News Update
November 6, 2014
NFU Urges Passage of Tax Extenders Package in Lame-Duck Session;
National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson said Nov. 5 that tax breaks important to family farmers and ranchers need to be extended before the end of the year, and that NFU is looking forward to working with members on both sides of the aisle to solve issues important to family farmers and ranchers.
“NFU will strongly pursue the extension of expiring tax provisions for small-business expensing and renewable energy during the upcoming lame-duck session of Congress,” said Johnson. “Family farmers and ranchers rely on these provisions that are critical to managing their business.”
Johnson also noted that for well over 100 years, NFU has worked with members on both sides of the aisle and looks forward to continuing this tradition into the 114th Congress.
“Many of the issues that are most important to us — Renewable Fuel Standard and the full implementation of the 2014 Farm Bill — continue to enjoy strong bipartisan support in both chambers,” said Johnson. “We are looking forward to working with the new Congress to continue to advance those issues and make continued progress for family farmers, rural America and the nation as a whole.”
GRSB Releases Global Principles and Criteria
for Sustainable Beef
The Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB) announced Nov. 3 that its membership has overwhelmingly approved global Principles and Criteria for defining sustainable beef and sustainable beef production practices. Members of the global beef community, including representatives from every segment of the supply chain, have worked on this collaborative effort for more than a year-and-a-half to identify and define the core principles for sustainable beef production and delivery.
“Arriving at a common definition, which includes five core principles and detailed criteria for sustainable beef, has been a difficult task and one which took a lot of hours and a great deal of negotiation,” said Ruaraidh “Rory” Petre, GRSB executive director.
“Our members are to be commended for their commitment to finding common ground and identify a clear path forward as we work to improve the sustainability of the global beef chain.”
GRSB defines sustainable beef as a socially responsible, environmentally sound and economically viable product that prioritizes planet (relevant principles: natural resources, efficiency and innovation, people and the community); people (relevant principles: people and the community and food); animals (relevant principle: animal health and welfare, efficiency and innovation); and progress (relevant principles: natural resources, people and the community, animal health and welfare, food, efficiency and innovation).
“The passage of a global definition for sustainable beef is truly a momentous achievement, not only for GRSB members, but for the entire global beef value chain,” said Cameron Bruett, GRSB president. “This definition provides a common platform and consistent approach to discuss the economic, social and environmental issues we face irrespective of the region of the world one might be located.”
Defining sustainable beef and beef production practices has required the dedication of GRSB members and external experts from each sector of the beef production chain, from cow-calf producers to retailers. GRSB’s unique approach also included input from representatives of several non-governmental organizations, civil society, processors, allied industry and regional roundtables throughout the value chain. Bruett pointed out that more than 96% of the GRSB General Assembly members voted in favor of the definition, principles and criteria. Every one of the five constituencies — producer, commerce and processing, retail, civil society, and regional and national roundtables voted to approve the definition.
For more information, please see the Principles and Criteria Backgrounder on www.GRSBeef.org.
USDA Seeks Comments on New Conservation
Stewardship Rule
As the USDA’s rapid implementation of the 2014 Farm Bill continues, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced proposed changes to the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), one of USDA’s largest conservation programs for working agricultural lands.
“Farmers, ranchers and non-industrial forestland owners enrolled in the Conservation Stewardship Program are our nation’s conservation leaders as they go the extra mile to conserve our natural resources,” Vilsack said. “This program continues to enable owners and managers of private lands to reach the next level of conservation.”
The rule also establishes the role of CSP as one of the programs to help the Regional Conservation Partnership Program accomplish its purposes. Vilsack said participants will be delivering more conservation benefits than ever under the revised program rules.
USDA published an interim final rule containing the statutory changes to CSP in the Federal Register Nov. 5. USDA is seeking public comment on the rule through Jan. 5, 2015. The public comments will be used to finalize the interim final rule.
The CSP interim final rule can be viewed at www.nrcs.usda.gov and the Federal Register. USDA will publish a final rule, which will establish the program’s policy for the life of the 2014 Farm Bill.
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) administers CSP, which pays participants for conservation performance — the better the performance, the higher the payment. In CSP, producers install conservation enhancements to make positive changes in soil, water and air quality; water quantity; plant and animal resources; and energy conservation. More than 64 million acres have been enrolled in the program since the launch of the program in 2009.
Vilsack said NRCS is working to simplify the administrative complexity of CSP by streamlining the regulation.
For more on technical and financial assistance available through conservation programs, visit www.nrcs.usda.gov/GetStarted or a local USDA service center.
AgriLife Extension Range and Pasture Update Workshop
set for Nov. 18 in Sonora
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will conduct the multi-county Range and Pasture Workshop on Nov. 18 at the Sutton County Civic Center, 1700 N. Crockett Ave. in Sonora.
The workshop, a joint program among the AgriLife Extension offices in Sutton, Edwards, Crockett and Val Verde counties, opens with registration at 8:30 a.m. with the program to follow from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
“Cooler fall weather reminds ranchers that the winter livestock feeding season is not long off,” said Pascual Hernandez, AgriLife Extension agent in Sutton County. “This time of year brings questions on what the feed grain markets did, are doing or might do, which in turn leads to head-scratching on what feed costs might be.
“The end of the year also brings reminders that some folks may need Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units to keep their pesticide applicator licenses in good standing, so it is our goal with this workshop to provide some of those, give a winter feeding price synopsis and inform producers about the latest brush control innovations.”
Individual preregistration is $10 by Nov. 14 and $15 thereafter. The fee will include program materials and refreshments during breaks. To preregister or for more information, call the AgriLife Extension office in Sutton County at 325-387-3101.
Topics and speakers, all from San Angelo, will include:
– Grain Updates and Winter Feed Cost Outlook, David Drake, AgriLife Extension agronomist.
– Brush Control and Herbicide Update, Morgan Russell, AgriLife Extension range specialist.
– Pesticide Laws and Regulations, Cory Pence, Texas Department of Agriculture.
The three Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units include one each in the integrated pest management, laws and regulations, and general categories.
For more information, please view the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
Editor’s Note: The articles used within this site represent a mixture of copyrights. If you would like to reprint or repost an article, you must first request permission of Angus Productions Inc. (API) by contacting the editor at 816-383-5200; 3201 Frederick Ave., Saint Joseph, MO 64506. API claims copyright to this web site as presented. We welcome educational venues and cattlemen to link to this site as a service to their audience.