Amanda Radke August 31st, 2011
It’s that time of year again — time for 4-H kids to enter their final projects at the State Fair, and time for students to return to school. Calves are being washed and clipped, book bags are being packed, sports practices have resumed, and the busy schedule of fall is officially getting started. Whether it’s getting a purple ribbon on a show steer, scoring a touchdown in the football game or receiving an A on a spelling test, we are constantly being graded for our efforts. In a fitting article I read recently, the American Institute of Philanthropy (AIP) has released its final grades for charitable groups including 4-H, HSUS and PETA. Find out how they stack up in today’s blog.“Three times a year, the venerable AIP analyzes publicly reported information from charities and issues a report card grading how well these organizations spend their money. Unlike other charity analysts, AIP digs past the face-value data to get a more accurate measure of how effective a charity is,” according to the article.
“In its latest report, AIP gives the deceptively named Humane Society of the U.S. (HSUS) a ‘D’ grade, yet again. Last year, AIP gave HSUS a ‘D’ grade, twice, due to the animal rights group’s lackluster performance in using donors’ contributions. Even the organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has a ‘C-plus’ grade.”
To read the entire report, link here.
Notably, 4-H and Farm Aid both received an ‘A’ grades.
Come on, HSUS and PETA. Why the poor grades? Perhaps you aren’t being honest about where your funds are going to?
Learn more about these activist groups here.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
More on the Indiana Farm Bureau Delegate session
Farm bill, taxes and local government structure debated by IFB delegates
Local government structure, property taxes and fire territories were among the many issues that Indiana Farm Bureau delegates discussed during the annual policy session, but it was federal farm funding that held center stage.
During the Aug. 27 session, delegates took an unusually long look at farm program funding because all indications are that the debate over the next farm bill is going to be extremely unusual.
“Because of the budget catastrophe in Washington, the farm bill policy process has been expedited,” said IFB President Don Villwock, explaining that the super committee – the -member group of U.S. representatives and senators responsible for finding $1.5 trillion in budget savings for the next 10 years – could have an enormous effect on the farm program.
“There are some who believe that the super committee might actually write the farm bill, or at least allocate the dollars, before the Christmas break,” he said. “It’s critical that we get our ideas to Washington this fall.”
Because of this accelerated schedule – and the certainty that there will be less money in the farm program budget – IFB delegates voted to prioritize farm program budget areas rather than debate specific programs. IFB’s farm program priorities are:
· Risk management/crop insurance. “This is the no. 1 priority of IFB delegates – and that’s something I’ve heard across the state,” Villwock said. 2011 shows how important a viable risk management program is to farmers and their credit institutions, he noted.
· Research. Delegates ranked this budget area so high because research dollars have long been dwindling even as research has become more essential. “As we think about trying to feed a 9 billion-population planet, we’ll need to increase production by almost 70 percent. That won’t happen without research,” Villwock explained.
· Conservation.
· Rural development.
· Direct payments. These are no longer a high priority for Indiana farmers, Villwock said, because for most, these payments no longer constitute a significant portion of their income.
The delegates’ willingness to prioritize farm spending demonstrated something he’s noticed across the state, Villwock said: “Indiana farmers realize that we need to get deficit reduction as a priority, we need to get our finances in the shape, we need to balance the budget, and agriculture’s willing to do its fair share.
“But I think the key word is ‘fair.’ I think we’re willing to take some cuts as long as they’re fair.”
Other key policy decisions taken by the delegates include:
Local government mergers: Reacting to recent efforts by the General Assembly and some counties to consolidate townships or city-county governments, delegates added language saying that consolidation “should occur only after the voters of incorporated and unincorporated areas have independently approved a comprehensive plan.”
Fire territories: Delegates greatly expanded the policy’s language addressing fire territories, adding language saying that prior obligations from participating units “cannot be spread to taxpayers of the other participating units.”
Indiana State Fair: By a close vote, delegates approved language in support of the sale of beer and wine during the state fair so long as it was sold in a “controlled environment” and emphasized Indiana-made products.
Property taxes: Delegates maintained IFB’s stance in favor of “permanent and substantial measures to free Hoosiers from the burden of property taxes” but added language supporting the “elimination or reduction of the supplemental homestead deduction.”
