A Snowy State Resolutions Committee

With record snowfall for this early in the winter season, State Resolutions Committee was a small meeting this year. With just under 20 members present in addition to the Board of Directors, the attendance was not what it usually is. However districts were well represented as there were representatives from as far away as La Plata, Yuma and Mesa County.

Those present were treated to a lunch featuring homemade Green Chili made by Regional Managers Ron Brink and Richard Connell as well as a great view of south Denver covered in at least a foot of snow.

Reminder, Turn Your Clocks Back on Sunday

On November 1 at 2 AM local time, clocks should be set back one hour (to 1 AM local time) to switch from DST to Standard Time. (This does not apply to parts of the United States not observing DST.)

Before 2007, older rules had DST beginning later in the spring, and ending earlier in autumn. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 implemented new rules effective in 2007 to save energy by beginning DST on the second Sunday of March and returning to Standard Time on the first Sunday in November, increasing the period of Daylight Saving Time by four weeks most years.

Whole New (Search) World

Twitter’s deal with Google opens up the web to Ag’s message

Much has been written about the recent deal inked between Twitter and Google that will allow the search giant to include tweets in search results.

Obviously the public nature of tweets lends itself to search and imbedded social media results within each Google search – much like ‘image’ or ‘news’ searches are currently displayed – will add tremendous value to the space. No doubt that any marketers still fence-sitting about the value of Twitter will now be forced to jump in.

For Ag users, the deal has significant impact on the scope and reach of our online message.

• While Twitters explosive growth has been more than enough reason for agriculturalists to adopt the platform, it has its limits. Twitters traffic is roughly 14-18 million visitors per month, however eMarketer estimates that there are only 6 million registered users. This represents only about 3.8% of people on the Internet.
• Google’s social search feature will help break down the barrier between the Twitterverse and the rest of the internet. No longer will Ag related RT’s and tagged tweets simply bounce around inside the #farm or #agchat bubble. They will have direct access to the general internet public.
• Twitter users now have greater power to directly and organically impact search results. This means that despite large SEO budgets directly controlling search rankings, individual users will have the ability to logroll content and deliver what’s really important.
• Twitter will continue to become less of a destination and more of a presence on the web. (3^rd party clients, search)

The deal should have an impact on the way you tweet. If Ag professionals don’t change the way they use Twitter to reflect the newly broadened horizons opened up by Google, they will be missing out on having impactful and insightful messages reach a larger set of eyes on the broader internet. Users should consider several areas that they can change and ‘tweak’ the way they use the space.

Takeaways

• More focus on relevant search terms beyond hashtags.

In order to improve search rankings and visibility, bloggers focus on using of common search terms in their writing and reuse them often. Twitter users should now think twice before shortening valuable search terms and /or relying on hashtags too much. Use terms that the general public will use when seeking information on a specific topic. We may like to use animal wellbeing, but the public is searching for animal welfare.

• Trending topics have the potential to greatly influence search results.

Ag users have shown that they can successfully influence the conversation on Twitter. The recent trending topics #oink and #moo were successful in focusing a broad conversation about Ag within the space. Users should expect trending topics to break out of the space and return results within a Google search. Supporting documentation and information should be in place before any organized attempt to trend a topic.

• Social relevance will be more important to a successful Twitter campaign than before.

Engaging and more importantly ‘real’ Twitter personalities will become more important now that tweets will reach the broader web. We already know that consumers have virtually no trust in corporate (read, lifeless) blogs. We also know that users feel that same way about Twitter accounts that do nothing but promote a groups latest news release. Tweeps should remember to give their stream some life from time to time, and organizations should consider developing companion accounts that compliment the organizations feed with personal tweets.

With a little forethought, Twitter users will easily cultivate a strong following on the web and even among those who have never visited the site. Real time updates and conversational topics will become central to internet search. Ag users have the ability to continue to leverage the power of Twitter to reach millions of viewers with our message and engage with them on a more personal level. It will simply require a re-thinking about the way we use the tools currently at our disposal.

Update:

Thanks to @Mica_MON and @RayLinDairy for adding to the conversation and bringing up the following points. I had not thought about this at all and I thank them for their thoughts. You can find their entire posts in the comments section.

@Mica_MON – “I also think there are lessons for us in the types of people we engage on Twitter. What conversations are going to be useful for the broader Internet user to learn about agriculture? When we get into a heated exchange with an organic/local/food activist are we communicating in a professional manner? Do those converastions provide the type of information/knowledge we want people to have?”

