Aways Right? Durango Herald Profiles J. Paul Brown

John Peel of the Durango Herald this week sat down with State Rep. Elect J. Paul Brown, and has written a superb profile of the soon-to-be legislator.Make sure to read the whole piece. Congratulations to J. Paul!

Brown, a La Plata County commissioner from 1989 to 1993, Ignacio school board member and Colorado Farm Bureau leader, wrestled over whether to run for the Legislature. He wouldn’t do it without Debbie behind him 100 percent, and at first she wasn’t. But then son Levi, 30, stepped up to run the ranch, and, one might say, John Adams spoke to him.

An HBO series about our second president underlined the sacrifices made to create this country. Plus, J. Paul and Debbie noted a similarity between their relationship and that of John and Abigail Adams. Both men lean on their wives for counsel. J. Paul even calls his wife “Abigail” at times.

“I realized how much they went through to bring us the freedoms that we have, and I thought, ‘I need to give,’” Debbie says. “I figured it was time for me to quit being so selfish.”

(Image, The Durango Herald)

Pacelle, Vick, and the Quote of the Year

By now you will have all heard about Wayne Pacelle, CEO of HSUS, saying that convicted dog torturer Michel Vick “would do a good job as a pet owner.” HumaneWatch has followed the story and the fallout closely, first here and then here.The comment is preposterous of course and HumaneWatch wonders if Humane Wayne has gone completely crazy. There has been a lot of negative press for HSUS as a result and it is helping to raise awareness about just what the HSUS does with all their money.

The Daily Caller profiled the Pacelle/Vick comment in the larger context of exposing the lies HSUS shills on a daily basis. In a piece titled FoodPolitik: Farmers shouldn’t own animals, but Michael Vick can. Excuse me?, writer Rick Berman tells readers that the HSUS is NOT an umbrella organization for local pet shelters.

“We all want cats and dogs to find homes, and to not be abused. About 99.99 percent of us, for instance (HSUS’s president notwithstanding), understand that giving Michael Vick a pet will always be a risky proposition.

But it turns out that America doesn’t actually have a real “national” humane society. There simply is no big umbrella group that raises money for the pet shelter in your community. If you want to support your local humane society, you’re going to have to do it yourself.”

Also today, CFB Member Mark Hillman sat in as a guest host on 850 KOA’s Mike Rosen Show. His guest was David Martosko, the man behind Humane Watch. The pair discussed HSUS and their tricks extensively and callers responded well to the conversation. You can listen the the segment here, or click the play button below.

Download: Rosen12-30-10-10AM.mp3?CPROG=PCAST&MARKET=DENVER-CO&NG_FORMAT=&SITE_ID=668&STATION_ID=KOA-AM&PCAST_AUTHOR=Mike_Rosen&PCAST_CAT=Spoken_Word&PCAST_TITLE=The_Mike_Rosen_Show

Make Plans to Attend FarmWife Project Meeting

The first meeting of the FarmWife Project will be Saturday Jan. 15, 2011 at the Colorado Farm Bureau Center. The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. and run to 3 p.m.

The workshop-style meeting will focus on writing, becoming an agvocate, and building relationships with women across Colorado agriculture.

If mountains stand in your way, let me know and we will arrange to have you join us via technology. The FarmWife Project is growing and a great way to get a jump on your New Year’s Resolutions. If you would like more information, please visit us at http://vermillionfarms.wordpress.com or email Rachel Vermillion at rachel@lincolncountyfb.com

See you in January!

Another CFB Member Appointed to AFBF Committee

Jason and his wife Rachel farm south of Limon where they raise wheat, sunflowers, proso, sorghum feed, grass hay, cattle and show pigs.

Jason Vermillion, Vice President of the Lincoln County Farm Bureau Federation Board of Directors, has been appointed to the AFBF Swine Commodity Advisory Committee by AFBF President Bob Stallman. Vermillion, a fifth generation farmer, will represent the interests of hog producers in the western region of the United States throughout his two year term.

He and his wife, Rachel, recently won the Excellence in Agriculture award and will travel to the AFBF Annual Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, in January to represent Colorado Farm Bureau in the national Excellence in Agriculture competition.

Vermillion is the second Colorado Farm Bureau YF&R members to be appointed to an AFBF Committee. Nathan Weathers was appointed to the AFBF YF&R Committee earlier this month.

