Eighty companies and lobbying groups have formed a coalition which is
seeking to increase production, lower commodity prices, idle fewer acres
and acquire more government support for export activities. Made up of
interests ranging from the Sweetener Users Association to Cargill, the
Coalition for a Competitive Food and Agricultural System says its effort is
aimed at "educating members of Congress that agriculture doesn't begin
and end on the farm." According to Robert Petersen, president of the
National Grain Trade Council, "We think it's time for bold reform."
Former Representative Tim Penny (D-MN) told participants at a recent
meeting of Minnesota Farm Managers and Appraisers Inc. that change is
unlikely to be drastic in the 1995 Farm Bill. He said future profitability in
agriculture rests upon the ability to export processed foods. He predicted
changes for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP); new requirements
that pay farmers not to plant wetlands; broadening of flex acres; and
elimination of set aside acres altogether.
Former Secretary of Agriculture Bob Bergland told the Minnesota Senate
Agriculture Committee recently that nearly every aspect of agriculture
policy should be scrapped and rebuilt. Increasing farm income by paying
higher prices for commodities is the first thing lawmakers should do.
"Anything less than higher prices will keep people in the trough,"
Bergland said. Among his recommendations were: continuing CRP but
only for fragile land and at market rental rates; junking the Export
Enhancement Program (EEP); and allowing more experimentation with
commodities.
Source: Jerry Hagstrom, "Reform Moves," AGWEEK, February 26, 1995;
Gary Gunderson, "Farm Bill Change May Come Slowly," AGRI NEWS,
February 16, 1995; Gary Gunderson, "Bergland: Farm Policy Irrelevant or
an Irritation to Many Farmers," AGRI NEWS, February 23, 1995; Meeting
Notes, February 8, 1995.
New Program to Assist Value-Added Enterprises
The Iowa legislature approved money for a program aimed at creating
more new agriculturally based businesses. Called the Value Added
Agricultural Products and Processes Financial Assistance Program, the
program will award $3.65 million in grants and loans to value-added
industries which emphasize innovative products and processes and
renewable fuels and by-products. Director David Lyons characterized it as
"win-win."
Source: Gene Lucht, "Value-Added Products May Increase Prices ...,"
IOWA FARMER TODAY, February 18, 1995.
EPA Triazine Review Up For Public Comment
Farmers have until March 23 to comment on the Environmental Protection
Agency's (EPA) review of the triazine class of herbicides, which includes
cyanazine and atrazine. An EPA paper released last year said the triazine
class "may pose significant risks of cancer due to exposure to residues in
food and drinking water and through exposure when mixing, loading and
applying these pesticides." Ciba Geigy disagrees and has launched a
grassroots effort to encourage farmers to write EPA about the need for these
herbicides. All comments can be submitted to Public Response and
Program Resources Branch (OPP-30000-60), Field Operations Division
(7506C), Office of Pesticide Programs, EPA, 401 M Street SW, Washington,
D.C. 20460.
Source: Dan Zinkand, "EPA Reviewing Use of Triazine Herbicides," IOWA
FARMER TODAY, February 18, 1995.
More Dairy Farmers Finding it Tougher to Stay In Business
Getting big or getting out are the only two options for dairy farmers today,
says Dick Grell, a Nebraska farmer who recently sold his 117-head herd to
go work on a neighboring dairy mega-farm. Jeff Keown, a dairy specialist
with the University of Nebraska, agreed saying many young farmers were
trying to avoid government milk checks by expanding. An ag economist
from University of Nebraska said growth may depend on better production
per cow and that producers may need to get average production up to 21,000
pounds per cow per year before expanding.
On that note, Wisconsin farmers recently found out that a 1,200 cow dairy
operation will soon be open for business in northern Wisconsin. The
operation will be run by American Dairy Management Company, Inc., a
subsidiary of Purina Mills.
Source: "Dairy Farmers Increasingly Find They Must Expand or Sell Off
Cows," AGRI NEWS, February 23, 1995; Joel McNair, "1,200-Cow Dairy
Operation Planned in Langlade County," AGRI VIEW, January 27, 1995.
Hog News Wrap-Up
Environmentalists are pushing the North Carolina Senate Ethics
Committee to hold a hearing on whether Senator Lauch Faircloth, who has
consistently pushed for subsidies that benefit large hog producers, is using
his position to make money in the hog business. In Minnesota, two state
representatives have introduced a bill that would enable smaller hog
producers to pool their resources and form hog slaughtering cooperatives.
And in North Dakota, Agriculture Commissioner Sarah Vogel said a bill
recently introduced in the legislature would open up the state's anti-
corporate farm law by allowing various types of companies to invest in
processing facilities, such as a proposed farrow-to-finish operation the bill
is intended to help.
Source: "Senator Attacked for Hog Holdings," AGRI NEWS, February 23,
1995; Paul Adams, "Bill Would OK Slaughtering Co-Ops," AGRI NEWS,
February 23, 1995; Dave Clark, "Opponents Says Bill Would Expand
Corporate Farming," FARM & RANCH GUIDE, February 10, 1995.
Bill Would Require Compliance with Private Property Laws
A bill introduced last month by Representative Billy Tauzin would require
federal agencies to comply with state and tribal private property laws. In
addition, federal agencies would be prohibited from implementing wetlands
regulations or the Endangered Species Act without written consent.
"Whether the government wants your property to build a road or to preserve
a wetlands, the intent of our founding fathers is clear: if you take it, pay
for
it," said Tauzin before the House Agriculture Subcommittee. James Lyons,
undersecretary of agriculture for natural resources and environment, said
the Clinton administration does not support such a measure as it would
"bust the budget, create huge new bureaucracies and curtail vital
protections."
Source: Gordon S. Carlson, "Tauzin Property Takings Bill Gets Ag Panel
Hearing," FEEDSTUFFS, February 20, 1995.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Resources
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE IN THE AMERICAN MIDWEST:
LESSONS FROM THE PAST, PROSPECTS FOR THE FUTURE is a
collection of essays by various experts on sustainable agriculture in the
Midwest. As a whole, the book makes the case for defining sustainability
within the context of a society and its culture. Specific chapters address:
"Sustainability and Sustainable Agriculture," "Ethnicity and Contrasting
Cultural Beliefs about Sustainable Agriculture," and "Energy Farming: A
Prospect for Sustainable Agriculture." The information included in the
essays is general, yet some detail is provided. Published in December 1994,
the book is available for $32.95 from the University of Illinois Press, 1325
South Oak Street, Champaign, IL 61820.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Events
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Agriculture and the Environment: Issues and Options for the 1995 Farm
Bill, March 9-10, 1995, Washington, D.C. FFI, contact: Soil and Water
Conservation Society, 7515 NE Ankeny Road, Ankeny, IA 50021, Tel: (800)
The-Soil, Fax: (515) 289-1227.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sustainable Agriculture News is produced by the Institute for Agriculture
and Trade Policy and edited by Michelle Thom. Electronic mail versions
are available free of charge for subscribers. For information about fax
subscriptions contact: IATP, 1313 Fifth Street SE, Suite 303, Minneapolis,
MN 55414. For information on subscribing to this and other IATP news
bulletins, send e-mail to: iatp-info@igc.apc.org. IATP provides contract
research services to a wide range of corporate and not-for-profit
organizations. For more information, contact Dale Wiehoff at 612-379-5980,
or send email to: dwiehoff@igc.apc.org.