The May/June issue of the South Dakota Union Farmer discusses the latest information on the federal farm bill, overviews some grain buyer legislation and issues as well as a Planting with Producers event which SDFU sponsored in May.
A PUBLICATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA FARMERS UNION PAGE 7 PAGE 6 South Dakota Union Farmer Volume XCVI, NO. 5 Huron, SD May/June 2013 SDFU State Office Taking Shape Lentsch Attends ‘Planting with Producers’ Event Quiz Bowl Semifinals Held Senate, House Ag committees pass farm bill U.S. Department of Ag issues final COOL rule It was originally passed in the 2002 farm bill, an idea that would require retailers to provide a label that told consumers what coun- try the food they were buying came from. After more than a decade after the law was originally passed, the U.S. Depart- ment of Agriculture in May of this year issued a final rule on country-of- origin labeling (COOL). USDA’s final rule See KEEP COOL Page 11 Before taking a weeklong recess, Congress will be back to work the first week of June and the farm bill will be near the top of the list of its priorities. After letting the 2008 farm bill expire, then a last-minute extension put into place at the end of last year, the House and Senate look poised to ac- tually pass the farm bill this time. And it could be soon. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be a lot of debate over the next several days and maybe weeks. The Senate Agriculture Committee passed its version of the farm bill by a 15-5 vote May 14. Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., voted against the farm bill in committee. The Senate’s version spends roughly $500 billion over the next decade, but saves about $23 billion over the previous farm bill. The bill eliminates direct payments and strengthens federal crop insurance. The House Agriculture Committee followed suit the next day by passing its version of the legislation by a 36-10 vote. Rep. Kristi Noem, R- S.D., voted for the legislation. will require labels for certain foods, particularly muscle cuts of meat, to include the countries in which the animal was born, raised and slaugh- tered. Legal analysis has found that this will satisfy the World Trade Organization’s require- ments and meets the compliance deadline of May 23, 2013. The WTO came into the debate over the law after Canada launched a challenge to COOL. The Canadian government argued before the WTO that the COOL requirements worked to the detri- ment of the meat industry in both countries by increasing costs, lowering processing efficiency and distorting trade between the U.S. and Canada. Canada won. But the final rule by the USDA is expected to hold up to any appeal. U.S. Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., who has worked for over a decade toward implementation of COOL since he authored the provision in the 2002 farm bill, applauded the USDA’s final rule to improve COOL. “USDA’s ruling is a victory for American consumers and ag producers,” Johnson said. “A recent survey has found that an overwhelming majority of consumers want to know where their food was produced. USDA has responded, and now consumers will have access to more accurate information about the origin of their food.” South Dakota Farmers Union President Doug Sombke said Sen. Johnson deserves a lot of credit “NFU is pleased that the 2013 Farm Bill has reached the Senate floor,” said National Farm- ers Union President Roger Johnson. “We are happy to see language being con- sidered that will provide a safety net for family farm- ers and ranchers, as well as a robust crop insurance program, mandatory en- ergy funding, streamlined conservation programs, additional protections for livestock producers and nutrition assistance for vulnerable people.” The House and Senate versions of the farm bill are fairly similar. But there are, of course, some dif- ferences that will have to be worked out in the conference committee once both chambers pass their versions. The major provisions included in both bills include replacing direct, counter-cyclical and Av- erage Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) programs with a revenue-based income protection program. Marketing loan programs for all program crops would continue under both versions, along with the continuation of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) with a reduced acreage enrollment limit. They both increase funding for the Supplemental Coverage Option crop insurance program. As far as the budget impacts, both versions decrease spending for commodity, conservation and nutrition programs while increas- ing funding for crop insurance pro- grams. A major difference between the two is spending on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The House version would cut nutrition programs by $20.5 billion while the Senate ver- See FARM BILL Page 10 PAGE 13
Transcript
A PUBLICATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA FARMERS UNION
PAGE 7 PAGE 6
South DakotaUnion Farmer
Volume XCVI, NO. 5 Huron, SD May/June 2013
SDFU State OfficeTaking ShapeLentsch Attends
‘Planting with Producers’ Event
Quiz BowlSemifinalsHeld
Senate, House Ag committees pass farm bill
U.S. Department of Ag issues final COOL rule It was originally passed in the 2002 farm bill, an idea that would require retailers to provide a label that told consumers what coun-try the food they were buying came from. After more than a decade after the law was originally passed, the U.S. Depart-ment of Agriculture in May of this year issued a final rule on country-of-origin labeling (COOL). USDA’s final rule See KEEP COOL Page 11
Before taking a weeklong recess, Congress will be back to work the first week of June and the farm bill will be near the top of the list of its priorities. After letting the 2008 farm bill expire, then a last-minute extension put into place at the end of last year, the House and Senate look poised to ac-tually pass the farm bill this time. And it could be soon. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be a lot of debate over the next several days and maybe weeks. The Senate Agriculture Committee passed its version of the farm bill by a 15-5 vote May 14. Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., voted against the farm bill in committee. The Senate’s version spends roughly $500 billion over the next decade, but saves about $23 billion over the previous farm bill. The bill eliminates direct payments and strengthens federal crop insurance. The House Agriculture Committee followed suit the next day by passing its version of the legislation by a 36-10 vote. Rep. Kristi Noem, R-S.D., voted for the legislation.
will require labels for certain foods, particularly muscle cuts of meat, to include the countries in which the animal was born, raised and slaugh-tered. Legal analysis has found that this will satisfy the World Trade Organization’s require-ments and meets the compliance deadline of May 23, 2013. The WTO came into the debate over the law after Canada launched a challenge to COOL. The Canadian government argued before the WTO that the COOL requirements worked to the detri-ment of the meat industry in both countries by increasing costs, lowering processing efficiency and distorting trade between the U.S. and Canada. Canada won. But the final rule by the USDA is expected to hold up to any appeal.
U.S. Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., who has worked for over a decade toward implementation of COOL since he authored the provision in the 2002 farm bill, applauded the USDA’s final rule to improve COOL. “USDA’s ruling is a victory for American consumers and ag producers,” Johnson said. “A recent survey has found that an overwhelming majority of consumers want to know where their food was produced. USDA has responded, and now consumers will have access to more accurate information about the origin of their food.” South Dakota Farmers Union President Doug Sombke said Sen. Johnson deserves a lot of credit
“NFU is pleased that the 2013 Farm Bill has reached the Senate floor,” said National Farm-ers Union President Roger Johnson. “We are happy to see language being con-sidered that will provide a safety net for family farm-ers and ranchers, as well as a robust crop insurance program, mandatory en-ergy funding, streamlined conservation programs, additional protections for livestock producers and nutrition assistance for vulnerable people.” The House and Senate versions of the farm bill are fairly similar. But there are, of course, some dif-ferences that will have to be worked out in the conference committee once both chambers pass their versions.
The major provisions included in both bills include replacing direct, counter-cyclical and Av-
erage Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) programs with a revenue-based income protection program. Marketing loan programs for all program crops would continue under both versions, along with the continuation of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) with a reduced acreage enrollment limit. They both increase funding for the Supplemental Coverage Option crop insurance program. As far as the budget impacts, both versions decrease spending for commodity, conservation and nutrition programs while increas-ing funding for crop insurance pro-grams. A major difference between the two is spending on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The House version would cut nutrition
programs by $20.5 billion while the Senate ver-See FARM BILL Page 10
PAGE 13
Doug Sombke SDFU President
Union FarmerSouth DakotaUnion FarmerA PUBLICATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA FARMERS UNIONSouth Dakota Union Farmer, ISSN 0745-8797, publishes ten times per calendar year, with issues printed in January, Febru-ary, March, April, May/June, July, August, Sept/Oct, November, and December. Copies are available for $3.00 per year (included with membership dues), and non-members annual subscription is $7.50. Advertising rate is $6.00/column inch. Periodical post-age paid at Mitchell, S.D. POSTMASTER: Address changes to: SDFU, PO Box 1388, Huron, S.D. 57350-1388
Leslie Rupiper........ext. 115 Foundation Exec. Director Sioux Falls
SDFU Board of Directors
Wayne Soren..........Vice Pres.Lake PrestonTerry Sestak...........District ITaborJim Wahle..............District IISalemFranklin Olson.....District IIIPierpont
Doug Sombke.........PresidentGroton
Joel Keierleber.......District IVColomeDallis Basel..............District VUnion CenterLynn Frey...............District VILemmonChad Johnson.......District VIIGroton
Contact NFU National Farmers Union 20 F Street NW Suite 300 Washington, DC 20001
Roger Johnson, President ~ Claudia Svarstad, Vice President Doug Peterson, Secretary ~ Don Teske, Treasurer
202.554.1600 www.nfu.org
2 May/June 2013 Union Farmer www.sdfu.org
From the President...
