improve water quality and the quality of life for the tens of millions of people who live in the Mississippi River Basin. Three requests for project proposals will be announced in the next several weeks.
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“ASA Supports Financial Assistance Legislation”
Earlier, Senators Cochran, Lincoln and Wicker introduced legislation to provide financial help for farmers and ranchers who suffered weather related losses during 2009. The American Soybean Association is one of the organizations urging Congress to provide funding to deliver the much-needed financial assistance. The groups are urging Senate leaders to work with Senator Cochran to identify an appropriate legislative vehicle that could be enacted before the end of the current session of Congress.
ASA President Johnny Dodson, a soybean producer from Halls, Tennessee, points out that – in some cases, the 2009 losses follow on the heels of similar losses in 2008. Dodson adds, – ASA believes the provisions in the legislation can effectively deliver emergency financial disaster assistance for most crops through a mechanism similar to Direct Payments. The payments would be limited to counties with a Secretarial disaster declaration.
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“WTO Senior Officials Meeting in Geneva”
The WTO’s Second Senior Officials Week is underway in Geneva. This week’s meeting includes the areas of agriculture and environment. At an informal Trade Negotiations Committee meeting Monday World Trade Organization Director-General Pascal Lamy expressed the hope that the meetings will help provide – the momentum we need as we move towards the Ministerial Conference.
Lamy said, – this week’s meeting on agriculture will continue last week’s engagement on templates and the Chairman may further explore a number of outstanding modalities issues, including the Special Safeguard Mechanism. Lamy added, – I understand that various groups are continuing talks on the issue of tropical products.
On environment, Lamy reported that – a number of new proposals have been tabled very recently and in particular on the environmental goods and services part of the mandate. Lamy expressed the hope that – this week could provide useful political focus over this chapter.
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“2010 Scholars Program Details Released”
The USDA/1890 National Scholars Program applications for the 2010 academic school year now are being accepted. The scholarship program is a partnership initiative between USDA and the 1890 Land Grant Universities and Tuskegee University. The program is designed to expand diversity in USDA through the recruitment of talented students into public service in agriculture and related fields, including food sciences, natural resource sciences and agricultural sciences. Aspiring high school seniors and rising college sophomores and juniors are encouraged to apply before the February 1, 2010 deadline.
USDA/1890 scholarship recipients receive full tuition, fees, books, use of laptop computers and printers, software, employment and employee benefits for each of the four years they pursue a bachelor’s degree. For each year of the scholarship, students receive room and board provided by the partnering institutions. Students are required to work one year at USDA for each year of their scholarship.
While making the announcement, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said this program, – furthers the Obama Administration’s goal of promoting and encouraging America’s young men and women to consider careers in agriculture and public service. The Secretary added, – under this partnership College-bound students benefit from an outstanding educational opportunity and USDA benefits from the knowledge, talent, diversity and skills that they will one day bring to our organization.
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“Funding Applications Open for Planning Activities”
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has urged farmers and business owners to apply for grants to add value to the commodities they produce by funding planning activities such as feasibility studies, marketing and business plans, or for working capital. Overall program funding is set at 18-million dollars. The deadline to apply is November 30th.
USDA will award planning grants of up to 100-thousand dollars and working capital grants of up to 300-thousand to successful applicants. Applicants are encouraged to propose projects that use existing agricultural products in non-traditional ways or merge agricultural products with technology in creative ways. Businesses of all sizes may apply, but priority will be given to operators of family farms that average annual gross sales of less than 700-thousand dollar.
For example, in 2004, USDA awarded the Michigan Turkey Producers Cooperative in Wyoming, Michigan, a Value-Added planning grant totaling 55-thousand dollars to prepare a feasibility study and business plan for marketing turkey products to health-conscious customers.
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“Sorghum Strong Ethanol Resource”
According to results of a survey funded by the United Sorghum Checkoff Program, 29 percent of 2009 grain sorghum production will be used to produce ethanol. Demand for sorghum will remain steady at 136 million-plus bushels, while the percent of the U.S. sorghum crop included in ethanol will increase slightly in 2010 because total U.S. production will be lower this crop year.
According to USCP Board Chairman, Bill Greving, this study shows what we have always known, that sorghum ethanol yields are comparable to corn. Greving says, – in the past year, the price differential has greatly benefited the bottom line of ethanol plants using sorghum as a feedstock. This means the use of sorghum by ethanol plants has influenced the increased demand for sorghum in these areas where ethanol plants are co-located with sorghum production.
Less sorghum is expected to be harvested in 2009 because of crop losses in some areas. As a result, ethanol plants are aggressively moving to secure their sorghum supplies early for 2010 production. okThe Checkoff has a strategic goal of increasing the use of sorghum in the ethanol industry by 50 percent by 2011.
