from May 15

KANSAS WOMAN WINS NATIONAL FARM MOM CONTEST

     KLA member Debbie Lyons-Blythe of White City has been named the national winner of Monsanto’s 2012 America’s Farmers Mom of the Year contest. Blythe was nominated by her five children. She first was named one of five regional winners, then was chosen as the overall winner in online voting. Prizes for the two honors combined totaled $10,000.
     “I want to use this opportunity to shine the light on all the farm Moms,” Blythe wrote in a Facebook post. “It is a wild and crazy job, but one with so many perks!”
Blythe and her family run 250 registered Angus cows and sell the bulls. They have a commercial heifer development program, through which they purchase 350 heifers from bull customers. These heifers are bred to calving ease bulls and sold in the fall. Her husband works in town and while the couple’s five children help on the ranch, Debbie is the primary, day-to-day labor.
     Her work on the ranch is the source of information for a blog, speeches and numerous social media posts. Blythe reaches thousands of consumers with stories about being a farm Mom through her blog, “Life on a Kansas Cattle Ranch.” Her everyday stories help potential beef buyers better understand how food is produced, with the goal of enhancing consumer confidence and usage.

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from May 14

CONTROVERSY CONTINUES OVER DISTRICT MAPS, WHILE TAX REFORM PASSES

     State legislators will push for final adjournment this week. Reapportionment of legislative districts, especially for the Kansas Senate, continues to be the most difficult issue to resolve.
     A House-Senate conference committee proposal to reform the state’s income tax laws was circumvented by the House of Representatives last week when members voted to adopt a bill the Senate passed in March. The Senate tax plan had not been seriously considered since its March 21 passage because it was estimated to reduce state revenues by more than $800 million during fiscal year 2014. The bill sent to Gov. Sam Brownback last week for his signature would reduce the top state income tax rate from 6.45% to 4.9%; exempt certain non-wage business income of LLCs, subchapter S corporations and sole proprietorships; and increase the standard deduction for single head-of-household filers and married taxpayers. Brownback has stated he will sign this bill if the Legislature fails to send him a less costly proposal before final adjournment.
     During debate on the state’s 2013 budget, the House of Representatives passed an amendment that would require state agencies to use the federal E-verify program when hiring new state employees. This requirement also would apply to private businesses that have contracts with the state in excess of $50,000. The Senate is not expected to accept this amendment.
     The Legislature last week sent two bills supported by KLA to the governor for his signature. HB 2596 includes a provision to strengthen the prohibition of transporting, possessing and hunting feral swine. This bill also would clarify that animal activists who misrepresent their identity cannot avail themselves to the defense that they were given permission to work on or enter a livestock facility if charged with illegally taking photographs or videos or damaging the property. HB 2502 would allow county commissioners to approve the operation of corporate swine facilities.

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from May 11

VEAL PRODUCERS EMBRACING SWITCH TO GROUP HOUSING

     Five years after the American Veal Association (AVA) Board of Directors voted unanimously to adopt a resolution calling for all U.S. veal operations to transition to group pens, results of a recent survey show 70% of veal calves raised by members of the association will be housed in group pens by the end of 2012. The 2007 resolution called for the veal community to shift to group housing by December 31, 2017.
     Veal raisers traditionally have housed calves individually to ensure the animal’s requirements for food, water and comfort all were met. In 2007, AVA recognized that ongoing research, field results and new technology were offering growers new tools allowing them to provide quality care in groups.
     “Customers are more comfortable with this approach and I can still provide the same level of care I provided with the traditional method,” said Chris Landwehr, a Wisconsin veal producer who has switched to group housing.
     AVA estimates U.S. veal farmers will spend $250 million over 10 years to retrofit or build new barns accommodating group housing methods.

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from May 10

EXPERIENCED PRACTITIONER, RANCHER NAMED NCBA CHIEF VETERINARIAN

     Rancher and private practitioner Kathy Simmons has been named the new chief veterinarian for NCBA. She will focus on regulatory issues affecting animal care and health.
     Simmons spent 11 years managing her family’s cow-calf operation in West Virginia. She practiced veterinary medicine at the Herndon-Reston Animal Hospital in Herndon, VA, for 27 years. Most recently, Simmons spent a year as a policy fellow on Capitol Hill for the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Veterinary Medical Association. She served in the office of U.S. Sen. Olympia Snow, focusing on health policy issues.
     The Virginia Tech University graduate said ranchers and feeders must have the ability to work with their veterinarians to implement science-based, comprehensive herd health plans in providing the utmost care for animals.
“Regulations and policies affecting animal health should not stifle their (ranchers’) ability and must be science based,” said Simmons.

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from May 9

FIRST KLF DONATION FOR STOUT CENTER PRESENTED TO KSU FOUNDATION

     The Kansas Livestock Foundation (KLF) recently received additional donations from KLA members to put toward the Stanley Stout Center at Kansas State University. KLA Executive Vice President Dee Likes presented a check (pictured below) last week for $101,000 to Emilie Fink with the KSU Foundation on behalf of KLF.
 KLF continues to accept donations to the Stout Center. Additional funds are needed to equip the facility for its role as a world-class livestock marketing and learning center. It will serve as home for the student-run K-State Legacy Sale and provide an all-weather setting for hands-on courses involving animal evaluation, handling and management. The Stout Center will complement the K-State Equine Center and Burtis Arena, which already sit adjacent to the construction site.
 An additional pledge of $150,000 for the Stout Center is scheduled to be received by KLF this fall. KLA members who would like to contribute to the project through KLF should call (785) 273-5115.