I would agree wholeheartedly. I would also add that the potential for Ag users to look bad in the eyes of readers when engaging in these types of exchanges increases exponentially due to the nature of the medium. Unlike comments on blog posts, Twitter conversations are not threaded and therefore the opportunity for searchers to take tweets out of context is greater. Users should try to embed a message or grow a relationship with every conversational tweet and make their comments as clear as possible. If you can, incorporate questions into answers and make good use of “Re:”

@RayLinDairy – …we in AG need to get back in the relationship game. With SM we have gone too far to the propaganda/politics side and need to readjust.

This goes somewhat to the previous point, and there is not time like now to readjust. We as Ag users should re-evaluate who we have conversations with and what those conversations are about. I think both crop and livestock users can all identify several @’s on the opposite side of the aisle that are no longer worth engaging with, especially now that our words are open to the entire web. Focus more on casual users as opposed to agenda users. Build relationships and have conversations that you wouldn’t mind your preacher reading!

China Reopens Market to U.S. Pork, Live Swine

U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that China intends to reopen its market to U.S. pork and live swine, consistent with science-based international standards. The announcement was made at the conclusion of meetings with Chinese officials at the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade in Hangzhou, China.

“Two-way trade of agricultural, fish and forest products between the U.S. and China has grown in recent years to over $21 billion per year, opening increasingly important connections that can benefit farmers, ranchers and consumers in both countries,” said Vilsack. “China’s intent to remove its H1N1-related ban on U.S. pork marks an important step forward in cooperation between the countries on agriculture issues.”

Gas Prices Will Climb 77 Cents Under Boxer/Kerry

Bill Klesse, president and CEO of Valero Energy Corp., said the Boxer-Kerry climate change bill could increase the price of a gallon of gasoline by 77 cents. In testimony Wednesday before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on behalf of the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association, Klesse said the bill would be “devastating” for the U.S. refinery business.

Kleese said that Valero and other refiners would be forced to close some U.S. plants if the bill in its current form becomes law. “One of our chief concerns is that this legislation provides foreign refiners and petrochemical operations a competitive advantage to American businesses,” Klesse testified.

AFBF Discussion Meet Video

As YF&R Members plan for the Discussion Meet competition at State Annual Meeting in November, Thr Pulse would like to provide this great resource to help them in their preparations. The below video is the final round of the AFBF Discussion Meet competition at the 2009 AFBF annual Meeting in San Antonio.

Mark Arnusch’s second place finish provides members with a great resource and example of what a winning Discussion Meet should look like. Enjoy!

 

more about “AFBF Discussion Meet“, posted with vodpod

 

Mule-Headed Bunch of Farmers…

Actor and political fundraiser, Morgan Freeman

Morgan Freeman says Mississippi is “starving” for the right leadership, so the actor is using his celebrity status to help his friend run for governor in 2011. Freeman has written a fundraising letter and is one of the hosts for a cocktail party in Los Angeles next week for Bill Luckett, an attorney seeking the Democratic nomination. Term limits prevent Republican Gov. Haley Barbour from seeking a third term.

“Reform in Mississippi is hard because the base stock of this state is a mule-headed bunch of farmers,” Freeman told The Associated Press on Sunday. “Those farmers have ruled the roost for so long because this is an agricultural state.”

Mississippi Farm Bureau President David Waide said in a letter in response to Mr. Freeman’s comments that,

 

Mississippi Farm Bureau President, David Waide

“I was greatly disappointed in Morgan Freeman’s recent comments referring to the base stock of this state as a ‘mule-headed bunch of farmers.’ I think Mr. Freeman is very shortsighted when he refers to the progress that has been made in Mississippi and to the bulk of the population as being agricultural.

 

“I would remind Mr. Freeman that, as the result of the farmers of this state and nation, the food we consume requires less than one-tenth of our take-home pay to purchase. I would also remind Mr. Freeman that, as a result of the American farmer, instead of 50 percent of our population being involved in the labor force to produce the food and fiber we consume, less than 1.5 percent of the population is required in agriculture’s workforce today. And we are still able to export more than 30 percent of the production from this nation’s farms, which is a tremendous help in balancing our foreign trade deficit.”