USDA U-Turn on Roundup Ready Alfalfa

Despite a previous committment to full deregulation of biotech alfalfa, Sec. Tom Vilsack (right) is now entertaining the idea of releasing the crop with various restrictions.

Despite the USDA’s own proposal from last year, Sec. Vilsack’s department is now reversing course on deregulating Roundup Ready Alfalfa. According to the Department’s environmental review, the alfalfa was judged substantially equivalent to other varieties without red flags for regulators. But instead of taking the news as a green light to let the alfalfa on the market, as they have with other biotech plants like corn, USDA is waffling.

Now, the deregulation of Roundup Ready alfalfa could be accompanied by restrictions on seed production and, in some cases, cultivation of the hay itself, should USDA decide on implementing one of two preferred alternatives presented in a court-ordered environmental review of the crop.

The Wall Street Journal has strong words about the decision to “invite representatives from the biotech and organic industries to USDA in the coming days to discuss how the two farming methods may coexist.”

By suggesting that industry and activist groups negotiate compromises in advance of the final ruling on whether to deregulate, Mr. Vilsack is using the Department’s regulatory authority as leverage against businesses whose products are overwhelmingly regulated by USDA.

It gets worse. Mr. Vilsack’s authority in the regulatory decision-making process is based on the assumption of sound scientific data. But according to people who attended the meeting last Monday, the USDA Secretary told the assembled groups that science itself is subjective, and that he could have three different groups bring him three different supposedly scientific opinions.

Salazar Offered Ag Comissioner Job

According to the Daily Sentinel, U.S. Rep. John Salazar is close to accepting an offer from Gov.-elect John Hickenlooper to head the Colorado Department of Agriculture, two highly placed sources close to the Denver mayor’s transition team confirmed Thursday.

Roberts to be Ranking Member on Senate Ag

Sen. Pat Roberts, (R-Kan.)

It seems that Sen. Pat Roberts (R- Kan) will take over as the ranking Republican on the Senate Ag Committee. Current ranking member, Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R- Ga.) is moving to the Senate Intelligence Committee according to Sen. Chuck Grassley (R- Iowa).

According to Chris Clayton of DTN,

Roberts is a strong defender of direct payments, having effectively creating the program as House Agriculture Committee chairman for the 1996 farm bill. Wheat growers in his state are big backers of the program so shifting from Chambliss to Roberts as ranking member likely doesn’t create a huge ripple effect in policy shifts, at least in that regard.

Omnibus Lands Bill Sure to Fail

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has abandoned plans to pass omnibus lands legislation but is working to pass certain pieces of the bill before the end of the session.

The omnibus bill,  titled “The Great Outdoors Act of 2010,” included the Rep. Polis sponsored Hidden Gems bill and more than 110 land and water bills from across the U.S.

Will Rousch, the Gems campaign outreach coordinator, said they are confident Polis will re-introduce the bill — which he called the Eagle and Summit County Wilderness Preservation Act —this spring, in the next session of congress.

(Image: dgroup)

 

Sugar Beet Decision Delayed Again

Genetically modified sugar beet plants that would produce seeds for the 2012 planting season can’t yet be destroyed as ordered by a judge, a federal appeals court in San Francisco ruled.

The U.S. Court of Appeals put on hold until Feb. 28 a judges Nov. 30 order to dig up 256 acres of sugar beet seedlings, or until it issues an order, whichever is first, according to a ruling yesterday. Environmental groups sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture to block planting permits given four companies for beets this season. The plants wont flower before the permits expire in February, so there is no risk of gene flow, the USDA said in court filings.

Bartlett to Head CAWA

Charlie Bartlett, Merino area farmer and current board member of the Colorado Corn Administrative Committee, was recently elected Chair of the Colorado Ag Water Alliance (CAWA). John Stencel, former president of Rocky Mountain Farmer’s Union, was elected Vice-Chair. Both will serve a one-year term.

The CAWA is unique in that its membership is comprised of producers and  executives of agricultural organizations who are committed to the preservation of irrigated agriculture, spanning all watersheds, and most agricultural sectors in Colorado.

When asked about his involvement  Bartlett responded, “I’m excited to help educate people about  water usage in Colorado. CAWA is an organization that represents all facets of agriculture. It provides and promotes a cooperative venue for industrial,  municipal, and agricultural  water users to come together in order to protect this important natural resource.”

Food Network Host Praises U.S. Beef Processing

Ellie Krieger, a dietitian and host of Food Networks, “Healthy Appetite” was featured on the digital pages of the Huffington Post this morning praising the beef industry after touring a Cargill meat packing plant in Texas.