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Erica Jong once said, “If you don’t risk any-thing, you risk even more.” As farmers and ranchers I’m sure you have taken more risks than you care to remember. In today’s world of agriculture, risks are bigger than ever. That’s one rea-son, among many, that farmers have added crop insurance to their risk management tools. Over the years this tool has evolved into a very successful, and very important, part of our business. Banks and other lending institutions rely on it as much as we do. I don’t know of many farmers today who farm without crop insurance. Crop insurance has saved a lot of farmers this past year from losing the farm due to the huge nationwide drought. Without crop insurance, our country may have slipped in to an economic crisis even worse than the Great Recession we experi-enced. The question is: Has this great tool used by farmers today become too good? Today we see unintended consequences of this great tool. Farms getting better, land prices and cash rents pushing higher than anyone could have ever predicted in 2008, young farmers challenged to find ways to compete in a huge capital venture we call farming. Now, crop insurance is not the only reason these things have happened. But through crop insurance the government supports every farm, no matter what the size, equally with crop insur-ance premium subsidies. It doesn’t matter if your farm is 50,000 acres, you get the same support per acre from Uncle Sam as your neighbor with 500 acres. If both of you are growing the same crops
you don’t have to do anything special to receive it, just purchase crop insurance. You don’t have to comply with any government regulations, as long as you aren’t signed up for any government programs, you can just farm any ol’ way you want with government supported crop insurance premium assistance. What’s wrong with that you ask? Well, at a time when the U.S. government is struggling with record deficits, that premium assistance is cost-ing the American taxpayer billions of dollars each year while their tax bill is climbing right along with their food bill, making that taxpayer one unhappy camper. Yes, taxpayers care about where their food comes from and about family farms staying in business. But, they get really upset when they’re working their 40-plus hours a week, week after week, with limited time off for vaca-tion. Then, when they get a free minute, they look at Facebook and see their farmer friend in Vegas again or at his home in Arizona for the winter. Another unintended consequence of crop insurance is the shrinking cattle and sheep ranch operations across the country. With no real tool to protect livestock production risks compared to crop insurance, more and more ranchers are either selling out to farmers who break native sod to farm, or ranchers are becoming farmers them-selves. Not to mention the loss of wildlife due to more intensive farming in vulnerable soils which also leads to poorer water, air and soil quality. My question to you as farmers and ranchers is: What is the outcome of this tool we call crop insurance? Are we risking even more by having it subsidized by Uncle Sam at today’s level equally to all farmers? May God Bless everything you do this sum-mer!
888.734.8136 605.352.6761
Union FarmerEducation News By Bonnie Geyer Education Director
www.sdfu.org Union Farmer May/June 2013 3
Double D
Summer Interns Ready for Busy SDFU Youth Camping Season
2013 summer interns, pictured from left, Nicole Seible of Merrill, Iowa, Hannah Lily of Aber-deen, Emma Smith and Kortny Sterrett both of Huron.
South Dakota Farmers Union has hired four sum-mer interns to organize and facilitate the family farm organization’s sum-mer youth education pro-grams and summer camps. The 2013 interns are Kortny Sterrett and Emma Smith, both of Huron, Hannah Lily of Aberdeen and Nicole Seible of Mer-rill, Iowa. “I’m so pleased that these four talented young ladies have committed to work with our Farmers Union youth this sum-mer,” said Bonnie Geyer, state education director. “They’ll have the opportunity to travel across the state and pass along their knowledge to our young people and help them learn about agriculture and cooperation while enhancing their leadership and financial literacy skills.” Hannah Lily, in her second year as a Farmers Union summer intern, attends Houghton College in Houghton, N.Y., pursuing a degree in business administration and writing. She is the daughter of Christine Lily and the late Bob Lily and has been active in the Farmers Union youth program as a camper, Junior Advisory Council member, Farmers Union Torchbearer, scholarship recipi-ent and a member of the National Youth Advisory Council. Emma Smith, also in her second year with Farmers Union, is a graduate of Huron High School and just completed her sophomore year at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion majoring in advertising and public relations. She is the daughter of Jeff and Jamie Smith of Huron. Kortny Sterrett, also a native of Huron, is in her first summer with Farmers Union. She at-tends the University of South Dakota, majoring in contemporary media and journalism. She is the daughter of Cory and Shanna Sterrett of Huron. Also in her first year with Farmers Union, Nicole Seible of Merrill, Iowa, attends South Dakota State University at Brookings, majoring in agribusiness. She is the daughter of Mark and Connie Seible of Merrill, Iowa. Nearly 2,000 South Dakota youth will par-ticipate in South Dakota Farmers Union youth camps this summer from every county in the state. Camps are held at the local, county district and state levels each summer. Local and county day camps held across the state for youth ages
6-13 will feature crafts, cooperative games and a time of learning about leadership, citizenship, agriculture, environmental stewardship and other livfe skills. Three-day district camps are held at three different sites in South Dakota over the summer. These overnight camps feature many of the same components as day camps, but dive deeper as youth set up their own cooperatives and partici-pate in traditional camp favorites like campfires canoeing , swimming and other activities. A weeklong Farmers Union state camp is held at Storm Mountain Center near Rapid City in the Black Hills. The camp is for youth ages 14-19 and focuses on cooperative education and leader-ship training. The youth set up a cooperative store at the camp, a credit union, cooperative insur-ance company and other cooperative businesses. They experience real life scenarios like putting their own real money in a credit union and writ-ing a check to the cooperative store for snacks or drinks. Registration for many county and disctrict camps and state cam is now open. Click here for a list of county and district camps and click here to see the registration form for state camp. For more information about the summer youth education program, contact Bonnie Geyer at 888-734-8136 ext. 125 or email her at [email protected].
Visit the Education page at www.SDFU.orgfor camp dates and registration forms
I’d like to take a moment of personal privilege and thank everyone for your kind words and mes-sages of sympathy in the loss of my Mom, Joyce Geyer. It has been a sad and difficult time for me and my family and we all ap-preciate everyone’s thought-fulness. My parents farmed their entire lives, raised six kids on the farm and always taught us the value of fam-ily, friends and living in rural South Dakota. I have been so blessed to have been raised by such wonderful parents and I will miss Mom beyond belief. She was not only my mom but my best friend! She was always thank-ful that I work for an organization that consists of people who are like family to me and that I have a job I love that lets me work on issues important to rural South Dakota. I appreciate the time that Farmers Union allowed me to take when I needed to be by Mom’s side and I will always be grateful for the time I could spend with her. Again, from the bottom of my heart I thank you! Now on to Farmers Union news! Camping sea-son is here and we are already having tons of fun! We look forward to a great summer and a success-ful program! The summer interns have been work-ing hard to get ready for county, district, safety and state camps as well as helping prepare for the move into the new building. It is an exciting and busy time at your State Office! We’re ready for a great week at State Camp June 2-7 at Storm Mountain where new friend-ships will be made, old friendships renewed and leaders are developed! I’ve been so impressed with the kindness and closeness that the youth display during this weeklong camp as they gain confidence and skills that will bring this organiza-tion into the future. We’ve already conducted a few county and farm safety camps and the enthusiasm is high along with huge increases in attendance overall. Our 2013 camp theme, ‘Farmers Union is Our Name, Cooperation is Our Game,’ allows us to demonstrate our spirit of cooperation and contin-ued commitment to existing and future coopera-tives in the state. We’ll also be teaching about financial literacy, so campers will learn about saving money and how to cooperate with each to become successful adults. Remember to encourage your family and friends to send their children to camps or, better yet, offer to bring them to camp yourself. Listed in this issue are the camp dates that are set so far and we all know someone that would benefit by participating in our program. We want to thank our youth program sponsors: CHS Foundation, Farmers Union Insurance Agency, Santel Com-munications and numerous individual sponsors. We really appreciate everyone’s support! Please remember to promote the camp in your area!
