NFU votes to oppose "constant" antibiotic use

The National Farmers Unions 107th Annual Convention grinds ahead in Rapid City, S.D., as delegates churned through various policy changes. Here, delegates work issues on March 15.

At left at front is Roger Johnson, NFU president, flanked by Wes Niederman, of Morristown, S.D., chairman of the National Farmers Union Policy and Action Committee, lives north of the border and south of Elgin, N.D.
Niederman noted that the new policy passed was that: “We support producers’ rights to treat his or her animals with antibiotics to maintain herd health, while opposing the “constant subtheraputic use of antibiotics.”
The word “constant” was a subject of heavy debate. The policy opposes the practice of using the antibiotics “all of the time” which creates resistance.
Niederman says the old policy was that the NFU continued to allow FDA to continue the use of therapeutic antibiotics until scientific evidence proves it’s unsafe.
Another area of debate was on dairy policy. The delegates voted to include market loss assistance during times of low prices, with capped payments based on production. “The cap levels should be targeted to family farmers. They voted to provide an incentive payment to domestic producers who agree to” voluntary production limits. Funding should be provided those who increase production form the previous year and produce more than a level targeted to family sized farmers.
National Farmers Union announced they’d enter into an agreement with OwnEnergy of Washington, D.C., which works with locally-owned wind projects. NFU is going to work with its members to sign up for it, and provide education.

Posted by: mpates on 3/16/2010 at 12:43 PM | Comments (0) | Permalink

Sign of National Ag Week in Watertown, SD

Agriculture supporters are starting to sound off in rural trade centers, with businesses letting the public know where their bread is buttered. The Other Place is on the wests end of Watertown, S.D.,  offered this tribute on the eve of National Ag Week, March 14-20. National Ag Day is March 20.

Posted by: mpates on 3/15/2010 at 4:46 PM | Comments (1) | Permalink

Poet making cellulosic ethanol for $2.35/gallon

Among others speaking at the National Farmers Union annual meeting on various renewable fuels matters, was Doug Berven, director of corporate affairs for Poet of Sioux Falls, S.D., company. He said Poet as worked to cut down the enzyme cost for converting cellulose into enzymes.
“We have a lot farther to go in enzyme cost but right now we are producing cellulosic ethanol from corn cobs for about $2.35 per gallon. That’s about a $2 decrease in price since we started the facility 15 months ago.”
While the technology is a challenge, Berven says ethanol needs “market access.”
Because of the 10 percent ethanol blend limit in place for most vehicles, that is effectively a “90 percent mandate for petroleum.”
The industry is seeking a change to the 15 percent level approval from the Environmental Protection Agency, but faces a petroleum industry that put $168 million in lobbying in Congress last year. Exxon spent $30 million “trying to preserve their marketshare” and Chevron spent $20 million.
“Those are real dollars. That’s what the ag industry and the ethanol industry are up against, together, adding, “We don’t have the dollars, but we’ve got the facts.”
 

Posted by: mpates on 3/15/2010 at 4:28 PM | Comments (0) | Permalink

Rounds, Even, eyeing NE South Dakota water

A farmstead house is surrounded by water, 16 miles east of Redfield, S.D., late on March 14. The farm is being affected by overland flooding, near the James River.

Rounds, Even, eyeing NE South Dakota water

South Dakota Agriculture Secretary Bill Even, appearing at the National Farmers Union convention in Rapid City, S.D., on March 14, says he's currently worried about livestock producers in the east and northeast part of South Dakota, suffering from excessive moisture and infrastructure damage to roads and bridges.
“We’ve got real worries up there, what are township roads like, and how are producers going to get their feed and fuel and everything back and forth into their livestock operations,” Even says. “The struggle is going to get worse before it gets better.”
The governor is in the process of requesting a presidential disaster disaster declaration through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to allow 75 percent cost-sharing for public infrastructure -- roads, bridges, culvert and the like.
“That’s going to be a godsend for these townships that literally don’t have hardly any money to begin with and now are spending it a fantastic rate to put oversized rock in to keep the roads open,” Even says.
The declaration last fall covered flooding, but the spring will be viewed as a separate event. As incidents occur they need to be documented, Even says.
 

Posted by: mpates on 3/15/2010 at 3:53 PM | Comments (0) | Permalink

Vilsack to NFU: AG Holder will make more dates

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack speaks March 14 at the National Farmers Union convention in Rapid City, S.D., flanked by Roger Johnson, NFU national president.

Among other things, Vilsack said U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder was so impressed by last Friday's USDA/DOJ workshop in Iowa, on concentration in the agriculture industry, that Holder has committed to attending several more that will be held elsewhere in the country.

More on the NFU national convention in the March 22 issue of Agweek.

Posted by: mpates on 3/15/2010 at 1:08 PM | Comments (0) | Permalink