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from May 8

NEGATIVE PUBLICITY LEADS TO BPI PLANT CLOSINGS

     Beef Products, Inc., (BPI) has announced it will close processing plants in three states, including one in Garden City. The plants have been temporarily closed for more than a month as a result of negative publicity surrounding Lean Finely Textured Beef. About 650 jobs will be lost when plant closures take effect May 25 at Garden City; Amarillo, TX; and Waterloo, IA.
     Removing scientifically safe Lean Finely Texture Beef from an already tight supply is expected to result in higher ground beef prices for consumers. Losing this source of lean protein likely means the U.S. will be forced to rely increasingly on imports to meet the demand for lean ground beef.
     The BPI plant in South Sioux City, NE, reportedly will remain open, but at a reduced capacity.
     “The fact that a false, misleading smear campaign can destroy a company’s reputation overnight should disturb us all,” said Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad of BPI’s announcement. “My office will never stop fighting for every single job in this state, and I continue to hope that as consumers learn about this safe, healthy and lean product, they will understand what a great product lean finely textured beef truly is.”

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from May 7

LEGISLATIVE ISSUES CONTINUE TO HANG IN THE BALANCE

     State lawmakers will attempt to adjourn the 2012 Kansas legislative session this week. After eight days of the wrap-up session, legislators had yet to reach agreement on new House, Senate and congressional district maps. Legislative district reapportionment is the most contentious issue. It may cause the session to continue into the week of May 14.
     Other issues yet to be resolved include education funding, a 2013 fiscal year budget and an income tax reform bill. A House-Senate conference committee agreed on a compromise package that would reduce state income tax rates and phase out the non-wage business income tax for limited liability and subchapter S corporations and sole proprietorships. The conference committee met several times to adjust the proposal so projections for the state’s year-ending cash balances are positive during the next five years.
     The Legislature has yet to take final action on conference committee reports for two bills of specific interest to KLA members. HB 2596 would make several technical changes to the state’s animal health statutes. HB 2502 would allow county commissioners to approve the operation of corporate swine facilities. KLA supports both bills.

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from May 4

HASKELL COUNTY LEADS STATE IN TOTAL CATTLE NUMBERS

     Kansas Ag Statistics reported last week Haskell County had the largest cattle inventory in the state January 1, with a record 415,000 head. Following Haskell in total cattle numbers were Scott County with 265,000 head, Finney County with 255,000 head, Gray County with 240,000 head and Grant County with 195,000 head.
     Pottawatomie County led the state with 27,500 beef cows as of January 1. Labette County was second at 27,000 head, followed by Marion County with 25,500 head and Jackson, Phillips and Washington counties, all with 25,000 head.
Haskell County also led the state with the largest cattle on feed inventory, at 350,000 head. Scott County was second with 235,000 head. Gray County had the third largest on feed number, at 180,000 head. Finney and Grant counties were tied for fourth and fifth with 175,000 head.
     There were 6.1 million head of cattle on the state’s farms and ranches January 1, down 3% from a year earlier. The beef cow inventory, at 1.43 million, was down 51,000 head. Milk cows totaled 123,000, up 1,000 head from a year earlier.

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from May 3 

APHIS ANNOUNCES EARLY FINDINGS OF EPIDEMIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION IN BSE CASE

     The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has identified progeny born to the California cow diagnosed last week with BSE. Officials said one calf was stillborn. Another was located on a site in another state. This animal was appraised for health purposes, humanely euthanized and sampled for BSE. Test results for the live animal were found to be negative by the National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, IA.
     A hold order has been placed on all cattle at a second dairy associated with the dairy where the index cow resided. Records are being matched and validated to determine if any at-risk cattle are present at either the dairy where the index cow died or the second dairy. In addition, a calf ranch where the index cow was raised 10 years ago is part of the epidemiological investigation.
     The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) continue to investigate feed records at the index dairy, rendering facility and calf ranch. To date, 10 feed firms have been identified as suppliers for the index dairy during the time period of interest. Feed investigators confirmed all domestic distribution of meat and bone meal meets federal labeling requirements.
     USDA indicated it will continue to work closely with FDA and CDFA to provide additional information as it becomes available.

from May 2

     Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback has extended an order temporarily suspending certain motor carrier rules and regulations in order to expedite efforts to transport hay to livestock in drought stricken areas of Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma. The executive order temporarily suspends requirements to obtain over-dimensional permits from the Kansas Department of Transportation, registration and fuel tax permits from the Kansas Department of Revenue and permits from the Kansas Corporation Commission.
     Participating motor carriers are limited to loads 12’ wide and 14’ 6” tall. All other state and federal regulations continue to apply, including the requirement of having a valid driver’s license.
Hay haulers are not permitted to transport these oversized loads during nighttime hours or inclement weather conditions. Oversized or overweight loads are not allowed when visibility is less than one-half mile or when conditions of moderate to heavy rain, fog or smoke exist.

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