4 May/June 2013 Union Farmer www.sdfu.org
Union FarmerMembership News By Angela Tarasoff Membership Specialist
Bradley Cihak has been elected as the new president of the South Dakota State University collegiate chapter of South Dakota Farmers Union. Cihak, 21, is a senior at SDSU majoring in agricultural education. He was recently elected president by a group of collegiate Farmers Union members during the organization’s annual meet-ing this spring. A native of Tyndall, Cihak was active in the Farmers Union youth education program in high school, earning the title of torchbearer, the highest honor a youth can receive in the Farmers Union youth education program. “I’m so excited about the opportunity to serve the collegiate Farmers Union on campus and look forward to the opportunity to work with my fel-low students,” Cihak said. “Through educational
programs and fun activities, I hope we can con-tinue to build off of past successes at SDSU and further the cause of Farm-ers Union on campus.” South Dakota Farmers Union’s SDSU collegiate chapter includes sev-eral student-members on campus who participate in various activities through-out the year, including a ‘Farmer’s Share’ feed each spring to educate col-lege students about how much of the retail food dollar actually goes to the farmer. They are also active in the Hobo Day Parade and other activities on campus.
Cihak in as collegiate presidentFormer Farmers Union Torchbearer to lead SDSU chapter
Bradley Cihak
Summer is a busy time for all of us. Kids are out of school and busier than ever, farmers are getting those last few seeds in the ground before the deadlines, and if we’re lucky we’ll squeeze in a few days to relax and soak up some sun. It may not have felt like summer, but it’s been a busy few months at the Farmers Union State Office as we’ve been preparing to move into your new office building. Mov-ing almost 100 years of history isn’t easy. But it’s been work worth doing. It’s incredible to go through the old issues of the Union Farmer, look at pictures of years gone by, and read the history of Farmers Union and realize that we’re working for an organiza-tion that has helped tens of thousands of farm and ranch families through the decades. Now, with this new building, we’re taking the next step into the future. That’s what Farmers Union is all about, working to make things better for future gen-erations. Whether it’s our legislative efforts, working to put policies into place that help the next generation of farmers have it better than the last, or our education programs that teach young people about the importance of coop-eration and leadership, or our cooperative ef-forts that keep the cooperative spirit alive and support our cooperative businesses, Farmers Union is always looking ahead. Our membership efforts build upon the suc-cesses of our past. We continue to work with our county and district leaders to grow our collective voice by hosting gatherings and tell-ing people about the value of a Farmers Union membership. We really appreciate all of your efforts to help grow this organization for the future. We’re only as strong as our collective voice, and by continuing to spread the positive mes-sage of agriculture and Farmers Union, we’re building for the future. It’s fun to look at the past, and learn from what we’ve been through. It helps to remind us what we’ve been through as an organiza-tion; the successes and the defeats. But it all leads us into the future and helps us develop programs and initiatives that will continue our mission of growing our rural communities and building a stronger South Dakota. We hope you get a chance to come and visit the State Office and take a look at the future!
On April 4, a circuit court judge ruled in favor of Ray Martinmaas of Orient. He’s the owner of Martinmaas Dairy Inc. who lost $47,000 in sunflower seeds that he had delivered to Anderson Seed Company’s processing plant in Redfield. The Minnesota-based company went insolvent in February 2012, had their grain buyer’s license revoked by the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission, and left an estimated $2.6 million worth of grain unpaid. The company was required to have a $100,000 bond to cover losses. The Public Utilities Commission had voted 2-1 against including Martinmaas in the bond proceeds because he had entered into a voluntary credit sale. According to a PUC administrative rule, a voluntary credit sale is not covered under bond proceeds. However, Martinmaas had not signed a voluntary credit sale contract, a requirement under the same rule.
PUC to review rule in response to Martinmaas grain buyer case
The rule states that both the seller and the buyer must sign the contract for a voluntary credit sale. In practice, however, it is fairly common that a producer may not sign this type of contract if they are agreeing to a contract over the phone or in some other form. On May 10, the South Dakota Grain and Feed Association (SDGFA) sent a letter requesting the PUC waive a part of the rule governing a volun-tary credit sale of grain. The SDGFA letter asks the PUC to eliminate the requirement that a seller sign a voluntary credit sale contract. This pro-posed waiver would allow for the rule to reflect a common practice. The PUC will take up this request of a waiver on Tuesday, June 4, at 9:30 am (CDT). SDFU will be in attendance at this hearing and would appreciate your thoughts as a member. Please contact Legislative Director Mike Trax-inger at [email protected] or at 605-377-4110.
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Union FarmerRural Development News By Chris Studer Communications Director
By NFU President Roger Johnson
2013 Farm Bill On May 14, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry passed the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2013 (2013 farm bill) out of committee by a 15-5 vote. The bill ends direct payments and offers disaster assistance measures while cutting $4 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The following day, the House of Representa-tives Committee on Agriculture followed suit by passing its version of a farm bill, the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013 out of committee by a 36-10 vote. The $940 billion bill is expected on the House floor in June. Hot topics during markup included dairy policy reforms, cuts to Supplemental Nutri-tion Assistance, catfish inspection and interstate commerce. Regarding safety net provisions, NFU support-ed language included in the respective Senate and House farm bill commodity titles that will pro-vide protections to family farmers when disasters strike and during times of long-term price col-lapse. The Senate’s version included target price language (as opposed to last year’s failed farm bill), albeit at low and unbalanced levels, while the House bill put better price protection in place in it’s version of the farm bill. While these steps in both the House and Sen-ate represent progress toward providing a fiscally responsible farm safety net directed to family
farmers and ranchers, there is much work to be done. President Johnson and staff members will continue to talk to members of Congress in both the House and the Senate before the current, one-year extension expires on Sept. 30, 2013.For the latest information on NFU and the farm bill, please visit www.NFU.org/farmbill.
Become a FFAN! Earlier this year, NFU unveiled its Family Farmer Advocacy Network (FFAN). FFAN is a group of grassroots advocates who will lead Farmers Union members in grassroots activities across the country. We’d love to have you become of FFAN. To join our network and become a FFAN, please fill out the form at www.surveymonkey.com/s/96XG2RM. NFU staff will contact FFAN members occasionally with requests to contact lawmakers about specific legislative proposals to educate them about how the legislation will affect family farmers and ranchers.
2014 NFU ConventionWe are already working on the 2014 NFU con-vention to be held in Santa Fe, N.M. Please mark your calendar and join us in “Spicing Up Family Agriculture” March 8-11, 2014. More information can always be found at www.nfu.org/convention.
Staff Changes at NFU We are pleased to welcome Ethan Whitmore in his new role of membership database manager. Ethan has worked in several different positions with NFU, originally starting in 2009 as a legisla-tive intern.
There are a lot of questions that rural Amer-ica needs to answer in the coming years. A couple of them really stick out to me: What do we want our rural communities to look like in 10, 20 or 30 years? What will keep them alive and thriving? How can we at-tract bright young people to come to our rural com-munities to live, work and raise a family? Those are just a few of the things Farmers Union is working on through our Rural Economic and Leadership (REAL) Development program which aims to build leaders in our rural com-munities that will try and tackle the enormous issues facing their hometowns. With hands-on and exciting activities and dynamic speakers, the REAL program will give participants the skills and knowledge they need to take on a leadership role and make a positive impact on their community. We will begin recruiting our next REAL class in the coming weeks and we’re look-ing for the best that rural South Dakota has to offer. We’re looking for those people who are deeply involved in their communities who need some extra training to take the next step and make a big impact on the place they call home. Some of our past participants have been housewives looking to develop their leadership skills, farmers and ranchers who are interested in serving on a cooperative board, and current elected officials who need that extra nudge to take the next step and run for higher office. There isn’t a template for the type of person that would benefit from the REAL program. But they do need to be engaged in looking toward a brighter future for their rural com-munity. It can sometimes seem overwhelming to step out and lead. But what rural America needs is true leadership that is willing to make the sacrifices and the tough decisions that bring change to our rural communities. Do you know someone who would be interested in getting the training and gaining the skills it takes to serve on your local coop-erative board? Maybe someone in your fam-ily has been considering a run for the county commission, city council or state Legislature. Or maybe you have been wondering what your next step in life is, and would be interested in networking with other professionals in rural South Dakota to find your true calling. If you or someone you know would be interested in the REAL program contact me at 605-352-6761 ext. 122 or [email protected].
