Safe-guarding agriculture will be topic number one tonight when State Senator Rob Schaaf of Saint Joseph hosts a townhall meeting at Missouri Western. Schaaf wants input on Proposition B, the controversial ballot initiative approved by voters in 2010. Supporters of the so-called “Puppy Mill Protection Act” continue to promote similar proposals. Schaaf says he’s looking for steps Missouri can take to protect the state’s agriculture industry. The one and a half hour townhall starts at 7 tonight in the Kemper Recital Hall in the Leah Spratt Building at Western.
Category: Agriculture
Kansas Officials Oppose Feedlot Regs
Kansas Governor Sam Brownback and Attorney General Derek Schmidt say the EPA is overreaching with its proposed regulation of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). In a letter to the agency, Brownback and Schmidt cited concerns that the rule would place an undue burden on Kansas livestock producers.
“This rule is an example of the federal government overstepping its boundaries,” the letter stated. “The EPA lacks jurisdiction over non-discharging CAFOs and therefore has no legal authority to gather information from these operations.”
The proposed rule, known as the CAFO Reporting Rule, would require all CAFOs to report to the EPA, regardless of size and permit status. Kansas already maintains a comprehensive database and permitting process for animal feeding operations in the state. The only effect of this proposed rule in Kansas would be an additional layer of burdensome federal government paperwork, Brownback and Schmidt wrote.
“In these economic times, we should be doing everything we can to encourage our agricultural producers, who create thousands of jobs in rural America,” Brownback said. “Requiring them to file more additional, unnecessary documents to federal bureaucrats takes producers’ focus off of their primary responsibility of ensuring a safe, affordable food supply.”
In addition, Brownback and Schmidt noted that the rule usurps the state’s authority to regulate CAFOs, which has been supported by numerous court rulings.
“Clearly, Kansas knows best how to balance the needs of our agricultural producers and preserving our environment,” Schmidt said. “Congress recognized this in the plain language of the Clean Water Act, which gives states the duty to regulate agricultural runoff. This rule is just another Washington power-grab over our agricultural industry.”
Brownback and Schmidt strongly recommended that this proposed rule be laid to rest for legal reasons. However, if the EPA does decide to proceed, Brownback and Schmidt said further public notice would be needed as the EPA has yet to adequately address all the details for the reporting requirements presented in the proposed rule.
The letter was submitted as part of the public comment period on the proposed regulation.
Forestry Advisory Committee Formed
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is calling for nominations to serve on a newly-formed advisory committee that will guide better management of our national forests and grasslands. The National Advisory Committee for Implementation of the National Forest System Land Management Planning Rule will advise and give recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture and the Chief of the U.S. Forest Service. The panel could consist of up to 21 members.
The committee will provide advice and recommendations on issues such as planning rule directives for implementation, best practices, effective monitoring practices and ongoing collaboration efforts. The announcement of this committee builds on the Agency’s efforts to develop a new Land Management Planning Rule for the National Forest System.
Secretary Vilsack points out that – input from the public is critical to successful land management planning. U.S Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell pledges – we will keep the collaborative momentum going as we transition to implementing a new rule.
USDA Offering Flood-Recovery Webinar
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) – The U.S. Agriculture Department is hosting a webinar for farmers affected by the 2011 Missouri River flood. It offers perspectives from producers who are repairing their farmland. Representatives from USDA agencies and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers who are working with farmers whose land was damaged also are featured.
The summer flooding left many landowners with several inches of sediment and sand, as well as scour holes and ponds.
The webinar is scheduled from 1:30 to 4 p.m. on Dec. 14 at more than 20 sites in Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. Topics include planning for the 2012 season. It also includes information on how to remain in compliance with farm bill programs while bringing flooded acres back into productivity.
Kansas Officials Challenge Proposed Farm Regs
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) – Gov. Sam Brownback and other Kansas officials say proposed rules from the federal government would limit youngsters’ farm work too much.
Brownback and Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt have sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Labor, protesting proposed changes in regulations for young farm laborers.
The state’s secretaries of agriculture, labor and commerce also sent their own statement.
All are asking the federal agency to revise its plans.
As examples, Brownback and Schmidt say the rules are too strict in limiting the ability of 14- and 15-year-olds to operate tractors and other equipment.
A department spokeswoman says the agency will carefully consider all comments. But in summarizing its proposed rules, the department has said it is trying to prevent injuries and deaths.
New Beef Cuts Being Made Available
State beef councils and the national Beef Checkoff Program have introduced a new retail beef marketing program that has the potential, they say, to significantly increase U.S. beef sales. The Beef Alternative Marketing, or BAM, creates smaller filets and roasts out of beef ribeyes, top loins and top sirloins by utilizing innovative cutting techniques. By increasing cut thickness, final product quality is protected.
BAM takes advantage of shoppers who previously looked elsewhere for nutritious, high-quality, size-appropriate proteins. The program’s supporters say the smaller portions give consumers the sizes and nutritional profiles they seek. BAM includes a complete cutting and marketing program, including retailer training materials, point-of-sale materials, recipes, cooking instructions, charts, photos and instructional cutting posters.
According to Jim Henger, executive director of channel marketing for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, BAM is a perfect product for the times because it allows retailers to offer a product that has a new nutritional selling point, is sized to increase sales and retains the cooking quality of larger steaks. Focus groups have shown that consumers not only like the new shapes and thicknesses of the cuts, they are not concerned about higher per-pound costs because there is a lower price per package.
