In Farm Bureau
Food Check-Out Week: Feb. 17-22 Food Check-Out Week 2013, with the theme “Stretching Your Grocery Dollar with Healthy, Nutritious Food,” will be Feb. 17-22. A national event is being planned in Phoenix in conjunction with the 2013 Joint National Leadership Conference. Promotional materials are available to order from http://fb-orders.com/afbf/. Leadership conference The 2013 National Women’s Leadership Conference will be Apr. 5-8 at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas. The conference, with the theme “Engaged, Empowered & Strong,” is open to all women who are members of Farm Bureau. Early-bird registration pricing is available through Jan. 18; registration closes March 13. Contact Harry Willems (harry.willems@arfb.com), ArFB’s coordinator of Women’s Leadership Programs, to register. Hotel reservations can be made online
On Dec. 19, Jeremy Gillam of Judsonia (second from right), 2012 recipient of Arkansas Farm Bureau’s Stanley Reed Leadership Award, and ArFB President Randy Veach (right) presented a $5,000 donation from ArFB to UAMS development director Chasse Conque (left) and UAMS executive development director Renie Rule. The donation in Gillam’s name was made to support the Stanley Reed Memorial Endowment in Emergency Medicine, Trauma and Injury Prevention. at http://bit.ly/Sqx15s or by calling 877-603-4389 with reservation code SPWLC23.
In Arkansas Steve Bryles dies Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission Director Steve Bryles, a former state senator, died Dec. 28 at age 55 after a battle with cancer. Bryles started work with the commission as deputy director in Jan. 2011, becoming executive director in March 2012. Prior to this, he was a member of the Arkansas Senate for Elisa Vu, a first grader at Tucker Elementary in Rogers, received a $25 prize from agency manager Doug Miller for winning Benton Co. FB’s ag coloring contest.
keith sutton photo
www.arfb.com
10 years, representing Senate District 15. He also had more than 27 years of experience in the cotton industry. Gov. Mike Beebe issued a statement Bryles saying Bryles “was a good friend with a gentle heart who never wanted to stop helping people. His work was always deliberate, his dedication to public service unwavering and, regardless of the stakes, he always kept a level head.” Bryles leaves his wife, Pamela, and three children.
benton co. fb photo
A Publication of Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation
January 4, 2013 • Vol. 16, No. 1
keith sutton photo
On Dec. 19, ArFB President Randy Veach (center) received a certificate of appreciation from D.B. Hill (left), vice president of the Ark. Good Roads Transportation Council, and council board member/ ArFB staff member Stanley Hill for ArFB’s support of Issue 1 to provide highway-improvement funding.
Van Buren Co. FB photo
keith sutton photo
Sign up for EQIP The Natural Resources Conservation Service is accepting applications to help producers improve water and air quality, build healthier soil, improve grazing and forest lands, conserve energy, enhance organic operations and achieve other environmental benefits. NRCS has directed almost $61 million in financial assistance for fiscal 2013 to help Arkansas producers implement conservation practices through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Those interested should visit their local NRCS service center for information on EQIP sign-up periods. Jan. 18 is the deadline for funding consideration through some initiatives and programs. “EQIP offers farmers, ranchers and forestland managers a variety of options to conserve natural resources while maintaining production on their lands,” said state conservationist Mike Sullivan. “This $60.8 million conservation investment helps improve environmental health and the economy of Arkansas’ rural communities.” Applicants can sign up at their
Leigh Anne Thomas (right), barrelracing director for the Arkansas Rodeo Association, presented ArFB President Randy Veach an ARA jacket to show the organization’s appreciation for Farm Bureau’s support of its 2012 activities.
Van Buren Co. FB president Andy Andregg (left) and Southside consumer-science teacher Lori Rooney (right) recently helped Donette Stump, Ark. Beef Council promotion coordinator, demonstrate beef recipes for Van Buren Co. high school students.
local NRCS service center. For more information, visit ar.nrcs.usda.gov.
Elsewhere
Wynn elected vice-chair of USFRA Weldon Wynn of Star City was elected vice chairman of the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance during the organization’s meeting in New York. Wynn, a cattle producer, also serves as vice chair of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board. Bob Stallman, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, Wynn was elected chairman of the USFRA. The USFRA Board is comprised of 18 representatives of affiliate farmer and rancher-led organizations and agricultural industry partners.
Hackers shut down fb.org American Farm Bureau Federation websites, including the Voice of Agriculture and Annual Meeting websites, were recently hacked and infected with a virus that blocks users from visiting the sites. The reason for this cyber attack is unknown. Efforts continue to correct the situation.
Ranchers lose $128 million The 2012 summer drought resulted in Arkansas cow and calf producers losing an estimated $128 million this year, according to the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. The Extension Service called the drought one of the worst in decades in Arkansas. Cattle operations were particularly affected because the drought led to a marked decline in hay production, the need to buy supplemental feed and a decline in revenue from calf sales, among other results.
