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01-19-12 National FFA Shares Input with USDA on Upcoming Farm Bill

INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, January 17, 2012/National FFA Organization) – With more than 100,000 new farmers needed over the next few years, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack issued the young leaders of the National FFA Organization a challenge in 2011. “I would like you to with your fellow students and the adult leadership of the organization to develop a series of recommendations around the upcoming Farm Bill that will encourage more young people to pursue careers in farming,” Vilsack said.

It was a challenge that the national FFA officer team for 2010-11 took seriously. The students immediately began work- framing key questions, consulting FFA members, engaging leaders in agriculture, compiling input and formulating recommendations.

“Never before had we been invited to submit direct input to the Secretary of Agriculture that could enhance the ability of agricultural education and FFA to help students succeed and strengthen American agriculture,” said Riley Pagett, national FFA President, 2010-11. “We were honored to be invited to be a part of this process.”

In December 2011, the 2010-11  national officer team met with Sec. Vilsack to share their recommendations which fell under four main categories. Those are: Getting started in production agriculture; creating vibrant rural communities; who should care about agriculture and why; planning for the future.

01-19-12 National FFA Organization Seeks Student Travelers

International Collegiate Agricultural Leadership Program Goes to Southeast Asia this May

INDIANAPOLIS – The National FFA Organization is now accepting applications for its 2012 International Collegiate Agricultural Leadership (I-CAL) program. FFA will take 12 students to Southeast Asia this spring; the tentative program dates are May 19th-June 1st.
This conference allows students the opportunity to study global agriculture and international marketing. Students will learn about current international trade and cultural issues and gain awareness of how international markets for agricultural products operate. Upon completion of the program, students will give educational presentations to local groups and organizations about their experiences.
The I-CAL program was developed as a partnership with the U.S. Grains Council and The Grains Foundation. The deadline for applications is February 15th, 2012 at 5 p.m. EST. Potential participants can learn more about the program and download an application at www.ffa.org/collegiate.

About The Grains Foundation

The Grains Foundation was established by members of the U.S. Grains Council in 1983. It was formed in an effort to improve world food availability and quality; to strengthen the role in the marketplace in resolving global supply and demand issues; and to build partnerships with agricultural producers, agribusinesses and governments in developing countries through market education programs.

About The National FFA Organization

01-19-12 *National FFA News* More than 1,500 Farmer Votes Counted Early in FFA Chapter Challenge

Chapters in 12 states can still register to compete for $300,000 in FFA incentives provided by Monsanto

INDIANAPOLIS (January 19, 2012/National FFA Organization) – FFA members in 12 states, eager to win terrific prizes for their local chapter, are off to a very strong start in a program to designed to teach them about today’s agriculture by meeting with farmers in their communities.

The 2012 FFA Chapter Challenge, a second-year program now available to more than 3,300 FFA chapters and over 236,000 FFA members, started collecting votes on Monday, January 16. As of Wednesday afternoon, FFA members had already reached 1,541 farmers who voted for their local chapters. Missouri, with 460 votes, led Indiana (309) and Tennessee (308) in the early running. A complete state-by-state leaderboard is available at www.FFAchapterchallenge.com/leaderboard

Sponsored by Monsanto, the premise of the program is simple: chapter FFA members visit and build relationships with local farmers in a bid to learn about a farmer’s way of life and to build local support for their chapter’s agriculture education endeavors. Afterward, the FFA members ask the farmer to vote for their chapter.

The top 200 FFA chapters that make the most connections and receive the most farmer votes by February 29 will be awarded a line of credit ranging from $1,000 to $2,500 from the National FFA Organization. As a sponsor of the program, Monsanto will provide more than $300,000 in incentives.

READ the NAFB’s National Ag News as heard inside the BARN for January 19th

CLICK HERE to listen to TODAY's BARN Morning Ag News with Brian Allmer...

Sponsored by the American Farm Bureau Federation

“Keystone XL Pipeline Rejected”

Based on the recommendation of the U.S. State Department, President Obama has decided to reject the Keystone XL pipeline permit. The pipeline would transport Canada’s tar sands through six states to be refined in the south. Supporters say the project would create thousands of jobs and insure our energy security.

Wednesday afternoon, after the President’s position was clear, House Speaker John Boehner and a delegation of House Republicans provided a reply to the President’s announced move. Boehner said this is not in the best interest of the United States. It’s a broken promise to create jobs. Boehner pledged – this is not the end of the fight. We will continue to push.

Meanwhile, Arkansas Representative Tim Griffin talked of Welspun Pipes, the company that stood to provide a lot of pipe to the XL project. The Little Rock Company, an Indian company, had previously laid off many because of the President’s desire to delay a decision until after the elections. According to Griffin, the company has lots of premade pipe ready for shipment.

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“The Pipeline Hold-up”

It appears the Obama Administration wants to include in its final decision the final rout around the Sand Hills region of North-Central Nebraska. The state of Nebraska is working with pipeline owner TransCanada to find a suitable route around the Sand Hills.