Kansas Drought Worsens; 11 Counties Moved To Emergency Status
(Topeka, KS) – Increasing drought conditions in Kansas have led Governor Sam Brownback to again update the Drought Declaration for Kansas counties, moving eleven counties from warning status up to emergency status.
“Despite the recent rains, overall dry conditions require us to address moisture deficits and declining water,” Governor Brownback said. “Below normal soil moisture and poor pasture, range and hay supplies because of below normal precipitation patterns and drying conditions are affecting most of our state. Stream flows and lake levels also are low, showing just local improvement temporarily after the rains. The outlook is for drought conditions to persist or intensify in the majority of Kansas.”
The updated drought declaration also moves 14 counties into watch status, and upgrades four to warning status. Tracy Streeter, Director of the Kansas Water Office and Chair of the Governor’s Drought Response Team recommended the latest update.
“Water supply conditions continue to decline in many areas, Emergency stage triggers the Kansas Water Office (KWO) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) which allows emergency use of water from certain state fishing lakes,” Streeter said. “This would allow small communities and individuals within the emergency counties category to pump water from named state fishing lakes if they are in dire need of water”.
Individuals and communities need to contact the Kansas Water Office for a water supply request prior to any withdrawals from lakes. They will in turn be referred to the appropriate KDWPT office to obtain the necessary permit to withdraw the water. The MOU limits the types of water use and a fee may be set for use of the state fishing lakes’ water supply.
“We are glad to be able to offer this as an option to Kansans in desperate need for water,” KDWPT Secretary Robin Jennison said. “The priority order established for this MOU is domestic, municipal and then livestock uses, while also protecting the lake’s fish population.”
The state fishing lakes available for withdrawals for Emergency Declared counties include Atchison , Barber , Brown , Bourbon , Butler , Chase , Clark , Crawford , Goodman , Jewell , Kingman , Leavenworth , Lyon , Pott#1 , Pott#2 , McPherson , Miami , Mined Lands (Pits), Neosho , Osage , Ottawa , Saline, Scott , Shawnee , Sheridan, Washington, Wilson, and Woodson.
The Governor’s Drought Response Team will continue to watch the situation closely and work to minimize the effects the drought has on Kansans.
For more detailed information about current conditions, see the Kansas Climate Summary and Drought Report on the Kansas Water Office website at: www.kwo.org
County Drought Stage Declarations:
Drought Emergency: Allen, Barber, Barton, Butler, Chase, Clark, Coffey, Comanche, Cowley, Edwards, Finney, Ford, Grant, Gray, Greenwood, Harper, Harvey, Haskell, Hodgeman, Kearny, Kingman, Kiowa, Lyon, Marion, McPherson, Meade, Morton, Neosho, Pawnee, Pratt, Reno, Rice, Sedgwick, Seward, Stafford, Stanton, Stevens, Sumner, Wilson, Woodson
Drought Warning: Anderson, Bourbon, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Crawford, Elk , Franklin, Gove, Greeley, Hamilton, Labette, Lane, Linn, Logan, Miami, Montgomery, Morris, Ness, Osage, Scott, Trego, Wallace, Wichita
Drought Watch: Cheyenne, Clay, Cloud, Decatur, Dickinson, Douglas, Ellis, Ellsworth, Geary, Graham, Jefferson, Jewel, Johnson, Leavenworth, Lincoln, Marshall, Mitchell, Norton, Osborne, Ottawa, Phillips, Pottawatomie, Rawlins, Republic, Riley, Rooks, Rush, Russell, Saline, Shawnee, Sheridan, Sherman, Smith, Thomas, Wabaunsee, Washington, Wyandotte
— News Release
Nixon Requests USDA Distaster Aid For Farms Hit By August Storms
Gov. Nixon requests disaster declaration from USDA to help farmers in seven northwest, west central counties impacted by hail, strong winds and storms in August
Gov. Jay Nixon today asked Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to designate seven Missouri counties in the northwest and west central parts of the state as primary disaster areas. The designation will permit the USDA’s Farm Service Agency to assist farmers who suffered losses to crops and property after severe stoms Aug. 18 and Aug. 22.
The counties requested by the Governor are Andrew, Atchison, Gentry, Lafayette, Nodaway, Pettis and Platte. The request is based on damage assessments completed by the Farm Service Agency, at the request of the Governor.
Nixon says corn, soybean and alfalfa crops were affected by the storms.
Primary disaster counties are those that lose at least 30 percent of the estimated yield of a single crop, or where individual farmers suffer production losses of more than 30 percent.
A disaster designation would allow eligible farmers to be considered for assistance from the USDA’s Farm Service Agency. Farmers who qualify would receive FSA emergency loans or assistance from the federal Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments Program. Affected farmers would apply to FSA, which considers each application individually on its merits. Farmers in counties contiguous to primary disaster areas also could be eligible for assistance.
Harvest Report: Ken Pilsl
Ken Pilsl of Bartlett Grains in St Joseph joins KFEQ for the next in a series of Harvest Reports. Ken reports that harvest wrapping up quickly in Northwest Missouri.
[audio:http://www.stjosephpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Pilsl1025.mp3|titles=Pilsl]Gallatin Grain Dealer Pleads Guilty
The owner of the Gallatin Grain Company has pleaded guilty to mail fraud charges stemming from a scheme to steal over three million dollars from Missouri farmers.
Daniel Froman admitted that he defrauded 100 farmers whose grain was stored at his business by selling their grain in order to pay his debts.
Under federal statutes, Froman is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $250,000 and an order of restitution. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a pre-sentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
The Missouri Department of Agriculture has already collected $400,000 in assets from Froman, and is distributing that to the victims.