Rather, I am stunned by how humanly the animals were treated and by the detailed attention given to food safety at every stage of the process.

I am sure not all beef processing plants are as exemplary as the one I saw, and I applaud those who expose unacceptable practices, but it is important (and I think quite a relief) to know that there is another side to the story. I guess the truest way to explain how I feel about the way beef is produced after all I saw that busy day is to tell you that for dinner that night I thoroughly enjoyed a nice piece of beef tenderloin.

Being the Huffington Post the comment section has a few little nuggets like this,

By supporting factory-fa­rming, we become the vampires, depicted in so many horror films, feeding on the flesh of animals. Is this the new normal?

And like this,

Yes, they are treated “humanly,” if by that you mean humans murder them in mass quantities. But if you meant treated “humanely,­” mass murder seems rather cruel.

But on the whole, the conversation surrounding the article is fairly positive. There are many people in the comments section praising the author for her insight and work in reporting what goes on in a processing plant first hand. You should be one of them!

Click here to read and comment on the piece!

CRS Outlines Farm Bill Issues

FarmPolicy.com reports today on a report by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) outlining the biggest issues for the next Farm Bill. The report mentions increased calls for a departure from direct payments in favor of expanded insurance and disaster programs, and linking payments to farm revenue as opposed to commodity prices.

“Managing farm risk—Crop insurance has very high participation rates, a result driven in part by the high subsidization levels but also because the program in fact reduces both yield and revenue risks. Some members of Congress and policy observers have wondered if crop insurance might be the only element of the farm safety net that remains in the distant future if farm programs are rationalized and funding is reduced.

FarmPolicy.com extensively covers all the news about Farm Bill issues on a daily basis. It is a one stop shop for all things Ag policy related. Check it out!

Senate Passes Food Safety Bill

On Sunday, the Senate passed the food safety bill by unanimous consent. The bill now goes to the House where passage is expected this week. President Obama has pledged to sign the bill. The bill will overhaul the nation’s food safety laws for the first time since the Great Depression.

The Senate originally approved food safety legislation last month, but it became a victim of congressional pingpong because of congressional rules that all funding measures must begin in the Senate. The technicality was corrected, and the bill will likely be signed into law this year.

The measure would require manufacturers and some farmers to take steps to prevent food contamination and to continually test to make sure it is working. It also would give the Food and Drug Administration new authority to recall food. The measure is expected to cost $1.4 billion over the next four years; this includes the expense of hiring 2,000 new FDA inspectors.

Kelli Ludlum, AFBF food safety specialist, said the legislation won’t impact most farmers and ranchers.

(Image: matthannon)

Private Insurers Offer Up Crop Insurance

Techies in California have launched an insurance service for farmers seeking insulation against the largest source of crop loss — bad weather.

It’s called WeatherBill, and the company’s deep-pocketed investors are betting that they’ve caught lightning in a bottle.

The San Francisco company, which already sells insurance against nasty weather to clients such as the U.S. Open tennis tournament, is in the midst of shifting 80 percent of its focus to agriculture.

“Clearly we think there’s a big market for this,” said Greg Smirin, vice president of marketing and product for WeatherBill.

On its face, the sales pitch to farmers is simple: Insure against bad weather during key times of year such as the planting season — a protection that goes beyond what is available through federally subsidized crop insurance.

“I think farmers will be interested in this product, but I think they’ll be hesitant as well,” said Ray Massey, a crop insurance expert with the University of Missouri in Columbia. “There’s going to be an issue of trust.”

But Massey added that in a boom year like this, farmers might be willing to roll the dice on added protection against a temperamental Mother Nature.

Weekly Links

Today we would like to unveil a new feature, the Weekly Links.

Every week, we are inundated with much more news than we can summarize and bring to you to view. There is simply just too much information out there.

The Weekly Links will be posted every Friday and will contain all the information we think you might be interested in seeing. There are plenty of news items out there that, while they don’t necessarily warrant their own post, should still be talked about and read by you. Some weeks there will be many, some weeks none.

The links will contain items culled from all over the internet. News outlets, blogs, micro-blogs, and every other type of digital information will be fair game to be put into the Weekly Links. Please give this weeks post a look. We hope you find it of value. The links are after the jump.

