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“Step Taken Toward Easing Beef Restrictions in Japan”

The Wall Street Journal reports a significant step has been taken toward lifting beef restrictions that have been a sore spot in U.S. trade relations with Japan. A Japanese government advisory panel on food safety has agreed on recommendations about easing imports of U.S. beef. According to the panel’s report – raising the upper age limit on animals whose beef can be accepted for importation to 30 months would pose little risk and the impact on human health would be negligible. Japan currently accepts product from cattle 20 months of age and younger.

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“FAO Releases August Food Price Index, Unchanged from July”

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization reported yesterday (Thursday) that world food prices stabilized in August at levels close to those during the 2008 food crisis. FAO Director General Jose Graziano da Silva has called for international action to calm markets – but he says the current price index provides some cause for optimism. Graziano da Silva says current prices are no justification for talk of a world food crisis – but the international community can and should move to further calm markets. He says the FAO is reassured the U.S. drought won’t pull the world into a similar situation as in 2008.

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“Farm Groups Come Together to File Brief in Forestry Case”
The American Farm Bureau Federation, National Pork Producers Council and National Council of Farmer Cooperatives have filed a friend-of-the-court brief with the Supreme Court. They believe stormwater runoff from tree harvesting and other forestry activities – like most agricultural activities – should not be subject to federal Clean Water Act permitting requirements. The groups are urging the Supreme Court to reaffirm the intent of Congress to exclude stormwater runoff from forestry activities requiring CWA permits.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit invalidated an EPA rule relied on by forest landowners for 35 years in 2011. The lower court concluded that logging roads and associated stormwater collection systems must be viewed as “point sources” of pollution regulated under EPA’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit program. Farm Bureau, NPPC and NCFC would like the Supreme Court to reverse that decision. They argue that the lower court ruled incorrectly that logging is an industrial activity – concluding that stormwater discharges from those activities must be authorized under an NPDES stormwater permit as part of EPA’s stormwater regulations. According to the three groups – Congress confirmed in its 1987 Clean Water Act amendments that stormwater from both agriculture and forestry has always been intentionally excluded from federal permit requirements.

Farm Bureau’s General Counsel Ellen Steen says Congress has never allowed the EPA to be in the business of mandating particular forestry practices – any more than it allows the agency to regulate how crops are grown. Steen says Congress has always recognized that stormwater runoff from these activities is best left to state and local authorities. She adds that states have been very successful in designing their own programs to protect water quality.

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“Analysis Leads to Prediction of Record High Hog Slaughter”

USDA has not issued an official hog slaughter tally for the month of August – but Reuters has analyzed daily data and is projecting that 9.9-million head were slaughtered during the month. That’s the highest-ever for August and is at least partly attributed to record-high feed costs caused by the worst drought in five decades. Jim Robb – Director of the Livestock Marketing Information Center – notes the pace of slaughter normally increases in the fourth quarter. If that happens – Robb says hog prices are headed lower. The prices of hog futures at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange are already hovering around 20-month lows. Another reason for the push to slaughter – according to analysts – is cooler weather – which helped hogs gain weight faster. Robb adds that the conception rates of sows are better in the first half of the year – resulting in more hogs coming to market in the second half.

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“BASF Encourages Farmers to Think About Fall Burndown”

Winter annual weeds can take over fields in the months between harvest and spring planting. BASF notes that for the Midwest – that can mean the return of tough-to-control weeds like glyphosate-resistant marestail. When it’s small – marestail is easiest to control. But when it grows taller than six-inches – effective control with herbicides is much more difficult. BASF notes a single surviving plant can produce as many as 200-thousand seeds – exponentially increasing seeds in the seed bank and making the costly weed one farmers can expect to deal with year after year if not managed correctly. Those who wish to avoid this situation might want to consider a fall burndown program. BASF Technical Market Manager Dr. Dan Westberg says a fall burndown lessens the amount of spring fieldwork needed and allows farmers an earlier opportunity to start planting. Westberg adds fall burndown can help farmers manage resistant weeds because it gives growers the chance to apply a different herbicide site of action to their fields.

With herbicide-resistant weeds such as glyphosate-resistant marestail spreading throughout the region – weed management experts are more adamant than ever that farmers use a complete program that includes the use of multiple herbicide sites of action. For more information on herbicide best practices – visit on dot basf dot com slash weedbp (http://on.basf.com/weedbp).

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“Keeping Switchgrass Immature Could Aid Cellulosic Ethanol Industry”

USDA scientists have discovered a gene that essentially keeps switchgrass in its juvenile form – and they say it could have far-reaching implications for the development of the plant as a biofuel crop. The insertion of a specific gene from corn – called corngrass – into switchgrass keeps the perennial grass from flowering, producing seeds and from having a dormant growth phase. As a result of those changes – the sugars making up the plant starch are more readily available for conversion into cellulosic ethanol.

Agricultural Research Service Geneticist Sarah Hake explains that the starch stays inside the stem because it isn’t needed elsewhere for nourishing flower buds and blossoms. As a result – starch levels can increase as much as 250-percent – increasing the sugars that can be fermented into ethanol.

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“Family Business Scholarship Winners to Leave Mark on Washington”

The United Fresh Foundation Center for Leadership Excellence has announced the recipients of the 2012 Frieda Rapoport Caplan Family Business Scholarships. The scholarship recipients receive a trip to the annual United Fresh Washington Public Policy Conference held October 1st through the 3rd. United Fresh Foundation Chairman Steve Grinstead says the conference is a key platform to connect with important political leaders and helps ensure the voice of the produce industry is heard by the nation’s decision makers. He says the presence of the scholarship winners at this important grassroots event is certain to help leave a positive imprint in the nation’s capital.

The family business scholarship program is now in its twelfth year. The winners were selected by a review committee based on a number of criteria including interest in advocacy work, commitment to the industry and overall application quality. More information on the scholarship program and the Washington Public Policy Conference is available at www dot unitedfresh dot org (www.unitedfresh.org).

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“Grants Available for Improving Farm Worker Housing”

USDA is accepting applications for technical assistance grants to develop domestic and migrant farm labor housing. U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says increasing the supply of affordable housing in rural communities not only helps the residents – but the entire community.

The Notice of Funding Availability for loans and grants to build or preserve affordable rental farm worker housing was announced in July. This technical assistance funding is to organizations that assist potential borrowers under that notice. The deadline for submitting applications is November 5th.

SOURCE: NAFB News Service