Notes from MN Farmers Union 4-20-09
Notes from the Minnesota Farmers Union Monday April 20th, 2009
District Meetings
MFU President Doug Peterson thanks the over 100 Farmers Union members and friends that attended the recently held district meetings held around the state. MFU was pleased to have Commissioner Gene Hugoson join MFU at two of the meetings as well as Sen. Tony Lourey and Rep. Bill Hilty at the Moose Lake meeting. MFU members talked about many issues including health care, banking and bailouts, animal id, COOL, and Green Acres.
Senate passes omnibus Agriculture bill
Last Friday the Senate passed SF 1779 by a vote of 49-13. MFU sent a letter to the Senators urging their support for the legislation authored by Sen. Jim Vickerman. MFU felt that the legislation made reasonable cuts including a little over $2 million in one-time money from the ethanol producer payments and a cut of less than 10% to AURI. The bill includes increased money for the wolf and elk depredation account, which is an MFU priority. In the letter MFU did urge lawmakers to consider the impact of a proposed nearly one million dollar cut to the marketing department, and the impact it could have on all aspects of agriculture and MFU will continue to work on the issues as it goes through conference committee. You can see all the bill details here: SF1779 .
House bill moving through process
The House omnibus Ag bill HF 1122, authored by Rep. Al Juhnke has cleared the Finance committee and this week will hit the Ways and Means Committee before ending up on the floor for debate later in the week. MFU is supportive of the legislation which makes a bigger cut than the Senate to the ethanol producer payments (like the Senate it is actually deferring the payments a little longer actually), and makes reasonable cuts to other programs such as AURI and Dairy profitability teams. The House bill also has money for the depredation account and also has $1 million dollars for the livestock investment grant program. The House bill also like the Senate contains many of MFU's policy priorities including the Farmer-Lender Meditation act extension. Checkout the bill here: HF 1122 .
MDA Gov't Relations page
The Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture has a very helpful and informational government relations page, check it out at: http://www.mda.state.mn.us/news/government/default.htm
MFU promotes ag's role in climate change
MFU is advocating for the inclusion of a robust and voluntary agriculture offset program in climate change legislation, urging lawmakers to support legislation that addresses the unique role America's agriculture producers can play in combating global climate change.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) just announced that it plans to regulate greenhouse gas emissions on the grounds that these pollutants pose a danger to the public's health and welfare. "Since 2006, Farmers Union has had a Carbon Credit Program that sequesters greenhouse gas emissions," said Doug Peterson, MFU President. Farmers Union supports a national, mandatory carbon emission cap and trade system, and believes it is important climate change legislation allow the United States Department of Agriculture to develop and administer the protocols, standards and verification system for an agricultural offset program, establish carbon sequestration rates based on science and allow early actors to be eligible to participate in a new offset program. The Farmers Union Carbon Credit Program launched in 2006 has enrolled 4.7 million acres across the country, offsetting the annual emissions of 320,000 automobiles, and Farmers Union is now the largest aggregator of carbon credits on the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX). EPA must hold a 60-day public comment period before finalizing its finding, and it would then have to look at regulating individual sectors of the economy. For more info on the Farmers Union carbon program checkout www.mfu.org
Johnson to testify on crop insurance
NFU President Roger Johnson has been invited to testify before House Ag Committee this week regarding "farmers' opinions on the effectiveness of the federal crop insurance program." Chairman Collin Peterson will be making a full review of the federal crop insurance program this year....this week's hearing will be the first in a series of hearings.
MFU Golf Outing
The 2nd annual MFU golf fun day will be held Thursday, June 25, 2009 at the Sandhill River Golf Course in Fertile with proceeds going toward supporting MFU Youth Activities and Camps. Sign-In by 12:00 Noon Day of Event For pre-registration, sponsorship and questions, call Ken Pazdernik at 218-206-4499 or e-mail at pazdernik@loretel.net, and send entry fees made out to MFU Foundation and send to Ken Pazdernik at 401 5th Street West, Ada, MN 56510.
Hansmeier attends Bachman meeting
Last week, Benton County Farmers Union President John Hansmeier represented MFU at a meeting with agricultural leaders with Rep. Michelle Bachman in St. Cloud to discuss ag issues. Hansmeier reports that the struggles for dairy farmers and the industry was by far the top topic, with cap and trade also being discussed.
Environmental Review
HF 2123, authored by Rep. Jean Wagenius, which is omnibus environment finance bill includes language that would require project proposes to pay for the costs of environmental assessment worksheets and provides an exemption for local units of government for the equivalent of the first ten hours of the costs and also require the Commissioner of the PCA to submit a report to the legislature on options to streamline the environmental review process by January 15, 2010. It also requires the Commissioner to consult with state agencies, local government units, and business, agriculture and environmental advocacy organizations with an interest in environmental review and requires the report to include options that reduce the amount of time required and the costs of environmental review, while maintaining air, land, and water quality standards.