Local government structure, property taxes and fire territories were among the many issues that Indiana Farm Bureau delegates discussed during the annual policy session, but it was federal farm funding that held center stage.
During the Aug. 27 session, delegates took an unusually long look at farm program funding because all indications are that the debate over the next farm bill is going to be extremely unusual.
“Because of the budget catastrophe in Washington, the farm bill policy process has been expedited,” said IFB President Don Villwock, explaining that the super committee – the -member group of U.S. representatives and senators responsible for finding $1.5 trillion in budget savings for the next 10 years – could have an enormous effect on the farm program.
“There are some who believe that the super committee might actually write the farm bill, or at least allocate the dollars, before the Christmas break,” he said. “It’s critical that we get our ideas to Washington this fall.”
Because of this accelerated schedule – and the certainty that there will be less money in the farm program budget – IFB delegates voted to prioritize farm program budget areas rather than debate specific programs. IFB’s farm program priorities are:
· Risk management/crop insurance. “This is the no. 1 priority of IFB delegates – and that’s something I’ve heard across the state,” Villwock said. 2011 shows how important a viable risk management program is to farmers and their credit institutions, he noted.
· Research. Delegates ranked this budget area so high because research dollars have long been dwindling even as research has become more essential. “As we think about trying to feed a 9 billion-population planet, we’ll need to increase production by almost 70 percent. That won’t happen without research,” Villwock explained.
· Conservation.
· Rural development.
· Direct payments. These are no longer a high priority for Indiana farmers, Villwock said, because for most, these payments no longer constitute a significant portion of their income.
The delegates’ willingness to prioritize farm spending demonstrated something he’s noticed across the state, Villwock said: “Indiana farmers realize that we need to get deficit reduction as a priority, we need to get our finances in the shape, we need to balance the budget, and agriculture’s willing to do its fair share.
“But I think the key word is ‘fair.’ I think we’re willing to take some cuts as long as they’re fair.”
Other key policy decisions taken by the delegates include:
Local government mergers: Reacting to recent efforts by the General Assembly and some counties to consolidate townships or city-county governments, delegates added language saying that consolidation “should occur only after the voters of incorporated and unincorporated areas have independently approved a comprehensive plan.”
Fire territories: Delegates greatly expanded the policy’s language addressing fire territories, adding language saying that prior obligations from participating units “cannot be spread to taxpayers of the other participating units.”
Indiana State Fair: By a close vote, delegates approved language in support of the sale of beer and wine during the state fair so long as it was sold in a “controlled environment” and emphasized Indiana-made products.
Property taxes: Delegates maintained IFB’s stance in favor of “permanent and substantial measures to free Hoosiers from the burden of property taxes” but added language supporting the “elimination or reduction of the supplemental homestead deduction.”
Monday, August 29, 2011
Your County Farm Bureau board at work
Your FB board met tonight with local zoning officials and a commissioner to discuss our current zoning language. The main objective is to allow the sale off of Homestead residences without the loss of farm ground. These existing homes could be sold without the 10 acre minimum if our ideas are heard. We also discussed controling the density of new homes in A1 properties.
Joe Mann, Steve Cash, and David Greenburg attended the state FB policy meeting this past Saturday to help shape Farm Bureau's direction when the legislators go back to work.
Steve Cash attended the Candidate Surfacing meeting last Friday where attention was given to the need to surface candidates with an Ag background to protect the rights of the local farmer. A candidate training school is coming up in November.
The board set the date for its annual meeting as Feb. 28 provided all the details can be worked out.
Plans will soon be in the works for the upcoming Legislative session with plans for a meeting between county superintendents and school boards and our legislators along with scheduling our Legislative Update sessions for the 3rd Saturday in Jan., Feb, and March.
Joe Mann, Steve Cash, and David Greenburg attended the state FB policy meeting this past Saturday to help shape Farm Bureau's direction when the legislators go back to work.
Steve Cash attended the Candidate Surfacing meeting last Friday where attention was given to the need to surface candidates with an Ag background to protect the rights of the local farmer. A candidate training school is coming up in November.
The board set the date for its annual meeting as Feb. 28 provided all the details can be worked out.