Ag Committee team Chairman Frank Lucas of Oklahoma has named the following five members to serve as subcommittee chairmen of the House Agriculture Committee for the 113th Congress. • Rep. Rick Crawford, Arkansas: Livestock, Rural Development and Credit. Jurisdiction: Livestock, dairy, poultry, meat, seafood/seafood products, inspection, marketing and promotion of such commodities, aquaculture, animal welfare and grazing, rural development, farm security and family farming matters, and agricultural credit. • Rep. Steve King, Iowa: Department Operations, Oversight and Nutrition. Jurisdiction: Agency oversight, review and analysis, special investigations, food stamps, nutrition and consumer programs. • Rep. K. Michael Conaway, Texas: General Farm Commodities and Risk
keith sutton photo
At a retirement reception in Conway on Dec. 13, Larry Marshall (left), who served nearly 30 years as Faulkner Co. FB’s agency manager, was honored by friends and co-workers, including Ron Chastain, agricultural liaison for U.S. Sen. John Boozman.
amy rutledge photo
Management. Jurisdiction: Program and markets related to cotton, cottonseed, wheat, feed grains, soybeans, oilseeds, rice, dry beans, peas, lentils, the Commodity Credit Corporation and risk management, including crop insurance, commodity exchanges and specialty crops. • Rep. Glenn Thompson, Pennsylvania: Conservation, Energy, and Forestry. Jurisdiction: Soil, water and resource conservation, small watershed program, energy and biobased energy production, rural electrification, forestry in general and forest reserves other than those created from the public domain. • Rep. Austin Scott, Georgia: Horticulture, Research, Biotechnology and Foreign Agriculture. Jurisdiction: Fruits and vegetables, honey and bees, marketing and promotion orders, plant pesticides, quarantine, adulteration of seeds and insect pests, and organic agriculture, research, education and extension, biotechnology and foreign agriculture assistance, and trade promotion programs, generally. “I am pleased to announce the committee’s leadership team for the next Congress,” Lucas said. “Our subcommittee chairmen have demonstrated a commitment to ensuring the success of American
ArFB member Amy Rutledge of Newport shot this photo of her husband Jeff teaching their kids how to install spills in rice levees. The shot was one of the entries in Front Porch magazine’s third Rural Reflections photo contest.
agriculture and rural economies. I look forward to working with them as we address the important issues our agricultural producers and rural constituents face.” Livestock traceability rule The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced a final rule establishing general regulations for improving the traceability of U.S. livestock moving interstate. In response to recommendations from Farm Bureau and cattle groups, the agency modified the rule to recognize brands as official identification when agreed upon by both the shipping and receiving states; maintain back tags as an alternative identification to ear tags for animals moving direct to slaughter; and exempt beef cattle under 18 months of age, with the intent to phase in these animals through a separate rulemaking when the system has proven effective for breeding cattle. Under the final rule, livestock moved interstate would have to be officially identified and accompanied by an interstate certificate of veterinary inspection or other documentation, such as owner/shipper statements or brand certificates. The rule encourages use of low-cost technology and specifies approved forms of identification for each species, including metal ear tags or “Brite” tags for cattle. Producers utilizing livestock
for custom slaughter or home consumption are exempted. Ag Day essay contest As part of the 40th anniversary celebration of National Ag Day, March 19, the Agriculture Council of America is calling on 9th - to 12th - grade students to enter the Ag Day essay contest, the theme of which is “American Agriculture: Nourishing Opportunities.” Entrants can write a 450-word essay and/or create a twominute video focusing on how today’s growers are overcoming challenges to provide a safe, stable food supply and sustain the significant role agriculture plays in everyday life. The deadline is Feb. 1. The written essay winner receives a $1,000 prize and round-trip ticket to Washington, D.C., for recognition during the Celebration of Ag Dinner held March 19. During dinner, the winner will read the winning essay and join industry representatives, members of Congress, federal agency representatives, media and friends for a festive ag celebration. The video essay winner wins a $1,000 prize, and the winning video will play during the Celebration of Ag dinner. Visit agday.org to read official contest rules and for details regarding entry applications. “In the Market” Will return in the next issue of Farm Bureau Press on Feb. 1.
Editor Keith Sutton
keith.sutton@arfb.com
We work for those who We work for those who We work for those who feed the world. feed the world. feed the world.
Representing more than 200,000 Arkansas families, Farm Bureau is the Representing more than 200,000 state’s largest membership organization. Arkansas families, Farm Bureau is the state’s largest membership organization. Representing more than 200,000 Arkansas families, Farm Bureau is the state’s largest membership organization.
® arfb.com facebook.com/ArkansasFarmBureau twitter.com/arfb youtube.com/ArkansasFarmBureau arfb.com tastearkansas.com facebook.com/ArkansasFarmBureau twitter.com/arfb youtube.com/ArkansasFarmBureau arfb.com tastearkansas.com facebook.com/ArkansasFarmBureau twitter.com/arfb youtube.com/ArkansasFarmBureau tastearkansas.com
® ®