EPA seeks comments on E-15 request
EPA is seeking public comments on a waiver application to increase the amount of ethanol that can be blended into a gallon of gasoline to up to 15 volume percent (E15). Since 1978, the limit has been at ten volume percent ethanol (E10) for conventional (non flex-fuel) vehicles. The comment period will be open for 30 days after the notice is published in the Federal Register. Growth Energy and 54 ethanol manufacturers submitted the E15 application to EPA on March 6, 2009. Current statute calls for EPA to make a decision within 270 days of receipt, which is December 1, 2009. More information on E15 request: http://www.epa.gov/otaq/additive.htm
ACE E-15 petition
To show widespread grassroots support for ethanol and the move to increase the base blend up to E15, the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) has launched a comprehensive E15 Grassroots Campaign, including an on-line petition. Check it out at www.ethanol.org/petition
NFU statement on CBO ethanol report
NFU President Roger Johnson recently made the following statement in response to a report released last week by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) on the impact of ethanol on food prices. "The CBO report states what we have known all along, America's farmers are not a significant reason for increasing grocery store prices. The report states that increased ethanol production caused a mere 0.5 and 0.8 percentage point increase in the price of food between April 2007 and April 2008. "Increased ethanol production saved consumers $48 billion at the gas pump in 2007. The food cost increase attributable to ethanol is far less - between $6.1 and $9.7 billion per year. In other words, for every extra dollar consumers spent on food, they saved between about $5.00 and $8.00 in gasoline cost. "Despite the efforts by some to blame higher food costs on farmers and commodity prices, it is evident this is not the case. NFU is again calling for Congress to reconvene hearings to investigate higher retail food prices; while commodity prices have tanked since last summer's peak, grocery store prices remain high." Remember you can checkout Farmers Union's farmers share food price link here: http://nfu.org/issues/agriculture-programs/resources/farmers-share
Legislative Auditor releases biofuels report
The Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor has released the program evaluation, Biofuel Policies and Programs, on Friday, April 17, 2009. MFU attended the public hearing of the release of the report where the major finding was that the legislators should consider ending the ethanol producer-payments. One thing I found interesting was that the auditor did not interview any of the plant managers or visit any of the plants when making the recommendations. MFU supports the state honoring its commitment made to the farmers who invested in these plants. You can see the report here:
http://www.auditor.leg.state.mn.us/ped/2009/biofuels.htm
Philbrook gets USDA position
I haven't seen this reported much, but I thought it was interesting.... USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced recnetly the appointment of Burnham John "Bud" Philbrook as USDA's deputy under secretary for farm and foreign agricultural services (FFAS). Philbrook will largely have responsibility for the international side of the FFAS mission area. Previously, Philbrook was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives and served in the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, beginning in the 1970s. In 1984, Philbrook co-founded Global Volunteers, a St. Paul-based non-profit that sends up to 2,500 volunteers a year to 100 communities in 20 countries. He also briefly ran for Governor in I believe 2006.
New MDA Tool
Minnesota farmers and landowners can now use a new online tool to get key information about financial assistance for conservation projects. Developed by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), the new Minnesota Conservation Funding Guide is a "one-stop" resource for information about agricultural and natural resource conservation practices and payments. The Conservation Funding Guide is comprehensive yet easy to use. The guide provides quick access to overviews of more than 50 soil conservation, water quality, feedlot management, wildlife habitat and other practices, with side-by-side payment comparisons. The guide will help users find practices that match their land management goals. MDA Conservation Program Specialist Barbara Weisman says the Conservation Funding Guide is designed to help landowners research the various options on their own prior to seeking advice from local, state or federal conservation experts.
Find a link to the Minnesota Conservation Funding Guide on the MDA website home page at www.mda.state.mn.us .
Bill Introductions of note:
Senator Kubly introduced--S.F. No. 2065: A bill for an act relating to employment; requiring a report on green jobs in the food production sector; appropriating money for farm-to-school and farm-to-home pilot projects.
Senator Stumpf introduced--S.F. No. 2067: A bill for an act relating to education finance; authorizing a grant for an online high school agricultural education program; appropriating money.
MFU Camps
MFU is holding 5 summer camps for youths this year, they are an excellent experience and very affordable, checkout this link for more info: http://www.mfu.org/node/84
Finally....
Congrats to my wife, Alana....announcement
That is all for now, as usual, questions, comments and complaints to me!
Thom Petersen, MN Farmers Union