120 Ag Groups Oppose Waxman/Markey

A large coalition of agricultural groups has come forward to oppose the Waxman-Markey bill restricting carbon dioxide emissions.  Among the groups are the American Farm Bureau, Pork Producers Council, USA Rice Federation, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Chicken Council, Council of Farmer Cooperatives, American Meat Institute, National Association of Wheat Growers, and North American Millers’ Association.

Adam Basford, national affairs coordinator for the Florida Farm Bureau Federation, says the costs down the road will be much higher than currently stated.  ”According to the EPA, the legislation would cost farmers $5 billion (initially) and by 2050 the cost would rise to $13 billion,” he said.

Raising consumer prices is actually the point of the bill, says Basford.

“The very essence of cap-and-trade is to increase prices so much that consumption, and therefore emissions, are reduced,” Basford explained.  “Farm Bureau has continually said that any cap-and-trade legislation must make economic sense for agriculture.  It must be structured in a way that the costs do not outweigh the benefits for family farms, rural communities, and the overall economy.

Statement by Alan Foutz, President of Colorado Farm Bureau Regarding Appointment of Sen. Mary Hodge to Senate Ag Committee

State Senator, Mary Hodge (D-Brighton)

“Colorado Farm Bureau would like to congratulate Senator Mary Hodge (D-Brighton) as the newly named chair of the Senate Agriculture, Livestock, and Natural Resources Committee. A true friend to the Ag community, Senator Hodge has been a leader on water legislation, property rights, and many other issues. Born and raised on a farm in Idalia, Colorado, she has clearly been a strong advocate for all sectors of the Ag industry. We are grateful for her leadership and look forward to working with her in the coming session.”

“Colorado Farm Bureau would also like to thank the Senate President, Brandon Shaffer and Majority Leader John Morse, for naming Senator Mary Hodge as the chair to the Ag Committee. The Senate leadership has made a wise decision and Ag producers across the state look forward to a productive working relationship with the new chairwoman.”

 

Baucus Won’t Support Boxer/Kerry

As the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee begins hearings on the Boxer-Kerry global warming bill, Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), a member of the committee who also chairs the Senate Finance Committee, said he could not support the measure in its current form. Baucus is the first Democrat on the committee to object to the bill, and his support is viewed as important for passage.

Senator Max Baucus (D-MT)

At the hearing Tuesday, Baucus said he had “serious reservations” about the global warming bill’s target of a 20 percent reduction in greenhouse gases by 2020. He also said the bill should not allow the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate emissions.

Tuesday’s hearing included testimony from Energy Secretary Steven Chu, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. The administration officials all stressed that the bill will create new “green energy” jobs. Committee hearings continue today and Thursday. AFBF President Bob Stallman is set to testify Thursday morning.

Meat Industry Must Reintroduce Itself

The red meat industry must reintroduce itself to consumers to prove itself a source of innovation and technology that requires a change in approach, said Charlie Arnot, the head of the Center for Food Integrity (CFI).

Arnot spoke at the opening session of the Meat Industry Research Conference in Chicago on Tuesday. He unveiled the results of CFI’s third annual survey of “Consumer Trust in the Food System,” a survey of more than 2,000 consumers that CFI conducted in August and September.

Showing that the meat industry shares the same values as consumers is four to five times more important in generating trust than demonstrating competence or technical skill, Arnot said. Research with nationwide focus groups shows that consumers are disinterested in the details of food safety issues and science.

Arnot called for a new communications strategy. While confidence in the safety of the food system is up overall, consumers have steadily lost confidence in the industry’s assurances that animals are treated properly during the process.

“The voices questioning current food system practices are increasing in number, volume and impact,” Arnot said.

Farm Bureau Pushes Estate Tax Reform

Farm Bureau is urging support for a broad exemption to the estate tax bill introduced by Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-Nev.). The bill would increase the exemption under the estate tax while lowering the tax rate.

“There aren’t 60 votes in the Senate for permanent repeal, so we are shifting from repeal to get the best possible deal we can for farmers and ranchers,” Pat Wolff, AFBF tax specialist, told The Hill newspaper. Members of the House Ways and Means Committee are expected to meet this week to discuss the issue.

Under Berkley’s bill, taxpayers with $5 million or less in assets would be exempt from estate taxes, while the tax rate would be lowered to 35 percent, down from 45 percent. Under current law (set to expire at the end of 2009), taxpayers with assets valued at $3.5 million or less are exempt from the tax. The current law expires at the end of 2009. There will be no estate taxes in 2010, but the tax returns in 2011 with a lower asset exemption ($1 million) and a 55 percent tax rate.

