V O L U M E 2 7
AUGUST 2018
M O N TA N A
GRASS ROOTS
F E E D I N G T H E F U T U R E T H R O U G H F A R M E R S U N I O N E D U C AT I O N A P U B L I C AT I O N B Y M O N TA N A F A R M E R S U N I O N
IN THIS ISSUE....
USCA CONCLUDES FLY-IN, CONTINUES FIGHT FOR TRUTHFUL LABELING BY LIA BIONDO U N I T E D S T AT E S C AT T L E M E N ’ S A S S O C I AT I O N
TRUTHFUL LABELING AT HEART OF USCA FLY-IN
LABELS KEY TO PROTECTING MONTANA PULSE MARKET FARM SAFETY TAKES CENTER STAGE NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE
PAID GREAT FALLS, MT PERMIT NO. 93
The United States Cattlemen’s Association (USCA) put boots on the ground in Washington D.C. during the association’s annual fly-in, bringing key issues affecting U.S. cattle producers to the attention of lawmakers and the Administration. The delegation, led by USCA President Kenny Graner and USCA Vice President Brooke Miller, focused on issues such as country-of-origin labeling, animal health and traceability, modernizing the beef checkoff, transportation, and the regulation and truthful labeling of “fake meat”.
B Y PA U L K A N N I N G M O N TA N A P U L S E C R O P COMMITTEE
the potential to severely impact our pulse markets.
Montana pulse growers are well into another production year with crops in most areas of the state doing well. While total acreage is down from 2017, USDA reported in June that Montana has 301,000 acres of chickpeas, 530,000 acres of lentils, and 415,000 acres of dry peas this year. Soon it will be time to desiccate those crops in preparation for harvest.
Each country establishes a Maximum Residue Limit, or MRL, to set the upper limits of residue allowed on imported crops. MRLs can vary by county, by commodity, and by active ingredient. For example, paraquat is a commonly used desiccant in the US. The MRL for paraquat is 0.05mg/ kg for pulses in China, but only 0.02mg/kg in the EU. In addition residue testing has become extremely sophisticated, with current methods able to identify over 260 pesticide residues at levels well below 1 part-per-billion (ppb). As farmers, we have the collective responsibility to ensure our products meet these strict conditions. If just one sample exceeds MRL limits, it can not only
Meetings were held with the United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr, CME Group, USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service, USDA Food Safety Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Transportation FMCSA, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Department of Interior, U.S. Trade Representatives, and the FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. The delegation also met with nearly 50 congressional offices to emphasize these priority issues and their relevancy to the 2018 Farm Bill.
C O N T I N U E D N E X T PA G E
C O N T I N U E D N E X T PA G E
Pulse desiccation is a critical harvest management tool which aids in a timely harvest by drying down the crop and leveling out maturity across a field. It also helps dry down the inevitable broadleaf weeds found in pulse crops. However, improper desiccant application and timing has