Plans will soon be in the works for the upcoming Legislative session with plans for a meeting between county superintendents and school boards and our legislators along with scheduling our Legislative Update sessions for the 3rd Saturday in Jan., Feb, and March.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Cheese sculpture at State Fair
Cheese Sculpture Popularity Growing 08/16/2011by Andy Eubank
Just a few hundred feet from the always popular and packed dairy bar at the Indiana State Fair sits the newest cheese sculpture commissioned by Indiana dairy farmers. Over 1420 pounds of Indiana cheese was used to create the giant slice of birthday cake for the 80th birthday of the Indiana Dairy and Nutrition Council.Cheese lady Sarah Kaufmann again crafted the sculpture in the Pioneer Our Land Pavilion. "This is fabulous cheddar from Indiana, from Pace Dairy in Crawfordsville. They're the big cheddar manufacturer in the state and we get two 640 pound blocks in. On the first day I'm splitting them with wires to make different configurations of squares."The cheese lady told HAT it's just impossible to be around that much cheese day after day without sampling it. "Well it's my job as quality control to taste the cheese, and every once in awhile when I'm scraping, this beautiful ribbon of cheese comes off, and I have to. I have to have a taste."Delicious pepper jack cheese has been incorporated into the sculpture and that cheese has become a dairy bar favorite since being added to the menu this year as a grilled sandwich on sourdough bread.At the official unveiling of the sculpture last week there was a huge crowd, and Deb Osza, general manger of Milk Promotion Services of Indiana, explained that the sculpture is becoming a traditional state fair destination for Hoosier families.
"We have so many people here lining up trying to take a picture. They want to get up close and see, and they just marvel at this beautiful sculpture that's made out of cheese. And it really helps us tell our message about dairy farming and how they care for their animals and the land while they're producing wonderful milk which is used to make cheese. So it kind of demonstrates the whole cycle and I think people get that message."See the creation as it remains on display inside the Pioneer Our Land Pavilion through the end of the fair Sunday, August 21. And hear more from Deb and Sarah at the HAT blog, hatchat.net.
"We have so many people here lining up trying to take a picture. They want to get up close and see, and they just marvel at this beautiful sculpture that's made out of cheese. And it really helps us tell our message about dairy farming and how they care for their animals and the land while they're producing wonderful milk which is used to make cheese. So it kind of demonstrates the whole cycle and I think people get that message."See the creation as it remains on display inside the Pioneer Our Land Pavilion through the end of the fair Sunday, August 21. And hear more from Deb and Sarah at the HAT blog, hatchat.net.
Monday, August 8, 2011
"Why do we grow soybeans!"
"Why do they grow soybeans?"Poultry are the largest consumers of soybeans followed by swine, beef and dairy. Soybeans also produce vegetable oil which is used in salad dressing, cooking oil, and in a variety of processed food items. So, chances are, several of the food items you consumed today contained soybeans. McDonalds calls those bite-sized pieces of chicken, "chicken nuggets," but it would be more accurate to call them soybean nuggets. Perhaps they should start putting soybean action figures in Happy Meals.
The real magic of the soybean, however, comes from the thousands of other uses it has in addition to food for people and animals. Soy can be found in many industrial products including paint, rubber, and ink. A wide variety of consumer products are also made with soy including hand cream, hair care products, antibiotics, and crayons. Each year, Purdue University holds a contest for inventors to come up with new products made with soy. Such inventions as soy candles and ski wax have come from this competition. Soybeans are even helping to solve our energy crisis. Soy methyl ester, a byproduct of the soybean, can be mixed with diesel oil to produce soy biodiesel. This renewable fuel can power cars, trucks, and busses and can produce less air pollution and reduce our nation’s dependence on imported oil.