Two WTO Dispute Panel Requests Blocked

Two World Trade Organization dispute panel requests were blocked last Friday. The United States blocked a request by Canada and Mexico requesting that a WTO dispute panel look into U.S. country-of-origin labeling rules. The two countries contend COOL has made U.S. processors reluctant to buy Canadian and Mexican livestock and meat.

Also on Friday, the European Union blocked a U.S. dispute panel request to look into a European ban on U.S. poultry because of a pathogen reduction process. The process is not allowed in the EU; U.S. officials contend there is no scientific reason for the ban.

According to WTO rules, member countries have the right to block a dispute panel once, so it is likely that both requests will be repeated and the process will move forward. The Canadian-Mexican request could come up again as early as Nov. 19.

Survey Finds Strong Support for Corn

A nationwide survey conducted for the National Corn Growers Association found broad public respect and trust for family farmers and support for corn as food, feed and fuel. Ninety-five percent of those polled find farmers to be trusted messengers on issues such as agriculture, corn products and ethanol – and ethanol itself was supported or strongly supported as a good fuel alternative by 65 percent.

“We expected to see some pretty solid results in this polling, but the final numbers were beyond what we imagined,” said NCGA President Darrin Ihnen, a farmer in Hurley, S.D. “This high level of support is gratifying, and it is also a challenge for us to work hard to maintain the trust consumers have placed in us.”

When it comes to uses for corn, support was broad. Ninety-five percent support its use as food for people and 93 percent as livestock feed, while 67 percent support the use of corn as a sweetener and 65 percent, as noted, support corn ethanol. Other uses of corn, such as for fiber and packaging, were supported by 73 percent of those polled.

State Resolutions Committee STILL ON!

Members,

The State Resolutions Committee meeting is still scheduled for tomorrow, Thursday, October 29^th. The meeting has NOT been canceled.

After several discussions, President Foutz and Vice President Shawcroft felt that despite the weather, SRC will still go on as planned because changing the date at such a late hour would not help in increasing attendance at a later meeting.

We still encourage members to make every attempt to attend the meeting as any business that can be completed tomorrow will help alleviate the burden on the delegate body at Annual Meeting in November.

Please drive safely and we hope to see you in the morning!

EPA to Step Up Enforcement of CWA

This move could have either a beneficial or detrimental effect on the negotiations surrounding the Clean Water restoration Act currently before Congress.

A new Clean Water Action Enforcement Plan unveiled by Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson last week in a committee hearing in Washington places emphasis on concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), according to the National Pork Producers Council.

EPA, according to an NPPC briefing, said it will “pursue new strategies aimed to enforce existing rules limiting pollution from concentrated animal feeding operations … CAFOs have become larger and more densely located, placing more stress on waters in proximity to those locations. CAFOs result in a large pollution load to the environment … Where facilities with large numbers of animals are discharging without permits or in violation of their permits, they can cause significant pollution problems of concern to communities.”

NPPC urged pork producers to take steps to manage their manure properly.

Via: Meatingplace

‘Don’t CAP Our Future’ is on Facebook

Farm Bureau’s “Don’t CAP Our Future” grassroots campaign on cap-and-trade climate legislation features social media components. This includes a Facebook page with resources, links and photos.

Several state Farm Bureaus already have posted updates and photos of how members are mobilizing in support of “Don’t CAP Our Future.” If you’re on Facebook, become a fan of the page today and check it out!

Early Season Snowstorm, A Mess Out East

The Wednesday evening snowstorm moved east and dropped heavy snow on Colorado’s Eastern Plains Thursday. More than a dozen school districts were either closed or delayed, and Interstate 70 was shut down from Airport road to Burlington because of treacherous conditions.

Many locations on the Plains reported 6-8 inches of snow with a few reports of nine inches or more.

Contributing to The Pulse, Lincoln County FB President, Charles Hoffman tells us first hand about the early season storm and give us a glimpse into his day running the Limon Leader and Eastern Colorado Plainsman newspapers.

Stuck!

Wednesday morning we woke to a good bit of snow sticking to the grass.  Wednesday is the day we deliver our newspapers, so no sleeping in for us on account of the snow.

I begin Wednesdays with a trip down Highway 24 to Simla to pick up the newspapers and return to Limon so we can prepare them for delivery.  The dirt roads from Home were muddy under 2” of wet heavy slushy snow, so I was relieved to make it to Paved Roads! The paved roads in and around Limon were wet but safe.  Highway 24 to Simla…completely different story!  There was an inch of pack topped with 3 – 4 inches of snow .  The blessing was that NOBODY was mistaking these roads for good, and everyone was keeping speeds to a minimum.

