SAN DIEGO — Bob Stallman’s vision for the future of American agriculture includes a consuming public that understands modern farming and ranching is a business that involves significant risk and tough decisions. Click here for the full story
SAN ANTONIO — The way Bob Stallman sees it, the issues facing the American Farm Bureau Federation are like items on the chore list his dad used to assign. The expectation is that they will get done. Period. Click here for the full story
American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman opened the organization's annual meeting Sunday by calling on Congress to "enact the kind of (farm bill) reforms that the Senate and House Agriculture Committee have approved."
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The American Farm Bureau Federation voted Jan. 11 to support federal farm policy that includes strong safety net components, but no direct subsidy payments. In amending the organization’s long-time policy backing the $5 billion subsidy program, the Farm Bureau’s voting delegates adopted a resolution that reflects declining support for direct payments in the Obama administration and in Congress as the House and Senate ag committees begin deliberations on the 2012 Farm Bill.
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Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced that USDA is shuttering more than 250 offices across the nation, including 131 Farm Service Agency offices. Speaking at the annual convention of the American Farm Bureau, Vilsack said USDA is making the move to account for a 12 percent cut Congress has imposed on the agency’s discretionary budget.
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American Farm Bureau Federation convention delegates will consider endorsing the elimination of direct government commodity payments in favor of an expanded risk management program at their convention in Hawaii this weekend.
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As lawmakers in Washington, D.C., spar over federal spending and taxes, attention has focused on farm subsidies — including the various federal support programs for corn-based ethanol.
Reporter Tim Hearden and copy editor Will Koenig discuss how different groups see ethanol subsidies and how federal supports affect livestock producers.
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What do you want lawmakers to do on ethanol policy?
Cyndie Sirekis, the American Farm Bureau Federation's director of news services, writes:
As an increasing number of farmers and ranchers recognize the value of forging connections with their non-farming customers, many are changing the way they communicate. With millions of Americans using Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other social media platforms as their primary source of information about the food they eat and how it’s produced, farmers are proving wise to dive in and join them.
But social media are just one of many tools farmers use to connect with consumers. With more than 2,800 county Farm Bureaus across the nation, it’s likely most of us have the opportunity to learn about agriculture in a more tactile way.
Farm tours, school field trips, mobile agricultural science labs and virtual combines that simulate harvesting crops remain popular, according to Farm Bureau members.
Echoing what Capital Press' Carol Ryan Dumas wrote last week, the American Farm Bureau Federation reports:
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 11, 2010 – Following two years of tough economic times for livestock producers, 2010 is shaping up to be a much better year thanks to an improving economy and tighter supplies of beef, pork and poultry.
“Livestock producers have seen a return to profitability in the past two months after going through probably the worst economic situation anyone can remember in 2008 and 2009,” said John Anderson, livestock economist with the American Farm Bureau Federation. “This is certainly good news for livestock producers because it provides a good opportunity to rebuild equity.”
The Agriculture Department released its initial assessment of the U.S. and world crop and livestock supply and demand estimates today. USDA also released its first calendar-year 2011 projections of U.S. livestock, poultry and dairy products.
USDA expects total meat production to be down in 2010, compared to 2009. USDA forecasts a 2 percent increase in broiler production this year, but a 1 percent drop in beef production. USDA estimates a 3.5 percent drop in pork production this year.
“Pork producers were the hardest hit during the economic decline in 2008-2009, and the big drop in production this year is evidence of that,” Anderson said.
Total U.S. meat production for 2011 is projected to be slightly higher than 2010, as increased pork and poultry production more than offsets a decline in beef production, according to USDA. Beef production for 2011 is forecast to decline due to tighter supplies of cattle.
“The reason USDA is showing a decline in beef production is that it takes a cattle producer at least two years from making the decision to increase herd size to having cattle ready for market,” Anderson said. “Poultry producers can turn things around pretty quickly, while the lag time for pork producers isn’t quite as long as it is for beef producers.”
Anderson said the forecasts for increased meat production in 2011 is a positive sign that shows livestock producers are optimistic enough to increase their herd sizes, following two years of reducing herd sizes.
“Meat and poultry producers have just come through a two-year period during which they consistently lost money,” Anderson said. “Beginning in late-2008, weak demand both here at home, as well as in the export markets, drove product prices down. Producers are now finally able to take advantage of higher prices.”
An improving demand picture is also welcome news for livestock producers.
