| Save the Date: Jan. 20 Luncheon with Shook, Hardy & Bacon | |
Council members will again be the guests of Shook Hardy & Bacon for the first luncheon meeting of the New Year which will be held Thursday January 20, 2011, at the SHB offices at 2555 Grand in Kansas City.
The theme for the meeting will be "Agriculture 2011: Hot Legal and Economic Issues" and the program agenda promises to be both engaging and informative. A panel discussion will take place with representatives from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the Kansas Department of Health and the Environment on current issues facing the agricultural community. Sarah Sunday, in-house counsel with Kraft Foods, will provide an overview of timely food safety issues. Other topics to be covered include economic issues facing the agricultural community and food Traceability. A barbeque buffet will be provided by Jack Stack.
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| Mizzou Scientists Develop Faster, More Accurate Salmonella Test | |
Researchers at the University of Missouri have come up with new technology for testing salmonella in poultry and eggs. Results are available in five to 12 hours, using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and dye to differentiate between live and dead salmonella.
"Processors and consumers will benefit from the speed and sensitivity of the new test's results," says Azlin Mustapha, associate professor of food science in the University of Missouri's College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. He adds: "This will keep companies from shipping contaminated products, and thus, keep salmonella infected products out of consumers' hands."
To implement the test, companies would need to buy PCR equipment and train employees to use it, Mustapha said, but the system is less work and takes less time than conventional tests. The Missouri Department of Agriculture has started to use a similar technique Mustapha developed to test for E. coli in ground beef.
Source: Meatingplace.com, Nov. 23, 2010
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| Farm Profitability Up in 2010 | |
Net farm income this year jumped 31% to $81.6 billion from $62.2 billion in 2009, noted the USDA in a report issued November 30 revising its earlier forecast last February of $63 billion. The agency said rising livestock and major crop (corn, cotton and wheat) prices allowed farmers to generate 10.4% more revenue while production expenses rose at just 2%. Seed prices fell off 3.9% in 2010. Farm profit performance nearly returned to the 2008 level when net income reached $86.6 billion. The USDA will present its 2011 forecast in February. |
| 2010 Officers & Directors | |
Elvin Hollon
Chairman
Dairy Farmers of America, Inc.
Diane Olson
Vice Chair
Missouri Farm Bureau
Russ Weathers
Vice Chair
Agriculture Future of America
Bill Brooks
Secretary/Treasurer
Downes-O'Neill/ FCStone, LLC
2010 Board of Directors
Cliff Becker
The Center for Food Integrity
Bruce Brinkmeyer
Bayer Animal Health
Wyatt Brummer
The Scoular Company
Frank Bryant
SES, Inc.
Tim Daugherty
Land O'Lakes
Jim Gray
Heartland Plant Innovation Center
Mike Johanning
John Deere
J.J. Jones
Kansas Dept. of Commerce
Leslie Kaufman
Kansas Cooperative Council
Damon New
First State Bank & Trust
Don Nikodim
Missouri Pork Association
Nancy Robinson
Livestock Marketing Association
John Shostak
Kansas Farm Bureau
Amber Spafford
Osborn Barr Communications
Steve Taylor
Missouri Agribusiness Assoc.
Bob Thompson
Bryan Cave LLP
Jere White
Kansas Corn Growers Association
Shrene White
Cargill/Horizon Milling
Loyd Wilson
Missouri Dept. of Agriculture
Ex Officio Members
Mike Beam
Kansas Livestock Association
Gina Bowman
CVR Energy
 www.agbizkc.com
816-628-1231 phone
P.O. Box 26426
Kansas City, MO 64196 |
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New Crop Fundamentals and the Future of Agribusiness
December Luncheon & Annual Meeting
 Bill Hudson, founder of The ProExporter Network, will talk about the future of agribusiness as the featured speaker at the Council's December 16 Luncheon and Annual Meeting at the American Royal that gets underway at 11:30 am. Hudson is a prominent agriculture analyst and economic researcher who was a pioneer in using mapping techniques to illustrate grain flows. He will provide Council members with an outlook on crop supply and demand and will discuss how exchange rates as well as the financial markets might affect the grain industry. Hudson will also take a look at the effect government policy is having on agribusiness.