By Popular Demand

Since the CFB Annual Meeting, we have has several requests to post the Service to Agriculture awards presentation given to Dr. Foutz and Mr. Barney Vissar at the Annual Banquet. As a result we have posted the presentation made to Dr. Foutz for the Inside Farm Bureau Service to Agriculture Award. The presentation given to Barney Visser for the Outside Farm Bureau award will be posted in the next day or two. Check back soon.

If you didn’t make it to the Annual Meeting this year, you wont want to miss this presentation. And its available in HD!!  Enjoy!

CFB Praises House Passage of Tax Relief Measure

Colorado Farm Bureau is pleased that The House of Representatives voted 277-148 late Thursday night to approve the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010 bill that extends the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts for two years.

This legislation sets the estate tax at 35 percent with a $5 million exemption through 2012. The legislation, which passed the Senate by a vote of 81-19 on Wednesday, now goes to President Barack Obama for his signature.

“The estate tax is the number one farm killer there is. Some members of Congress originally argued that the estate tax exemption was too high,” said Don Shawcroft, President of Colorado Farm Bureau. “On Thursday Colorado Farm Bureau sent a letter to members of the Colorado delegation which illustrated that with current land values and the value of  water rights a very small farm can quickly exceed the $3.5 million exemption that these members wanted.”

“This reform will do a long way in helping to keep farms in the family. I would like to commend Congress and President Obama for working together to pass meaningful tax reforms that will benefit Colorado Farm Bureau members.”

do Farm Bureau is pleased that The House of Representatives voted 277-148 late Thursday night to approve the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance

Colorado Farm Bureau is pleased that The House of Representatives voted 277-148 late Thursday night to approve the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010 bill that extends the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts for two years.

This legislation sets the estate tax at 35 percent with a $5 million exemption through 2012. The legislation, which passed the Senate by a vote of 81-19 on Wednesday, now goes to President Barack Obama for his signature.

Colorado Farm Bureau is pleased that The House of Representatives voted 277-148 late Thursday night to approve the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010 bill that extends the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts for two years.

This legislation sets the estate tax at 35 percent with a $5 million exemption through 2012. The legislation, which passed the Senate by a vote of 81-19 on Wednesday, now goes to President Barack Obama for his signature.

Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010 bill that extends the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts for two years.

This legislation sets the estate tax at 35 percent with a $5 million exemption through 2012. The legislation, which passed the Senate by a vote of 81-19 on Wednesday, now goes to President Barack Obama for his signature.

Governor Elect ‘Inclined’ to Support NISP

According to Bill Jackson at the Greeley Tribune

While the state “needs serious conservation” efforts, the needs of agriculture also have to be met when it comes to water, Hickenlooper told a crowd of close to 200 at the 2010 Colorado Ag Classic at the Embassy Suites in Loveland.

The soon-to-be governor was asked where he stands on the proposed Northern Integrated Supply Project, which includes a new reservoir northwest of Fort Collins that would supply 40,000 acre-feet of water annually to 15 water providers in Larimer and Weld counties.

“I have seen a presentation, and I think I’m inclined to support it. But I want to see the results of the environmental study first,” Hickenlooper said.

Takeaway? Hickenlooper is learning about water. While he still touted Denver’s conservation efforts during his tenure, he now realizes that what is good for cities is not always good for agricultural users. We hope the Hickenlooper team continues to leverage Ag groups as they learn more about water and other rural issues.

Nearly Half of Every Dollar Raised by HSUS Goes to Overhead

The Humane Society of the United States spends nearly half of every dollar donated on fundraising and other overhead costs, according to the Center for Consumer Freedom.

The data comes from an analysis of HSUS’ 2009 federal tax return by Animal People News.

Earlier this year, the American Institute of Philanthropy (which runs CharityWatch.org) downgraded HSUS and the HSUS-run Fund for Animals this year to overall grades of “D.”  And that was after Charity Navigator, reacting to HSUS’s high fundraising costs, gave it just one star (out of four) for efficiency. HSUS’s global arm (Humane Society International) received an overall one-star rating too.

The 2009 tax return is available for download from the HSUS website.

Call Today, Tax extenders in the House!!!!

Senate Tax extenders in the House!!!!!!!!!! 

Today, December 15, 2010 the Senate passed the tax extenders bill by a vote of 81-19.  The House is projected to begin consideration of this legislation tomorrow, December 16.  

The Senate version of the tax extenders bill contains reforms to the estate tax.  The Senate language would tax families at 35 percent on property worth over $5 million.  If the estate tax issue is not dealt with before January 1, 2011, the estate tax will revert to its original form of a tax rate of 55% on property worth over $1 million.  The 35% rate in the Senate language is making some members of the House think the estate tax is too expensive and should be amended to a 45 percent tax rate on estates worth more than $3.5 million. 