My Wednesdays consist of a 172 mile trip from Limon to Simla on Highway 24 and back, 40-287 to Hugo, State Road 109 to Genoa then I-70 to Arriba and then back to Limon.  The weather in Genoa was bad enough that when I got into Limon at around 3PM we decided to take the children out of school early and head home while it was still light and safe.

The weather was NOT nice to I-70 while I was in Limon.  We took both vehicles home from town, as I was sure that the roads were just wet as they had been all day. Boy was I wrong. The temperature had dropped and the snow had picked up enough to make it a nice wide sheet of ice.  We made it home, but we cannot say the same for the driver of the Land Rover that was between Jessica and I on the interstate.  He did 3 complete circles in the road before sliding into the ditch.

Once we made it home and filled the pellet stove, it was time to tend to the cows while we still could.  Evening chores went well and the cows were all doing fine tucked in behind the outbuildings.  The stock tank hadn’t frozen over and the calves are all big enough to really enjoy tromping through the drifts.

Thursday morning chores didn’t so as well.

School was cancelled for the kids, and the pickup had a nice 3 foot drift right up to the tailgate so I gave it a few hours for the sun to come up so I could see what we were up against.  Once I got the pickup out, I made the ½ mile trip up the drive way to the maintained county road.  I was happy to see that the county crews had been down that road and I decided to go check cows.

I did not fair the drift in the lane quite as well as the one in the driveway and got the pickup stuck.  I walked to the hydrabed and tried to use it to get the pickup out.  FAIL!

Not being one to be defeated by a bit of snow, I decided to use the 4 wheeler to check cows.  It started right up, but swiftly got stuck right beside the pickup.

I guess from now on I’ll walk out and check the cows the old fashioned way!

AFBF: Fuel Costs Skyrocket Under House Warming Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 21, 2009—A crop and livestock producer from Texas today said cap-and-trade climate change legislation could hike the cost of fuel used for farming to the point that it will have a devastating economic impact on his and similar family-owned businesses.

Speaking at a Capitol Hill news conference, Texas farmer and cattle producer Richard Cortese said increased fuel prices, on top of other energy-related costs, would deal a sharp blow to farmers and ranchers. Cortese, who farms near Little River, Texas, is a member of the Texas Farm Bureau board of directors.

The event, hosted by Sens. Kit Bond (R-Mo.) and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), highlighted a new report the senators released showing that cap-and-trade legislation will result in a considerable fuel tax increase on Americans. The senator’s report is the first such effort to quantify climate change legislation’s effect on fuel costs.

According to the senators’ report, under House climate change legislation, America’s farmers and ranchers would be hit with $550 million in higher fuel costs in 2020 and $1.65 billion in 2050.

Administration to Press Ahead on Cap and Trade

Energy Secretary, Steven Chu.

The Obama administration will continue to press ahead on Cap and Trade legislation, with an address by the president tomorrow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology seen as a key impetus for the effort.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu told the Reuters Washington Summit that he believes there is “a reasonably good possibility” Congress could deliver legislation reducing carbon dioxide emissions in time for the Copenhagen meeting.

Still, most on Capitol Hill doubt a climate change bill will even make it to a vote on the Senate floor this year. “I don’t think we’re going to have cap-and-trade” enacted this year,” Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) told the summit.

Instead of a domestic climate change bill, Grassley said there should be an international deal that would force developing countries like China and India to take carbon-reduction steps along with developed countries such as the United States.

Corn, Soy Make Big Price Gains

Corn prices made their biggest gain for the year this week, while soybean prices reached a two-month high as rains and snow delay harvests in the U.S. with optimism that higher oil prices will boost demand for biofuels.

In the meantime, speakers at Farm Bureau’s second annual commodity outlook conference held in Albuquerque, N.M., painted a “cautiously optimistic” outlook for U.S. agriculture, with crop and dairy producers likely faring better than livestock producers who will still face challenges in the year ahead.

Robert Wisner, an Extension economist with Iowa State University, told attendees clearing weather will likely mean lower prices into early November, but predicted moderate price strength into the winter for corn and soybeans due to strong exports and ethanol demand.

