11-01-11 Senate Gridlock Thwarts Resolution to NCC v EPA Ruling

WASHINGTON, DC – CropLife America (CLA) expressed disappointment today that the stay of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals’ January 2009 ruling in National Cotton Council, et al. v. EPA has expired without enactment of H.R. 872. The legislation, which enjoys broad bipartisan and bicameral support, would clarify that Clean Water Act (CWA) permits are not required for certain pesticide applications. Instead, the Court’s ruling, which vacated the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 2006 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Final Rule for pesticides, will now require states to implement and enforce duplicative regulation on pesticide users with no environmental benefit.

“We had hoped that the United States Senate would take action and pass H.R. 872 or a reasonable moratorium alternative to avoid implementation of the Sixth Circuit’s misguided NPDES ruling before the deadline passed,” said Jay Vroom, president and CEO of CLA. “Though the Senate, despite Herculean efforts by several Senators to find a way beyond the impasse, failed to act before time expired, we still hold out hope for Senate leadership to effectively address this issue. Despite assurances from EPA that enforcement on the regulation will be deferred until 2012, it does not prevent citizen action lawsuit liability for our customers and for all of America’s farmers and pest control managers tasked with protecting our food supply and our citizens from insect borne diseases and other harmful pathogens,” continued Vroom.

11-01-11 2012 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show Registration Underway Feb 1-4 in Nashville, TN

 

— Nashville, Tenn., Welcomes Cattlemen Feb. 1-4, 2012 

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Nov. 1, 2011) – Registration for the 2012 Cattle Industry Annual Convention andNational Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Trade Show is underway. The 114^th Annual Convention will be held in Nashville, Tenn., Feb. 1-4, 2012, and advanced registration is open until Jan. 11, 2012.

2012 convention participants will hear from industry leaders, gather insight on industry trends, take part in NCBA’s grassroots policy process and enjoy a Cowboy’s Night at the Grand Ole Opry and admission to the Honky Tonk Party. NCBA President and Montana rancher Bill Donald said the convention is a must for all cattlemen.

“The Cattle Industry Convention is the oldest and largest convention for the cattle business,” Donald said. “The convention and trade show create a unique environment for cattle industry members to come together to work toward the future of the industry and have some fun.”

11-01-11 NCGA Disappointed Senate Did Not Act Before Deadline on NPDES Legislation

WASHINGTON (November 1, 2011) –The National Corn Growers Association expressed disappointment in the Senate’s failure to act on legislation that would have clarified federal permits are not required when applying pesticides according to their EPA-approved label.

“NCGA is disappointed the Senate did not approve H.R. 872 prior to the October 31 deadline when the NPDES pesticide permitting program takes effect,” NCGA President Garry Niemeyer, an Illinois corn farmer, said. “Despite broad bipartisan support for the proposal, lawmakers were unable to identify a path forward for this important legislation. As a result, farmers like me are now exposed to a new set of legal liabilities and regulatory requirements under the Clean Water Act, without a guarantee of any additional environmental benefits.”

10-26-11 *Weld County News* WCCR Reminds Weld County Residents to VOTE on November 1st…ELECTION RESULTS WEBSITE AVAILABLE

CLICK HERE to visit the Weld County Election Results Website

Weld County Clerk & Recorder, Steve Moreno, would like to remind Weld County residents that Weld County election results for the Coordinated Election on November 1, 2011, will be accessible on the Weld County website located at www.co.weld.co.us on the main page.  Results will start to be posted after 7:00 pm.  If you require phone assistance, please contact us at one of the phone numbers listed below:

11-01-11 CO Gov Hickenlooper delivers FY 2012-13 proposed budget to JBC

DENVER ­— Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2011 — Gov. John Hickenlooper today delivered the FY 2012-13 proposed budget to the Joint Budget Committee.

“As you will see, the budget reflects the ongoing work of closing the State’s structural budget gap and funding the demands of numerous federal and State Constitutional requirements,” Hickenlooper wrote in a letter to the JBC. “The proposal also contains several proposals to protect the most vulnerable Coloradans, promote economic growth, continue needed reforms in education and modernize State government.”