6 MAy/June 2013 Union Farmer www.sdfu.org
Union FarmerLegislative News By Mike Traxinger Legislative Director
A bill introduced by South Dakota Rep. Kristi Noem, R-S.D., which would give much-needed protection to livestock producers who become victims of natural disaster was included in the House version of the farm bill. The House Ag-riculture Committee passed its version of the legislation May 14. “Livestock producers desperately need this safety net when disaster strikes and their liveli-hoods are in jeopardy,” Sombke said. “I com-mend Rep. Noem on her leadership to see that our livestock producers are protected.” The new farm bill, which had to be rewritten after it failed to come up for a vote in the House last year, is expected to be voted on in the com-ing weeks. The current one-year extension of the 2008 farm bill, passed as part of the fiscal cliff deal, is set to expire on Sept. 30 of this year. The Livestock Disaster Protection Act would extend the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), the Livestock Forage Program (LFP) and the Emergency Livestock Assistance Program (ELAP) authorized in the 2008 farm bill. If passed, the programs’ coverage for fiscal years 2012 and 2013. The provisions would implement permanent baseline funding over the life of the farm bill to reimburse producers who lose animals due to
adverse weather conditions. “The risk our farmers, ranchers and all live-stock owners in South Dakota take is undeni-able,” said Rep. Noem. “The extreme weather we see across America -- from drought to flood to freezes to the extreme heat -- dem-onstrates the impor-tance of providing a strong safety net. My bill gives some long-term certainty to our livestock owners so they’ll keep on taking the risk to contribute to our state and na-tion’s robust agricul-ture industry. “South Dakota agriculture producers deserve the long term certainty that comes with the pas-sage of a five-year farm bill,” Rep. Noem said. “I continue to believe it is essential that we grow our own food supply in this country. Consumers deserve a safe, reliable and affordable food sup-ply and policies included in the farm bill make this happen.”
Livestock disaster provisions included in House farm bill
Rep. Kristi Noem
Between legislative sessions, lawmakers work on several study committees and task forces. One of those task forces is the Agricul-tural Land Assess-ment Implementation and Oversight Task Force, an ongoing group that can recom-mend percentages and capitalization rates for agricultural property values. They’ll work to ensure that the tax structure keeps revenue consistent for school districts by not raising or lowering levies too much. The task force will meet for the first time this year on Wednesday, June 12, at 9:30 a.m. in the state Capitol. An agenda has yet to be posted, but I hope you will join me in follow-ing this issue very closely. It is widely expected that the 14-member task force will continue to review the valuation of agricultural land and what is known as the Cutler-Gabriel amendment. The Cutler-Gabriel amendment is an annual bill passed in the Legislature that adjusts education levies based on local efforts to increase or decrease property values. It dates back to 1995, when the Legisla-ture first adopted this policy decision. The idea came from two former legislators: Rep. Larry Gabriel, R-Cottonwood and Rep. Steve Cutler, R-Claremont. The goal of Cutler-Gabriel is to keep a consistent statewide proportion between the total amount of property taxes paid and state aid for education. During the 2013 legisla-tive session there was considerable discussion on Cutler-Gabriel. With nearly a third of leg-islators having not previously served, many of them had never heard of this agreement before and were surprised at the varying percentages of the levies. Senate Bill 28 was the Cutler-Gabriel bill this year which set the levies for the three major classifications of property: agriculture, commerical and owner-occupied. The bill provides an adjustment to maitain consistent statewide levels. This year, for the first time, the three levies didn’t rise and fall together. SB 28 raised the commercial levy to $9.20, up from $8.628 and the owner-occupied to $4.296 from $4.029. But the agriculture levy dropped from $2.322 to $2.09 because of the large increases in land values in the state. I am confident Cutler-Gabriel will be part of a much broader conversation this summer and into the next session. I hope you’ll join me in following this issue closely and share your thoughts on this important issue to agricultural property land valuations in South Dakota.
SDFU set to move into new state office
Construction began last October, and on May 30, South Dakota Farmers Union staff began the process of moving into the new state office build-ing in Huron. The new building was constructed right next door to the existing state office which was built in 1951. The old building will be torn down in the coming weeks.
The new office will be 8,400 square feet and house staff from the Farmers Union, the Farmers Union Foundation, and Farmers Union Insurance Agency. A few final touches are still being worked on. In the next edition of the Union Farmer, we’ll show you pictures from inside the building.
www.sdfu.org Union Farmer May/June 2013 7
Union FarmerFoundation News By Leslie Rupiper Morrow SDFU Foundation Executive Director
Greetings from the Farmers Union Founda-tion! It’s so nice to see the lawns, trees and fields “greening up” after the rain and warmer temperatures. At the Foundation, we’re gearing up for the 11th annual Dakota Prai-rie Open golf tournament, which benefits the many youth and adult education programs supported by the SDFU Foundation. This year’s tournament will be held Wednesday, June 19, at the Broadland Creek National Golf Course in Huron. Registration begins at 8 a.m. with a 9 a.m. shotgun start. A complimentary lunch and awards ceremony will follow. I’m already crossing my fingers and saying my prayers that we’ll have great weather for the event. Besides a day of fun and friendship on the links, this year’s tournament also includes some great prizes. Thanks to a generous sponsorship from Travelers Motor Club, the lowest scor-ing team wins a trip to The Prairie Club near Valentine, Neb. This beautiful resort attracts golfers from around the country, and has even earned praise from Golf Digest, which called it, “One of the best overnight golf destinations in America.” There are also pin prizes for each hole, along with other fun drawings throughout the day. Aren’t able to put together a four-person team? Don’t worry. Each year there are “solo” golf-ers, and we’d be happy to place you on a team. If you’d like to register for the tournament, or would like to sponsor a prize, email me at [email protected] or call me on my cell phone at (605) 940-9070. We really hope you’ll consider joining us for this great event, which helps sup-port the Farmers Union education programs that are building a stronger future for South Dakota. This is one of my favorite times of the year, albeit the busiest time for the Farmers Union Education Department. The summer camping program has kicked off and State Camp is right around the corner. It’s so inspiring to see the fresh, new faces of young campers who are so eager to learn, as well as those who’ve been in-volved with Farmers Union education programs for several years and are now stepping into leadership roles. Thanks to your support, these young people have the opportunity to learn the skills and values Farmers Union programs offer, well into adulthood. I can’t think of a better investment, and am so grateful to you for recog-nizing the importance of supporting the Farmers Union Foundation.
Planting with ProducersSDFU sponsors event to connect lawmakers with farmers A group of South Dakota lawmakers connected with farmers and ranchers Wednesday, May 22, to gain a greater understanding of the agriculture in-dustry during an event at Beresford spon-sored by South Dakota Farmers Union. What had originally been scheduled as a “Planting with Producers” event, where lawmakers would have had the chance to ride in a tractor with a producer, was changed because of the rain. Lawmak-ers instead gathered at Southeast Farmers Cooperative in Beresford to have lunch and meet with South Dakota’s Secretary of Agriculture Lucas Lentsch before head-ing to a tour of a nearby farm and feedlot. Lawmakers toured the Christensen Farms feedlot just southwest of Beresford. “We never complain about rain, espe-cially with the drought that much of South Dakota has been under for some time now,” said South Dakota Farmers Union Legisla-tive Director Mike Traxinger. “But we changed our plans a little bit and were able to still have a great conversation about the agriculture industry and its impact on the state’s economy.”
Secretary Lentsch, who has been on the job for about a month after taking over for former Ag Secretary Walt Bones, told the group that he and a lot of South Dakotans are grateful for the mois-ture. “No matter where you’re at in the state, if you think this is a little gloomy weather, there have been a lot of prayers answered these last few days, all across the state,” he said. A total of nine legislators attended the event: Rep. Jim Bolin, R-District 16, Rep. Paula Hawks, D-District 9, Rep. David Anderson, R-District 16, Rep. Karen Soli, D-District 15, Rep. Christine Er-ickson, R-District 11, Sen. Deb Soholt, R-District 14, Sen. Larry Lucas, D-District 26, Sen. Tom
Jones, D-District 17, and Sen. Dan Lederman, R-District 16. Lentsch encouraged legislators to ask ques-
tions and to be an active participant in moving the agricultural industry forward in South Dakota. “With the Legislature, there are 105 people from across the state who come together, and they’re the people’s voice at the state Capitol, and
they help chart the course,” Lentsch said. “Without you (the legislators), we try to do some good things on the policy side for ag in the state, and we need your help to get it done.” Lentsch explained the enormous changes in the way farmers are getting their work done now. It was an effort to educate lawmakers about what the state’s largest industry is doing now and could be doing into the future. “We used to plant by the acre, now we plant by the inch,” Lentsch said of how farming has changed because of research and precision agriculture practices. “Everything is absolutely precise, they’re maximinzing every inch of that field, and that’s what the
future of agriculture can look like.” Each year in the Legislature, dozens of bills are introduced dealing with the agriculture indus-try. Traxinger said an event like this is aimed at connecting producers who are living off the land every day with lawmakers who make the deci-sions that affect the farmers’ operations. “We had a great time of conversation and learning,” Traxinger said. “It’s important for law-makers to come out and experience what it’s like on the farm and see the operation first hand. We were able to make that happen and hope that the lawmakers came away with a better understand-ing of the industry.”