Soybeans were first discovered and cultivated in China. The first field of soybeans was planted in the U S in 1765 in Georgia. In 1770, Benjamin Franklin wrote about the new crop called soybeans. During the Civil War, soybeans were often roasted and ground as a substitute for coffee. Growing of soybeans by farmers did not become widespread until after World War I. Farmers, especially in the west, started growing soybeans as a way of replenishing their soil. The soybean plant puts a lot of nitrogen back into the soil when it is grown. Henry Ford was a big promoter of soybeans. The Ford Motor Company spent over $1 million dollars on soybean research and, by 1935, 2 bushels of soybeans were part of every Ford car made. After World War II, the growing of soybeans became more popular in Indiana and across the Midwest. With the introduction of hybrid seeds and commercial fertilizers, farmers began to use soybeans as a rotation crop with corn. Today many farmers will grow corn one year in a field and the next year grow soybeans. This rotation helps replenish the soil as well as control pests and diseases. Much of Indiana's soybean crop enters the world market.
The United States it the largest exporter of soybeans in the world. The adoption of biotechnology has increased the soybean yields and has given farmers many new tools to produce soybeans more economically. New varieties of soybeans now produce vegetable oil that has no trans-fats and has many other properties that are good for human health. On average, a soybean field in Indiana will yield 50 bushels of soybeans. US soybean production has been steadily increasing from 28 bushels per acre in 1984 to a national average of 44 bushels per acre in 2009. But yields will have to continue to increase. It is estimated that, by 2050, world population will top 9 billion people. The US farmer will have to double food production by that time in order to feed the world’s population. Soybean protein will be a big part of that effort. So that is why we grow soybeans: to provide the world with a source of food, fiber, and fuel. Growing soybeans also helps the environment by providing profitable rotation crops with corn for Midwestern farmers. Soybeans will continue to increase in importance as our world increases its food demand and seeks for more bio-based industrial and energy products. Consumers need to know more about soybeans. It is up to soybean farmers to help explain why we grow soybeans.
The real magic of the soybean, however, comes from the thousands of other uses it has in addition to food for people and animals. Soy can be found in many industrial products including paint, rubber, and ink. A wide variety of consumer products are also made with soy including hand cream, hair care products, antibiotics, and crayons. Each year, Purdue University holds a contest for inventors to come up with new products made with soy. Such inventions as soy candles and ski wax have come from this competition. Soybeans are even helping to solve our energy crisis. Soy methyl ester, a byproduct of the soybean, can be mixed with diesel oil to produce soy biodiesel. This renewable fuel can power cars, trucks, and busses and can produce less air pollution and reduce our nation’s dependence on imported oil.
Soybeans were first discovered and cultivated in China. The first field of soybeans was planted in the U S in 1765 in Georgia. In 1770, Benjamin Franklin wrote about the new crop called soybeans. During the Civil War, soybeans were often roasted and ground as a substitute for coffee. Growing of soybeans by farmers did not become widespread until after World War I. Farmers, especially in the west, started growing soybeans as a way of replenishing their soil. The soybean plant puts a lot of nitrogen back into the soil when it is grown. Henry Ford was a big promoter of soybeans. The Ford Motor Company spent over $1 million dollars on soybean research and, by 1935, 2 bushels of soybeans were part of every Ford car made. After World War II, the growing of soybeans became more popular in Indiana and across the Midwest. With the introduction of hybrid seeds and commercial fertilizers, farmers began to use soybeans as a rotation crop with corn. Today many farmers will grow corn one year in a field and the next year grow soybeans. This rotation helps replenish the soil as well as control pests and diseases. Much of Indiana's soybean crop enters the world market.
The United States it the largest exporter of soybeans in the world. The adoption of biotechnology has increased the soybean yields and has given farmers many new tools to produce soybeans more economically. New varieties of soybeans now produce vegetable oil that has no trans-fats and has many other properties that are good for human health. On average, a soybean field in Indiana will yield 50 bushels of soybeans. US soybean production has been steadily increasing from 28 bushels per acre in 1984 to a national average of 44 bushels per acre in 2009. But yields will have to continue to increase. It is estimated that, by 2050, world population will top 9 billion people. The US farmer will have to double food production by that time in order to feed the world’s population. Soybean protein will be a big part of that effort. So that is why we grow soybeans: to provide the world with a source of food, fiber, and fuel. Growing soybeans also helps the environment by providing profitable rotation crops with corn for Midwestern farmers. Soybeans will continue to increase in importance as our world increases its food demand and seeks for more bio-based industrial and energy products. Consumers need to know more about soybeans. It is up to soybean farmers to help explain why we grow soybeans.
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