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November 2013 Articles

• Just Rambling, November 2013
Spiritual Corner:
Strategic Hay Feeding To Improve Soil Fertilit
Beef Cattle Body Condition
You can plant fall, winter vegetables now
Plant Winter Annual Forages for Wintering Beef Cattle Even When You “Have Ple
Producers earn credit at Master Farmer University
Fruit, vegetable growers learn new FDA food safety rules
Technology aids in bull testing, evaluation
Cotton yields could reach record
Summary of October USDA NASS Cattle on Feed:
Fall fertilizer application can buy farmers time
AFBF and 250-Plus Groups Urge Congress to Pass Farm Bill
Louis Dreyfus Elevator
Poultry Grower Lois Alt Prevails Against EPA
Louisiana Rice Farmers Restructure Research and Promotion Programs
Feeding the Easy Keeper
Retained Ownership an Attractive Opportunity this Fall
Pumpkin Crunch
La. dairy farmers prepare for EPA visits

(20 articles found)

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Just Rambling, November 2013

Just Rambling: Recently there was a run on food in the Walmart stores located in Springhill and Mansfield, La. This happened when the EBT (food stamp) cards limits were lifted due to a power failure.(The back up generator also failed.) This was a regularly-scheduled test according to Xerox, a vendor for the EBT system. According to news reports Louisiana wasn’t the only state affected, however it appears that recipients in these two towns were the only ones that tried to take advantage of the situation. In my opinion that doesn’t speak well for Louisiana and some of its people. When I heard this, all I could think about was what would happen if this program couldn’t be funded anymore. This program has grown tremendously in the last few years, people getting food for nothing. Don’t get me wrong, I think truly needy people deserve help but I can’t believe that our truly needy population has grown this fast. Proverbs 10:4 tells us, “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.” 2 Thessalonians 3:10 tells us, “If anyone will not work neither shall he eat.” I wonder how many recipients of the EBT cards consider these to be a blessing or how many consider these cards with their benefits owed to them. I can remember as a young boy my parents getting some commodities– cheese, dried beans, powdered milk, etc., but not on a regular basis. My parents didn’t depend on this, they worked to put food on our table. It wasn’t long that they didn’t qualify for commodities any longer which didn’t upset them . They were appreciative of the help but it didn’t become a lifestyle for them as it appears to have become for many today. Wouldn’t it be a blessing for our nation if more recipients of these benefits would consider them a stepping stone to a better life where working for their livelihood was their goal rather than considering these benefits as entitlements owed to them.
Recently I received the minutes of a Livestock Advisory Steering Committee meeting held by the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation. Reading through the minutes one thing was very obvious—most comments or suggestions made were to market cattle through channels other than the Livestock Auction Barns. Many different types of sales were mentioned supposedly to bring the producer more money. I can appreciate that because I am a producer but will these new channels of marketing last. Will they protect the producer? Will you have many buyers competing for your cattle– maybe now when cattle numbers are low. What happens when cattle numbers increase again? What about your tail end cattle and slaughter cows/bulls? I know of one ranch that is buying cattle in the country, sending them to their feedlot to feed, and apparently has developed their own branded beef. That is great and I congratulate them. As an appointed member of the La Livestock Health Board I understand how auction barns are chartered & the regulations thy are required to adhere to. I also understand that Livestock Auctions are often required to implement new programs & procedures requiring additional labor and time, which more often than not, comes out of their pocket. Oh yes, I realize the Livestock Auctions charge fees but they are highly regulated by the Packers/Stockers of USDA. Are these other avenues of marketing cattle regulated to protect the producer? I don’t know but I do think they should be competing on a level playing field with the Livestock Auction Barns. Another concern I have is what if the Livestock Auction Barns close? Will there still be market competition for our cattle through these other channels? There again– I don’t know. What about the small producer? Where will they market their cattle? I feel these are valid concerns that I have & I am sure there are others. Whatever channels cattle are marketed through I want the producer protected & the industry to maintain maximum market competition. The Livestock Auction Barns play a vital role in our industry.

In early October of this year, Senator Chris Coons (D. Del) announced the formation of the Chicken Caucus. This was announced at the 59th annual conference of the National Chicken Council in Washington D.C. They plan to work with the House Chicken Caucus on a Bipartisan basis to work together on things that will help the industry. I commend both the Senate and the House for this move to work with the Nation Chicken Council which is made up of only integrators. I hope both the Senate Caucus and the House Caucus will not only work with the integrators but also work with the growers to help solve problems they face in the industry. Van Bennett

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