Rep. Karen Soli, D-Sioux Falls, sits in a tractor at Christensen Farms dur-ing the Planting with Producers event.
Secretary of Agriculture Lucas Lentsch talks to producers and lawmakers dur-ing the Planting with Producers event at the Southeast Farmers Cooperative.
SDFU set to move into new state office
Union Farmer
8 May/June 2013 Union Farmer www.sdfu.org
Youth Camping Season Begins! The 2013 Farmers Union youth camping season has officially begun! A few camps have been held already, with dozens more coming in the months ahead. Charles Mix, Clark, Sanborn and Faulk counties have held their annual day camps. We have seen camper numbers well above average for these early camps, which is exciting to see and gives us hopes of another outstanding summer. This year’s camp theme is: ‘Farmers Union
is our name, Cooperation is our game.’ Young people attending camp will learn about the power of cooperation in their personal lives and in busi-ness. Young people will learn about the great impacts cooperative businesses have on our state and our economy. Another education piece this year focuses on financial literacy. Many Americans have too much debt, aren’t saving enough money every month and need to work on their financial literacy. That
education should start early. This year’s county and district camps will include a craft where children can decorate their own piggy bank to encourage them to save money. Other lessons will be taught on leadership, citizenship and other life lessons. Please see the camp dates listed on the next page, and encourage your friends and fam-ily to send their kids to Farmers Union camp this summer!
Clark County Camp: This year’s camp was held May 28, 2013, at the Clark County Courthouse. A total of 16 youth attended and learned about cooperation, financial lit-eracy and gained important leadership skills.
Sanborn County Camp: Held at the 4-H building in Forestburg, this year’s Sanborn County camp had nearly 40 children on May 22. This year’s camp was held in cooperation with Farm Safety camp through SDSU Extension so children learned everything from staying safe on the farm to cooperation.
Charles Mix County Camp: It was a record year in Charles Mix County, as a total of 71 young people attended camp held at the school gym in the community of Geddes May 20. The kids were able to play cooperative games, learn about Farmers Union history and decorate their own piggy bank to encourage them to save their money as they gained valuable financial literacy skills.
Faulk County Camp: It was a full house at the 4-H Center in Faulkton May 21 as 67 children attended this year’s Faulk County Camp. Like Sanborn, this year’s camp was held in cooperation with Farm Safety Camp.
Find a Summer Camp
Near You!
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www.sdfu.org Union Farmer May/June 2013 9
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2013 Farmers Union Camp Dates
2-7 Farmers Union State Camp Storm Mountain Center (Rapid City)11 Campbell/Walworth County Camp Herreid School, Herreid 12 Potter County Camp Hoven City Park, Hoven12 Lake County Camp Westside Park-Thue Shelter, Madison 13 Brookings County Camp Hillcrest Park-Shelter A, Brookings13 Edmunds/McPherson County Camp City Park, Roscoe17 Tripp County Camp Skatetown, Colome17 Corson County Camp 4-H Building, McIntosh 18 Dewey/Ziebach County Camp Eagle Butte Elementary School 18 Gregory County Camp Community Room, Fairfax19 Gregory County Camp Gregory Park, Gregory19 Butte/Lawrence County Camp Creekside Elementary, Spearfish20 Douglas County Camp Lions Park, Armour20 Meade/Pennington County Camp Community Center, Union Center21 Brule County Camp Avenue of Flags Park, Chamberlain 21 Jones County Camp Mickelson Community Center, Murdo23-28 NFU All State’s Leadership Camp Bailey, Colo.24 Haakon County Camp Gittings Missile Inn, Philip25 Kingsbury County Camp 4-H Center, De Smet26 Brown County Camp Wylie Park Birdhouse, Aberdeen27 Marshall County Camp Community Building, Britton28 Roberts County Camp Wilmot
JUNE JULY1 Hyde County Camp South Park Shelter, Highmore7-10 District III & VII Camp Lake Richmond, Aberdeen8 Lincoln County Camp Tea9 Turner County Camp Irene11 Yankton County Camp Yankton15 Beadle County Camp SDFU State Office, Huron17 Aurora County Camp Stickney17 Moody County Camp Flandreau18 Davison County Camp Mitchell 18 Minnehaha County Camp Hartford 22 Spink County Camp Frankfort23 McCook County Camp Salem25 Bon Homme County Camp Tyndall26 Miner County Camp Howard29 Lyman County Camp Presho29-31 District IV, V & VI Camp Camp Bob Marshall, Custer
1 Hand County Camp Miller2 Jerauld County Camp Wessington Springs8 Harding County Camp Buffalo9 Perkins County Camp Bison13 Deuel/Grant County Camp Clear Lake
AUGUST
Find Registration Forms Online atwww.SDFU.org
Still need to schedule your county’s camp? Call Bonnie today at 888-734-8136 ext. 125
More camp dates are added every day. If you don’t see your local camp on this list, don’t worry. Once the date is set it will be posted on our website under the education page at: www.sdfu.org.
Find a Summer Camp
Near You!
10 May/June 2013 Union Farmer www.sdfu.org
Union FarmerFarming on a global scale The World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO) hosted its general assembly in Niigata, Japan, April 15-18. A number of state Farmers Union presidents attended the general assembly including North Da-kota’s Woody Barth, Minneso-ta’s Doug Peterson, Alan Merrill from Montana and Wisconsin Farmers Union President Darin Von Ruden. National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson and NFU general counsel Dave Velde also attended. NFU Vice President of International Rela-tions Robert Carlson serves as president of WFO. “As a founding member of the WFO, NFU understands the vital role that the organization plays in providing the world’s farmers with a forum in which to exchange ideas and infor-mation, not only about farm-ing techniques, but policies that affect farmers’ economic well-being and daily lives,” said NFU President Roger Johnson. “We are pleased to represent U.S. farmers and ranchers at the interna-tional table and look forward to discussions with farmers from around the world.” The objective of the general assembly was to provide an opportunity to discuss WFO‘s statuto-
ry issues, as well as offer the opportunity for farm organizations to collaborate in agriculture-related areas such as food security, climate change, edu-
cation and awareness-raising programs. WFO works with the Food and Agriculture Or-ganization of the United Nations, the Internation-al Fund for Agricultural Development, the World Economic Forum, the World Trade Organization, and the World Food Program, in addition to many United Nations organizations. For more informa-tion on the WFO, visit www.WFO-OMA.org.
World Farmers’ Organisation holds general assembly in Japan
Pictured, from left, are Minnesota Farmers Union President Doug Peterson, N.D. Farmers Union President Woody Barth, NFU President Roger Johnson and Montana Farmers Union President Alan Merrill. In back are Dave Velde and Wisconsin Farmers Union President Darin Von Ruden.
sion would make cuts of about $4 billion. One of the more disappointing provisions in the House version is a repeal of certain Grain In-spection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) protections for farmers. “The amendment prevents GIPSA from do-ing any further work enforcing farmer-friendly provisions stemming from the 2008 farm bill and would undercut the enforcement of farmer pro-tetions under the Packers and Stockyards Act,” NFU President Johnson said. Johnson says he’s also disappointed that the House bill didn’t include any mandatory funding for renewable energy programs. “We hope that an amendment will be offered on the House floor to include funding to ensure support for domestically-produced fuels, which would benefit rural America and the overall U.S. economy,” he said. When it comes to dairy, both versions would repeal the Dairy Product Price Support Program and Milk Income Loss Contract programs in favor of the Dairy Security Act which would be a vol-untary margin protection program that would use an insurance type mechanism to pay indemnitites to dairy producers when income-over-feed-costs falls below certain trigger levels.