The ProExporter Network® (PRX) is one of the premier providers of agricultural economic research and analysis. Its clients include major agribusiness companies and investors. Before establishing The ProExporter Network in 1988, Hudson served as senior vice president of business research for The Andersons, Maumee, Ohio. An international speaker and author, he is recognized and respected as an authority on agribusiness, cash grain markets and transportation. Hudson is a graduate of the University of Kansas. Click here for more information and to register. |
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RFD-TV: Connecting City and Country Folks
 | | Bob Petersen, Patrick Gottsch, Russ Weathers |
In town as the featured speaker at the Leader Conference of the Agriculture Future of America (AFA), Patrick Gottsch, founder and president of RFD-TV, also addressed the Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City, November 5, at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center Hotel. At the breakfast meeting for Council members, Gottsch previewed the message he intended to share with more than 500 of the nation's top college-age agricultural leaders that evening: Connecting the cultures of city life and rural living. 'We have 'rural' covered," he said of RFD-TV's efforts to expand. "The next goal is to connect with city folk."
Since Gottsch launched RFD-TV ten years ago, his mission has been to establish one voice with one vision to tell the story of rural America. After nearly eight years of planning and several loan rejections, Gottsch got a break from Dish Network and went on the air as a non-profit with three hours of programming a day featuring a lot of horse topics. Today, RFD-TV is a privately held company with round-the-clock broadcasting of the most comprehensive agriculture-based programs available on one channel. RFD-TV is connected to more than 40 million homes around the country, and its parent Rural Media Group also publishes two magazines with 165 thousand subscribers.
Embodying Gottsch's message of connectedness between rural and urban dwellers was AFA student leader Jillian Wicher who also spoke to Council members at the breakfast. Wicher, a student in UC Davis' College of Agriculture, deadpanned that her agriculture background before enrolling at UC Davis consisted of growing up in urban San Francisco. |
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Wichita Council Takes a Look at Agriculture 20 Years Out
The Agribusiness Council of Wichita and the Kansas World Trade Center holds its 2010 Regional Outlook Conference on the Future of Agribusiness December 8-9 at the Wichita Hyatt Regency. The theme of this year's conference is "AgriNxt: Breaking New Ground, Growing Globally" and will zero in on the opportunities, threats and implications for agribusiness over the next 20 years.
The conference will present panel discussions focusing on four primary issues: energy and fuel; nutrition and the global food supply chain; mechanization and technology; the global perspective. Conference organizers have brought in industry experts, company executives and representatives from government agencies to participate in the event.
Conference activities include an opening evening reception and dinner on December 8, followed by a day-long conference on December 9. Conference events will be held at the Hyatt Regency in Wichita, KS. The theme of the conference will focus on the opportunities, threats and implications for agri-business over the next 20 years.
Karyn Page, President/CEO of the Kansas World Trade Center says, "We want AgriNxt to be the catalyst for conversation about what agribusiness will look like in 20 years, and the innovation that will be required to sustain and grow the industry. It is important to understand the next steps and the overall impact of these changes in agribusiness in the context of various industries and the global economy. "
For registration information and costs email or call Shailey Innes, innes@kansaswtc.org, 316-264-5982. |
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Are Consumers Confused, Misinformed or Unconcerned?
As a result of persistent bad press, Americans have been developing negative perceptions about food animal production and agriculture in general. The story has been playing out for several years. But recently there's been a twist in the plot.
In a survey of a broad range of consumer attitudes conducted last August by the Center For Food Integrity (CFI), 70 percent of the more than 2000 respondents indicated the economy was their foremost worry. Less than half (43%) indicated they were 'very concerned' about the humane treatment of animals.
This finding seems at odds with the outcomes of numerous animal rights and welfare ballot initiatives (like California's Prop 2 in 2008) that keep getting passed with solid majorities. Animal rights activists continue to win voter approval for measures to further regulate and diminish the control food animal producers have over their own businesses - even though Americans, don't consider farm animal welfare a top of mind concern.
The plot thickens, though. In the survey, the same consumers rated the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) as the most credible source of information about farm animal care. Veterinarians ranked three percentage points behind HSUS, while - no surprise here - large livestock farms came in last.
The situation, however, might not be as grim as it appears. The good news is CFI also found consumers will change their minds if provided materials that objectively, factually educate them on issues. Another reminder that those of us in agriculture need to continue to engage the public and tell our story. |
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Nine Broadcasters Honored at Annual Conference
The National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) named Jeff Nalley the 2010 Farm Broadcaster of the Year at its annual meeting in Kansas City, November 10-12. Nalley is Farm Director at Cromwell Ag Radio Network in Nashville, and has been an NAFB broadcaster for more than 25 years. The network prepares 36 programs daily.
