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Conveyor Currents November 30, 2012
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| Upcoming Dates |
2012
December 12, 2012 CGFA Member Outreach Meeting & Christmas Luncheon in Ontario, CA
December 10-12, 2012 California Alfalfa & Grains Symposium
2013
January 16-17, 2013 Grain & Feed Industry Conference, Embassy Suites, Monterey, CA
April 24-27, 2013 CGFA Annual Convention ~ The Hyatt Regency, Huntington Beach, CA
May 15-16, 2013 California Animal Nutrition Conference. Radisson Hotel in Fresno, CA
2014
January 15-16, 2014 Grain & Feed Industry Conference, Embassy Suites, Monterey, CA
April 23-26, 2014 CGFA Annual Convention ~ The Sheraton Resort, Maui, HI
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| Quick Links |
California Dept. of Food & Ag
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| Statement from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Soaring U.S. Exports |
WASHINGTON, Nov. 29, 2012 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture released its second Outlook for U.S. Agricultural Trade in fiscal year 2013 today, and the latest forecast continues an astonishing trend for American farm exports that began in 2009. In the years since, U.S. agricultural exports have climbed more than 50 percent in value, from $96.3 billion in 2009 to the most-recent forecast of $145 billion in 2013. Overall, these exports support more than 1 million American jobs. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack released the following statement on the forecast:
"Today's forecast is further confirmation of the concerted effort by President Obama to expand export opportunities and level the playing field for American businesses and workers. Because USDA is working harder than ever to remove unfair barriers to trade and provide businesses with the resources they need to reach new markets, American agriculture is booming. Demand for products like American soybeans, wheat and tree nuts is surging across the world, with notable gains in China, Europe, and Southeast Asia expected to support strong cash receipts through year. Earlier in the week, USDA forecast net farm income at its second-highest level since the 1970s. Taken together, this data shows a robust agricultural economy poised to recover from the worst drought in more than a generation.
"Since 2009, more than 1,000 U.S. companies and organizations-mainly small and medium sized businesses-participated in 110 USDA-endorsed trade shows in 24 countries, racking up 12-month projected sales estimated at more than $4.2 billion. We've led nearly 150 U.S. businesses on trade missions to China, Colombia, Georgia, Indonesia, Iraq, Panama, Peru, the Philippines Vietnam and Russia. And we're keeping good-paying jobs here at home by resolving issues and removing barriers to trade that have freed up billions of dollars in American-grown products.
"As our farmers and ranchers look forward to a new growing season, agriculture will continue to be a major contributor to the President's goal of doubling exports under the National Export Initiative by the end of 2014.
"It is important that Congress help ensure that this success continues by passing a comprehensive, multi-year Food, Farm and Jobs Bill that provides greater certainty for farmers, ranchers and businesses, and their millions of customers around the world."
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| Workers' Compensation Reform Requires Updates to Notice and Pamphlet |
(November 28, 2012) As a result of the workers' compensation reform legislation enacted this year, there are legally required updates to the California workers' compensations notice and pamphlets. California employers must post a notice explaining employee rights and employer obligations under the state workers' compensation system and must provide all employees with a workers' compensation pamphlet at the time of hire.
The California Chamber of Commerce worked with the Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC) to obtain approved language for the required workers' compensation notice and pamphlet. In September, Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. signed CalChamber-supported workers' compensation reform, SB 863 (De León; D- Los Angeles; Chapter 363, Statutes of 2012).
The bill contains wide-ranging workers' compensation reform measures. SB 863 offsets necessary increases in permanent disability benefits and potentially lowers system costs for employers by reducing delays and litigation in the system, addressing the lien epidemic, shortening the medical-legal process, implementing an independent medical review system and streamlining the permanent disability schedule.
SB 863 takes effect on Jan. 1, 2013. Some of its provisions will be effective immediately, requiring changes to notices that explain employee rights and employer obligations. Although some of the bill's measures will take effect January 1, other provisions require administrative/regulatory action prior to implementation.
CalChamber's 2013 California and Federal Employment Notices Poster and Worker Compensation pamphlet both contain language required by law for January 1, 2013, and approved by the DWC. The 2013 California and Federal Employment Notices Poster contains the 16 state and federal employment notices every California employer must post.
