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News from the Minnesota Association of Wheat |
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GLICKMAN CHALLENGES EU ON AG ISSUES
Speaking in London at the 19th European Agricultural Outlook Conference, Glickman admitted that in doing so, the EU must make "difficult
choices in order to overcome the barriers that will enable strong growth and greater prosperity." Export subsidies, he added, also "tend to work against the interests of small, less developed nations who
cannot compete with the heavily subsidized commodities exported by countries using export subsidies." The United States and Europe "are in a dog_eat_dog battle over subsidies and other trade matters,"
he said, "when we should be coming together to solve some of the more challenging issues facing agriculture." The United States, the EU and other agriculture producing nations "must get together and raise
the level of discourse away from conflict and more toward resolution to discuss in depth the long-term implications of world agriculture policy." He called for a "collaborative" effort, involving
not only politicians but farmers, ranchers and others. "None of our farmers will prevail unless we, in the context of a rules_based world trading system, work together. I find that far too many politicians on both
sides of the Atlantic spend far too much precious energy critiquing each other's policies and not nearly enough time working toward constructive compromise." Glickman referred to China as "the elephant in
the living room none of us can ignore." The Chinese have shown they understand they must commit to long standing principles government world trade transparency, fair trade practices, peaceful settlement of disputes
and, "most importantly, the rule of law," he said. On biotechnology, Glickman said one aspect in the debate that largely has been overlooked is biotechnology's "potential to alleviate hunger and
malnourishment in developing countries." He added, "The regulatory procedures we (the United States) have in place are not only meeting the challenges of biotechnology, but we are adapting them to grow and
develop alongside this new technology." With 800 million people hungry or undernourished, Glickman said, "the current debate risks subverting a technology that can help, even save the less fortunate around
the globe." Source
SHORT TERM CRP BILL INTRODUCED BY A REPRESENTATIVE FROM NEBRASKA
BRAZIL MAY PLANT LESS WHEAT Furthermore, the Parana agriculture department suggests that corn shows greater profitability potential than wheat, leading them to forecast a 9% increase in planted area for corn.
According to newswire reports, Parana and Rio Grande do Sul were responsible for nearly 92% of all Brazilian wheat production in 1999-2000.
U.S., EU PUSH FOR PROGRESS ON FARM TRADE
FOOD DONATIONS TO AFRICA COULD BE WHEAT AND WHEAT FLOUR
NDSU TERMINATES DISTRIBUTION, INCREASE OF COMMANDER NAVE BEAN March, 2000 The Agricultural Experiment Station at North Dakota State University is stopping the seed distribution
and further increase NDSU Agriculture Communication
ST. PAUL LEGISLATIVE SESSION 2000 SESSION FIFTH WEEK (FEBRUARY 28 -March 5) The second issue the rally crowd attacked is SF-192 (Berg) and HF-1201 (Ness), a bill that will allow farmers to form limited liability companies. Once again, just about every ag
group in the state supports this bill except the Farmers Union. Flyers at the rally told about how LLC's will result in the corporate takeover of our farmland and the draining of profits from the
countryside. If they read the bill, they would notice that formation is limited to "natural persons" - those people with a heartbeat - and therefore it is impossible for ConAgra and Monstanto to use the LLC law to
take over Minnesota farms. Everyone knows the state legislature can't do anything about low commodity prices, and clearly, there is plenty of frustration relating to farm prices and world trade. But
attacking LLC's and GMO's as the problem is not the answer. FREEDOM TO FARM. SF-3645 (Sams) is a resolution to Congress to rewrite the Freedom to Farm bill that was introduced Monday of this week, heard
in the Senate Ag Committee on Tuesday, and passed by the full Senate on Wednesday 48-10. The bill was amended on the Senate floor to include language that states foreign policy should not include the use of food
as a weapon, since there have been over 120 unilateral trade sanctions during the past 60 years. The House companion will probably not get heard. TAX REBATE BILL. The tax rebate bill authored by Tim
Finseth (R-Angus) that contains a $4 per acre rebate for the six Presidential counties but not the contiguous counties was heard in the House Tax Committee on Tuesday. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion
in the omnibus tax bill. It is likely that this provision will be included, but if it is not, the Senate bill will contain the $4 per acre rebate and the difference will ultimately be worked out in a conference
committee. SENATE AG COMMITTEE. The Senate Ag Committee heard the following bills: SF-3513 (Laidig) would have prohibited the use of phosphorus fertilizers in the seven-county metro area. The bill
drew opposition from golf courses and turf grass companies and was laid over until next year. SF-3255 (Kleis) allows urban-sprawl neighbors to get out of paying their share of fence costs by limiting the application
of fence law to situations where the fence separates parcels of land that are both in agricultural use. The bill was laid over in the Senate Ag Committee and is essentially dead for the year. SF-3260 (Stevens)
makes various changes to the aquatic farming regulations. Amended and referred to the floor. SF-3223 (Sams) is the omnibus policy bill that contains many provisions, most of which were non-controversial
department of ag initiatives. Passed and sent to the floor. HOUSE AG POLICY. The House Ag Policy Committee heard five bills: HF-3325 (Westrom), a bill extending the time for offering seed for sale after a germination test from the current nine months to fifteen months. The seed would have to be sold within
fifteen months of the germination test. HF-3802 (Westfall) authorizes the issuance of bonds and appropriates money to help abate crop depredation caused by Canada geese. Amended and referred to the funding