FARM BILLContinued from Page 1
SDFU to host water meetings in June South Dakota Farmers Union will host a series of meetings this summer focused on water man-agement and watershed issues in the state. In response to the Regional Watershed Task Force’s meetings this year, Farmers Union wants to meet with producers and landowners in areas that have been affected by water management issues in the past. The tentative schedule is below, with more dates and locations being set soon. Please check www.sdfu.org for the latest on these meetings.
June 18 - Roberts County Watershed Meeting Community Center, Rosholt 7:30 p.m.
June 24 - Kingsbury County Watershed Meeting Oxbow Restaurant, De Smet 7:00 p.m.
June 25 - Marshall County Watershed Meeting Norstar Federal Credit Union, Britton 6:00 p.m.
Additional meetings are being planned in Day, Clark and Brown counties for the month of June. Visit www.sdfu.org for updated information.
Union Farmer
www.sdfu.org Union Farmer May/June 2013 11
for seeing COOL through the legislative process all the way to the USDA’s latest decision. “We have been able to get to this decision because of all that Sen. Johnson has done since the conversation about country-of-origin labeling began,” Sombke said. “It’s because of his work and his influence that we’ve gotten to this point. This is a positive step forward that will not only help consumers have a better understanding of the origins of the food they eat, it will give American producers a chance to take some credit for raising the best food supply in the world.” The USDA’s revisions, made in response to last year’s World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling, largely reflect the structure of the March proposed rule requiring the labeling of each pro-duction step and the elimination of commingling.
KEEP COOL: USDA explains final rule Despite facing a number of hurdles over the past decade, this latest ruling on COOL has many proponents of the law excited to see it fully imple-mented. “We are very pleased that the USDA has decided to stand strong and keep COOL. The decision to bring the law into compliance with the WTO’s ruling is a win-win situation for all interested parties,” said National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson. “We further applaud the administration for deciding to take a proactive approach in bringing COOL into compliance by providing more information on the origins of our food, instead of simply watering down the pro-cess.” COOL isn’t out of the woods yet, however. There is a new farm bill being written, and Sen. Johnson said he will fight to make sure the law
isn’t weakened during the current farm bill de-bate. South Dakota Farmers Union was among the thousands of groups and individuals which sub-mitted public comments to the USDA supporting the labeling requirement that muscle cut com-modities specify the country in which the produc-tion steps took place for the animal from which the meat was derived and for the elimination of a commingling process where meats from different origins could be combined. “Providing more accurate labels with more information is a win-win situation for producers and consumers alike,” Sombke said. “U.S. farm-ers and ranchers are proud of what they produce and should be allowed to promote their products. Consumers deserve clear, direct and informative labels.”
Did USDA make any significant changes to the final rule from what it had proposed in March? • No, USDA did not make any significant changes to the rule’s requirements. USDA did, however, revise the cost-benefit analysis of those requirements.
What are the costs of this new rule? • As discussed in the revised cost-benefit analysis, USDA estimates total adjustment costs of $123.3 million at the midpoint and ranging from $53.1 million at the low end to $192.1 mil-lion at the high end. The costs of implementing these requirements will be incurred by intermediaries (primarily packers and processors of muscle cut covered commodities) and retailers subject to require-ments of mandatory COOL.
What is commingling? Is it allowed for in the new rule? • The term “commingling” refers to the allow-ance provided in the current COOL regulations for industry to affix one label to two or more origins of meat if the origins are processed on the same production day. For example, if a slaugh-terhouse processes on the same production day U.S. origin (i.e., born, raised, and slaughtered in the U.S.) and mixed origin (e.g., born in Mexico, raised and slaughtered in the US), the processor is allowed to affix the mixed origin label to all the
meat produced that day. • Removing the commingling allowance allow-sthe labels to provide more detailed information as to the place of birth, raising, and slaughter of the animal from which the meat is derived. • In USDA’s experience administering the COOL program, the vast majority of muscle cut covered commodities are not produced and labeled using the labeling scheme afforded by commingling.
What will the labels look like under the final rule? • The rule requires COOL labels to include specific information regarding the three produc-tion steps. Thus, the “U.S.” label will state: “Born, Raised, and Slaughtered in the United States.” For meat derived from animals born outside the United States, one type of label could state: “Born in Mex-ico, Raised and Slaughtered in the United States.” For meat derived from animals imported for imme-diate slaughter, one type of label could state: “Born and Raised inCanada, Slaughtered in the United States.” Labels for imported meat are unchanged by this rule. Those labels will continue to read; “Prod-uct of [Country X].”
When would industry need to comply with these new rules? • The effective date of this regulation is May 23, 2013, and the rule is mandatory as of that date.
• AMS understands that it may not be feasible for all of the affected entities to achieve 100 per-cent compliance immediately, and that some enti-ties will need time to make the necessary changes. Therefore, during the six month period following the effective date of the regulation, AMS will con-duct an industry education and outreach program concerning the provisions and requirements of this rule. AMS conducted the same six month outreach program following the 2008 Interim Final Rule and the 2009 Final Rule.
Will there be any accommodation for those products already labeled as of May 23? • Yes, the rule states that the rule’s requirements do not apply to muscle cut covered commodities produced or packaged before the effective date of the rule. This will allow existing stock to clear the chain of commerce, thus preventing retailer and supplier confusion, and alleviating some of the economic burden on regulated entities.
Will industry have to destroy labels that they have already printed but not affixed to a prod-uct?• No. Regulated industries will be able to use their less specific labels until those labels are used up. After the 6 month education period, retail-ers may continue to use the older labels as long retailers provide the more specific information via other means (e.g., signage).
COOL Rule Explained by USDA
For more information visit: http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/COOL
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For over a decade during the late 1980s and early 1990s, most landowners enrolled in farm programs were required to comply with certain land conservation methods to protect against soil erosion, improve water quality, and save wildlife habitat. In 1996, Congress got rid of that require-ment, allowing many landowners to continue to receive federal support while not requiring them to implement conservation measures. But that could change in the next farm bill. A coalition of South Dakota groups is leading an effort to tie federal crop insurance support to conservation compliance. The coalition gathered Monday, April 29, at the Izaak Walton League’s building in Sioux Falls to discuss tying conserva-tion compliance to federal crop insurance support. “One of the largest benefits of conservation compliance for farmers and ranchers today, and for future generations of producers, is the reduc-tion in soil erosion,” said South Dakota Farmers Union President Doug Sombke, whose family farm organization is a part of the coalition. “We need to make sure we’re being good stewards of the land, and conservation practices help us pass along our property to future producers who can be successful because of what we have done today.” Sombke, who owns and oper-ates a family farm in Brown County, said landown-ers today have a responsibility to our next genera-tion of producers to protect the land, the water and the wildlife. “As a farmer, I need to be account-able to the taxpay-er,” Sombke said. “Producers need a strong safety net like federal crop insurance to make sure they can stay in business if disas-ter strikes. But we also need to be accountable and make sure we’re taking care of our land.” Bruce Knight was the keynote speaker at the event. He served as undersecretary of market-ing and regulatory programs for the USDA from
2006-2009. He is a nation-ally recognized leader in conservation, agriculture and the environment and founder and principal of Strategic Conservation Solutions, a specialized consulting firm. “(Former U.S. Agri-culture) Secretary Dan Whitman said it best a few years ago when he said, ‘The world’s farmers, ranchers and fishers will be expected to produce more food in the next 40 years than they had to in the last 8,000 years com-bined.’ So something that people are talking about is sustainable intensification, and this is what many of us that are involved in production agriculture are witnessing today with what we’re doing. We’re producing more on less land, maximizing output while minimizing those environmental
risks.” The previous generation of farm-ers and ranchers farmed by the acre. The next generation, Knight says, of farmers will be farming by the inch. Knight said that because they’re trying to maximize output on less land, they’ll be focusing on the basic inputs like water, fuel, nutrients and sunlight. Those changes will be seen in agriculture policy when it comes to the farm bill and conservation policy. “Why do we have this debate today? It’s really simple. Crop insurance has worked well. Con-servation compliance has worked well,” Knight said. The number of producers who buy federal crop insurance is high, right around 60 percent, Knight said. “So it’s at that point now where it might make a lot of sense right now to re-link that. It’s important to remember that by doing this, we’re coupling two suc-cessful programs.”