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| Fiscal Cliff Round One: Rejection, Posturing |
Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner went to Capitol Hill late this week to lay out the White House plan for avoiding the fiscal cliff, a scheme seeking budget balance by making the nation's top income earners pay significantly more to the U.S. Treasury. What he got from Republican leaders was rejection of the President's plan as "all the favorite proposals with no sign of compromise whatsoever" and a simple rehashing of failed White House budget recommendations from the last four years, according to reports. However, the Republican side of the budget battle has yet to propose any specific plan of its own. Senior Democrat Senators said the GOP should not be surprised by the President's proposals, and that if the GOP doesn't like the plan, it should offer up details of its own pathway to savings and deficit reduction. House Speaker John Boehner's (R, OH) angry private phone conversation with President Obama this week was leaked to the press, and he publicly questioned the President's commitment to a fiscal cliff deal as Obama flies around the country trying to build public support for increasing taxes on the nation's top taxpayers.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R, KY) said the Geithner meeting was "a token gesture, a meeting to be able to say there was a meeting." The President's plan to cut $4 trillion from the deficit over the next decade is built on $1.6 trillion in new tax revenues generated by increasing tax rates on the top 2% of U.S. wage earners - those over $250,000 a year - along with increases in capital gains and dividend income taxes, $600 billion in new taxes and a return to 2009 estate tax rates, this last item opposed by Sen. Max Baucus (D, MT), chair of the Senate Finance Committee. The plan, the White House said, would raise $584 billion by capping tax deductions at 28%, and limiting itemized deductions for top earners. The plan also includes new authority to the White House to raise the nation's debt limit without congressional approval - which apparently drew chuckles from Senate GOP leaders - while postponing Budget Control Act automatic spending cuts for a year, new 2013 spending of $50 billion on infrastructure, cutting $400 billion from health care spending, extending yet again the Alternative Minimum Tax "patch," extending some business tax breaks while broadening unemployment compensation, and a possible extension of the current payroll tax deduction.
There were no proposals on reduction or reinvention of entitlement programs demanded by the GOP, including changes to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. Senate Democrats said the President's proposal to allow him to raise the federal debt limit could be blocked by Congress, but the President could veto that action, forcing Congress to try and override the veto with a two-thirds vote. |
| New Farm Bill or Extension? | |
While House Republican leaders continue to say "extension" of the Farm Bill - in whole or in part - is a must-do item for the lame duck session - budget hawks like the $35 billion in savings achieved by the House Agriculture Committee's five-year bill - whether that action is a new omnibus farm program package or an extension of the 2008 Farm Bill is still unknown. House and Senate agriculture committee leaders had lunch this week with Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to discuss "prospects for a new Farm Bill," and Vilsack's press secretary said the luncheon shouldn't be viewed as a "new development." President Obama has publicly called for a comprehensive five-year Farm Bill, reiterated this week in a White House press briefing.
There was no joint statement following the lunch, although each member said the goal continues to be a five-year bill. Reports indicate Senate ag leaders are showing some flexibility in modifying their bill's commodity title to provide the kind of direct price support southern producers demand, and which the House committee-passed bill contains. Some argue extending the current Farm Bill is actually more difficult than approving a five-year bill, but House Agriculture Committee Chair Frank Lucas (R, OK) this week told reporters "you can't approve a five-year bill by January 1 and have USDA ready to go." Lucas continued to state that without extension or a new bill, so-called "permanent law" kicks in, at least in part, which would lead to $38 per hundredweight payments on milk - a retail price of $7 a gallon, say some - and a return to acreage allotments and other arcane programs going back to the late 1940s.
If extension is the way forward, Lucas has talked to Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow (D, MI), but has not sat down with his own ranking member, Rep. Collin Peterson (D, MN), a voluble critic of extending the 2008 Farm Bill. Lucas said he and Peterson share the same goal of a new bill, but added "I have to work in the environment I'm in," saying an extension of 2008 programs means Congress would have to modify the simple extension to build in a "transition" period and "safety net" between the extension action and a new bill.
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| Most Key Ag, FDA Committee Chairs in 113th Congress Remain the Same |
Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D, MI) and Rep. Frank Lucas (R, OK) will remain chairs of their respective chambers' agriculture committees based on leadership announcements so far, and while the House Democrats have yet to formally name their ranking committee members, Rep. Collin Peterson (D, MN) will very likely remain as ranking member of the House agriculture panel. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D, NV) has named a few new committee chairs, but the GOP has not finalized ranking members. Sen. Pat Roberts (R, KS), the current ranking member of the Senate ag committee, may be challenged for that spot by Sen. Thad Cochran (R, MS), former chair of the committee and the longest serving Senator on the ag panel. If Cochran takes the ranking slot on the ag committee, chances of getting a five-year Farm Bill completed by January 1, become more difficult given southern producers' unhappiness with the Senate-approved Farm Bill. In the House, the Republican caucus selected sitting chair Rep. Fred Upton (R, MI) to remain as head of the Energy & Commerce Committee, the panel overseeing all things FDA, and Rep. Henry Waxman (D, CA) is expected to remain the committee's ranking member.
