News Update
April 26, 2012
Subcommittee Kicks Off DC Farm Bill Hearings with
Focus on Rural Development Programs
On April 25, Rep. Timothy Johnson (R-IL), chairman of the House Agriculture Committee's Subcommittee on Rural Development, Research, Biotechnology and Foreign Agriculture, hosted a hearing to review USDA rural development programs in advance of writing the 2012 Farm Bill. This is the first of eight hearings hosted by the Subcommittees to hear from agricultural stakeholders before the House Agriculture Committee begins drafting the reauthorization of agricultural programs.
Witnesses at the hearing provided feedback on the programs administered by USDA's Rural Development agency, which includes the Rural Business and Cooperative Service (RBS), the Rural Housing Service (RHS), and the Rural Utilities Service (RUS). Members heard from two panels of witnesses who explained how programs can be improved to increase their effectiveness. Further, witnesses testified that continued investments in water, energy and broadband infrastructure are vital for enhancing the quality of life and economic opportunities for individuals living and working in rural communities.
"Getting our debt under control will take shared sacrifice. Every single component of federal spending needs to be examined for efficiencies and savings. As the Committee considers how to reauthorize current programs in the next Farm Bill, it's important to seek ways to weed out activities and authorities that are either redundant or ineffective. In doing so, these programs would be made more accessible to applicants, reduce USDA's administrative burden, and focus program resources on core responsibilities," said Johnson.
"Over 50 million people call rural America home, and if we truly want to build a 21st century economy, they must be part of the solution. Rural communities rely on the rural development programs to provide and modernize services and facilities. As we move forward with the 2012 Farm Bill, we are trying to target and leverage funds where they can be most effective," said Ranking Member Jim Costa (D-CA).
More information regarding the 2012 Farm Bill process can be found here.
Efficiency, Cost Savings Among Benefits of Consolidating
Rural Development Programs, NCFC CEO Testifies
Streamlining and consolidating, where feasible, some of the 88 programs targeting rural development can achieve not only cost savings, but will lead to stronger applicants and better projects being funded, Chuck Conner, president and CEO of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC) said April 25.
The remarks came as Conner testified at a hearing of the House Agriculture Committee Subcommittee on Rural Development, Research, Biotechnology and Foreign Agriculture to look at rural development programs in the run up to reauthorizing the farm bill.
"There are more than 88 programs administered by 16 different federal agencies specifically targeted at rural economic development," Conner testified. "With a significant decrease in funding for farm bill programs, coupled with declining USDA resources to administer those programs, it just makes sense to consolidate programs that have the same objectives. It takes the same amount of staff time to administer a $1 million program as it does a $100 million program."
In addition, Conner emphasized that simplifying and streamlining the application process for many grants would lead to a broader pool of applicants, resulting in better and more effective projects.
Turning to particular programs, Conner outlined how many farmer co-ops had used the Value Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program to help their producer-owners develop new products for the consumer marketplace.
"Co-ops bring many producers together who individually do not have the size, expertise, and resources to take advantage of the value chain beyond the farm gate, and gives them the opportunity to profit from those down-stream activities," he said. "NCFC strongly believes that co-ops, by spreading the benefits of Value Added Producer Grants among a large number of producers, can give the American taxpayers the greatest bang for their buck."
FFA Develops Online TV Channe
Following the successful live broadcast of its 2011 National FFA Convention, the National FFA Organization has decided to take up permanent residence on the iHigh.com platform with its own channel www.ihigh.com/ffa.
The FFA Channel, which will be powered by Alltech and iHigh, will capitalize on the latest in Web technology to bring greater unity to their membership base, which is more than a half-million students strong throughout the United States, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The ability of a Web channel to provide such a platform was exemplified in the October live broadcast of 2011 National FFA Convention, which was attended by more than 53,000 attendees and joined live on the Internet by an additional 550,000 viewers who would have otherwise missed the experience.
