Collegiate FFA is looking for 20 students to serve in the National Collegiate Agricultural Ambassador program during the 2012-2013 school year. Ambassadors will give presentations to elementary, junior-high and high school classes, community organizations and other groups interested in learning about the ag industry. These presentations will focus on current agricultural topics – including food safety and security, sound science, sustainable agriculture and more. Those students selected to serve as ambassadors will earn scholarship money during their year of service.

College sophomores to graduate students with a desire to promote agriculture are eligible to apply for the program. The deadline is June 1st. More information is available online at www dot FFA dot org slash collegiate (www.FFA.org/collegiate).

Before talks on a broad trade agreement begin – U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk says U.S. and European Union negotiators need to focus on issues where economic relations can be improved immediately. Kirk says mutual, urgent needs to enhance growth and employment compel them to identify a short path to success before launching the negotiations. EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht has proposed completion of negotiations for a trade deal by the middle of 2014. Kirk notes many in Europe have voiced strong support for a comprehensive free trade agreement as a single undertaking. He says the U.S. wants to ensure the outcomes are at least as broad and ambitious as those contained in existing agreements.

Before USDA considers changes to the release times of market-moving farm reports in the face of expanded trading hours – Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack says the department will seek public input. Vilsack says it’s a complicated issue and USDA wants to assure equitable release of information for all market participants. Some traders would like USDA to release major reports while markets are closed – others would like to capture the instantaneous surges in trading that would accompany a live release of significant information. According to Vilsack – the department is currently analyzing the pros and cons of various ways to approach the release of reports. But whatever they decide – he says the public will have an opportunity to react.

The first major USDA report released live during the new trading hours could be the June 12th crop report.

States are trying to protect agriculture with legislation that creates penalties for those who fraudulently gain access to a farm with the intent to cause harm. There are also penalties for organizations or people who aid or abet someone who misrepresents facts to gain access to a crop or livestock farm. The chairs of the Iowa House and Senate Agriculture Committees call passage of the ag protection bill among the major accomplishments of the recently ended 2012 legislation session. It was signed into law in the state in March. House Ag Committee Chair Annette Sweeney says it was also signed into law in Utah; was already in place in Kansas, Montana and North Dakota; and came to the floor in Nebraska. It was also approved in Missouri Friday – the final day of the 2012 Missouri Legislative Session.

Opponents of the measure say it would make ag whistle blowing a crime. But Iowa Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Joe Seng disagrees. He says the main gist of the bill is on fraud. He says the bill is designed to stop people from fraudulently telling a farmer they want to work on his farm when they’re doing it with the intent of taking down his business. According to the Iowa Attorney General – the bill is court worthy and would pass Supreme Court muster.

USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service has introduced a web-based label approval system to streamline the review process for meat, poultry and egg product labels. The Label Submission Approval System gives food manufacturers the ability to submit label applications electronically, will flag application submission errors that could delay the approval process and will allow users to track the progress of their submission. USDA Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Elisabeth Hagen says this will expedite and simplify the review process – enhancing the agency’s ability to ensure accurate information is applied to product labels and reaches consumers quickly. FSIS reviews labels on the products it regulates to ensure they are truthful and not misleading.

Looking to the future of U.S. sugar production – the American Sugar Alliance has formed a Young Farmer Advisory Board. The board will advise the industry on strengthening policies and encouraging new farmers to enter the business. The board is comprised of 20 farmers and agricultural lenders under the age of 36. They represent 14 states – but face similar challenges. Michigan farmer and board member Rita Gretner says the cost of starting a farm and access to capital are the biggest hurdles – as land prices are at historic levels and input costs for production have skyrocketed. Unfortunately – young farmers often lack the liquid assets, collateral and business track records – making it more difficult to secure loans. Grower and board member Derek Orsenigo says young farmers have no shot at adequate financing unless lenders have confidence they can pay them back. Board member Lee Harang from Louisiana says that is where farm policy comes into play.

The Young Farmer Advisory Board intends to be active during the 2012 Farm Bill process. Many members recently traveled to Washington to meet with lawmakers. Still – California farmer Ryan Mamer says the idea is bigger than that – with a long-term focus on future domestic and international policy issues. He says the problem of having fewer people to produce food for the growing world population won’t fix itself over night. He says it’s the responsibility of all U.S. farmers to ensure the next generation can continue the proud tradition.