January 2008 Newsletter

On December 13, 2007, the U.S. Senate voted to reject the Dorgan-Grassley payment limits amendment to the farm bill. The amendment was defeated with 56 in favor and 43 opposed under an agreement by leadership to require 60 votes for passage.

For those senators who voted for family farms by voting for the amendment, we urge you to call and offer your sincere thanks. For those senators who voted to continue unlimited payments that destroy family farming and rural communities by voting against the amendment, we urge you to call and express your deep disappointment.

The U.S. Senate has rejected the Dorgan-Grassley amendment to close payment limitation loopholes and invest the savings in small business development, beginning farmers, and creating a future in rural America.

The vote demonstrates that Southern members of Congress are not the primary obstacle to farm policy that strengthens America’s rural communities. The responsibility for killing reform lies with a small handful of Northern Plains and Midwestern senators who sided with selfish interests over the needs of the majority of farmers and rural people.

Well, it’s 9:00 pm on December 13, and this newsletter article is 48 hours overdue, at least. And we are still in the office watching the waning hours of the Senate farm bill debate. Now is as good a time as any (or as late as our newsletter editor can reasonably allow) to offer an update on how livestock market reforms are faring.

Through the farm bill debate, we have been promoting the Cooperative Conservation Partnerships Initiative. In our view, this provision should support farmers and ranchers who want to do special conservation projects to enhance natural resources AND assist rural community development efforts by allowing public access on their land.

The 2007 farm bill has proven, once again, that success in the work that we tackle here at the Center for Rural Affairs requires persistence and determination. The disappointing farm bill debate demonstrates that winning real reform on fundamental issues often takes years or even decades.

That is why we created the Granary Foundation 10 years ago. We raised over $6 million dollars from donors making gifts of every size. Some gave cash gifts. Some included the Granary in their planned giving or their will.

Kentucky: Advocates for the communities affected by mountaintop-removal coal mining had a recent opportunity to take members of the statehouse on a tour of mine sites. The group visited both strip mines and the people who live in nearby communities. Some state legislators where moved by the trip, and pledge to work to pass legislation to stop the practice. Other legislators continue to support it.

Maryland: In an effort to control pollution from farm runoff, the state is promoting winter cover crops through a state conservation program. The state pays farmers up to $50 per acre to plant wheat, rye, or other crops on their bare fields before winter. This year farmers are expected to plant a full one-third of cropland in the state with a cover crop protecting it from erosion and runoff and building soil organic matter.

A community’s culture makes it special. Yet to be sustainable, a level of economic and social cohesiveness is needed. One of the key components of a sustainable community model lies in local food consumption.

We have seen many “Buy Local” campaigns started throughout the country, but what do they really mean in terms of community?

In 2004, we released a report highlighting the economic development strategies that were working for communities across the rural Great Plains. Fresh Promises focused on these opportunities and divided them into categories that are crucial for viable rural communities, especially ones that are agriculturally-based.

These categories are again highlighted in our newest report, Promising Opportunities.

The 2008 tax filing season is right around the corner. The IRS’s January 8 Tax Talk Today program, “Getting Ready for the Filing Season 2008: Part 2, Businesses” will give business owners a head start. Tax Talk Today is a free, live, monthly interactive Web cast. The one-hour program begins at 2 pm ET.

On November 28, 2007, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service released for public comment a proposed voluntary standard for meat products to be marketed as “naturally raised.” Public comments on this proposed standard are due by January 28, 2008.

In brief, the proposed standard as written gives us great concern. Under this standard, to qualify for a USDA “naturally raised” label the livestock must not be administered antibiotics and growth hormones. That is good, but that is all the standard addresses. It fails to address other production practices that one associates with “naturally raised,” for example, ensuring the animals are raised on pasture.

We get several calls, letters, and emails each week from beginning farmers and ranchers asking for information, advice, money, land, and validation. We answer each one with encouragement and sources of information to help them make a sound start to their business. Here are some recent questions.

Q. I want to start a farm, raise my family there, and provide quality food for people. Please send me anything that will get me started.

The lack of young farmers is threatening the future of agriculture. Plenty of young people want to get into farming and ranching, but few can afford the high startup costs of land, machinery, and operating capital.

Last October at least 48 requests for the Value Added Grant Program were submitted to the Nebraska Rural Development Commission, resulting in a grand total of $2.5 million in requested funding. Unfortunately, only $800,000 will be awarded in this round.

The Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) will celebrate the 17th annual Farming for the Future Conference February 7, 8, and 9, 2008. Each year this nationally recognized event has grown in number of attendees, workshops, and overall stature. Last year over 1,700 farmers and consumers attended the three-day conference, making it one of the largest sustainable agriculture conferences in the nation.

The 3rd Governor’s Agri/Eco-Tourism Workshop is scheduled for February 5-6, 2008, in North Platte at the Sandhills Convention Center. A Tuesday evening networking event called “Taste of Nebraska Agri-tourism” from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm has been added this year.

The Governor’s conference invites people to showcase their Nebraska homemade / homegrown products at the Tuesday evening networking event. There is no cost to participants, but organizers ask that they provide samples of products for attendees to taste. Packaged products, except for wine and beer, can be sold.