The House Appropriations Committee remains under the gavel of Rep. Hal Rogers (R, KY), but a battle royale is being waged by Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D, OH) and Rep. Nita Lowey (D, NY) over who will take the ranking member spot. Rep. Jack Kingston (R, GA) will remain chair of the agriculture/FDA subcommittee. Former chair of the House Agriculture Committee Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R, VA) was selected to chair the Judiciary Committee. The Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) Committee remains under the chairmanship of Sen. Tom Harkin (D, IA), but Sen. Mike Enzi must surrender the ranking slot and it's unclear whether Sen. Lamar Alexander (R, TN) or Sen. Richard Burr (R, NC) will move into that slot. The Senate Appropriations Committee will be chaired by Sen. Daniel Inouye (D, HI), but the ranking member slot is open based on Cochran's tenure. The agriculture/FDA subcommittee chair is open given Sen. Herb Kohl's (D, WI) retirement, but Sen. Roy Blunt (R, MO) will likely remain as ranking member. |
| GOP Embraces Immigration Reform |
Two lame duck Republican Senators this week introduced legislation on immigration reform, their response to the unsuccessful DREAM Act, and a signal the GOP is hearing the message on federal immigration reform in a big way. The immigration reform group America's Voice, says the November general election saw 10 new House members who support immigration reform elected, while four new Senators support revising U.S. immigration laws. Sens. John Kyl (R, AZ) and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R, TX), both retiring after the lame duck session, introduced the ACHIEVE Act, a bill that would apply to the children of illegal immigrants under the age of 28 brought to the U.S. illegally when they were under the age of 14.
The Senators said they introduced their bill to "get the ball rolling" on the immigration reform debate, and consulted with Sens. John McCain (R, AZ), a major reform advocate, as well as with Sen. Marco Rubio (R, FL) who's expected to introduce his own reform measure in the 113th Congress. Both Senators stressed their bill does not guarantee amnesty or a pathway to citizenship for the children of illegal immigrants, but provides for a way in which citizenship can be "earned." Their bill calls for three new visa options. One visa with a six-year life, would be for eligible children pursuing an advanced or technical degree or serving four years in the military. The second four-year visa would be for those who've already earned a degree or previously served in the military, and the third would be a "permanent" four-year renewable visa. All seeking full citizenship would still have to apply for a green card. |
| Chain Restaurants Say Repeal the RFS; Ethanol Says Study Flawed | |
A new study released this week by the National Council of Chain Restaurants (NCCR) says the federal ethanol Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) is the major culprit in ingredient cost increases to the nation's fast food companies and must be repealed. The renewable fuel industry said the NCCR study is flawed, and one group said, "oil prices, not corn prices, dictate food prices," with Growth Energy President Tom Buis calling the study a "classic example of blame the little guy." Joined by newly selected House Judiciary Committee Chair Bob Goodlatte (R, VA), author of legislation in the current Congress to either kill the ethanol RFS or link it to the USDA corn stocks-to-use ratio, NCCR released a study done for it by PriceWaterhouseCoopers which estimates the ethanol RFS costs chain restaurants up to $3.2 billion a year in increased costs, with "quick service" restaurants paying $2.5 billion and full-service restaurants seeing cost jumps of $691 million.
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| 44th District Agricultural Association, Colusa County Fair Appointment | |
Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced the appointment of Terry Bressler, 58, of Colusa, to the 44th District Agricultural Association, Colusa County Fair, where he has been a member since 1999. Bressler has been a field representative at CHS Inc. since 2009. He was senior manager at Penny Newman Grain from 2006 to 2009 and was a field representative at ADM Rice from 2004 to 2006 and at Sun Foods from 1994 to 2004. Bressler was a field representative at Depue Warehouse from 1989 to 1994 and at Newhall Land Farming from 1979 to 1989. He is a member of the California Agricultural Leadership Program and Colusa Western Days. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Bressler is a Republican.