“Evidence for improving demand has been mounting in recent weeks,” Anderson said. “Department of Commerce data shows consumer spending at food service and accommodations facilities grew at a remarkable 8 percent rate (quarter over quarter) in the first quarter of 2010. This was the first quarter-over-quarter increase since the second quarter of 2008. The National Restaurant Association’s Restaurant Performance Index for March indicated that the restaurant industry entered an expansionary phase for the first time in 29 months.”
As for USDA’s May crop report, Anderson said the forecasts of larger U.S. and global grain stocks is the big news.
“The increase in stock levels is due to forecasts for good crop production in 2010 and strong world competition,” Anderson said. “However, USDA’s corn stocks projection fell below many forecasts due in part to better export demand.”
Demand for corn and other coarse grains is strong, but production levels are still high. According to Anderson, the corn crop is off to a good start this year. Planting is 81 percent complete, the fastest on record, which gives producers a better chance at achieving good yields, he said.
From the American Farm Bureau Federation:
Gridiron Great Terry Bradshaw to Address Farm Bureau
WASHINGTON, D.C., August 7, 2009 – Terry Bradshaw, four-time Super Bowl champion quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, two-time Super Bowl “Most Valuable Player” and Pro Football Hall of Fame member, will deliver the keynote address at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 91st annual meeting on Jan. 11, 2010, in Seattle, Wash.
More than 5,000 Farm Bureau members from across the nation will gather in Seattle Jan. 10-13 to not only hear a great speaker, but also learn more about the forces shaping agriculture today and participate in a grassroots policy setting process that will guide the American Farm Bureau through 2010.
A truly “larger-than-life” personality known for his energy, zeal and enthusiasm, Bradshaw is renowned for his professional accomplishments in NFL football and sports broadcasting, in addition to achieving acclaim as an inspirational speaker, actor, author and gospel/country singer. Bradshaw also owns an 800-acre ranch in Texas where he raises cattle and breeds horses.
“Terry Bradshaw is an All-American icon, recognized for his accomplishments both on and off the field,” said AFBF President Bob Stallman, a Columbus, Texas, rice and cattle producer. “But his road to success was not always easy. Along the way, he battled and overcame significant obstacles that many people from all walks of life – including farmers and ranchers – can relate to, including disappointment, adversity, and relentless competition.”
In his presentations, Bradshaw takes a close look at what makes people successful and encourages audiences to think in new ways about sacrifice, pain, competition, and hardship. He also shares with audiences his strategies for maintaining success through persistent self-improvement, in addition to providing specific examples of how to focus the power of dreaming, thinking, and strategizing to reach goals.
The only NFL player with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the 6’3” Bradshaw was the first player chosen in the 1970 draft and became one of the most prolific quarterbacks in history. He was the first quarterback to win four Super Bowl championships (1975, 1976, 1979 and 1980), a feat that has been duplicated only once, 10 years later, by Joe Montana. Bradshaw holds the Super Bowl passing records for average gain per attempt in career (11.10 yards) and average gain in a game (14.71 yards in Super Bowl XIV). He was also a four-time All-Pro. He retired from the NFL prior to the 1984 season.
A native of Shreveport, La., Bradshaw attended college at Louisiana Tech, where he still holds the single-season passing and total offense records. He was a first-team Associated Press All-America as a senior in 1970 and later that year received a bachelor’s in physical education from Louisiana Tech. He currently resides in Texas.
The meeting begins Sunday morning, Jan. 10 with the opening presidential address by Stallman. The annual Young Farmer and Rancher competitions, scheduled for Jan. 10 and Monday, Jan. 11, are just one of the highlights on the agenda. Another important feature on Sunday is the annual Farm Bureau Women’s luncheon and business session, which is open to all women attendees but advance purchase tickets are required to attend.
Farm Bureau members can register for the 91st AFBF convention through their state Farm Bureaus.
John Hart, director of news services for the American Farm Bureau Federation, writes:
The talk on Capitol Hill is not to expect climate change legislation to become law this year, but do expect Congress to take action before the 2010 elections. Any delay in sweeping climate change legislation is welcome news for America's farmers and ranchers because whatever action Congress takes could have a profound and permanent impact on production agriculture.
Congress should not push through such important legislation in a rushed, haphazard way. Experts agree that efforts to reduce greenhouse gases will impact all sectors of the economy and will be costly to all. Climate change may well be the most serious, far- reaching issue the 111th Congress handles, even more critical than health care reform.
A story by Mitch Lies in this week's Capital Press is drawing some attention on our website today. The article, headlines "Farm Bureau jumps into battle over animal rights" is generating the most views on our website today. One reason for that may be because of a blog post on the American Farm Bureau Federation's FBlog by Chris Chinn.