Australia Raises Issues with COOL

Australia‘s Minister for Trade, Simon Crean, used a meeting in Washington, D.C. with his counterpart in the Obama Administration, United States Trade Representative (USTR) Ron Kirk, to raise his government’s complaints about a range of agricultural trade issues.

“During the talks I raised Australia’s ongoing concerns about the 2008 US Farm Bill, emphasizing Australia’s continuing interest in gaining better market access for agricultural exports including dairy, horticulture products and sugar,” Mr. Crean said in a statement issued after the two met October 16.

“I also pressed the US on Australia’s concerns about mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL) for beef, the US Dairy Import Assessment and Dairy Export Subsidies program.”

New Discount Program Helps Farm Bureau Members Cut Costs

Colorado Farm Bureau has introduced a new discount program that offers its members an average savings of 30 percent on prescription drugs.  The Prescription Discount Program card is free and is a benefit of membership in the Colorado Farm Bureau.

Farm Bureau members and their families without insurance, as well as those who find themselves with no prescription benefit in their plan, will benefit from the Prescription Discount Program, according to Colorado Farm Bureau. Further, Farm Bureau members who have full-time, part-time or seasonal workers may provide the card as an employee benefit.

Members can download a ready to use discount card and can also view a list of participating pharmacies.

Other benefits of the program include no enrollment forms, no age restrictions, no income requirements, no waiting periods, no eligibility requirements, no exclusions, no claim forms to file and no annual or lifetime limits.

“We believe this discount card will help our members and their families and employees save money,” said Alan Foutz, President of Colorado Farm Bureau.

The program is honored by more than 704 local, regional and national pharmacies in Colorado and more than 57,000 national and regional pharmacies.

Discounts of up to 75 percent on brand and generic prescription medications are available. Because the program is “open formulary,” all prescription drugs, including brand name products and generics, are eligible for discounts.

Fairgoer Gives Show Hog H1N1

Preliminary tests show three hogs in Minnesota may have contracted the H1N1 virus, making them the first potential U.S. cases in swine. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Friday that USDA’s Veterinary Services Laboratories will be conducting confirmatory testing on swine samples collected at the 2009 Minnesota State Fair between Aug. 26 and Sept. 1.

Vilsack stressed that pork is safe to eat and that the finding does not threaten food safety. “I want to remind people that people cannot get this flu from eating pork or pork products,” Vilsack said.

The pigs sampled at the time showed no signs of illness and were apparently healthy. The samples collected were part of a University of Iowa and University of Minnesota cooperative agreement research project funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which documents influenza viruses where humans and pigs interact at events such as fairs.

USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories expects to have confirmatory results within the next few days.

Cal Poly Alum Protests Pollan Solo Lecture

Ag critic, author, and UC Berkley Journalism Professor, Michael Pollan

A solo lecture by food activist Michael Pollan scheduled for 11 a.m. Pacific time today on the campus of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo was hastily converted to a panel discussion after alumni, including the chairman of Harris Beef Ranch Co., protested. Pollan will participate in a panel discussion that includes Gary Smith, a Colorado meat science expert, and Myra Goodman, co-founder of Earthbound Farms, an organic vegetable operation with 33,000 acres.

On Sept. 23, David Wood, chairman of Harris Beef Ranch Co., located in California’s San Joaquin Valley, sent a letter to Cal Poly officials stating he would pull a $150,000 donation for a new campus meat processing facility if Pollan’s solo lecture took place. Wood, who manages one of the state’s largest beef cattle ranches, told Cal Poly a solo lecture would provide Pollan with a soapbox for anti-agricultural views.

Barbara Martin, who writes a blog called Dairy Goddess and operates an 800-cow dairy in California with her husband, Tony, called the panel format that includes Pollan a perfect compromise.

“As a parent and a taxpayer, I’m satisfied that students will be exposed to all sides of farming practices and agricultural decisions,” wrote Martin, whose son attends Cal Poly.

Cal Poly’s agriculture program is also under fire by critics for reducing its teaching herd of dairy cattle from 150 to 30. The cut is an economic necessity, according to officials.

National FFA Convention Kicks Off Next Week

Next week, the National FFA Organization will host its 82nd National FFA Convention in Indianapolis. More than 55,000 high school students from across the United States will gather to compete, perform and learn through competitions, workshops, sessions and more.

Highlights of the convention include addresses by Monsanto CEO Hugh Grant, Mike Rowe from the Discovery Channel’s Emmy-nominated series “Dirty Jobs With Mike Rowe,” a celebration honoring “40 Years of Women in FFA,” and announcement of the “Stars Over America” program winners, one of FFA’s most prestigious honors.