 Colorado Farm Bureau is in strong support of the estate tax provision as passed by the Senate. 

What you need to do is call your representative IMMEDIATELY!  The main Capitol switchboard is 202-224-3121 and they can transfer you to your representative’s office.  Urge your representative to support the estate language as passed by the Senate. Agriculture cannot afford for Congress to play political games with the estate tax issue.  The House needs to accept the Senate estate tax language and pass the bill before adjourning for the year.  

Colorado Representatives: 

Diana DeGette-1^st Congressional district

Jared Polis- 2^nd Congressional district

John Salazar- 3^rd Congressional district

Besty Markey- 4^th Congressional district

Doug Lamborn- 5^th Congressional district

Mike Coffman- 6^th Congressional district

Ed Perlmutter- 7^th Congressional district

Scientists Make Foot-and-Mouth Disease Breakthrough

Scientists with the Agriculture Department’s Agriculture Research Service have identified the primary site where the virus that causes foot-and-mouth disease begins infection in cattle.

The discovery could lead to development of new vaccines to control and potentially eradicate FMD, a highly contagious and sometimes fatal viral disease of cloven-hoofed animals that is considered the most economically devastating livestock disease in the world.

The discovery was made by scientists at the ARS Foreign Animal Disease Research Unit at the Plum Island Animal Disease Center at Orient Point, N.Y. Researchers found that after just six hours of exposure to the FMD virus through the cow’s nasal passages, the virus selectively infects epithelial cells in the nasopharynx, a specific region of the back of the throat.

Senate Passage of Tax Cut Bill Expected Tonight

The Senate on Monday voted to invoke cloture on a bill that extends tax cuts to all Americans and includes estate tax provisions supported by Farm Bureau. This sets the stage for final Senate passage, which is expected this evening.

The strong bipartisan vote to proceed with debate is seen as a sign that the Senate will pass the bill. However, its fate is uncertain in the House, where the estate tax provisions have been heavily criticized by Democrats. Last week, the House Democratic Caucus voted not to bring the bill to the floor because of the estate tax language.

USDA Report Shows Tight Supplies of Corn, Cotton, Soybeans

The Agriculture Department’s December crop report released Friday shows continued tight supplies of corn, cotton and soybeans that will help drive planting decisions next year, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation.

“Grain stocks weren’t reduced as much as we had expected, with USDA only making minor adjustments to the corn, wheat and soybean balance sheets,” said John Anderson, AFBF economist. “USDA did, however, lower its cotton stocks forecast to 1.9 million bales, compared to 2.2 million bales in last month’s report. That’s a drop of 300,000 bales in ending stocks, which is a significant drop given how low stocks already were.”

The USDA report indicates supplies of the three crops will be tight going into the new year. That points to strong demand, higher prices and an increase in corn, cotton and soybean plantings in 2011, according to Anderson.

(Image: Martin LaBar)

 

The Agriculture Department’s December crop report released Friday shows continued tight supplies of corn, cotton and soybeans that will help drive planting decisions next year, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation.

“Grain stocks weren’t reduced as much as we had expected, with USDA only making minor adjustments to the corn, wheat and soybean balance sheets,” said John Anderson, AFBF economist. “USDA did, however, lower its cotton stocks forecast to 1.9 million bales, compared to 2.2 million bales in last month’s report. That’s a drop of 300,000 bales in ending stocks, which is a significant drop given how low stocks already were.”

The USDA report indicates supplies of the three crops will be tight going into the new year. That points to strong demand, higher prices and an increase in corn, cotton and soybean plantings in 2011, according to Anderson.

CFB Members Appointed to AFBF YF&R Committee

Nathan and Nikki Weathers of Yuma County have been appointed to the AFBF YF&R Committee to represent the Western Region. In a letter informing the couple of the news AFBF President Stallman said that “It is also my hope that you will continue to develop useful leadership skills that you can take away and apply throughout your future.

“You are among the nation’s best young farmers and ranchers.  I am thoroughly impressed by the quality of your application and the dedication you have given to Farm Bureau and your communities.  I look forward to meeting you personally during the course of your tenure.”

Please help us in congratulating the Weathers’ on their appointment by leaving a comment to this post.

