| News from Around the Farm World - July 22, 2009 |
|
|
|
Kentucky gets large share
of federal disaster aid
FRANKFORT, Ky. — Farmers in 92 Kentucky counties will share $30.5 million in federal funds to repair farm structures and land damaged by an unprecedented ice storm Jan. 27 that brought down thousands of trees and utility lines across the state.
The USDA announced last week that Kentucky will receive 43 percent of the $71 million in Emergency Conservation Program funds, far more than any other state.
“I’m extremely pleased with the teamwork among the many Kentuckians who worked to present our case and caused the USDA to recognize the hardships that our farmers went through last winter,” Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer said. “Every cent of this money will be put to good use to remove debris, fix fences, repair storm-damaged structures and restore damaged fields across our Commonwealth.”
Farms in the following Kentucky counties are eligible to receive a portion of the $30.5 million to repair ice storm damage: Adair, Anderson, Ballard, Barren, Bath, Bourbon, Boyd, Boyle, Breathitt, Breckinridge, Bullitt, Butler, Caldwell, Calloway, Carlisle, Carter, Casey, Christian, Clark, Crittenden, Daviess, Edmonson, Elliott, Estill, Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Fulton, Garrard, Graves, Grayson, Green, Greenup, Hancock, Hardin, Hart, Henderson, Henry, Hickman, Hopkins, Jackson, Jefferson, Jessamine, Johnson, Knott, LaRue, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Lewis, Lincoln, Livingston, Logan, Lyon, Madison, Magoffin, Marion, Marshall, Martin, McCracken, McLean, Meade, Menifee, Mercer, Metcalfe, Montgomery, Morgan, Muhlenberg, Nelson, Nicholas, Ohio, Oldham, Owen, Owsley, Perry, Pike, Powell, Rockcastle, Russell, Scott, Shelby, Spencer, Taylor, Todd, Trigg, Union, Warren, Washington, Webster, Wolfe and Woodford.
Madison County will also receive $500,000 to repair tornado damage sustained on May 8. Conservation issues that existed before the ice storm are not eligible for cost-share assistance. USDA’s Farm Service Agency county committees determine land eligibility based on on-site inspections of ice storm damage.
Indiana wind farm plans
face local zoning ban
LEBANON, Ind. (AP) — Plans for up to 260 wind turbines in a central Indiana county must overcome a local ban on the structures in order to be built.
Two companies have been looking to lease 14,000-24,000 acres in western Boone County, which includes the towns of Advance, Jamestown and Thorntown. County planning director Steve Niblick said changes in the zoning law must be carefully considered because allowing the 200- to 300-foot-tall turbines would rule out residential development in the area northwest of Indianapolis for many years.
An executive with wind farm developer enXco says it has received good reactions to the project. Marketing manager Sandra Briner told The Indianapolis Star that while there is some opposition, many landowners in the area seem eager to lease their property for the wind farm.
Deere, Indian company
form joint venture
MOLINE, Ill. (AP) — Deere & Co., the world’s largest agricultural equipment maker, says it has completed legal requirements to establish a farm equipment manufacturing joint venture in India. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The agreement between the Moline company’s Worldwide Construction & Forestry Division and Ashok Leyland Limited, the flagship of the Hinduja Group, will be named Ashok Leyland John Deere Construction Equipment Co. Private Ltd. It will initially manufacture backhoes, loaders and other equipment to be sold in India and for export.
The joint venture plans to eventually provide a full line of construction equipment. Ashok Leyland has a dealer network in India and is the second-largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in the country, Deere said.
The week before, Deere said it is working to expand its agricultural equipment manufacturing operations in Russia by early 2010. President and Chief Operating Officer Samuel Allen, who will become CEO Aug. 1, made the announcement in a statement ahead of a Russia-U.S. business forum.
Deere already has a network of agricultural and forestry-product dealers in Russia and a manufacturing operation in Orenburg that provides seeding and tillage equipment. It is developing a center for operations, training and parts near Kaluga.
NE Indiana man is killed
in shootout following fire
WARREN, Ind. (AP) — A northeastern Indiana man died during an exchange of gunfire with police officers who were searching for him after a fire destroyed a farmhouse and three barns owned by his father.
State police say troopers were watching another property owned by the father of 34-year-old Barton L. Thompson of rural Warren when shots were fired in a nearby field before dawn July 13. Officers returned fire and Thompson suffered a gunshot wound that is believed to have killed him. No officers were hurt.
Authorities had been searching for Thompson since the day before, when firefighters spotted him at the farm in southern Huntington County and one reported hearing a gunshot. No injuries were reported in the fires.
USDA makes new agency
appointments in Iowa
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The USDA has filled two appointments in Iowa. The department said Hillsboro state representative and farmer John Whitaker has been appointed to direct the USDA’s Farm Service Agency in Iowa and nonprofit executive and former radio reporter William Menner will be in charge of the federal Rural Development agency in the state.
Whitaker will oversee farm subsidies, among other responsibilities, in Iowa. Menner has served in the nonprofit sector since 2001. His agency is in charge of managing housing, business and community infrastructure programs in rural areas. |
| 7/22/2009 |
|