Gates Chides Critics, Defends Biotech Crops

Bill Gates, Chair of Microsoft, keynotes the World Food Prize Symposium in Des Moines on Thursday.

Bill Gates, the Microsoft chairman who is pouring part of his fortune into alleviating global poverty, defended the use of genetically engineered crops to help poor farmers increase food production. In what was billed as his first major speech on agriculture, Gates chided critics who he said are “instantly hostile to any emphasis on productivity.

Gates said transgenic crops “can help address farmers’ challenges faster and more efficiently than conventional breeding alone.”

His foundation has committed about $1.4 billion to agricultural development, with about 5 percent of that targeted to biotechnology projects, including one focused on developing drought-tolerant corn for us in east Africa. Gates said the seeds would be licensed royalty free to distributors so that there won’t be any extra cost to farmers. The seeds could allow farmers to increase corn production by 2 million tons a year during a moderate drought, he said.

Also, watch the video of Gates’ comments via the Des Moines Register.

The Ag Agenda

Bob Stallman, President, American Farm Bureau

Don’t CAP Our Future! Farm Bureau recently kicked off a climate change grassroots campaign appropriately titled “Don’t Cap Our Future.” Farm Bureau members are getting out the word on Capitol Hill that cap-and-trade legislation would impose higher energy and food costs on consumers, raise fuel, fertilizer and energy costs for farmers and ranchers, and shrink the American agricultural sector, resulting in reduced U.S. food production.

The consequences of climate legislation far outweigh the benefits and aren’t worth capping America’s future.

Paying the Piper

Under the cap-and-trade legislation in the House and Senate, American families will pay higher energy costs. According to the Department of Energy, energy costs could grow by $1,870 per household. Combined with higher costs for food, the additional yearly hit on families would total about $2,300 per household. Said another way, the cap-and-trade law would impose costs of up to $200 billion a year on American taxpayers.

At the farm gate, as much as 17 percent of U.S. agricultural land currently used for food production will be idled and planted in trees under the House bill. That is because the vast majority of incentive payments will go to people who choose to grow and maintain trees for greenhouse gas reduction, rather than farmers who work to put food on Americans’ tables. This shift in land use will hurt consumers at the grocery store. Food costs could rise by up to an average of $33 billion annually in 2020 and up to $51 billion annually by 2030 as a result of this legislation.

Higher fuel and fertilizer costs to American farmers and ranchers who do remain on the farm will put them at a competitive disadvantage in international markets with other countries that do not have similar carbon emission restrictions.

House Committee Hearing to Focus on Clean Water Act

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will hold a hearing on Thursday, Oct. 15 on the lack of progress by the Environmental Protection Agency and state agencies in meeting the goals of “fishable and swimmable waters” called for in the Clean Water Act.

A central issue of the hearing is expected to be allegations by the New York Times. The Times conducted an investigation and concluded that many states have been lax in enforcing the law, policing fewer than 3 percent of violators between 2004 and 2007, and that EPA frequently declined to prosecute offenders or forced states to comply. Several state officials have responded to the allegations by challenging data presented by the Times and characterizing it as inaccurate, incomplete or not providing an accurate picture of their programs.

The Times data purports to show National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit violations. By definition there is no question about jurisdiction, as permits already have been issued.  If jurisdiction were not adequately established, a permit would not have been issued in the first place.

There will be much made of the findings of the NY Times both in the Transportation and Infrastructure hearing and afterwards by proponents of the Clean Water Restoration Act, however the two have nothing to do with each other and attempts to tie the two together are completely without merit.

The hearing will be Webcast and archived at http://transportation.house.gov

Cowboy Cited When Horse Walks Away from Bar

WORLAND, Wyo. (AP) — A northwestern Wyoming man received a citation for letting his horse wander in Worland, but not before he complained to town law enforcement officials about the absence of a hitching post in front of the local saloon.

William Schellinger was cited by Washakie County law enforcement officers for allowing his horse to run at large in this city along the Big Horn River.

Schellinger was apparently in a bar early Sunday when his horse wandered away, prompting police to follow it to make sure it didn’t cause an accident with a car.

After being confronted by officers, Schellinger contended the city didn’t have any hitching posts and told them they should spend their time arresting real criminals, not bothering cowboys with wayward horses.