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| News from Around the Farm World - April 29, 2009 |
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Monsanto seeks injunction against German ban
BERLIN (AP) — Monsanto Co., the world’s leading seed seller, is seeking a court injunction and suing the German government for banning its genetically engineered MON810 corn.
Braunschweig administrative court spokesman Torsten Baumgarten said in a statement April 22 that the Agriculture Ministry was named as defendant in both cases. Agriculture Minister Ilse Aigner last week banned the sale and planting of the genetically altered seeds saying they present a danger for the environment.
In 2004, the European Union authorized the planting of MON810 seeds, which produce a toxin to ward off insects. St. Louis, Mo.-based Monsanto claims this genetic trait reduces the need for chemical pesticides. Opponents fear the seeds will spread and alter the natural surroundings.
The injunction seeks to lift the ban temporarily pending the outcome of a suit asking for its permanent reversal.
USDA sets dates on soybean request for referendum
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Soybean growers will be offered the opportunity to request a referendum on the Soybean Promotion and Research Order, as authorized under the Soybean Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act.
The Request for Referendum will be conducted at USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices. To be eligible, producers must certify and provide documentation that shows they produced soybeans and paid an assessment on the soybeans during the period of Jan. 1, 2007-Dec. 31, 2008.
From May 4-29, producers may obtain a form by mail, fax or in person from FSA county offices. Forms may also be obtained via the Internet at www.ams.usda.gov/lsmarketingprograms during the same time period.
Individual producers and other producer entities may request a referendum at the county FSA office where their administrative farm records are maintained. For the producer not participating in FSA programs, the opportunity to request a referendum will be provided at the county FSA office where the producer owns or rents land.
Completed forms and supporting documentation must be returned to the appropriate county FSA office by fax or in person no later than close of business May 29 or, if returned by mail, must be postmarked by midnight May 29 and received in the county FSA office by close of business on June 5.
The USDA will conduct a referendum if at least 10 percent of the nation’s 589,182 soybean producers support a referendum. Not more than one-fifth of the producers who support having a referendum can be from any one state.
The checkoff is administered by a 68-member producer board and is designed to expand uses of soybeans and soybean products in domestic and foreign markets. The national program is financed by a mandatory assessment of 0.5 percent of the net market price of soybeans.
For more information, contact the Marketing Programs Branch; Livestock and Seed Program, AMS, USDA; STOP 0251 – Room 2628-S; 1400 Independence Ave., SW; Washington, D.C. 20250-0251; by phone at 202-720-1115; at an FSA office; or via the Internet at www.ams.usda.gov/lsmarketingprograms
85 percent approve continued American lamb checkoff
DENVER, Colo. — By a margin of 85.1 percent, the members of the U.S. sheep industry voted to continue the deduction on sheep sales to support the marketing of American lamb. These are the certified results of the nationwide vote that was conducted at USDA Farm Service Agency offices during February.
“This is the second referendum since the inception of the program in 2002 and both have recorded overwhelming approval for an industry–funded lamb promotion,” said Peter Orwick, executive director for the American Sheep Industry Assoc. (ASI). “Sheep producer volunteers encouraged a ‘yes’ vote in the referendum to keep this valuable tool alive in the fight for a piece of the meat market in the United States.
“This promotion effort is designed for American lamb only, and is the key to providing additional visibility for domestically grown lamb in the meat cases of the nation’s retailers as well as in the restaurant trade.”
According to the ASI, the vote had to be approved on both the individual votes as well as the volume of sheep represented. In the volume vote, 93 percent supported the referendum. A 13-member volunteer board, known as the American Lamb Board, representing these segments of the industry, collects the funds and administers all the programs.
ASI is a national trade organization supported by 45 state sheep associations and benefiting the interests of more than 82,000 sheep producers.
Nearly 3,000 pigs killed in Illinois farm fire
LITTLETON, Ill. (AP) — Schuyler County authorities say a fire killed an estimated 2,800 pigs and an undetermined number of piglets.
Authorities say Littleton firefighters were called late April 22 after a passerby spotted smoke at the farm, located in Schuyler County between Industry and Rushville. Firefighters from six other communities were called to the scene to help extinguish the fire.
Timberline LLC is owned by a group of farmers from Missouri, Illinois and Iowa who hired Carthage Veterinary Service to manage the location. Dr. Bill Hollis of Carthage Veterinary said there are usually about 5,600 sows kept in four buildings on the farm. He said about half were killed in the fire.
No cause for the fire has been given.
ACRE program enrollment open through Aug. 14
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Don Hunton, acting executive director for USDA’s Farm Service Agency in Indiana, announced that producers can now elect and enroll in the Average Crop Revenue Election (ACRE) program.
Producers have until Aug. 14 to make their decision for the 2009 crop. The USDA will not accept any late-filed applications. Producers who elect the ACRE program for a farm agree to forego counter-cyclical payments, accept a 20 percent reduction of the direct payments and accept a 30 percent reduction in loan rates for all commodities produced on the farm.
Commodities eligible for ACRE payments are wheat, corn, grain sorghum, barley, oats, upland cotton, long grain rice, medium and short grain rice, peanuts, soybeans, sunflower seed, canola, flaxseed, safflower, mustard seed, rapeseed, sesame seed, crambe, dry peas, lentils, small chickpeas and large chickpeas.
Producers may elect and enroll in ACRE for the 2009 crop year even if they have already accepted advance direct payments under the Direct and Counter-cyclical Program. To elect ACRE for a farm, producers must complete Form CCC-509 ACRE, which irrevocably elects ACRE for the farm through crop year 2012.
For more information visit your local Farm Service Agency (FSA) county office or go to www.fsa.usda.gov |
| 4/30/2009 |
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