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Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation Ag News Wire

Madison, WI(WFBF newsletter) -GOVERNOR SIGNS PROPANE-RELATED DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY
As requested by the Farm Bureau, Wisconsin Propane Gas Association and five other ag-related organizations, on Tuesday Gov. Jim Doyle signed an executive order that exempts propane drivers from hours-of-service restrictions to help move along sufficient supplies of propane to meet Wisconsin's grain-drying needs. The Wisconsin State Journal reports that "Many propane drivers have spent hours at propane terminals waiting for the product, then have few hours remaining on their allowable shift to drive the propane to its destination. Drivers are allowed by law to have 14 hours with their vehicles, then required to rest for 10 hours." The governor's order exempts propane drivers from state and federal driving time limits until Dec. 1.

PETA GOES AFTER SESAME STREET OVER EGGS
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has taken aim at Big Bird and company over Sesame Street producer Sesame Workshop's acceptance of the Egg Board as a corporate sponsor, saying the iconic kids show is "promoting the Good Egg Project in exchange for the egg industry's financial sponsorship." Sesame Workshop counters that accepting the sponsorship is not the same as endorsing the board. For the full story, click here.

COUNTING COW HERDS
There are now less than 13,000 dairy herds in America's Dairyland. That's according Wisconsin's Agricultural Statistics Service which recently reported there were 12,965 herds milking during the first week of November. That number is down 72 herds since August. Compared to a year ago, 513 herds either sold or merged with other operations. The total number of herds has been under the 14,000 mark since December 2007. In 1995 there were approximately 29,000 dairy farms in Wisconsin. Meanwhile, Clark County remains home to the most herds in the state with 991. Forest County has just two herds.

CLIMATE BILL MAY NOT HIT SENATE FLOOR UNTIL SPRING OR LATER
Word out of Washington is that climate change legislation is not expected to hit the Senate floor until July. It is possible the bill will be put off until the next Congress (2011). "Most of the country doesn't know what cap-and-trade is. They have no idea. I would say half the Senate has no idea what cap-and-trade is and could not explain it," Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, told The Hill on Tuesday. "You have to get this stuff out to the American people before you change their lives, and we are not paying any attention to that," Rockefeller said. Democratic centrists facing re-election, such as Sens. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) and Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), are said to not prefer consideration of the controversial climate bill shortly before Election Day 2010. Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal is reporting the bill won't come up until at least the spring. American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman applauded the decision by Senate leaders to delay consideration of climate change legislation. "This move offers a great opportunity for lawmakers to go back to the drawing board and re-assess the need for this legislation and the impact it will have on all Americans," Stallman said. "Legislation previously approved by the House, and a similar bill approved on a party-line vote by a Senate committee, would impose higher energy and food costs on consumers. The bills also would create an energy deficit due to limited alternatives." See the full AFBF statement

ESTATE TAX BILL STILL EXPECTED THIS YEAR
While rumors that estate tax legislation would be on the House floor this week proved false, action on estate tax legislation is still expected before the end of the year. The current estate tax exemption is $3.5 million per person and the top rate is 45 percent. Estate taxes will be temporarily repealed for one year in 2010. When this happens, stepped-up basis will be limited to $1.3 million per person plus an additional $3 million for property passed to a surviving spouse. After 2010, the exemption will shrink to $1 million a person and the top rate will rise to 55 percent and full step up in basis will be reinstated. Farm Bureau is supporting H.R. 3905 to phase in an increase in the estate tax exemption from $3.5 million to $5 million per person and to phase in a reduction of the top rate from 45 percent to 35 percent over 10 years. Farm Bureau is also working with Sens. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) and Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) to secure a $5 million exemption level and 35 percent rate in the Senate. A Dow Jones Newswire article reports that Democratic members of the House Ways and Means Committee agreed to back a one-year extension of current estate tax rather than passing permanent estate tax legislation. A permanent fix is expected next year, when other tax cuts enacted under the Bush administration are set to expire. Committee Chairman Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) is seeking a permanent extension of current law, which would cost $233.6 billion over 10 years but would not have to be offset under the budget framework backed by Democrats. An estate tax bill is expected to reach the floor after the Thanksgiving recess. President Barack Obama has proposed extending the 2009 estate tax levels permanently.