"We are very excited about the opportunity that this channel will afford our members," said Dwight Armstrong, CEO of the National FFA Organization. "Having an FFA iHigh channel will create another vehicle for us to share the FFA message of premier leadership, personal growth and career success."
In a nod to social Web trends, FFA has entered into a licensing agreement with Alltech, which will allow an element of personalization for state and local chapters. Each state chapter will have their own site, which may be used to highlight awards banquets and other special events. Likewise, each local chapter will be integrated into their high school's site, creating a platform for the promotion of agriculture with a distinct community-focused tone. Because of the unique business model, all sites have the ability to generate revenue for their organization.
"Once again FFA has taken a leadership position in the field of agriculture," said Billy Frey, senior vice president of the Alltech/iHigh Joint Venture. "FFA chapters around the country can bridge the urban — rural divide by giving anyone with a computer an inside view to the world of agriculture. Many states such as New Hampshire www.ihigh.com/nhffa and Minnesota www.ihigh.com/mnffa already are spreading FFA's message by broadcasting their state conventions live and on-demand."
Considered the Global Youth Network, iHigh.com is designed to provide free feature-rich Web services to schools, students and youth organizations, and enables live broadcast of events, mobile broadcasting, unlimited photo uploads and more. Using iHigh.com's unique feature-rich Web and broadcast platform, high schools and organizations such as the FFA, the National High School Rodeo Association, USA Swimming, iHoops and many others are able to share their events in real time with a global audience that can access the streaming video on any computer or mobile device. Currently, iHigh receives 1.6 million unique visitors per month with a year over year growth of 200%.
2012 Blueprint Addresses Child Agricultural Injury Prevention
"Blueprint for Protecting Children in Agriculture: The 2012 National Action Plan" (www.marshfieldclinic.org/blueprint) takes an updated look at preventing childhood agricultural injury and death.
The Blueprint endeavor builds upon the 1996 plan that launched a national initiative leading to a remarkable reduction in nonfatal injuries among children who live on, visit and work on farms. The 2012 Blueprint re-sets priorities to reflect changes in agricultural production and worker profiles.
The Blueprint is a product of input from the general public as well as leading researchers in childhood agricultural safety and health. Draft versions of goals and strategies were critiqued by nearly 100 stakeholders, and then posted online to solicit further public input.
The 38-page report emphasizes the need for:
- Affordable, accessible and high-quality child care options for farm families and hired farm workers;
- Increased involvement of employers, farm organizations and agribusinesses in creating a culture of safety;
- Improved injury and fatality data collection, with inclusion of under-represented populations such as seasonal workers and the Amish and Mennonite communities; and
- Increased attention to reaching young farm parents and teen workers via social media outlets.
The National Children's Center has been funded since 1997 by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to lead childhood agricultural injury prevention efforts in this country. The center is part of the National Farm Medicine Center and Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation, Marshfield, Wis.
Agriculture is the nation's most dangerous industry, according to the National Safety Council's 2011 edition of Injury Facts. Although non-fatal injury rates among youth have dropped during the past decade, they remain higher than the all-industry average. Fatality rates have not dropped. An average of 100 young people die each year on farms.
The 2012 Blueprint is addressed in the current issue of the peer-reviewed Journal of Agromedicine (Volume 17, Issue 2 — www.tandfonline.com) with 16 full-length manuscripts and accompanying editorials.
In these papers, scholars in various disciplines generate recommendations for research, programs, policy, dissemination and other topics based upon their areas of expertise. Topics include data collection, agricultural labor regulations worldwide, partnering strategies, role of social media, child care services and trends in protecting working children.
To receive a print copy of the 2012 Blueprint document, contact the National Children's Center, nccrahs@mcrf.mfldclin.edu or 1-800-662-6900.
The Marshfield Clinic system provides patient care, research and education with 57 locations in northern, central and western Wisconsin, making it one of the largest comprehensive medical systems in the United States.
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