Knight said that most of the issues surrounding this debate from people who want to tie conser-vation compliance and crop insurance and those who do not is more “philisophical than practical,” he said. “The debate is highly, highly polarizing.
And a primary reason of course is this wave of concern that almost all of us in agriculture is the number of regulations it seems come upon our backs.” Most producers are already following conser-vation plans and are in compliance with conser-vation standards because many are subject to conservation compliance through farm bill Title I programs. Most estimates reveal that approxi-mately 93 percent of all producers are already in compliance. In 2009, only about 2 percent of corn and soybean production and 5 percent of wheat production was covered by crop insurance but out of conservation compliance. Soil erosion has dropped dramatically over the last several decades. Between 1982 and 2007, farmers reduced total cropland soil erosion by 43 percent, much of which occurred after the 1985 farm bill was passed by Congress implementing the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and conservation compliance requirements. “This is a big issue in South Dakota,” Som-bke said. “We have a pretty significant amount of highly-erodible land, and we need to make sure we protect it.” In 2004, almost 10 percent of South Dakota’s total land mass was classified as highly-erodible. That’s over 4.1 million acres. Since 1982, South Dakota has seen a major drop in the number of acres of soil that was eroding above soil loss tolerance rates according to the USDA’s Natural Resource Inventory. In 1982, 169 million acres of land were eroding at higher-than-tolerance rates. In 2007 it dropped to 99 million acres, thanks in large part to conservation measures.
SDFU president touts benefits of tying conservation compliance to federal crop insurance supports
SDFU President Doug Sombke speaks at a meeting to discuss tying conservation compliance to federal crop insurance support April 29 at Sioux Falls.
Bruce Knight, former undersecretary of marketing and regulatory programs for USDA, spoke at the event in Sioux Falls.
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Union FarmerSDFU president touts benefits of tying conservation compliance to federal crop insurance supports
South Dakota Farmers Union joined over 100 farmers and ranchers April 22 at the first meeting this year of the state’s Regional Watershed Advi-sory Task Force at Mitchell. The task force was set up in 2012 to look at the state’s water management laws and study the issue from a number of per-spectives. At the meeting Monday, task force mem-bers heard from experts on climate and water issues and a number of county commissioners from areas affected by too much water over the past four or five years. The task force also took public testimony on the impacts of water manage-ment and sought ideas from farmers, ranchers and the public. “Water is a precious resource not only for agriculture but for other important industries and every citizen in South Dakota,” said South Dakota Farmers Union board member and Salem-area farmer Jim Wahle. “Our water must be properly managed.” Wahle called for specific action from the task force after they study the issue and possibly settle
on legislation to deal with water management is-sues during the next legislative session. “We need to continue the cleanup of existing statutes pertaining to drainage water district,”
Wahle said. “We’d like to see the task force determine whether or not county commission-ers should be compelled to be an active drainage board under state law, and whether there should be a process to require specific permits for all drainage, both surface and tile, on a specific per-mit that applies to all of South Dakota.” Wahle also asked the task force to consider whether drainage permits and mapping should
be required by anyone wanting to drain their land and whether or not records should be kept at the county level. State Climatologist Dr. Dennis Todey from South Dakota State University gave a presentation on precipitation in the upper Midwest and how it’s had an impact on water management in the state. He also discussed climate patterns and pre-sented data on temperatures and how they affect evaporation. The task force also heard from Dr. Chris Hay from SDSU who discussed the impacts of drain tiling, runoff and other water manage-ment practices. State Conservationist Jeff Zim-prich from the Natural Resources Conservation Service discussed how soil types, cover crops and grasses deal with water. There were also presenta-tions from Clark Moeckly with the Upper Crow Creek Watershed District and county commission-ers from Brown, Kingsbury McCook and Yankton counties. The next task force meeting will be held July 1-2, 2013, in the Aberdeen area. South Dakota Farmers Union is expected to present to the task force at the meeting. A tour of the area will also be part of the task force’s time in the Aberdeen area. An agenda has yet to be posted. Members of the task force include chairman Rep. Brian Gosch of Rapid City, vice chairman Sen. Mike Vehle of Mitchell, Sen. Jason Frerichs of Wilmot, Sen. Tom Jones of Viborg, Sen. Russ Olson of Wentworth, Rep. Dennis Feickert of Ab-erdeen, Rep. Spencer Hawley of Brookings, and Rep. Leslie Heinemann of Flandreau, Ms. Kim Vanneman and Messrs. Dennis Duncan, Mike Jaspers, Rick Sommers, Paul Symens and George Vandel.
SDFU calls for action at Regional Watershed Task Force meeting
SDFU board member Jim Wahle of Salem testifies on behalf of Farmers Union at the first meet-ing in 2013 of the Regional Watershed Task Force April 22.
Brookings top team at quiz bowl semifinals The FFA chapter from Brookings High School was the top scoring team during the semifinal round of the fourth annual ‘Team up to Safety’ quiz bowl competition held Monday, April 15, at Brookings. The quiz bowl, sponsored by South Dakota Farmers Union, was held in conjunc-tion with the state FFA convention held on the campus of South Dakota State University. Teams of four com-peted in the quiz bowl, answering questions in a Jeopardy!-style com-petition related to health and safety on the farm or ranch. Brookings defeated a team of FFA students from De Smet and Lake Preston by a score of
230-45. Competing for Brookings were juniors Nathan Braun and Jake Foiles, and seniors Rob Foiles and Justin Johnson.
“The quiz bowl is a fun way for high school students to learn about safety on the farm or ranch,” said South Dakota Farmers Union President Doug Sombke. “We hope with the information they’ll learn at the quiz bowl they’ll be prepared if they’re ever faced with an
emergency situation or if they’re working with livestock or doing any other potentially danger-
ous job on the farm.” The top four scoring teams during the semifi-nals were FFA teams from Brookings, Bowdle, Clark and Lyman. They will compete at the quiz bowl finals during the Dakotafest Farm Show in Mitchell in August. Other teams competing in the quiz bowl were Lennox, Tri-Valley, Alcester-Hudson, Baltic, two teams from Parker, Centerville, McCook Cen-tral, Wolsey-Wessington, Viborg-Hurley, Platte-Geddes, Deuel, Howard, and a team made up of students from Lake Preston and De Smet.
Pictured, from left, are Brookings FFA members Jake Foiles, Nathan Braun, Rob Foiles and Justin Johnson.
Thank you for all of your hard work in organiz-ing the Quiz Bowl at the South Dakota state FFA convention. The Quiz Bowl was a wonderful opportunity and I am honored to be a part of it! Thank you again for all of your efforts and support! - Heidi Ringling President, Platte-Geddes FFA
Thank YouDear Farmers Union,
Thank you for your work at this year’s state FFA convention in holding the Quiz Bowl for members across the state to compete in. This event gives members the opportunity to interact with those from other areas and also the chance to compete at Dakotafest late this summer. Thank you for your support and recognition of these talented FFA members. - Tyler Swan Brookings FFA
Thank YouDear Farmers Union,
Thank you for putting on our quiz bowl for state. I’m hoping to learn some new things about FFA and maybe know some of the questions too. I am hoping to do well and maybe get some ques-tions right. Thank you for your time to put on this event and make it happen for us we are excited to come and compete. Thank you for supporting FFA - Parker L. Ramstad Tri-Valley FFA
Convention Sponsor Award
Norris Patrick of White was presented with a gift for his outstanding work in securing sponsorships for the SDFU state convention. For the 7th straight year, Norris secured the most sponsorships for the convention, bringing in an astounding $2,400. Congratulations Nor-ris, and thank you for your continued support!
Norris Patrick, right, receives his gift from SDFU Vice President Wayne Soren.
Membership Award Recipient
Russell Gantvoort recently accepted the National Farmers Union’s Leadership Achieve-ment Award on behalf of Deuel/Grant County Farmers Union. The award was presented dur-ing NFU’s annual convention this past March in Springfield, Mass. The award is given to counties which have met the requirements of increased organiza-tional activity and membership growth for the previous year. Congratulations to Deuel/Grant County Farmers Union and thank you for your continued efforts on behalf of the organization!
Russell Gantvoort, left, of Watertown accepts the NFU Leadership Achievement Award on behalf of Deuel/Grant County Farmers Union, presented by SDFU Vice President Wayne Soren.