2010 – A GOOD YEAR FOR DYING???
I found this passage from American Farm Bureau interesting: "Farmers and ranchers have been joking for years that if you want to avoid paying the federal estate tax, plan to die in 2010. That's because Congress passed a law in 2001 that phased down the estate tax, taking it to zero in 2010. But, Congress also specified that it come roaring back in 2011 at 2001 levels. Hence the urgency for getting your dying done before the end of next year." Along those same lines, Keith Olsen, Nebraska Farm Bureau's president said, "I'm eager for Congress to act. I want to leave my farm intact for my family, but I shouldn't have to die in 2010 to do it."

SENATE COMMITTEE APPROVES FOOD SAFETY BILL
The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions on Wednesday approved a bill to increase the Food and Drug Administration's food safety authority, including greater oversight of imported food products. Farm Bureau sent a letter this week to committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and ranking member Michael Enzi (R-Wyo.) thanking them for their work on food safety legislation. The bill would allow FDA to require certification for high-risk foods, and to deny entry to a food that lacks certification or that is from a foreign facility that has refused U.S. inspectors. The Senate isn't expected to consider the bill until next year. For more, see the Reuters article

AFBF BACKS PERMANENT EXTENSION OF DONATED FOOD DEDUCTION
AFBF President Bob Stallman submitted a statement to the House Ways and Means Committee this week in support of H.R. 3227, to permanently extend and expand the charitable deduction for donated food. "Despite affordable food prices and ongoing government food assistance programs, the economic downturn has increased demand for hunger-relief assistance at food banks. Some farmers and ranchers already donate gleaned food to charitable organizations that feed the hungry. Many more would do so if they were able to bear the costs of harvesting and transporting food from fields to food banks," Stallman said. "Even though most farmers and ranchers pay taxes as individuals, current law only allows those who use accrual accounting to take advantage of tax incentives for charitable donations of food. H.R. 3227 makes the enhanced tax incentive permanent and expands the deduction so that farmers and ranchers who use cash basis accounting will also be able to recover some of their harvest and transportation costs." See the AFBF statement

COALITION STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF TRADE FOR AGRICULTURE
The Ag Trade Coalition has issued a statement on the "Importance of Trade for U.S. Agriculture" to underscore the positive contributions from trade and its importance to the economic recovery and food security of the United States. The coalition, which includes AFBF, noted that exports are essential to the prosperity of U.S. food and agriculture. About 25 percent of the total volume of U.S. farm production is exported, with many commodities having a much higher dependence on trade. U.S. food and agricultural exports are directly tied to jobs here at home and create economic opportunities for American farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses. The coalition applauded discussions being held this week between President Barack Obama and his Asian counterparts concerning the need for global economic growth. The group urged support for closer economic integration between nations through trade. See the Ag Trade Coalition news release

GOVERNOR PROCLAIMS TODAY ‘THANK YOU FARMERS & RANCHERS DAY'
With America having an abundant supply of safe, wholesome and affordable food; and Wisconsin contributing more cheese and cranberries than any other state, along with many other commodities like potatoes and other vegetables, Governor Jim Doyle felt it appropriate to proclaimed Friday, November 20 as 'Thank You Farmers and Ranchers Day' in Wisconsin. According to State Agriculture Secretary Rod Nilsestuen, the holiday season is a time to thank America's farmers and ranchers, who produce the food that nourishes us and serves as the centerpiece for family gatherings and holiday celebrations. To learn more, click here.

FARMERS EMBRACE BIOTECH FOR MANY BENEFITS
According to USDA, U.S. farmers have embraced biotech varieties of soybeans, cotton and corn at the rate of 91 percent, 88 percent and 85 percent, respectively. This is because agricultural biotechnology allows farmers to grow more food on less land using farming practices that are more cost-effective and environmentally sustainable. Despite these convincing statistics, a report titled "Impacts of Genetically Engineered Crops on Pesticide Use in the United States: The First Thirteen Years," claims "farmers are increasingly critical of GE crops." However, Sharon Bomer Lauritsen of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), said farmers continue to embrace biotechnology because of many benefits, specifically crops that yield more per acre with lower production costs while using farming practices that better protect the land and environment. "Thanks to biotechnology, farmers have adopted no- and reduced-tillage systems that utilize herbicidal weed control rather than plowing. This is delivering important benefits in the form of improved soil health and water retention, reduced runoff, fuel conservation, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and more efficient carbon storage in the soil." See the Biotechnology Industry Organization news release

