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June 13, 2014
Volume 14
Issue 18
ACTION NEEDED
The new FBACT | Farm Bureau Advocacy App is live and available for download in both the Apple and Android stores. The app can be found via the following links or by searching “FBACT” or “Farm Bureau Advocacy” in your respective app store.
Apple FBACT | Farm Bureau Advocacy App
Android FBACT | Farm Bureau Advocacy App
The FBACT | Farm Bureau Advocacy App features the following:
- Built-in take action center.
- Talking points for Farm Bureau issues.
- Social media sharing tools.
- Access to advocacy videos.
- A scheduler that allows the user to add events to his/her personal calendar.
- An interactive congressional directory.
- Live updates from the Farm Bureau Twitter feed.
- An integrated feedback form.
PLEASE REPORT ANNEXATION ACTIVITY Since much needed annexation reform did not pass in SB 273, it is expected that municipal actions will increase. To keep a handle on this issue statewide and to provide material for summer study committee testimony, members are asked to report any proposed or rumored annexation proposals to Katrina Hall. Please include contact information and attach any materials gathered locally.
FARMERS SOUGHT TO DEMONSTRATE PRIORITY OF AG ISSUES The public policy team is looking for farmers who are willing to share information about their farm and family to demonstrate to legislators the need to address farmland taxes, annexation and a broad spectrum of water issues. If you are interested in sharing information that could be helpful in telling the farm story, please contact Megan Ritter or Bob White. We will select a broad range of members to highlight, including large farms, small farms, corn/soybean growers, livestock producers, specialty crops/retail agriculture and everything in between.
FSA WARNS FARMERS OF PHONE SCAM A phone scam is being perpetrated on Farm Service Agency customers. The caller, who claims to be a Farm Loan Services representative from Washington, D.C., states that FSA owes you disaster assistance funds and proceeds to request checking account information or requests a credit card number alleging that funds will be credited to these accounts. Should you receive a similar call, do not, under any circumstances, provide personal or financial information to the caller, FSA warns.
FEDERAL ORDER REQUIRES PRODUCERS TO REPORT PEDV AND PDCoV CASES In response to the significant impact porcine epidemic diarrhea virus and porcine deltacoronavirus are having on U.S. pork producers, the United States Department of Agriculture has announced $26.2 million in funding to combat these diseases. Additionally, USDA issued a federal order requiring the reporting of new detections of these viruses to its Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service or state animal health officials.
The federal order also requires that operations reporting these viruses work with their veterinarian, USDA or state animal health officials to develop and implement a reasonable management plan to address the detected virus and prevent its spread. Plans will be based on industry recommended best practices and include disease monitoring through testing and biosecurity measures. These steps will help to reduce the virus in affected animals. This will also help prevent further spread of the disease and enable continued movement of animals for production and processing. Read more.
STATE NEWS
WEBSITE DEVELOPED FOR FARMERS A coalition of Indiana ag organizations and Purdue Extension have taken the next step of turning the nutrient management/soil health strategy in Indiana into a resource that farmers can use to make decisions on cropping systems, cover crop use, nutrient management and water management. The website is still in its early stages of development but currently has information from Purdue and NRCS on how to calculate fertilizer rates and make cropping decisions. The goal is to populate the website with brief information about the economics of certain practices, provide short summaries of research that shows results of practice implementation and provide accurate information that farmers can rely on to make important decisions without having to sort through the clutter of information overload. The website, which is designed to be mobile device friendly, will also have links to videos about certain practices. Farmers and their advisors are encouraged to take a look at the website and provide feedback to Justin Schneider.
BOAH ANIMAL DISEASE TRACEABILITY RULE MAY IMPACT CATTLE AND BISON PRODUCERS The Indiana State Board of Animal Health is accepting comments on proposed rule changes to align the state with the USDA's Animal Disease Traceability program. The primary purpose of the changes is to conform BOAH’s rules to the new United States Department of Agriculture - Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service livestock traceability requirements. BOAH also seeks to amend and clarify identification and documentation rules governing interstate and intrastate movement of livestock. Read a summary of the changes for cattle and bison producers. Please contact Amy Cornell or Greg Slipher for more information.
ZONING ISSUES AROUND INDIANA We have a number of counties around the state where your Farm Bureau staff is involved with plan commissions and their staff. Issues range from illegal language in zoning ordinances to zoning ordinances being rewritten at the request of those in opposition with today’s farming practices. A few examples are listed below.
Adams – pushback on turkey and swine projects; Allen – pushback on swine project resulting in ordinances under challenge from opposition; Bartholomew – pushback on swine project resulting in look at comprehensive plan and ordinances; Carroll – ordinances under discussion; Decatur – ordinances under challenge from opposition; Hancock – ordinances under discussion; Henry – advisory committee looking at rewriting ordinance language; Jackson – pushback on swine project, advisory committee looking at rewriting ordinance language; Lagrange – composting discussion; Monroe – examining ag related ordinance language; Noble – ongoing ordinance discussion and pushback on swine project; Steuben – pushback on swine project; Union – county board of health involved in regulating livestock farms; and Wayne – proposing satellite manure storage ordinance.
This scope of activity makes us wonder if counties value agriculture’s contribution to their communities. Those advocating for the changes in zoning language will likely limit the ability of agriculture to grow and continue to contribute to the economic base of the community.
If your county is on the list and you want to help, or if your county should be on the list, please contact Greg Slipher or Amy Cornell.
HISTORIC BARN LAW SIGNED House Enrolled Act 1046 - 2014, authored by Rep. Bob Cherry (R-Greenfield), was ceremoniously signed into law by Gov. Mike Pence on Thursday. Indiana Farm Bureau President Don Villwock, who owns an historic barn, was also in attendance. This legislation provides a property tax deduction for heritage barns that were constructed prior to 1950 and are not being used for agricultural or business purposes. “As a representative of a large rural district, it is unfortunate to see many heritage barns throughout the state aging and falling into disrepair,” said Rep. Cherry. “Many owners choose not to rehabilitate them, since rehabilitation would increase their value and consequently their tax burden.”
FEDERAL NEWS
RULE PROPOSAL TO EXPAND REACH OF FEDERAL WATER REGULATION The EPA and Army Corps of Engineers have proposed a rule which will greatly expand federal jurisdiction over features that may contain water only when it rains. If this rule is adopted, it has potential to impact how you farm, whether you can spray or fertilize your fields without a permit, whether you can build a fence or farm pond and restrict how you maintain drainage. Farmers, landowners and homeowners are encouraged to submit comments on the rule proposal to EPA and express concerns to their members of Congress. Comments must be summited to EPA by October 20. See information on the expansive nature of the rule and how to submit comments.
DOT GRANTS EXEMPTION FOR LIVESTOCK HAULING The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced on Friday a one-year exemption for the hours-of-service 30-minute break rule for individuals hauling livestock. The rule required drivers to take a 30-minute break during an eight-hour shift in an effort to prevent fatigue-related accidents.
Bob McCan, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association president, welcomed the announcement but said NCBA will continue pushing to make the exemption permanent. “As we come into summer, cattle producers have expressed concerns to the DOT that these rules would jeopardize the health and safety of our cattle,” McCan said. “This exemption is a common-sense move that keeps our herds and our nation’s highways safe.”
The exemption will be effective immediately on the date it is published in the Federal Register and will expire one year later. Read the announcement of the one-year exemption.
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