Politicians Playing Games With Agriculture's Future

Above, the family farm in Nebraska during winter.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Obama Administration has been a disaster on issue after issue. It is no better when it comes to agriculture policy.  Some in Congress are no better.

Western Farm Press posted an article on how the Washington politicians are screwing up agricultural policy.

 They begin with:

Farmers and ranchers have known for a long time that most federal lawmakers are notoriously uninformed when it comes to making decisions about farm policy. But what have long been laughable, but serious errors on the part of legislators and policy makers in the past seem to have reached a pandemic crescendo of inefficiency. A war-driven economy and partisan politics have muddled minds in Washington as ill-fated attempts to address federal budget concerns has spawned a plethora of actions that threaten to multiply problems rather than address ways to make them better, especially when it comes to farm policy. 

While the problem extends far beyond agricultural issues, it is becoming apparent that farm policy will be taking more than its fair share of these misguided decisions by lawmakers, who seem to have lost touch with reality when it comes to understanding that U.S. agriculture plays as important or a greater role to a healthy nation as the banking and energy industries.

The Obama Administration has ordered the closure of vital programs that have discovered problems with some agricultural products that produced illnesses and deaths.

For example:

Last summer the USDA's Microbiological Data Program (MDP) was the agency that ordered cilantro and bagged spinach that had tested positive for salmonella to be removed from grocery store shelves. It also forced a recall of lettuce that had tested positive for E. coli, and started testing cantaloupe regularly for Listeria after an outbreak that left 13 people dead. 

As part of President Obama's 2013 budget, this program will be shut down. 

Food and Drug Administration Produce Safety officials say that testing certain high-risk crops such as sprouts, tomatoes, and cantaloupe would now have to be undertaken by state and local agencies, many of which are already cash-strapped and short on staff.

It is a real eye-opener to see how agriculture policy is getting messed up by Washington. And they have the nerve to think they can effectively run health care?!

 To read the full article, go here.

2012 World Ag Expo

When my mother passed away in January 2010, I inherited farm property in Buffalo County, Nebraska.

While I have an excellent tenant farmer working the property, it has been my desire to educate myself in the agriculture industry. Admittedly, I knew diddly-squat about the farming industry when everything fell into my lap. But nearly two years later, I now know a lot more than I did then about Dept. of Agriculture programs, crop insurance, property taxes, corn prices, etc.

But it would be wise for me to further educate myself on agriculture.

This coming February, the 2012 World Ag Expo will take place in Tulare, California (north of Bakersfield by about 60 miles). Former President George W. Bush will be participating at an event during the expo.

According to their website:

Located in California’s Central Valley, 45 miles south of Fresno and 60 miles north of Bakersfield, just off Highway 99. Airfields are located in Tulare, Visalia, Fresno and Bakersfield.

World Ag Expo is the largest annual agriculture exposition celebrating 45 years of innovative agriculture with:

1,600 exhibitors displaying the latest in farm equipment, chemicals, communications, and technology on 2.5 million square feet of exhibit space.

Free seminars on a variety of topics important to dairy producers, farmers, ranchers and agribusiness professionals.

Cooking demonstrations by chefs from California’s top restaurants in the World Ag Women Pavilion.

This looks to be something that could provide useful information for the future. Couldn't hurt to check it out!

When it rains...

It is weird how sometimes things work out.

First, my laptop decided to crash about a month ago. Thank goodness I just saved most of my files on CDs.

Then, my digital camera lens went on the fritz while doing a claims assignment. Fortunately, I got everything I needed to do with it already done before it went out. I was told today that the lens (an electronic gizmo) needs replacing.

Finally, my car decided to have engine trouble yesterday. It is now being dianosed.

If all this happened months ago, I'd be in a bind. The crop check arrived today and so I can afford to pay for all the repairs without blinking an eye.

It is now just a matter of getting off my duff and get everything done.

So, to celebrate the good crop year, Jessica and I are headed out for some sushi.

November Off To A Good Start

Above, Miki Hayashi with "The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan." Photo by Armand Vaquer.

November is off to a good start.

First, corn crop in Nebraska was harvested last week. The check is en route. It'll be nice to have a big nest egg in the bank again.

Second, claim assignments are coming in. I attended to one this morning in Koreatown in Los Angeles.

Third, the first sale of the month came in yesterday at ComiXpress for The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan. Others have come in directly to me (I have a supply on hand for faster service, go to the link in this paragraph for more details).

My roomie and I took a jaunt yesterday to Pasadena to see the culinary school facilities of Le Cordon Bleu. She is thinking about taking their (one-year) course. We were very impressed with their program and their cooking classroom facilities. They also have cooking programs for consumers who may want to take specialized cooking classes. The prices for these were so reasonable that I am even considering taking some for the fun of it!

And, the second rainstorm within the past seven days rolled in this morning. The local mountains have a nice dusting of snow. And, I got a free car wash out of the deal!

Before we know it, the holidays will be here. Actually, we stopped off at Macy's in Sherman Oaks on the way back from Pasadena and did some shopping. The place was packed with shoppers! We got some good deals on some items. The Christmas decorations were all out in full force.

Halloween, etc.

It is nice to wake up to some good news. And today I woke up to some good news.

I heard from my Nebraska farm tenant this morning and he said he "picked your corn this weekend. Corn was good for what it has been thru this summer. [We had some wind and hail damage. Fortunately, it was relatively minimal.] Will sell this week and get check headed your way."

The check will amount to roughly half of my annual income.


And, today is Halloween. That means that I will follow tradition (begun in the 1960s) and watch Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948).

Biofuel Policies and the Beef Industry

Harvest season is now here. I am looking forward to a nice infusion of cash from this year's sale of the corn crop from the farm in Nebraska.

I've been told that while we don't have a "bumper crop," the corn market prices will make up for any losses (we did have some hail damage several months ago).

Speaking of corn market prices, I saw an interesting article on beef prices in relation to the competing market for biofuel corn production from the Western Farm Press (I get regular reports from them via email). The article stated in part:

The question that often is asked is: What is the impact of changing biofuel policies on production agriculture? The answer requires solid data, and so does the question on evaluating production costs and herd performance for late-spring (early May) calving in contrast to the traditional spring (late-March, early April) calving in southwestern North Dakota.

Asking a question usually triggers a quick response that implies a simple answer is available. Seldom, if ever, is that true. Determining biofuel policy and its impacts on beef production systems is not simple.

Asking if increasing demand for corn by expanding market options would change prices is a simpler question than determining the biofuel policy impacts on beef production. Nevertheless, the questions are real.

As a participant on the producing end, what happens to the crop after it is sold to the buyer is not my concern. I am a free-marketer who believes in letting the free market (i.e., supply & demand) set prices without government interference. Too often, interference by the government with farm policy regulations written by clueless politicians cause more problems. Federal energy policies pertaining to oil by the current administration are insane anyway.

To read the full article, go here.