News Update
April 7, 2014
NCBA President Bob McCan on the Bilateral Trade Agreement Between Australia and Japan
In response to the announcement of a Bilateral Trade Agreement reached between Australia and Japan, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) President Bob McCan, a Victoria, Texas cattleman issued the following statement: “NCBA is deeply concerned that the Bilateral Trade Agreement between Japan and Australia does not call for full tariff elimination.
“This Bilateral Agreement undermines the long-standing goals and principles that are the base of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). This development only pushes the high-standing ideals of TPP further out of reach for all countries involved, and it is not a move that U.S. beef producers can support. The TPP has been referred to as a 21st century agreement, but this Bilateral Agreement is from the 20th century playbook and will not serve to foster open trade and certainly will not benefit consumers and producers globally.”
USDA Officially Announces Sign-Up Date for Farmer and Rancher Disaster Assistance Programs
USDA announced April 7 that farmers and ranchers can sign-up for disaster assistance programs, reestablished and strengthened by the 2014 Farm Bill, beginning Tuesday, April 15. Quick implementation of the programs has been a top priority for USDA.
“These programs will provide long-awaited disaster relief for many livestock producers who have endured significant financial hardship from weather-related disasters while the programs were expired and awaiting Congressional action,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “President Obama and I prioritized the implementation of these disaster assistance programs now that the Farm Bill has restored and strengthened them.”
The Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) and the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) will provide payments to eligible producers for livestock deaths and grazing losses that have occurred since the expiration of the livestock disaster assistance programs in 2011, and including calendar years 2012, 2013 and 2014.
Enrollment also begins on April 15 for producers with losses covered by the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP) and the Tree Assistance Program (TAP).
USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) employees have worked exceptionally hard during the past two months to ensure eligible farmers and ranchers would be able to enroll to receive disaster relief on April 15.
To expedite applications, all producers who experienced losses are encouraged to collect records documenting these losses in preparation for the enrollment in these disaster assistance programs. Information on the types of records necessary can be provided by local FSA county offices. Producers also are encouraged to contact their county office ahead of time to schedule an appointment.
For more information, producers may review the 2014 Farm Bill Fact Sheet, ELAP and TAP fact sheets online, or visit any local FSA office or USDA Service Center.
K-State’s Barnaby Answers Questions About New Farm Bill
As a professor in Kansas State University’s (K-State’s) Department of Agricultural Economics, Art Barnaby has given countless presentations and fielded even more questions about managing risk over the years. The questions continue as details of the new Farm Bill unfold.
Barnaby’s answers to questions he’s been asked on the five-year Agricultural Act of 2014 are available online.
It’s clear that farmers have important choices to make in the coming months, not the least of which is the decision to choose one of two safety net programs, the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage. (PLC) That is what Barnaby has been asked most — which is the best option?
Agriculture Risk Coverage covers what farmers would lose before their regular crop insurance kicks in. It provides protection when crop revenue falls 14% below a five-year rolling Olympic (high and low removed) average benchmark. The producer chooses whether the benchmark is based on county yield × crop year average prices or his or her individual crop yield × price.
With Price Loss Coverage, farmers will receive payments if the crop price falls below certain “reference” prices.
“ARC is effectively a free revenue insurance guarantee and the PLC is a free put, with the government paying the entire premium costs,” said Barnaby, who is a risk management specialist with K-State Research and Extension. “At current crop prices, the market is saying the ARC has more value than PLC, but that does not guarantee that ARC will pay more than PLC on corn and soybeans.”
For more information, please view the full release here.
‘Battleground to Breaking Ground’ Agricultural
Workshop Slated for May 17 in Belton
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, in cooperation with the Texas AgrAbility Project and the USDA, will present an agriculture workshop in Belton May 17 for active duty, veteran military and others, program coordinators said.
The free workshop will be from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Bell County Expo Center, 301 East Texas 121 Loop. Called “From Battleground to Breaking Ground: A Transformational Journey,” the program workshop gives current and former military with or without disabilities interested in farming or ranching the opportunity to get information on starting, developing and funding an agriculture business.
“While the program is designed for military, women and those just starting an agricultural endeavor are also welcome to attend and can benefit from the workshop information,” said Cheryl Grenwelge, AgriLife Extension specialist in disability transition with the Texas AgrAbility Project in College Station.
Presentations will include an address by a veteran currently involved in production agriculture, an overview of the Texas AgrAbility Project, and information on resources available for funding options, business plan development and resource networking. Lunch is included in the program.
Grenwelge said Texas AgrAbility focuses on connecting, assisting and empowering agricultural producers, their family members and employees with disabilities and chronic health conditions to stay engaged in production agriculture.
She said the program was developed with input from AgriLife Extension, AgrAbility, the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, the National Farmer Veteran Coalition, Farm Service Agency, USDA Risk Management and Texas Department of Agriculture.
For more information, please view the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
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