You are among the nation’s best young farmers and ranchers.  I am thoroughly impressed by the quality of your application and the dedication you have given to Farm Bureau and your communities.  I look forward to meeting you personally during the course of your tenure.

USDA to Move Forward with Cost-Benefit Analysis of GIPSA Rule

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack told poultry and meat industry representatives on Monday that USDA will conduct a more thorough cost benefit analysis of new livestock marketing rules proposed by the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA).

Vilsack declined to speculate how long the review process would take, but said the rule as published June 22 was a draft and could be extensively changed before being finalized.

Industry groups weighed in extensively with their concerns about the proposals during an extended comment period which ended Nov. 22, including criticizing the lack of an adequate economic analysis in the proposed rule.

“A serious and robust analysis of the economic impact of the proposed GIPSA rule is long overdue,” said NCC Senior Vice President and Chief Economist Bill Roenigk.  “The rule will have a profound, far-reaching and costly impact on the poultry and livestock industries, and it should not have been put forth without an appropriate analysis of its impact on farmers and ranchers, industry, and consumers.”

YF&R Conference Deadline Extended!!

Attention:  Colorado Farm Bureau Young Farmer & Rancher Leadership Conference reservation deadline has been extended!

The deadline for reservations for the Colorado Farm Bureau Young Farmer and Rancher Leadership Conference January 21-23 at the Crowne Plaza in Colorado Springs has been extended to Friday December 31 ^st .

Please call 888-233-9527 and say you would like to reserve a room under the Young Farmer and Rancher Conference.  You should be given an $89/night rate.

The Colorado Farm Bureau Young Farmer and Rancher Committee is holding its Annual Leadership Conference on January 21^st – 23^rd 2011 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Colorado Springs.

The conference agenda is after the jump.

Washington Update

There have been many moving parts in Washington, DC this week between a Continuing Resolution, Food Safety and extending the Bush tax cuts.

Continuing Resolution and Food Safety

Per this current fiscal year, none of the twelve FY 2011 spending bills have been enacted by Congress. As such a continuing resolution was introduced earlier this week.  A continuing resolution (CR) is legislation that is used to continue to fund the United States government when regular spending bills do not get passed.

Nebraska governor on HSUS: ‘We’re going to beat them’

The governor of Nebraska is sending a strong message to the Humane Society of the United States—if the animal rights group goes after the state’s livestock industry, it’s in for a fight.

“The Humane Society of the United States is anti-agriculture and they’re out to destroy animal agriculture—and if they want to come to Nebraska, we’re going to fight them and we’re going to beat them,” Heineman says. “Agriculture is the number one industry in this state.  It’s what makes our economy so strong.  I’m going to stand tall and this is a fight we won’t shy away from.”

In an interview with Brownfield after his speech to the Nebraska Cattlemen’s group in Kearney, Heineman made it clear that compromise is not an option.

“In Nebraska, no deal, no compromise—we’re going to stand up, we’re going to beat them,” he says. “They’d be better off going somewhere else because they’re going to lose if they stay in Nebraska.”

HSUS has recently become more active in Nebraska, hiring a state director and holding a town hall meeting in Lincoln.

Farm Bureau Members Invited to Submit ‘Work’ Videos

Farm and ranch families perform a lot of dirty, tough jobs in the process of providing food and fiber for their fellow Americans. But, the big question is—Can they compete with show host and narrator Mike Rowe, who will be the keynote speaker at AFBF’S 2011 annual meeting, Jan. 10, in Atlanta?

Farm Bureau members from across the nation are invited to shoot and share their best home videos posted to YouTube of just how challenging, arduous and grungy farm and ranch work can be. It’s all part of AFBF’s “Farm/Ranch Families Work” video contest.

The deadline for the contest is Dec. 29. Once members have their hard-work videos posted to YouTube, all they need to do is send a link before the deadline date to the contest e-mail address: FBWORKS@fb.org.

The winning video submitted by a Farm Bureau member will be featured during the 2011 AFBF annual meeting Closing General Session, Monday, Jan. 10.

A full listing of the contest rules can be found at: http://fb.org/index.php?fuseaction=2011annual.contest

Cow Bites Wolf?

ALBUQUERQUE – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says a Mexican gray wolf found dead in southwestern New Mexico in October probably died of an intestinal rupture.

A preliminary report says the female wolf from the Morgart pack ingested a plastic ear tag commonly used on domestic cattle and that a rupture in the small intestines likely killed the animal.

(Image: Douglas Brown)