Chinn is urging farmers to post a comment in response to a comment from a non-farmer on the article. As Mace Thornton, deputy director of public relations for the American Farm Bureau Federation, to the Oregon Farm Bureau, farmers need to be part of the discussion. And a lot of that discussion nowadays is taking place on websites, in addition to voting booths and government halls. Agriculture needs to use the tools available to be part of the discussion.
Bob Krauter of the Capital Press is in New Orleans for the American Farm Bureau Federation convention. He's already posted a couple of stories from the gathering. As you might expect, the still incomplete farm bill has been a big topic of discussion there. Both acting-Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner and Farm Bureau President Bob Stallman have addressed it so far.
Look for more updates from Krauter on the Capital Press website and in Jan. 18 edition of Capital Press.
Update: 2 p.m., Jan. 14: We've added links to Farm Bureau video in the story on Stallman's speech (see links at the bottome of that story) and added a story from freelance writer Jerry Hagstrom to the convention coverage package, which we have grouped in a section on Farm Bureau coverage on our website.
In this week's Capital Press, we are printing a column by Tracy Taylor Grondine, director of media relations for the American Farm Bureau Federation, about a new blog the Farm Bureau has started.
Welcome to the blogosphere Farm Bureau.
Back in October 2005 I posed the question: Do farmers blog? The simple answer to that question is, no there aren't a lot of traditional farmers and ranchers blogging. However, there are a lot more agriculture related blogs out there now than their were back in October 2005, which it took a fair amount of digging to find many blogs to even link to from our blog.
Our list of blog links, which now includes the new Farm Bureau blog, has grown along with the number of agribloggers out there.
It is apparent that many consumers out there have a concern about the type of food they are feeding their families and the conditions under which it was grown or raised. It is also clear that modern America, now largely removed from its agrarian roots, has little understanding of agriculture practices used to grow a healthy and abundant food supply. Perhaps if more people in agriculture share their experiences on the farm and ranch they will do more than feed the bodies of their fellow Americans. Perhaps they will feed their minds and expand their knowledge of just where their food comes from and why we all should care.
By Elaine Shein
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — While the American Farm Bureau Federation is a serious, powerful farm lobbying group, those who come back year after year know it’s more than just the grassroots’ representatives deciding policy.
The annual meeting is a display of passion and humor, show business flair, and a chance to learn, vent and network.
President Bob Stallman as usual stirred members to be proud of the work they do back on their farms, feeding the world and protecting their way of life. This year he threw out tough messages for American politicians to do what is needed to help agricultural interests, warned that animal rights groups need to be stopped, and rallied his troops to play hardball against other parts of the world who present challenges to American agriculture such as South Korea.
Stallman and the power of the Farm Bureau cannot be ignored. There were policy heavy hitters attending the meeting in the last couple of days, talking to farmers on issues such as farm policy, animal ID and biofuels. The House Ag Committee Chair Collin Peterson, U.S. Ag Secretary Mike Johanns and USDA Under Secretary Bruce Knight were among those who met with farmers.
Several countries in the European Union had representatives from their Washington embassies on hand to also listen carefully to whatever the politicians said, including being present at press conferences.
But the Farm Bureau meeting also helped show the passion and support that people have for their organization, their communities, and their neighbors.
As they met in the hallways and sat next to each other in the meeting rooms, farmers and ranchers from different states shared stories of blizzards and droughts and how they impacted their operations. They offered sympathy to each other, and talked about being united to seek disaster support.
There was a moment of silence during the general session after Bob Stallman told people of a recent tragedy involving a promising young farmer. In November, Jeffrey Michel won the North Dakota Farm Bureau Young Farmer and Rancher Achievement Award. In December, he was killed in an avalanche while snowmobiling with friends.
As for the other Young Farmer and Rancher competitors, they received a lot of support from the more than 5,000 people who are attending this year’s annual meeting in Salt Lake City. When one of the young couples accepted a prestigious award, the guy became rather choked up and shared how much the award meant to him and how devoted he’d be to Farm Bureau for the rest of his life. The thousands in the audience watched the stage and giant screens spellbound, right up to the back of the giant room and warmly applauded this next generation.
There is also the entertainment component of the meeting, from a well-known cowboy poet like Baxter Black to country music stars performing.
Well-known television journalist Sam Donaldson shared stories of interviews he had done with various presidents, but also shared messages on what makes a great leader.
He said a leader should have a complete plan. “Great leaders make great plans.”
A leader needs to build trust, earn it and talk straight.