Farmers Union youth featured in Today’s Horse magazine Keely Thompson of Hereford, S.D., was recently featured in the April edition of Today’s Horse magazine. Thompson, 17, just finished her junior year at New Underwood High School and was honored for her hard work and her accom-plishments in several rodeos. She has been involved with the New Under-wood Rodeo Club since she began high school and participated on the Rodeo Team in barrel rac-ing and pole bending. She placed 13th out of over 35 pole benders at the Sturgis Regional High School Rodeo. Keely is active in the Farmers Union youth education program, having attended the two-year achievement award trip to Pierre and the three-year award trip to Minneapolis. She has also been a district camp counselor at Camp Bob Marshall for the past four years. She is the daughter of Dana and Roxi Thomp-son. Congratulations Keely!
Union FarmerFarmers Union Footnotes Clip & Save Calendar
Visit the Events section at www.sdfu.org for more details on upcoming events.
June 20132-7 State Camp (Storm Mountain)12 Ag Land Task Force Mtg.18 Roberts Co. Water Mtg.19 Foundation Golf Tourn. (Huron)23-28 All State’s Camp, Bailey, Colo. 24 Kingsbury Co. Water Mtg25 Marshall Co. Water Mtg.25 Medicaid Task Force Mtg.
The South Dakota Union Farmer is published 10 times per calendar year with issues in Janu-ary, February, March, April, May/June, July, Aug./Sept., October, November, and Decem-ber. All information for publication must be submitted by the 15th of the month. You may submit items by mail to the State Office, P.O. Box 1388, Huron, SD 57350 or email items to: [email protected]
July 20131-2 Watershed Task Force Mtg 7-10 Dist. III & VII Camp (Lake Rich.)29-31 3-Year Award Trip, Mpls29-31 Dist. IV, V & VI Camp (Custer)
Passings Joyce LaVonne Geyer, 88, of rural De Smet, died Thursday, April 11, 2013, at Avera Hospital in Sioux Falls. Services were held Tuesday, April 16, at the American Lutheran Church in De Smet. Joyce is the mother of South Dakota Farmers Union State Education Director Bonnie Geyer. Joyce LaVonne Wallum was born on March 13, 1925, at Carthage to Edward and Ida Wallum. Joyce grew up and attended country school in Carthage, Esmond and Manchester. After graduating from Northern State College in Aberdeen, she taught at several rural schools in the area. She also worked at Honeywell in Minneapolis, Minn., and the Creamy Freeze and Ravens in De Smet. She married Richard Geyer, November 23, 1946, at Luverne, Minn. They then made their home on a farm in the Manchester area where she lived the rest of her life. She is survived by four sons, Ronald of De Smet, Jerry (Kristi) of Huron, Dan (Linda) of De Smet, and Rex (Lynette) of De Smet; a daughter, Bonnie Geyer of Huron; a daughter-in-law, Carol Geyer of De Smet; 12 grandchildren; 14 great grandchildren; one great-great grandchild; two step grandchildren; and six step great grandchildren; one twin brother Joy (Smokey) Wallum and his wife Dolly of Iro-quois; a sister-in-law Evie (Harold) Platt, Brook-ings; brothers-in-law Robert (Darlene) Geyer, and Art (Barb) Geyer; and a sister-in-law, Ruth Muilen-burg all of De Smet; and several nieces and neph-ews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Richard, one son, Wayne Geyer, grand-daughter Lacey Jo Geyer, four brothers, Alferd, Milo, Deone, Jarvis and one sister, Olive.
August 20134-7 Assoc. of Co-ops Educators Conf. 29-Sept. 2 S.D. State Fair, Huron31 Farmers Union Day, State Fair
Ella Mae Sall, 98, of Worthington, Minn., died Monday, April 29, 2013, at Sunset Hospice Cot-tage in Worthington. Memorial services were held Friday, May 3, 2013, at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Worthington with Pastor Jonah Becker-mann officiating. Interment was at the Worthington Cemetery. She is the mother of Farmers Union In-surance Agency state office manager Becky Casper. She was born February 27, 1915 and was ad-opted as an infant by loving parents, Eric and Bella Pladson Olson on April 17, 1915. She graduated from Worthington Senior High School in 1933 and attended Principia College. She married Kenneth Sall October 3, 1936 at The Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. They made their home in Worthington and had five children. Ella Mae is survived by one son, Rodney Sall, of Roseville, Minn.; daughters Becky (Sam) Casper, of Huron; Starr (Lon) Standafer of Worthington; 12 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, daughters Susan and Mary; daughter-in-law, Karen and infant grandson Andrew.
Births Congratulations to Debbie and Matt Baumgarn on the birth of a son, Kane Ray, April 5, 2013. He weighed 7 lbs 13 oz. and was 20.5 inches long. Debbie is a Farmers Union Insurance agent in Webster.
Maynard F. Jensen, 81, of Yankton died Sun-day, April 21, 2013, at Avera Sacred Heart Hospital in Yankton. Services were held April 24 at Calvary Baptist Church in Yankton with the Rev. Jon Cooke officiating. Entombment was in the Garden of Mem-ories with military graveside rites by the Ernest-Bowyer VFW Post #791 Honor Guard, Yankton and the SDARNG Honor Guard, Sioux Falls. Maynard was born Oct. 31, 1931, in Wakonda to David and Segria (Davidson) Jensen. The family farmed in rural Wakonda. He attended Volin schools and graduated in 1951. In 1952, he enlisted in the Air Force and was stationed at Mill Valley, Calif., and Yuma, Ariz. He married Marilyn Munkvold on June 1, 1955, in rural Viborg. They lived on a farm in rural Wakonda. He worked for Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Services (ASCS) and attended Huron College. In 1960, he started working for National Farmers Union Insurance Company. They moved to Yankton where he was a long time insurance agent. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Marilyn; Daughters: DeeRhonda Anderson of Yankton and Dianna Rajski of Sioux Falls; Grandchildren: Reese Anderson, Addison and Bergen Rajski; Brothers-in-law and Sisters-in-law: Cornell and Lois Munkvold of Viborg, Vernon and Pam Munkvold of San Tan Valley, AZ, and Carol Munkvold of Viborg and
many nieces and nephews. Also missing his pres-ence are lifelong friends, Joyce and LeRoy Tschetter of Sioux Falls and their extended families. Maynard was preceded in death by his parents: David and Segria Jensen, Sisters: Elvina Nordland and Margery Jensen; Mother and Father-in-law, Ma-rie (Isakson) and George Munkvold, and Brother-in-law, Ordell Munkvold.
Albert G. Stee, 96, of Clear Lake, died Sunday, April 28, 2013, at the Deuel County Good Samari-tan Center. Memorial services were held Thursday, May 2, 2013, at the United Methodist Church in Clear Lake. Inurnment was in the Lakeview Cem-etery. Albert Stee was born Sept. 8, 1916, the eldest of 10 children, to Hans and Eunice (Harriot) Stee on a farm near Florence. At the age of 15 Albert began working for area farmers. In 1937, he moved to Clear Lake where he worked for Halse’s Dairy where he produced, processed and delivered bottled milk door to door by horse and milk wagon. He married Lois Schleuter Sept. 16, 1939 at the Baptist parsonage in Clear Lake. They lived and farmed in Deuel County where they raised their family. In 1979, they retired from farming and moved into Clear Lake. Albert was a member of the Congregational Church where he served on the church board/ He served on many boards and clubs including: Hide-wood and Clear Lake Township board member, Deuel County Lions Club, Brookings-Deuel Rural Water Charter member, Deuel Telephone Co-op Charter member, Weed Board supervisor, School board, Economic Development Corp., Deuel County Farm Mutual Insurance Co. director and Deuel County Hidewood Local Farmers Union #996. Albert is survived by his wife; three children: Phyllis (Hank) Niemann, Clear Lake, Joan (Ronald)
Meyer, Revillo, and Ron (Rose) Stee, Brookings; 9 grandchildren; 5 step-grandchildren; 24 great-grand-children; 7 step great-grandchildren and 4 great-great grandchildren; three sisters: Evelyn Donahue, Apollo, Pa., Ruby (Bill) Pimental, Clear Lake; and Florence Rodeman, Bellingham, Wash.; sister-in-law, Donna (Bob) Albers, Watertown; brother-in-law Loren (Marj) Schleuter, Estelline; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; 4 brothers; two sisters; son-in-law Larry Krause and grandson Doug Niemann.
