ASA Supports
Producers' Transportation Bill Priorities
ASA highlighted three transportation priorities
for agricultural producers in letters to the House-Senate
Conference Committee as they work to
develop a Surface Transportation Reauthorization bill
(highway bill).
Maintaining and clarifying the
hours-of-service exemption for
agriculture is a top ASA priority for the highway bill.
Maritime Promise Act, which would
ensure that monies collected in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund are
utilized in full for their intended purpose of operations and
maintenance, including dredging activities.
ASA also supports
the
freight rail provisions in the
Senate-passed highway bill—modest steps
intended to provide a better balance between shipper and carrier
interests in rail policy deliberations at the
Surface Transportation Board.
ASA’s
Wilkins Talks Policy with Farm Broadcasters in D.C.
ASA Vice President
Richard Wilkins and Communications Director Patrick Delaney joined
members of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) at
the organization’sWashington Watch
recently, where they spoke with broadcasters about
ASA priorities and the upcoming Farm
Bill discussions. Wilkins also addressed the event’s opening
dinner, thanking the farm broadcasters gathered for their
continued commitment to providing coverage of current trends and
pressing issues in agriculture.
ASA will join NAFB again in November for the annual Trade Talk
event in Kansas City, Mo.
(NAFB photo)
2012 Soy Stats® Now Available
The U.S. soybean
industry planted crops on 75 million acres in 2011, producing
nearly 3.1 billion bushels and totaling $35.7 billion in value
according to the latest issue of ASA's
Soy Stats.
Now in its 19th
year, the annual publication is a comprehensive resource
for statistical information about the U.S. soybean industry and
its relationship to world oilseed production.
2012
Leadership At Its Best Class Graduates
Members of ASA's
2012
Leadership At Its Best class
completed part II of their leadership development training in
Washington, D.C. Sponsored by Syngenta,
Leadership At Its Best is an advanced
leadership development program designed for soybean producers who
are already directors on their state boards and want to enhance
their skills.
"This program is a great way to sharpen your communications
skills, focus your commitment to agriculture, and network with
influential farmers from across the nation," said
2012 participant Tom Price, a soybean
producer from Ft. Jennings, Ohio. "The education I received not
only helped me personally, but has given me some tools to give
back something to a way of life that has provided me so much."
2012 Leadership At Its Best class.
(ASA photo by Michelle Siegel)
ASA Testifies on Farm Bill Priorities Before Senate Ag
Committee
ASA President Steve Wellman prepares
to testify before the Senate Agriculture Committee on soybean
farmer priorities for the 2012 Farm Bill. (ASA photo by Patrick
Delaney)
The
importance of passing a farm bill this year, a comprehensive and
revenue-based safety net, the integrity of crop insurance, and the
critical need to maintain planting flexibility were the common and
consistent themes as ASA President Steve Wellman
testifiedon
March 15 before the Senate Committee on Agriculture,
Nutrition and Forestry on commodity programs and risk management.
The hearing comes as ASA’s
leaders gathered on Capitol Hill for the association’s Washington
board meeting.
2012
Commodity Classic
Shatters
Records
The 2012
Commodity Classic surpassed all
previous
turnout records with a total of
6,014 attendees - a 25 percent increase
from last year’s record. Farm families
represented over half of the participants, with 3,505 growers,
spouses and children attending.
This year’s show also experienced the
highest number of exhibitor attendees and a
963-booth trade show.
Commodity Classic is presented annually by ASA,
the National Corn Growers Association, the National
Association of Wheat Growers and the National Sorghum Producers.
Commodity Classic
attendees swarm ASA's booth at the trade show. Nashville played
host March 1-3, to the largest event in the convention's 17-year
history. (ASA photo by Steve Dolan)
ASA
Cheers Implementation of Korea FTA
ASA
congratulates President Barack
Obama and the administration for completing its review of the
free trade agreement between the U.S. and South Korea, which
took on March 15. Nearly
two-thirds of U.S. agricultural exports to Korea will become
duty-free, including U.S. soybeans for crushing and U.S. soybean
meal. Additionally, U.S. food-grade soybean producers will have
access to the South Korean market for the first time outside of
the import monopoly created by the Korean State Trading
Enterprise. The implementation of the agreement
also triggers the gradual elimination of
tariffs on refined soybean oil over five years, and the
elimination of tariffs on crude soybean oil over 10 years.