A leader is with the people and not apart from the people. A leader gets out there, wants to know more about the people he meets, and wants to know more about what people want and need … even though a good leader also knows there are times to be tough and not give what people want.
A leader takes responsibility, and takes the blame.
A leader has persistence.
And, Donaldson said, sometimes it’s even more important to take a plan and modify it.
Donaldson made some blunt comments about Iraq and the problems Bush faces there. He stressed that Bush rewarded people who didn’t do a good job, and warned that it isn’t good leadership.
“A good leader rewards those that do a good job.” Giving awards to those that don’t deserve it doesn’t breed the trust a leader needs from people, he concluded.
Donaldson’s speech was timely. American Farm Bureau Federation, as well as state Farm Bureaus, has enjoyed strong leadership.
What helps make a good leader in this organization is that the leaders recognize the importance of the grass roots and follow their wishes when it comes to policies.
The organization also does a good job of rewarding those who serve it well, from the promising new farmers and ranchers to those who have served their Farm Bureau for decades.
And Stallman, as well as other former presidents of the Farm Bureau such as Dean Kleckner from Iowa, were often greeting, shaking hands and seen mingling with the farmers who have gathered here from all around the country.
Why has this organization continued to grow and become so powerful?
Yes, good policies and leaders have a lot to do with it.
But a lot of it also has to do with the winning formulas that the organization has developed, from involving grassroots members at meetings at counties across the nation, to educating and entertaining farmers and ranchers at this impressive meeting each year at the national level.
Read more of the Capital Press' coverage of the American Farm Bureau Federation conference here including audio coverage of Stallman's speech. Listen to the latest podcast on Stallman's remarks here.
Technorati tags: Agriculture
There was a change in plans about who would be the keynote speaker at this year's American Farm Bureau Federation convention in Salt Lake City.
ABC newsman Sam Donaldson was picked to substitute for actor and former-U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson. According to the Farm Bureau, Thompson was "called away to shoot the TV series Law & Order," on which he costars as the gruff by lovable district attorney.
Perhaps it is true that Thompson's acting schedule got in the way, but it should also be noted that he is currently filling in for radio newsman Paul Harvey this week.
I'm not sure which speaker, Thompson or Donaldson, members of the American Farm Bureau Federation would get more out of hearing as a speaker. I do know who I would rather hear from. Even as a journalist, I don't have a lot of desire to hear Donaldson speak.
Thompson strikes me as a much more interesting character -- a lawyer, who was co-chief counsel on Senate Watergate Committee, went on to become an actor and later a U.S. Senator from his home state of Tennessee.
So while Farm Bureau attendees may be missing out, those of us who have time in our day to listen to the radio can hear Thompson's commentary on some of the items making news this week on the Paul Harvey radio show.
You can follow the developments at this week's American Farm Bureau convention on the capitalpress.com website.
Technorati tags: Agriculture, Farm Bureau, Fred Thompson, Sam Donaldson, Paul Harvey
At times over the last two years, I've played at being a rodeo reporter. I've posted updates from the Pendleton Round-Up in 2005 and 2006 and made some blog posts from the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas last month. But if would like to see some regular updates on what's happening in professional rodeo, here's your chance to speak up.
Veteran radio/rodeo man Butch Thurman of Pendleton, Ore., is offering the Capital Press the opportunity to run his column on a trial basis to see if our readers are interesting in reading his comments on a regular basis.
Butch has covered rodeo for 27 years and this year, in addition to his radio duties, which includes doing a daily radio show on rodeo and his weekly column, he's got another little side gig. Thurman is this year's president of the Pendleton Round-Up board of directors.
So, check out his column about bull riders taking on the Big Apple and let us know if you like it.
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Capital Press Executive Editor Elaine Shein and California Editor Bob Krauter will be in Salt Lake City this weekend for the American Farm Bureau Federation convention. They will be posting updates from Salt Lake City.
Bob previews the convention here. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns will address the conference. Check for updates beginning Sunday and early next week on capitalpress.com.
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On another note, I'm still making mistakes, and still learning, about this whole podcasting thing. I ended up having to re-post Episode 7 of the Farmers' Capital Press Agriculture Podcast today. When I posted it yesterday, for some reason the file had about 5 minutes of dead air at the end of the file. I would have though the blank portion wouldn't add to the files size, but I would have been wrong. Dead air makes for a big file.
Who knew?
So, I lopped off the dead are and reposted the file.
Live and learn.
If your iTunes subscription downloaded the big file, my apologies. Someday maybe I'll get all this stuff figured out.
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Technorati tags: Agriculture, American Farm Bureau Federation, Rodeo, Podcasting