division. HF-2796 (Ness) requires disclosure to a third party signer of a debt instrument. Amended and sent to the Civil Law Committee, but since it did not meet the deadline it is dead for the year. HF-2877
(Peterson) establishes an agri-business investigative unit in the Attorney General's office which is paid for by the sale of special "support family farms" license plates that would be sold for a premium of at
least $10 per year. The bill was amended to state that money raised by the sale of the license plates goes to the farm advocate program at the Department of Agriculture rather than the Attorney General's
office. Passed as amended to the Transportation Finance Division. HOUSE AG FINANCE. The House Ag Finance Committee heard and passed several funding bills that were laid over for possible inclusion
in the omnibus funding bill: HF-3215 (Gunther) Continuation of the pseudorabies control
CONSERVATION RESERVE. There is a bill to fund the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) that is moving through the legislature. SF-2389 (Frederickson) provides $60 million in bonding to buy
15-year easements on up to 100,000 acres in the Minnesota River Valley. The feds have designated $163 million for this program, provided the state comes up with the rest, and so the $60 million figure is based on
a federal match. No action was taken on the bill. FEEDLOTS. The feedlot rule fix bill (SF-3443, Sams) was heard in the Senate Environment Committee on Monday. The hearing only lasted two hours
and environmentalists tried only one amendment that would have made changes to the NPDES permits and the hydrogen sulfide exemption. This amendment failed 8 to 5, and knowing that all other votes for the evening
would be the same, they did not offer any more. The companion bill was passed by the House Ag Committee on Wednesday and will be heard in the House Environment Committee this week. ANIMAL CRUELTY.
The full Senate also passed the animal cruelty bill, SF-613 (Betzold), 55-0 on Thursday of this week. Ironically, this was the same day as the House author of the companion bill, Representative Jim Rostberg
(R-Isanti) was arrested. The House companion was scheduled to be heard this week, but it has been pulled from the schedule. LABOR BILL. Last year there was a Department of Labor bill that contained
language changing the payment of migrant workers. Current law states that migrant workers must be paid within three days of termination but the bill would have reduced the time to only 24 hours. This bill is
back, but the payment terms only apply to employers who are "processors of fruits and vegetables" who employ "more than 30 workers." This would not catch the average farmer by definition so eliminating the
provision is not necessarily our fight. The vegetable processors are aware of this and may be involved in amended in or deleting the provision. TRUCK REGISTRATION. The bill that would have required
that all farm trucks be registered in a database, (HF-3894, Workman), is essentially dead for the year. Their argument is that the database is needed to mail all the farmers safety information, but the real reason
is to track the trucks and develop safety ratings, just like the over-the-road guys have. The bill was introduced last week but a hearing has not been scheduled. 30 DAY SCALE TICKETS A bill
eliminating the state patrol's ability to go into scale houses and look at overweight tickets (HF-3547 Westrom) is also dead for the year after failing to have a hearing in the House before the bill deadline and also
because the bill did not have a Senate companion author. COOPERATIVE BILL. The House Commerce Committee passed the cooperative bill that makes four changes to cooperative law, including the reinstatement
of the exemption from securities laws. The bill is on the House and Senate floors awaiting final action. WOLF BILL. There was an informational hearing (no outside testimony and no committee action)
on the DNR's new plan to divide the state into two wolf zones in the Senate Environment Committee on Friday. Senator Gary Laidig (R-Stillwater) presented information on the different bills and said that he is
willing to work with others to pass a wolf management bill off the Senate floor. His first preference is to pass the Roundtable legislation from last year. Failing that, he will work to pass the current DNR
bill and would support any amendments the DNR supports. There seems to be strong sentiment for the Senate to pass a bill so they can go to Conference Committee with the House on this issue. It is possible
the Senate could take up the wolf management bills on the floor this week. PRODUCER CONTRACTS. SF-3070 (Frederickson) and HF-3534 (Harder). This is a compromise bill on producer contract rights
which establishes minimum standards of readability for contracts between agricultural producers and processors. All contracts must contain a cover sheet with an index to the contents of the contract and specific
warnings of obligations and risks is required. The contract itself must be legible, understandable, and may include terms customarily used by producers and terms required by law, rule, or regulation. The bill also
requires a 3-day review period after the proposed contract is presented to the producer before the contract can be effective. Finally, a processor may ask the commissioner of agriculture to review and certify that
language of a proposed contract complies with these requirements. The bill is on the House and Senate floors awaiting final action. AGRIGROWTH. This week's speaker at the Agrigrowth breakfast was
House Ag Committee Chair Tim Finseth (R-Angus). Representative Finseth told the audience he would not hear GMO bills, commented on the feedlot bills, and discussed the passage of property tax relief. Next
week's speaker will be Senate Majority Leader Roger Moe (D-Erskine). COMING UP THIS WEEK... INTRODUCTION OF BILLS.
The following bills were introduced during the fifth week: Agriculture SF 3692 Vickerman Requires diesel fuel to contain 5% Environment SF 3678 Frederickson Allows external sources of funding for |
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