Senate Takes Up 2012 Farm Bill- AND AFBF President Bob Stallman Offers Last Minute Farm Bill Pitch to US Senators 

On Tuesday afternoon- the Chairlady of the Senate Ag Committee, Democrat Debbie Stabenow began the process of introducing her Committee's 2012 Farm Bill proposal on the floor of the US Senate. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has scheduled a Cloture vote to determine if the Senate will proceed into the process of debating the measure- that takes 60 votes which Stabenow claims she has.  Once the cloture vote is held- the debate itself is likely to take several weeks with proponents of the bill hoping to pass out a measure before the Fourth of July recess at the end of this month.  Meanwhile, several groups are getting their last minute ideas in front of members of the 100 member body. 

For example, the American Farm Bureau Federation has sent a letter to the Senate outlining the organization's priorities in, along with its concerns about, the Senate Agriculture Committee's proposed 2012 farm bill, S. 3240. AFBF President Bob Stallman said that with Farm Bureau's suggested improvements, he believes S. 3240 moves toward the organization's core principles for rational, acceptable farm policy and his organization would support passage of the bill.

According to Stallman, Farm Bureau places a priority on several of the committee's decisions, including using the $23 billion in savings suggested to the Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction last fall; protecting and strengthening the federal crop insurance program; developing a commodity title that attempts to encourage producers to follow market signals rather than make planting decisions in anticipation of government payments; and refraining from basing any program on cost of production.  

Click here to read more, and to find a link to the AFBF letter to the Senate.  

Another group that has weighed in- the Izaak Walton League of America- has focused their comments to Senators on the Conservation Title- including a call for Crop Insurance participants being required to accept Conservation Compliance requirements with policies they buy.  You can read more about their ideas for the 2012 farm bill by clicking here. 

Populist Groups Call for Amendment Banning Packer-Owned Livestock 

National and state farm organizations including the National Farmers Union and the National Farmers Organization have joined with populist livestock groups like R-Calf USA in calling on the U.S. Senate to amend the Senate Ag Committee's 2012 Farm Bill proposal to include a ban on packer ownership of livestock.

The groups were among 108 signatories to a joint letter sent to U.S. Senators to urge their support of the anticipated 2012 Farm Bill amendment by Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) to ban packer ownership of livestock. The U.S. Senate is expected to debate the 2012 Farm Bill during the week of June 4.

The joint letter states in part: "Mega-meatpackers such as Tyson, Cargill, JBS and Smithfield Foods use packer-owned livestock as a major tool for exerting unfair market power over farmers and ranchers. This practice fosters industrial livestock production and freezes independent farmers out of the markets. Packer ownership of livestock has been proven to artificially lower farmgate prices to farmers and ranchers while consumer food prices continue to rise. 

R-Calf USA CEO Bill Bullard said, "There are four large packers that control over 80 percent of our cattle market and those packers do control access to the marketplace and they do use packer-owned cattle to depress cattle prices."

Click here for more on the proposed amendment banning packer-owned cattle, and a link to the letter to the Senate. 

Governor Signs Transportation Bills; AFR Applauds Support for Rural Roads 

Governor Mary Fallin signed into law two measures that will provide record funding for infrastructure and significantly reduce the number of bridges needing repair or replacement in Oklahoma.

"Today's bill signing keeps us on track to repair and replace all structurally deficient bridges across Oklahoma by the end of the decade," said T.W. Shannon, a Lawton Republican who chairs the House Transportation Committee."

Shannon's bill, HB 2248 substantially increases road funding in the coming fiscal year.

A companion bill, HB 2249, was supported by American Farmers & Ranchers (AFR) and the Association of County Commissioners of Oklahoma. It increases funding for county roads and bridges by reallocating vehicle license and registration fees.

"Oklahoma farmers and ranchers depend on rural and county roads and bridges as they produce our food. Those same roads and bridges are necessary for consumers to receive the food. Therefore, the agriculture industry and consumers alike rely heavily on the quality of Oklahoma's rural infrastructure," said Terry Detrick, president of AFR.

You can read more about the transportation bills by clicking here.

Click here for more comments by Terry Detrick on HB 2249.

Seminars to Focus on Business Management During World Pork Expo

Eight business seminars will feature the latest in nutrition, herd health, manure management and price risk at World Pork Expo on Wednesday, June 6, and Thursday, June 7. A highlight of the free business-seminar luncheon at noon on both days will be speakers discussing weather and economic outlooks. Expo-goers will find these business seminars and luncheons in the Varied Industries Building at the Iowa State Fairgrounds.

