News Update
September __, 2012
Farm Bill Extension Bad Idea
National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson issued the following statement amid reports that Congress may consider an extension of the 2008 Farm Bill. The 2008 Farm Bill expired Sept. 30:
“With the current legislative session quickly coming to a close, it is imperative now, more than ever, that Congress act during their lame duck session before substantial harm is done to our farmers, ranchers and all Americans, who depend on a stable farm economy, a healthy environment and access to affordable nutrition programs.
“Merely extending the current law may well be more difficult than passing a new five-year bill. A short-term extension would reveal a litany of problems that will not be easily fixed when a new farm bill eventually is signed into law.
“The drought this past summer left producers unprotected because livestock and crop disaster programs had expired. Extending current law could leave farmers and ranchers in drought-stricken regions without the tools needed to recover.
“Direct payments may well be eliminated in a farm bill extension, in order to provide for deficit reduction which would remove $50 million from the next farm bill in addition to other reductions in baseline funding. This will likely put substantial pressure to cut crop insurance, which is a critical part of the safety net.”
AgriLife Extension Program in Creedmoor Dec. 11
will Benefit Texas Cattle Producers
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will hold an Animal Traceability and Beef 101 program Dec. 11 in Creedmoor to help beef cattle producers better understand the new animal traceability rule for adult cattle established by the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC).
The program will be from 6 p.m. to about 8:30 p.m. at the Creedmoor Community Center, 12511 Farm-to-Market 1625, said Julie Ansley, AgriLife Extension agent for agriculture and natural resources for Travis County.
“This new rule is to improve the traceability of beef cattle in Texas and is pivotal in the effort to control animal disease,” Ansley said. “There are many details relating to implementing the new rule and that’s why we are offering this program.”
Ansley said anyone involved in the beef cattle business can benefit from this program, which will address how the new rule will help with the identification and location of cattle exposed to or infected with diseases such as brucellosis and bovine tuberculosis.
“This is an extremely important program for area cattle breeders, as well as other breeders from throughout Texas, and all are invited to attend,” she said. “There were an estimated 4.3 million beef cattle in Texas as of January 2012. Loss of cattle due to animal disease is one of the many issues the beef cattle industry faces, and this new rule should help curb some of those losses.”
For more information and the full release, click here.
AFBF Urges Presidential Declaration for Mississippi River
The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) has urged President Barack Obama to issue a presidential declaration of emergency for the Mississippi River. In a letter this week to the president and top administration officials, AFBF and nearly 20 other national organizations said there could be an economic catastrophe in America’s heartland as soon as mid-December if the administration does not take emergency action to ensure that water levels do not fall below the level needed to support commercial navigation.
Because of this year’s severe drought, waterborne commerce on the middle Mississippi River is in danger, especially now that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has begun to implement plans to reduce the release of water to the river from dams on the upper Missouri River.
“The Mississippi River is a critical national transportation artery, on which hundreds of millions of tons of essential commodities are shipped...,” stated the letter. “Substantial curtailment of navigation will effectively sever the country’s inland waterway superhighway, imperil the shipment of critical cargo for domestic consumption and for export, threaten manufacturing industries and power generation, and risk thousands of related jobs in the Midwest.”
For more information and the full release, click here.
Landlord/Tenant Cash Lease Workshops
Offered in November and December
Developing farm cash leases that meet the needs of both landlord and tenant while maintaining a positive relationship will be the goal of a University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) Extension workshop series. The Landlord/Tenant Cash Lease workshops will be hosted in November and December at sites across the state.
Planners note that it is helpful if both the tenant and landlord can attend together.
UNL Extension educators will present on the following topics, providing information and common sense tips for landlords and tenants.
- Expectations from the lease, including goal setting for the rental property
- Lease communication, determining appropriate information sharing for both the tenant and landlord
- Tips for farm leases that include relatives
- Alternative cash lease arrangements, flexible provision considerations for your situation
- How the 2012 drought affects leases, irrigation systems, grain bin rental and other topics related to leases will be discussed as time allows.
These free workshops are sponsored by the Nebraska Soybean Board and the North Central Risk Management Agency. A meal and handouts are included. Participation is limited. To register, contact the local UNL Extension office hosting the workshop.
For more information, contact Allan Vyhnalek, UNL extension educator in Platte County, at 402-563-4901 or avyhnalek@unl.edu.
For more information and a complete list of dates and locations, click here.
USDA Trade Mission Aims to Create
Opportunities for U.S. Agriculture in Russia
The USDA today, Nov. 29, 2012, announced that Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services Michael Scuse will lead a mission to promote U.S. agricultural exports to Russia, Dec. 3-7. Representatives from the states of Idaho, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Kansas, as well as 23 American companies will attend. Two-way agricultural trade between the United States and Russia was valued at roughly $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2012, with American farm exports accounting for 97% of the total — a significant contribution to the U.S. agricultural trade surplus.
Today, only 1% of U.S. companies export, and yet 95% of the world’s consumers live outside the borders of the United States, creating significant opportunities for U.S. food and agriculture. At the same time, the American agricultural economy is experiencing its strongest period in history with record exports and near-record income for farming families, altogether supporting 1 in 12 jobs in the United States.
For more information and the full release, click here.
Drought Losses in Oklahoma top $400 Million for 2012
Oklahoma absorbed more than $400 million in losses in 2012 due to the ongoing drought, according to estimates by researchers at Oklahoma State University.
The estimated $426,125,520 in losses include crops and livestock, as well as two new measures, wildfire property losses and municipal costs. Combined with last year’s $1.6 billion setback, the state has suffered more than $2 billion in drought-related agricultural losses since 2011.
“From the crops and livestock perspectives, there were much lower impacts this year that don’t necessarily speak to the severity of the drought,” said Dave Shideler, OSU Cooperative Extension economist for economic development. “Conditions were still very severe, and farmers and ranchers will need to continue to be careful about the ways they manage their land and herds.”
The estimated losses for the 2012 drought in Oklahoma are:
- crops (hay, alfalfa, soybeans, cotton and grain sorghum) — $239,299,520;
- livestock (lost pasture production, fewer winter stockers) — $157,109,000;
- wildfire property loss — $27,299,000; and
- municipalities — $2,418,000.
The estimates were generated using the most recently available USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) data. Wildfire losses and municipal costs were estimated based on feedback provided by Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service county educators.
For more information and the full release, click here.
Feral Hog Management Webinar Slated Dec. 18 in San Antonio
A Feral Hog Community of Practice webinar on feral hog research and population management will take place from 11:15 a.m.-2 p.m. Dec. 18 at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service office for Bexar County.
“Despite all the control efforts, feral hog numbers in the state continue to rise at an alarming rate,” said Bryan Davis, AgriLife Extension agent, Bexar County. “This Community of Practice webinar will provide important information on current and future research on feral hogs, as well as address practical aspects of feral hog management.”
Davis said the webinar may be viewed in the agency’s conference room, located in Suite 208 of Conroy Square, 3355 Cherry Ridge Drive, San Antonio.
A Feral Hog Community of Practice is a resource area of various land-grant university and other experts focusing on the control, adaptive management, biology, economics, disease risks and human interface with feral hogs across the United States, he said.
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