The FY 2012-13 proposed budget is $20.09 billion, of which $7.39 billion is from the General Fund. These amounts represent growth rates over the last fiscal year of 1.7% ($342.6 million) in total funds and 3.2% ($227.1 million) in the General Fund.

“The General Fund budget (financed by income and sales taxes) is the area of the budget that is most reflective of the overall economic condition of the state,” the governor’s letter said. “Though there has been a partial recovery from the recent recession, the revenue picture remains unsettled and we expect only modest General Fund revenue growth in FY 2012-13.”

Demands for State services and benefits over the past five years have increased substantially and reflect the pressures of a growing population and a weak economy.

Specifically:

11-01-11 National 4-H Council Wins Inaugural SFP Yield Signs 4 Success Contest

4-H claims cash prize to aid organization’s agricultural education, outreach

 

Leawood, Kan. (November 2, 2011) – And the winner is . . . the National 4-H Council! 4-H claimed the most votes in SFP’s inaugural online contest for its Yield Signs 4 Success (YS4S) Program. The company’s charitable program was introduced at the June 2011 kickoff event for SFP’s mobile marketing unit, where the company presented $5,000 each to four agricultural-based organizations:

• National FFA Foundation
• Farm Safety 4 Just Kids
• National 4-H Council
• Royal Scholars (of the American Royal Association)

SFP recognized these four organizations for their ongoing commitment to agricultural education and safety.

To follow, website visitors participated in the contest by logging on to FENtour.com to cast their votes for one of the four organizations to receive the overall 2011 YS4S donation – $1 for every mile SFP’s mobile marketing unit traveled from June to October 2011 to industry tradeshows and events.

The final mileage and prize: 11,895 miles, and $11,895 for the National 4-H Council.  

11-01-11 CCA Statement: Rep. Scott Tipton Blows Whistle on Water Rights

ARVADA, Colo. – November 1, 2011 – Late last week, Congressman Scott Tipton (R — Colo. 3rd District) requested that Secretary Tom Vilsack, U.S. Department of Agriculture, not allow the Forest Service to require the transfer of ownership of privately held water rights to the name of the United States. This would be a taking of property rights from Colorado water right holders.

“I have concerns with this requirement and the policies that underlie it, particularly to the extent that such water rights predate the creation of the Forest Service, in the case of grazing permits,” stated Congressman Tipton.

According to the Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution, water rights established under state law are property rights. The Report of the Federal Water Rights Task Force created pursuant to Section 389(D)(3) of P.L. 104-127 expressly concluded that:

“Congress has not delegated to the Forest Service the authority necessary to allow it to require that water users relinquish a part of their existing water supply or transfer their water rights to the United States as a condition of the grant or renewal of federal permits.”

“The Colorado Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) is grateful to Congressman Tipton for stating our opposition on this issue due to preemption of state sovereignty of water rights,” states David Mendenhall, CCA President. “CCA works diligently to ensure beef producers, as well as all property owners, keep their property rights.”

CCA will be working with Colorado’s Congressional delegation to ensure that any administrative order by the Forest Service seeking to take possession of water rights in exchange for permitted action on Forest Service lands be withdrawn.

Colorado Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) is the state’s only nonprofit  trade organization exclusively representing Colorado’s cattle  producers.  Founded in 1867, CCA is the nation’s oldest state  cattlemen’s association. Visit us on the web at www.coloradocattle.org.

11-01-11 *CSU News* Workshop Addresses the Future of Colorado Ranching…Nick Petry Workshop Dec 2nd

Dr. Kraig Peel, PhD. - CLICK HERE to learn more about him and CSU's Dept of Animal Sciences

(The BARN – Briggsdale, CO) Joining me inside the BARN to discuss the 12th Annual Nick Petry “Ranching Legacy” Workshop on December 2nd is Colorado State University’s Department of Animal Sciences’ Dr Kraig Peel, PhD. Dr Peel says there are numerous reasons that ranchers should get registered before November 19th and make their plans to attend this year…110211_12thNickPetryRanchingLegacyWorkshop_DrKraigPeel_12m23s

FORT COLLINS - Ranching has been a part of Colorado’s culture and vital to its economy since the pioneers moved West. But this tradition is slowly declining as a growing number of ranchers face a series of new and complex challenges.