HUNGER IN AMERICA
The issue of hunger made a lot of news this week. Here are some of the headlines:
- Putting food on the table was a struggle for one in seven U.S. families last year. The USDA is asking for a broader strategy to stop hunger, starting with a reauthorization of school nutrition programs. NPR

- Hungry America: Food insecurity, state by state. The Guardian UK
- USDA discusses importance of addressing child hunger, health and nutrition. USDA
- Editorial: Hunger in the United States New York Times
- The U.N. World Food Summit wraps up today, but not before drawing a lot of criticism for being short on solutions to feed the world's hungry. Associated Press

FARM BUREAU URGES TIMELY DISASTER PAYMENTS FOR 2009 CROPS
In many areas of the nation, farmers and ranchers have been hit hard by late planting and a protracted, wet harvest season. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, they would benefit greatly from the Agriculture Department maximizing farm bill emergency assistance programs. "Farmers are experiencing both quality and quantity losses and many still do not have crops out of the fields," AFBF President Bob Stallman wrote in a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. When a disaster of this magnitude strikes, "getting help to farmers quickly can make the difference between a farmer filing for bankruptcy and holding onto the farm in hopes of passing it on to the next generation," Stallman wrote. In light of the situation, Stallman urged Vilsack to maximize its use of farm bill programs such as Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments and Emergency Loans to aid farmers and ranchers. Further, Stallman requested that USDA "act as it has in the past and provide farmers and ranchers with estimated fast-tracked partial disaster payments for the 2009 crop year as quickly as possible." See the AFBF news release

WHO'S THE FURTHEST BEHIND IN HARVEST?
Most states should be parking the combines for corn harvest. But, according to the latest USDA Crop Progress ratings, that is far from the case. See which states are the furthest behind and which ones are finally finished. See the list from Crop progress report.

RESEARCHERS ASK: ARE CAGED CHICKENS MISERABLE?
Are cramped chickens crazy chickens? Researchers are trying to answer that question through several studies that intend to take emotions out of an angry debate between animal welfare groups and producers. At issue are small cages, typically 24 inches wide by 25 1/2 inches deep, that can be shared by up to nine hens. About 96 percent of eggs sold in the United States come from hens who live in the so-called battery cages from the day they're born until their egg-laying days end 18 to 24 months later. Public opinion appears to side with those who oppose the cages. Voters in California approved a proposition last year that bans cramped cages for hens. And Michigan's governor signed legislation last month requiring confined animals to have enough room to turn around and fully extend their limbs. Peter Skewes, a Clemson University researcher, is leading one of the studies comparing how different housing affects egg-laying hens. He said there are plenty of "emotional" opinions about whether the cages are inhumane, but few are based on facts. "Hopefully we will contribute something so decisions can be made based on science and knowledge about how we house birds and the implications for different systems," said Skewes, who is in the early stages of a three-year study funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Read the full story from the Associated Press.

PORK'S PROBLEMS
Coharie Farms was the biggest, but not the only, pork producer in North Carolina to go out of business recently. The Raleigh News & Observer reports that hog farmers are afraid for their livelihoods at this point. Grain and hog producers have been left without contracts in the face of losing money on their hogs, higher input costs, and lower demand. This week the Southeast Farm Press also contains a story on pork producers seeing record losses.

WISCONSIN LEGISLATORS DRAFT RAW MILK BILL
Earlier today two state legislators from northwest Wisconsin introduced a bill for co-sponsorship regarding the sale of raw milk. LRB 3242/3 by Sen. Pat Kreitlow (D-Chippewa Falls) and Rep. Chris Danou (D-Trempealeau) would permit the sale of raw milk directly from Wisconsin farms in certain controlled conditions. Under this bill, in order to sell raw milk, farmers must obtain a grade A dairy farm permit from the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, make certain that the container for the raw milk is prepared and filled in a sanitary manner, and a sign must be displayed that explains to consumers that the milk is not pasteurized, alerting them to possible health concerns. The lawmakers gave their colleagues until Dec. 4 to have their names added to the bill as co-sponsors.

DEBT LANDSCAPE FOR U.S. FARMS HAS SHIFTED
Fewer farm operators rely on borrowed funds, but farm debt is increasingly concentrated in larger farms: Amber Waves, December 2009

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND PROSPECTS FOR GROWTH IN U.S. CORN YIELDS
Investment in scientific research is key for boosting corn yields, making productivity, environmental, and bioenergy goals easier to attain: Amber Waves, December 2009