“Supreme Court Decision Tightens Pesticide Regulation”
The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to re-open the case of the National Cotton Council (NCC) vs. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). NCC Chairman Eddie Smith (grower from Floydada, TX) said the Court’s decision to not review the case “…creates an uncertain regulatory future for the application of agricultural crop inputs (and that) farmers face potential new regulations that could force many to obtain even more permits before they apply agricultural inputs”. The focus now shifts to the EPA which has about 18 months to draft regulations informing farmers how the agency plans to implement the new requirements. Barring legislative relief, farmers can be held liable for drift of pesticides and other chemicals that may find their way into waters and streams.
American Farm Bureau President Bob Stallman says – the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals misfired – in its earlier ruling and – the Supreme Court compounded that mistake. Stallman points out that – all farmers know they must use chemicals properly. They also know the label on each chemical is the law of the land. Farmers will now have to go through redundant bureaucratic red tape for a duplicate permit to apply a safe product and Stallman calls that – preposterous.
********************************************************************
“Water Sustainability Program Announced”
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar has signed a Secretarial order establishing a new water sustainability strategy for the United States. The Department of the Interior’s WaterSMART Initiative stands for “Sustain and Manage America’s Resources for Tomorrow.” As part of his order, the Department will increase available water supply for agricultural, municipal, industrial, and environmental uses in the western United States by 350-thousand acre-feet by 2012.
In making the announcement, Secretary Salazar said – the federal government’s existing water policies and programs simply aren’t built for 21st century pressures on water supplies. Pressures such as: – Population growth. Climate change. Rising energy demands. Environmental needs. Aging infrastructure. Risks to drinking water supplies. And others.
The program establishes: A national framework to integrate and coordinate water sustainability efforts. A WaterSMART Clearinghouse for the American public. Criteria that the Department applies to identify and support energy projects and actions that promote sustainable water strategies. And a water footprint reduction program to reduce overall consumption of potable water by 26 percent by 2020 and industrial, landscaping, and agricultural water by 20 percent by 2020.
********************************************************************
“Russia Increasing Poultry Production”
There is now confirmation that Russia wants to increase its capacity for poultry production. The plan is to completely avoid importing poultry meat during the next four to five years. Russia’s Agriculture Minister, Yelena Skrynnik, says for this year Russia plans to build 23 new poultry complexes with capacity of roughly 320-thousand metric tons.
In fact, the Agriculture Minister told Interfax News Agency that – advanced growth rates in poultry meat production make us able to not only meet internal needs for this product, but to start exporting to other countries. Skrynnik predicted Russia will increase domestic meat production by 25 percent by 2012. During that period imports will drop to 18 percent of overall consumption.
********************************************************************
“It’s Food Check-Out Week”
This week through Saturday is Food Check-Out Week. Farmer and rancher members of many local Farm Bureaus will reach out to consumers in their communities with information and cost-saving tips on putting nutritious meals on the table. Stretching Your Grocery Dollar With Healthy, Nutritious Food – is the official theme. It reflects the fact that Americans from all walks of life continue to experience an economic squeeze. Therefore, they are dining out less often and preparing more meals at home.
Terry Gilbert, a Kentucky farmer and chair of the American Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee, says – we are focusing on providing consumers with information on stretching their grocery dollars with healthy, nutritious food. Tips for better nutrition on a stretched budget, making sense of food labels and understanding USDA’s MyPyramid are among the topics Farm Bureau members will be talking about with consumers, at supermarket demonstration stations and other venues.
For more than a decade Food Check-Out Week has benefited Ronald McDonald House Charities. Since the program was initiated, Farm Bureau members have donated around 3-million dollars in food and monetary contributions to Ronald McDonald Houses and other worthwhile charities during Food Check-Out Week. The third week of February was selected for Food Check-Out Week as a bridge to National Nutrition Month in March.
********************************************************************
“Warning Label Sought for Hot Dogs”
In 2006 there were 61 food-related choking deaths in children. All directly related to that American staple, the hot dog. Calling it a choking risk for children, the official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics has a new policy calling for the federal Food and Drug Administration to require warning labels on foods – including hot dogs – or for manufacturers to redesign the food items to minimize the risk.
Hot dogs are included in a category of foods considered to be high risk for choking, along with raw carrots, grapes and apples, hard candies, popcorn, peanuts and marshmallows. Pediatricians encourage parents to cut these foods into portions too small to get caught in a child’s throat, but also believe the extra step of a warning label will prevent deaths.