The Western Center for Integrated Resource Management in the College of Agricultural Sciences atColorado State University, along with the National Western Stock Show Scholarship Trust Fund, is pleased to host the 12th annual Nick Petry Workshop on Friday, Dec. 2. The workshop will include topics designed to help Colorado ranching carry on its legacy by being prepared to meet the demands of modern range management.

The theme of this year’s workshop is “Ranching at the Frontier: Ecosystem Services and Decision Tools.”

The workshop focus is around range management. The speakers will address how to evaluate the health of the land and how to make ecologically sound management decisions. Today’s land managers have to be able to understand and manage the land for long term sustainability. This topic is at the forefront of ecological research at CSU. Speakers for the workshop include: Maria Fernandez-Gimenez, associate professor, Forest Rangeland Watershed Stewardship, Colorado State; Jay Parsons, assistant professor, Agricultural and Resource Economics, Colorado State; Justin Derner, Agricultural Research Service, Cheyenne, Wyo.; and Josh Goldstein, assistant professor, Human Dimensions of Natural Resources, Colorado State.

“With this workshop, the Western Center for the Integrated Resource Management joins with the National Western Stock Show to continue to honor Nick Petry’s memory. This year’s topic addresses the changing management strategies of Western ranches,” said Kraig Peel, director of the Western Center and assistant professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at Colorado State.

The one-day workshop will be held at the National Western Stock Complex, Centennial Room, 4655 Humboldt St., Denver, beginning at 8:30 a.m. Registration is free, but it is required before Nov. 19. Registration is available online at www.wcirm.colostate.edu. Lunch will be provided to all registrants.

11-01-11 *KSU News* Kansas Junior Beef Producer Day Planned for Jan. 7, 2012 at K-State

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Jan. 7, 2012 is the date for the Kansas Junior Beef Producer Day to be held at Kansas State University’s Weber Arena in Manhattan. The day will bring together youth, parents, beef project leaders and others to increase their knowledge about beef production and management. Registration begins at 9:00 a.m., with the program starting at 9:30 a.m. Featured speakers and K-State faculty and staff will cover such topics as:

-    Selecting Your Youth Beef Project
-    Facilities and General Care
-    Breeds and Beef Identification
-    Meat and Carcass Evaluation
-    Selecting Your Next Show Heifer Project to be a Great Cow
-    Nutrition
-    Showmanship Clinic
-    Nose Printing/Tattooing/Fitting Demonstration/Ultrasound

All participants will receive a T-shirt and a complimentary lunch.  The event is sponsored by K-State Research and Extension (www.ksre.ksu.edu); Kansas Beef Council (www.kansasbeef.org); Valley Vet Supply (www.valleyvet.com/ct_farm.html); Land o’ Lakes/Purina Feed LLC www.lolfeed.com/contents/beef/beef.asp?page=2.

The cost to register is $15 per person if postmarked by Dec. 9; $20 if postmarked after that date. Participants who register after Dec. 9 cannot be guaranteed a T-shirt. More information and printable registration forms are available by contacting Chelsea Tomascik (tomascik@ksu.edu or 785-532-1264) or Scott Schaake (simmi@ksu.edu or 785-532-1242) or online at www.YouthLivestock.KSU.edu.

11-01-11 CME Group Inc. Reports Strong Third-Quarter Financial Results Driven By Record Revenues and Operating Margin

CHICAGO, Nov. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — CME Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CME) today reported that third-quarter revenues increased 19 percent to a record $874 million and operating income increased 29 percent to $572 million compared with third-quarter 2010.  Third-quarter 2011 operating margin was 65 percent, the highest quarterly GAAP operating margin to date, and up from 60 percent in the third quarter of 2010.  Operating margin is defined as operating income as a percentage of total revenues.

Third-quarter net income attributable to CME Group was $316 million, up 29 percent compared with the third quarter of 2010.  Diluted earnings per share were $4.74, up 30 percent compared with the same period last year.

“CME Group’s core business continued to perform very well, and during the quarter we delivered significant growth in revenue, operating income and earnings per share,” said CME Group Executive Chairman Terry Duffy. “On the regulatory front, we were pleased to see the CFTC rulemaking on position limits establish equivalent limits for physically and cash-settled contracts, other than natural gas.  We will continue to work closely with regulators and market participants during this important rulemaking process.”