While the American Farm Bureau Federation sees room for adjustments to improve the Senate Agriculture Committee’s draft farm bill – numerous provisions follow the group’s core principles for rational, acceptable farm policy. That’s the message delivered by Farm Bureau President Bob Stallman in a letter to the Committee’s leaders. The letter urges the committee to approve the draft as a vehicle to move the farm bill to the Senate floor in a timely manner. But while Stallman says the importance of completing a farm bill cannot be overstated – he adds that Farm Bureau will seek opportunities to make adjustments and refinements to improve the legislation.

Stallman’s letter specifically outlines Farm Bureau’s support for several points included in the measure – including the decision to stand firm on utilizing the figure of 23-billion dollars in savings suggested to the Super Committee last fall; the protection and strengthening of the federal crop insurance program without reducing funding; that programs are not based on cost of production; and that it includes a commodity title that attempts to encourage producers to follow market signals. Among other things – Farm Bureau also supports the elimination of direct payments, countercyclical payments, the Average Crop Revenue Election program and the SURE program; maintaining the current marketing loan program; eliminating the dairy price support program and the Milk Income Loss Contract program.

The letter also states that the organization continues to support a single program option for the commodity title that is extended to all crops – and has concerns about the need for improved equity across all commodities. Farm Bureau also intends to continue working toward provisions for a financial safety net that includes a catastrophic revenue loss program based on county level losses with coverage at 80-percent of revenue levels.

Courtesy: NAFB News

While there are still challenges that make it difficult to predict the exact timeframe for the growth of E15 sales volumes – the American ethanol industry has satisfied all federal requirements for E15 commercial sales as set by the partial E15 waiver granted by the EPA. The final federal hurdle to E15 availability was a nationwide fuel survey that 99 ethanol producers have funded. It will begin on May 1st. Each year the survey will collect more than 75-hundred samples of all gasolines available nationwide. The Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy and the American Coalition for Ethanol praised the industry for stepping up to the plate to help bring E15 to the market.
RFA, Growth Energy and ACE state that the industry is committed to giving consumers greater choice at the pump by making E15 a commercial reality. They will work with the petroleum industry, gas retailers, automakers and consumers to ensure the fuel is used properly – but will not stand idly by and allow wild and unsubstantiated claims about ethanol and E15 that are designed to malign ethanol and scare consumers. The groups say E15 is the most tested fuel ever approved by EPA and is perfectly safe for the engines approved in the waiver.

Courtesy: NAFB News

The planting season is off to an early start this year thanks to mild temperatures – but there’s also potential for increased pests and disease pressures. Most pests and diseases are killed or set back by below freezing temperatures – but the mild winter conditions could mean earlier and increased insect and disease activity. In fact – entomologists have already seen significant captures of black cutworm and true armyworm in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Missouri. Pioneer Hi-Bred experts suggest scouting fields is one of the best ways to successfully manage damage to young plants. Seed treatments vary in the degree of control against different pests and diseases – so Pioneer urges farmers to keep a close eye on their crops as the growing season progresses.

Pioneer says there are several insects to carefully monitor this planting season – including black cutworm, true armyworm, corn flea beetle and bean leaf beetle. Pythium and Phytophthora are among the diseases to monitor. Compared to other seasons – Pioneer says the importance of scouting fields for insect pests has never been greater. Those fields with previous seedling blight issues and no-till or non-rotated fields are at greater risk of seedling blights. Pioneer advises growers to examine their fields at least once a week and observe emergence to catch possible problems early on. Delayed or uneven emergence may indicate a fungal or insect pest is affecting seedling establishment.

Pioneer has a Pest and Disease Guide on www dot pioneer dot com (www.pioneer.com) under the Agronomy tab.

Courtesy: NAFB News

The son of well-known billionaire investor Warren Buffett is an Illinois farmer and wants other farmers to join him in a new campaign to fight hunger in rural America.

Howard Buffett is working with the Feeding America charitable organization and with agribusiness giant Archer Daniel Midland on what Buffett calls the Invest an Acre initiative. ADM will send postcards to 80-thousand farmers who do business with their grain elevators – asking them to donate the profits from an acre of cropland to the charity – which in turn will use it to support food banks in rural communities. Buffett says the income level at which federal assistance cuts off leaves many families still in need.

Buffett’s famous father has been in the news – with the Obama administration using the Buffett tax to argue that the wealthy should not pay taxes at a lower tax rate than their secretaries. Buffett hopes the Buffett Tax Rule doesn’t hurt him or his campaign.

He says it’s not about any one person or his last name – it’s about the generosity of the thousands of farmers he hopes will participate.

Courtesy: NAFB News

By The Missouri Farm Bureau

As Earth Day is celebrated Sunday – many Americans may not think of the environmental contributions of modern farming practices like conservation tillage and no-till farming. No-till decreases erosion, reduces fuel use and improves water quality. In fact – thanks in part to no-till and conservation tillage practices – USDA reports soil erosion from U.S. cropland declined more than 40-percent between 1982 and 2007. The practice also allows farmers to grow more crops and feed more people than was possible when Earth Day was first originated 42 years ago.

Former Iowa State University Agronomy Professor Richard Fawcett says the use of atrazine is one reason these modern farming practices are possible. He says the reliable performance of the herbicide gave farmers the confidence they could control weeds without tillage.

Courtesy: NAFB News

Eight prominent agricultural associations – the American Farm Bureau Federation, American Soybean Association and National Corn Growers Association among them – have joined together to voice support for the Senate’s approach to the 2012 Farm Bill. The groups also raised several issues related to commodity and risk management programs. In a letter to Chair Debbie Stabenow and Ranking Member Pat Roberts – the groups state that crop insurance is the core risk management tool used by producers – and the current program should serve as the foundation for providing additional protection against loss. They advocate changes in the program to enhance its viability as a risk management tool while maintaining its effectiveness – but do not support alternatives that tie current-year production to fixed price supports.

In addition to crop insurance – the commodity groups are advocating for planting flexibility for farmers. The groups name their top policy priority for Title 1 as maintaining full planting flexibility and avoiding potential planting distortions so producers are encouraged to follow market signals. The concern comes from the anticipated elimination of direct payments and possible restructuring or elimination of the counter-cyclical program. They said any alternative program needs to be structured in a way that provides full planting flexibility and does not distort planting decisions.

The groups also advance their concept for a new program to complement the risk protection provided under crop insurance. They state support for an approach that partially compensates for current-year revenue losses on a crop-specific basis – and suggest the approach would have an insignificant impact on planting decisions.

Finally – the letter urges the Committee to oppose any changes in current law regarding payment limitations or eligibility for farm programs based on Adjusted Gross Income. According to the groups – 98-percent of U.S. producers participate in the farm program and comply with their conservation requirements. To maintain conservation compliance on agricultural lands – they say it’s important farmers remain in the program.

The National Association of Wheat Growers, National Barley Growers Association, National Sunflower Association, U.S. Canola Association and USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council also signed the letter.

Courtesy” NAFB News

The Keystone oil pipeline could become an obstacle to popular transportation programs. The Hill is reporting that Senate Democrats will reject the demands of House Republicans to include approval of the pipeline in transportation funding legislation. Lawmakers have until the end of June before existing funding for highway projects expires. The House and Senate are working to merge their two versions. The House bill is an extension through September that mandates the pipeline. The Senate measure is a Keystone-free two-year highway package. While the House package won the approval of 69 Democrats – Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has reportedly said he will not help Republicans move Keystone approval across the finish line.

Courtesy: NAFB News