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| USDA Revises Crop Insurance Rates; Shifts Formula | |
Following its 2012 recalculation of federal crop insurance premium rates for corn and soybeans - which resulted in less premium income - USDA said it will continue to modify federal crop insurance rates based on a revised formula, the result of an independent study and peer review process. This will result in 2013 calculations on grain sorghum, spring wheat, rice and cotton that will increase in some states and drop in others based on a premium calculation USDA's Risk Management Agency (RMA) says gives more weight to recent years, rather than having to equally weight all years back to 1975. The new plan also integrates weather data into the premium rating process so that losses from "rare weather events" don't skew the premium calculations. USDA currently insures 264 million acres based on 114 million policies.
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| CalChamber Makes Available Pictorial Roster of Legislature |
The California Chamber of Commerce today released an updated legislative pictorial roster. The .pdf may be downloaded and viewed on mobile devices and tablets. There were nineteen same-party races in the state legislature in November.
The Assembly freshmen include 38 members who are new to the state Legislature. There are 80 members in the state assembly, and 22 of them (27.5%) were termed-out in 2012. Of them, 17 were Democratic and 5 were Republican. In addition to the 22 California state representatives who left office because of term limits, 6 California state senators were also termed-out.
In the General Election, Democrats gained the legislative supermajority with 54 Democrats in the Assembly and 29 in the Senate. The last time Democrats held a supermajority of the Senate was 1965. The 2011-12 legislative session adjourns sine die at midnight today. Legislators convene for the 2013-14 Organization Session at noon on Monday, December 3.
In close races, the roster includes candidates who were ahead at press time. Updates to the roster will be posted as needed at www.calchamber.com.
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| Protect America's Nutritious Food Supply |
IRVINE, Calif. (November 28, 2012) - If a picture is worth a thousand words, then an infographic can be worth at least 1001. Western Growers is currently rolling out a campaign to help educate external audiences like opinion leader elected representatives and journalists about what Western Growers farmers do and what they require in order to continue to be able to provide nutritious fresh fruits, vegetables and tree nuts for the health of the nation.
An infographic is a visual representation of information. It's often used to break down complex and large quantities of information so it's easier for the reader to understand. The WG infographic can be viewed here. This is another way Western Growers communicates the benefits and challenges of farming to those who may have forgotten where their food comes from. |
Richard Bloom Wins 50th Assembly District Seat in a Close Election
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After 2 years of campaigning in one of the most closely watched elections in the State of California, Richard Bloom just learned that the results of the latest vote count assured him that he will be sworn in as the next representative for the 50th Assembly District.
With a lead of 1246 votes, results should be certified on Friday, November 30th and he will be sworn in by State Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye on Monday, December 3rd in the State Capitol.
He and his wife are elated and grateful for this opportunity given to him by the voters of the 50th District. He wants to thank all the supporters, contributors, staff, volunteers and his family for their unwavering support.
Thank you to all the voters who participated in this election. Every vote counts.
He looks forward to working on the issues that matter to his constituents; education, jobs, the economy and protecting the environment. Lastly, he want to congratulate Ms. Butler on a spirited contest and sends her his best wishes for future success.
The two year journey has come to a great conclusion, but now the work begins to reinvigorate California.
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| Grain & Feed Industry Conference |
The final plans are underway for the 2013 Grain & Feed Industry Conference. Mark your calendars for January 16-17, 2013 at the Embassy Suites on Monterey Bay. Registration materials will be mailed out in the upcoming week to the membership. Our theme this year is: Develop a Culture of Safety and Quality in the Modern Feed Mill Hotel Reservations Can Be Made ASAP - Click here for on-line reservation form. Registration Forms and Detailed Information on the CGFA Website - Click here Topics will include: Wednesday: Jan. 16th - Safety: Confined Space Hazards / DVD: Roberta's Request WorkplaceTragedy
- Case Studies of Grain Explosions
- Fire Safety: Preplanning Guide and What To Do In Case of Fire at the Mill
- Group Luncheon: Networking Opportunities for Grad Students/ Internships
- Virtual Feed Mill Tour / What's New in Feed Mills / Project Showcase
- Feed Food Modernization Act Update
- Trucking Safety: GPS Equipment Tracking / On-Board Cameras
- New Innovations by Vendors: Panel of Vendors
- Roll Speed Measurements
- Inventory Management Systems
- Flow Measurements - Dry Products
- Table Top Exhibits and Social Hour
- Group BBQ Dinner Buffet and Fun Casino Night
Thursday: Jan. 17th - Labor Laws - Employers Rights & Obligations
- H.R./ People Management / Time Management / Stress Management / Motivational
- Closing, Grand Prize and Group Lunch Buffet
- Golf at Pacific Grove Municipal Course
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Safety Corner:
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Hearing Protection:Don't take your ability to hear for granted. If you are not careful, you can lose your hearing. If you are exposed to very loud noise or moderately loud noise for an extended period, you must take some form of hearing protection precautions. When must hearing protection be provided and worn? - The "Best Practices" approach to hearing protection requires that whenever a worker's noise exposure is at or above an 8-hour average of 85 decibels, hearing protection should be worn.
