Wisconsin Representative Ron Kind, a Democrat who represents a district of dairy farmers, is questioning President Donald Trump’s ability to withdraw from the North American Free Trade Agreement. Kind said this week: “Constitutionally, I think the president would be on pretty shaky grounds if he tries,” according to Politico. Congressman Kind made the comments during a speech to the National Foreign Trade Council. Kind said he believes any tariff changes would “have to come under Congress.” Kind represents Wisconsin’s Third Congressional District, which kind calls one of the most productive farming regions in the country. Kind was actively involved in calling on the administration earlier this year to address a dairy trade issue with Canada. Kind told U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer at the time that “it is important that leveling the playing field for Wisconsin dairy farmers be a top priority,” as part of the NAFTA renegotiations.

The Paris FFA Chapter from Missouri has been named the 2017 National Premier Chapter: Growing Leaders winner at the 90th National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis. The National Chapter Award program recognizes outstanding FFA chapters that actively implement the mission and strategies of the organization. These chapters improve chapter operations using the National Quality FFA Chapter Standards and a Program of Activities that emphasizes growing leaders, building communities and strengthening agriculture. Chapters are rewarded for providing educational experiences for the entire membership. During “Beef Up Reading,” Paris FFA encouraged elementary students to get excited about reading. They challenged elementary students to read and log more than 95,000 minutes of reading in a month. FFA members visited classrooms to motivate the students and share about the importance of reading. The chapter even got parents involved by hosting a free barbecue brisket dinner for all students, parents and teachers during the Title I Reading Night. FFA members enjoyed setting goals and helping the elementary students to reach them to reinforce the importance of reading.

The Marshall FFA Chapter from Missouri has been named the 2017 National FFA Model of Excellence winner at the 90th National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis. The National Chapter Award program recognizes outstanding FFA chapters that actively implement the mission and strategies of the organization.

These chapters improve chapter operations using the National Quality FFA Chapter Standards and a Program of Activities that emphasizes growing leaders, building communities and strengthening agriculture. Chapters are rewarded for providing educational experiences for the entire membership.

To encourage students interested in agricultural construction careers, Marshall FFA organized “Welding Our Future Together.” This included a welding workshop, a tour of Missouri Welding Institute and tutoring for the scholarship competition. During the workshop, FFA members received guided practice on industry welds from a trade school instructor. In addition to this activity, the chapter also conducts activities such as a kindness campaign, “I Believe” packages and coloring for agriculture.

The Senate Thursday afternoon confirmed Greg Ibach to the Department of Agriculture. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts announced the approval of Ibach as the Under Secretary of Agriculture for Marketing and Regulatory Programs at USDA. Ibach previously served as the Nebraska Director of Agriculture.

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue welcomes the approval, saying Ibach “will bring experience and integrity to his new role at USDA.” The Senate Agriculture Committee held a hearing regarding Ibach’s nomination earlier this month. He was favorably reported out of the committee with a bipartisan voice vote and has the support of more than 60 farm and conservation organizations.

The North American Meat Institute today unveiled an updated version of its popular MyMeatUp app, the first-of-its-kind free mobile app aimed at helping shoppers, particularly millennials — individuals between ages 18 and 35 — become informed, confident purchasers of meat and poultry. The app includes a new “Where does my meat come from?” feature, which allows users to search the U.S. Department of Agriculture establishment database for information about where the product was produced. The new feature, which can be accessed from the home screen, provides an explanation about how to find establishment numbers on meat packages and includes a function that allows users to search plant numbers. Searches can be done using full and partial numbers, or users can choose to view the complete list of establishments. They are then directed to a page with information from USDA about the establishment. The updated app also includes several new images and more than 160 recipes. Furthermore, people interested in learning more about claims made on meat and poultry product labels can continue to use the app’s searchable glossary of common terms. The glossary presents definitions for “natural,” “grass-fed,” “antibiotic-free” and “no hormones added,” among others. In addition, consumers will recognize the app’s industry topics section that addresses antibiotic use in animal agriculture, animal welfare practices, environmental concerns and nutrition facts in succinct list formats.

(NAFB) A report by the Government Accountability Office predicts climate change will cost U.S. agriculture up to $9.2 billion between 2020 and 2039 in lost crop yields. The report also details how extreme weather events, including wildfires, has cost the government $350 billion over the last decade, when including crop and flood insurance costs. In the long term, for 2080 through 2099, the annual sector-specific economic effects varied from a range of $12 billion in benefits to $53 billion in costs for the agriculture sector. The report was made available this week by the GAO. The report anticipates various regions of the U.S. will experience crop yield losses, increased road damage and changes in water supply and demand. The GOA says the report recommends the White House uses the information to help identify significant climate risks facing the federal government and craft appropriate federal responses.

The National Council of Farmer Cooperatives is urging Congress to finish the next farm bill on time. In releasing the organization’s farm bill priorities Tuesday, President and CEO Chuck Conner noted the “challenging price environment” farmers are dealing with in explaining the need for a timely farm bill. The council’s framework outlines eight general principles to be included in the next farm bill, including a focus on promoting farm cooperatives and “their abilities to enhance competition in the agricultural marketplace by acting as bargaining agents” for cooperative members. The organization also calls for the expansion of all U.S. agriculture exports, support for a strong safety net and an assurance that farmers and ranchers will have access to needed labor. The National Council of Farmer Cooperatives has supported farmer cooperatives since 1929 and represents more than 2,000 local farmer cooperatives throughout the nation.