Janet Riley, President of the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council says her organization has always echoed the pediatricians’ recommendation to slice hot dogs into small pieces for young children, remove the casings if they’re present, and follow other safety guidelines. But before labeling becomes a federal requirement, Riley says, a study should evaluate the effectiveness of choking-hazard labels that already exist. About half of the packages sold in the hot dog category already carry choking warnings.
********************************************************************
“WTO Negotiations Update Offered”
World Trade Organization Director-General Pascal Lamy is suggesting a – stocktaking – take place at the end of March. Mr. Lamy, who also serves as Chair of the WTO Trade Negotiations Committee, says – some progress is taking place, but gaps remain. Still, Lamy says – capitals remain engaged and committed to injecting momentum from the political level into the Geneva process.
In Agriculture, Lamy says – work continues on two tracks — templates and on the bracketed or otherwise annotated issues in the draft modalities. In particular, there is an agreed definition of the Value of Production, which is fundamental to commitments on Overall Trade-Distorting Domestic Support. On the modalities, some technical issues are under discussion. Consultations are also continuing on tariff simplification, Tariff Rate Quota creation, tropical products and preference erosion.
The Swiss Confederation hosted an informal ministerial meeting at the end of January. During that meeting Lamy says he detected an unwavering commitment to the progress achieved to date as the basis for entering into the last stage of the negotiations. Ministers have pledged to continue to resist protectionist pressures.
********************************************************************
“Cotton Producers Near Planting Decision”
Cotton producers have discussed planting more cotton seriously for well over a year; but the right set of conditions has not arrived to bring the decision to a conclusion. But, according to Ernie Flint, Area Agronomist with Mississippi State University, higher offerings since the first of February have revived the discussion after almost a month of downward movement and negative feelings.
The dominant market factor. According to Flint, seems to be an almost 13-million bale world shortfall for last year’s crop and a projected 5-million bale shortfall for the 2010-2011 production year. Flint says an increase in annual world production of over 10-million bales is projected for this year.
Flint says, – the most likely reason for considering at least a partial return to cotton is that it is the crop that paid the bills through the years. We have a massive infrastructure dedicated to cotton that will continue to decline in value if left idle. The agronomist notes, – the past few years have taught us that other crops can be grown more successfully than we thought; but we have also realized that cotton should remain a strong part of our cropping mix.
********************************************************************
“Scientists Better Understand Scab in Barley”
Studies involving the fungus that causes the disease known as scab in barley have helped Agricultural Research Service scientists identify the specific tissues the fungus infects. The fungus Fusarium graminearum is the culprit behind scab in barley and wheat grain crops. Scab reduces yield by causing sterility and shrunken kernels, and contaminates the grain with mycotoxins.
Plant molecular geneticist Ron Skadsen at the ARS Cereal Crops Research Unit in Madison, Wisconsin infected barley seed spikes with Fusarium containing a green fluorescent protein that makes the fungus glow neon-green when examined under a fluorescence microscope. He found that Fusarium attacks the protruding seed tip of the developing seed, the soft tissue connected with it just under the hull and, to a lesser extent, the seed’s outer hull.
Previous studies using detached barley seeds found the fungus will liquefy the starchy interior of the seed within five days after inoculation. Skadsen found that, even 16 days after infection, Fusarium doesn’t penetrate the starchy endosperm when the seed remains attached to the spike. Knowing which parts of the barley plant Fusarium attacks gives insight into how the infection process works and where to target breeding and biotechnology strategies.
********************************************************************
“Maple Syrup Season Begins”
As winter loses its grip in Pennsylvania, warmer days followed by cold nights signal the beginning of maple syrup season. That’s when sugars made with last summer’s sun move from their storage sites into the tree’s trunk. Mid-February to early March normally heralds the arrival of the “right” conditions, and the season runs until early April most years.
Bob Hansen, Penn State Cooperative Extension forest resources educator, explains that – maple sugar products are truly North American. Many woodlot owners look forward to the maple season as an important part of their family heritage. For some, according to Hansen, it is a major cash crop. Among the state’s diverse farm products, it is one of the few to be produced, processed and often sold entirely on the farm.
Tapping done properly generally does little harm to the tree. Commercial maple producers collect sap in stainless steel buckets or weave a web of plastic tubing to connect trees and move sap to a common collection point. Small producers, working with only a few trees, can collect sap in clean plastic jugs suspended from the spile. Syrup by law has at least 66 percent sugar solids.