"The best advice I can share regarding World Pork Expo is to carve out more than just one day to take it all in," says R.C. Hunt, president, NPPC, from Wilson, N.C. "Before and after continuing your education at business seminars, you'll see the very latest technology on display in the trade show. Add in great food and hospitality, and you'll have a first-rate experience along with outstanding ideas to take back home."

World Pork Expo takes place June 6-8 at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. More than 450 commercial exhibits will be on display from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 6, and Thursday, June 7, as well as from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, June 8. The breeding stock sales will continue on Saturday, June 9, from 8 a.m. until they're completed at approximately noon. 

Click here to learn more about this year's World Pork Expo.

Pork Producers Warn of Unintended Consequences of Succumbing to Activists' Pressures

Responding to pressures from animal rights group activists, two giants in the food industry recently announced they were working to purchase pork only from producers who phase out the use of gestation crates. Fast food giant McDonald's said they anticipate it will take ten years to completely source their pork from such suppliers and grocery heavyweight Kroger said its transition would take "many years."

In response to the announcements from the two food giants and in anticipation of other distributors who might follow, the National Pork Producers Council issued the following statement:

It is very disconcerting that retailers, in making decisions about sourcing pork products, continue to succumb to the pressure of activist groups such as the Humane Society of the United States without any consideration of the impact on American farm families, who produce the safe and affordable pork that they sell to consumers. These unilateral and impulsive announcements are made without any recognition that nearly all of the pork products produced in the United States today come from facilities built for the validated practice of gestation stalls.

Nowhere in the announcements is there any discussion on the willingness of these companies to pay for these requests. These are very complex issues that require interaction of the complete supply chain. Simply making an announcement without understanding the supply chain's ability to meet the requests or the costs associated with them are simply irresponsible.

Click here to read more of the NPPC's statement. 

Test Weights Remain High Despite Weekend Rains as Harvest Continues

Weekend rains in north central and northwest Oklahoma slowed the wheat harvest some, but reports from grain elevator operators say the moisture hasn't affected the quality as much as had been feared. Test weights are still averaging better than 60 pounds per bushel at elevators in Wakita, Tonkawa, Shattuck and Buffalo.

Jeff Schuelke at Johnston Enterprises in Wakita says harvest is about halfway done in his area. Yields have been all over the map with a low of 32 and a high of 86 ½.

In Tonkawa, Frank James reports they've taken in about 250,000 bushels with test weights in the 60 to 64 pound range. He says harvest is about 40 percent complete in the area with yields averaging 55 to 60 bushels to the acre.

For more reports from elevators in northwest Oklahoma, click here.

HSUS Churning Out Letters Urging Calls to Inhofe and Coburn Regarding Their Animal Agriculture Production Practice Bill

We received a copy of the "personalized" email that went out yesterday from the Humane Society of the United States- telling non farm interests that they could help decide the fate of lives of hens all across America. The email, signed by Wayne Pacelle (President of HSUS), issued a call to action by the HSUS that they called "Critical Momentum for Hens."  In the email they focus on the Senate bill introduced by Dianne Feinstein of California in recent days that would turn the deal between the HSUS and the United Egg Producers into law.  The email says in part "This bill (identical to H.R. 3798 introduced earlier in the House) will lead to major improvements in the treatment of 280 million hens involved in U.S. egg production, essentially doubling the amount of space per bird, banning inhumane practices such as forced starvation molting, and requiring on-carton labeling so consumers know how hens are raised."  It goes on to urge that we call Senators Inhofe and Coburn immediately and demand they sign on as co-sponsors.  

Well, we touched base with the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association and the Oklahoma Pork Council- as the national groups they are associated with, the National Pork Producers Council and the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, have both come out strongly against this legislation.  Scott Dewald with the OCA responded by email saying they are in contract with the staff of the Oklahoma lawmakers- saying simply that "In our view production standards should not by legislated."

We got a call later in the afternoon from Roy Lee Lindsey of the OPC- and he said basically the same thing- opposing this measure as well as the Charles Grassley amendment to outlaw packer ownership of livestock that we detailed in an earlier story in today's email- he said they continue to push for a trigger on corn production and stocks- that when and if corn supplies get too low- that a suspension of the Renewable Fuel Standard kick in to make sure that livestock producers are not totally priced out of the feed grain market by ethanol interests.   

Bottom line on the HSUS-UEP bill on dictating cage size for hens- there is a very real possibility that Feinstein will push to get her bill considered as an amendment in days ahead to the 2012 Farm Bill. HSUS is urging their supporters to make it so.