- The best defense against hearing loss is to use engineering and work-practice controls to eliminate the excessive exposure wherever possible.
- If you are exposed to loud noises intermittently - wear protection.
- Rule of thumb: If you have to raise your voice to talk to someone, you are in an area where the noise level is at or above 85 decibels, and you should be wearing hearing protection.
How can noise exposure be reduced or eliminated through engineering and work-practice controls? - Periodic rotation of workers to less noisy areas.
- Adding or replacing mufflers on motorized or pneumatic equipment.
- Following equipment maintenance procedures to keep bearings and other moving parts lubricated.
- Isolating loud equipment such as compressors and generators away from work areas.
- Replacing older, noisier equipment with newer, quieter models.
- Installing sound absorbing materials on walls and ceilings.
What are the types of hearing protectors? - Foam plugs: Disposable and cheap with good noise reduction ability. Insert correctly to ensure the plugs expand for maximum hearing protection.
- Reusable plugs: Provides protection similar to foam plugs, but are made of PVC or a polymer blend. Good for people who are allergic or sensitive to foam plugs.
- Canal caps: Designed to fit into the outer ear and to be held in place by a headband. Good for situations where protection must be removed frequently.
- Ear muffs: Come in a range of noise reduction levels to meet different needs. More comfortable than plugs or canal caps.
Know the noise level of the job and how long your exposure will be. Then use the information provided by your safety supplier to select the best hearing protection. Click here for more... Source: 
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Safety Essentials: Lock out/Tag out
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AgSafe In partnership with the California League of Food Processors presents:
December 5, 2012
Pacific Coast Producers
1376 Lemen Avenue
Woodland, CA 95776
Cost: AgSafe and CLFP Members-$60
Non-Members -$85
English: 8 a.m.-12 p.m.
Spanish: 1 p.m.-5 p.m.
An effective and thorough lock out/tag out program is an essential element to minimizing hazardous energy and maintaining a company's safety program. This course provides an overview of the regulatory requirements, cover basic hazardous energy safety procedures, and identifies practical implementation tools. Registration Form...... |
| CGFA Member Outreach Meeting & Christmas Luncheon in Ontario |
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
11:30 am-2:00 pm
Ontario Airport Hilton
700 North Haven Avenue, Ontario, CA 91764
(909) 980-0400
CGFA EVP Chris Zanobini will update members on issues affecting the Association. Local Legislators have been invited to attend and participate in our discussions. Please join us for fun and fellowship with CGFA Members during this Holiday Season.
$20.00 per person - Jingle All The Way Buffet
For reservations contact the
CGFA office at: (916) 441-2272
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| Primary Care Benefits May Blunt Impact of Rising Deductibles |
Employers are trying to balance reducing health costs with federal mandates and corporate interest in increasing access to well care. By VICTORIA STAGG ELLIOTT, amednews staff. Posted Nov. 26, 2012. Athough patients with work-sponsored insurance plans are having to pay more out of pocket to see a doctor, experts say that might not indicate, as it did in the past, that they will try to avoid medical care for as long as possible. Deductibles are going up, but a higher proportion of plans provide coverage of primary care office visits without patients having to meet those deductibles, according to a Nov. 12 brief from the Kaiser Family Foundation, which gathered data from 2,121 companies with three staffers or more. In addition, the Affordable Care Act requires many insurance plans to cover preventive services with no out-of-pocket cost to a patient. Many of these services are provided in the primary care setting. "It's a smart insurance design," said Cathy Schoen, senior vice president of the Commonwealth Fund. "You want to encourage people to get preventive care, and primary care visits are not very expensive. You want patients to stay connected to primary care." Read more... Source:
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