Over the years, Nalley has received numerous awards from various sectors of the agriculture industry, including plaudits from the Illinois corn and soybean growers. But to receive awards from fellow farm broadcasters, he explained, is a very humbling honor. "It validates a career...I am grateful and blessed," he said.
Other accolades and honors also were awarded to NAFB personalities and agribusiness firms during the 66th Annual Convention:
- Taylor Brown, Northern Ag Network in Billings, Montana, and Gene Millard, NAFB Emeritus Member and broadcaster at KFEQ Radio in St. Joseph, Missouri, were inducted into the NAFB Hall of Fame.
- Mark Oppold, News Director for RFD-TV, received the New Holland Oscar in Agriculture for excellence in reporting and quality broadcasting.
- Roger Olson, National 4-H Council and Denny Waddle, KRVN/Rural Radio Network, garnered Dix Harper Meritorious Service Awards for their contributions and support of NAFB.
- Haylie Shipp, Farm Broadcaster at Northern Ag Network, won the Horizon Award for promising broadcasters with less than five years of NAFB membership.
- The Mosaic Company and the National Corn Growers Association took home 2010 Herb Plambeck Creative Excellence Awards for their advertising campaigns.
Syngenta Corporation sponsors the Farm Broadcaster of the Year and Horizon Award programs. |
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HSUS Sues Perdue Over Label Claims
HSUS filed a class action lawsuit against Perdue Farms, alleging the company is falsely advertising products with "humanely raised" labels. The lawsuit filed in the Superior Court of New Jersey, November 29, seeks a jury trial and compensatory damages for the class members, as well as injunctive relief against further use of the label claim by Perdue.
In a statement December 1, Perdue responded, "HSUS is trying to define humane treatment of poultry by its own narrow, arbitrary standards." The company said its poultry is raised cage-free on family farms in temperature-controlled housing with a continuous flow of fresh air. Poultry freely move about with constant access to food and water, Perdue noted, and its chicken houses also provide shelter from the elements, predators and disease.
"The USDA Process Verified Program, which is audited by the USDA, verifies that we are exceeding the industry standards," the company pointed out. "For example, we are the first and only poultry company whose hatcheries and family farm partners are inspected by the USDA, and we use video monitoring at the processing plants to ensure compliance with our humane standards." |
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AVMA Condemns Threats by Animal Rights Activists Against UCLA Scientist
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) condemned the recent actions of animal rights activists who have targeted a University of California research neuroscientist whose work includes the use of nonhuman primates to research biochemical factors that contribute to methamphetamine and tobacco addiction in adolescents.
The AVMA issued a statement on December 1, 2010 recognizing "animals play a central and essential role in research, testing and education for continued improvement in the health and welfare of human beings and other animals. ... The use of animals used in research, testing and education is a privilege carrying with it unique professional, scientific and moral obligations."
Dr. W. Ron DeHaven, AVMA CEO, said, "Rigorous standards have been established to protect the animals involved in biomedical research and to assure they are treated humanely. Institutions and researchers are subject to federal oversight to confirm those standards are appropriately applied and that such research is not only valuable but necessary." He went on to say, "We condemn all acts of violence, vandalism and intimidation directed toward individuals and facilities engaged in the ethical use of animals for research." |
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Local Firm Serves as Agriculture Liaison for Homeland Security Activities in Metro Area
The head of Merriam-based SES, Inc., Frank Bryant, recently joined the Kansas City Terrorism Early Warning (KCTEW) group as food and agriculture liaison. Bryant, who is on the board of the Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City, also serves as the agriculture contact for the Missouri Public Private Partnership and the Kansas City Public Private Partnership. Both groups are designed to engage the private sector in Homeland Security response efforts during natural disasters or terrorist acts.
The KCTEW is a fusion center for the Kansas City Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI), which was launched following September 11, 2001 to coordinate communication between various intelligence agencies. Fusion centers, notes Bryant, collect, analyze and disseminate intelligence to prevent future attacks. "As a member of the KCTEW, I receive information that should be shared with the food and agriculture community for the purpose of preventing attacks," he says.
Bryant has suggested disseminating information from the KCTEW to Council members, and in turn relaying information back to the KCTEW. "For example," he says, "If you detect any suspicious activity associated with your operations notify me and I will forward the information to the KCTEW for analysis." Bryant points out that various criminal acts such as breaking and entering or theft precede many terrorist activities. This kind of suspicious activity, he adds, should be relayed to the KCTEW. The information would not be shared with the general public, the media or foreign nationals.
For more details, contact Frank Bryant, SES, Inc., 913-307-0046, or log onto the KCTEW website : www.kctew.org. |
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