Producers Invited to Attend Pork/Corn/Soy Expo

Wisconsin Pork Association – Pork Headlines: January/February 2015
1
January/February 2015
Expo �� 2
Annual Meeting�� 3
NPPC Updates �� 4
CAFO Meetings . . . . �� 5
Staffing Changes . . . �� 7
Calendar . . . . . . . . . �� 8
Badger Swine
Symposium
UW-Extension
invites
pork producers to attend
the 2015 Badger Swine
Symposium on March 12
at the Arlington Swine
Research Station, N695
Hopkins Road, Arlington.
Registration begins at 9:30.
The program will feature
speakers on a variety of
topics, including: feeding
DDGS and the effect on
meat quality; PEDv effect,
spread,
and
vaccine;
Phosphorus solubility and
soils; and updates on the
Wisconsin manure irrigation
study. There is no charge
to participate, but please
R.S.V.P. by March 1 to
WPA at 1-800-822-7675
or e-mailing tvaassen@
wppa.org. The program will
conclude at 3 p.m.
This program is sponsored
by UW-Extension, UWMadison, WPA, and the
Pork Checkoff.
Producers Invited to Attend
Pork/Corn/Soy Expo
Pork producers across the state are
invited to attend the 2015 Pork/Corn/
Soy Expo on January 29 & 30 at the
Kalahari Resort, Wisconsin Dells.
The Wisconsin Pork Association is
excited to again be hosting this event
in conjunction with Wisconsin Corn
and Soybean growers.
The full program brochure and
registration details are posted on
the WPA website at www.wppa.org.
Members of the Wisconsin Pork
Association save $50 on registration
to the 2-day event.
Single day
registration and spouse packages
also are available and all registrations
include lunches, coffee breaks, trade
show access and admission to the
“Taste of Elegance”. Registration fees
increase after January 15. Additional
Taste of Elegance and lunch tickets
can be purchased in advance for
unregistered family members at a
reduced rate.
WPA will be hosting several programs
designed to provide the latest details
on pork industry issues. Pork Quality
Assurance (PQA) Plus® and Transport
Quality Assurance® (TQA) certifcation
sessions will be held. Pork producers will
also be able to take advantage of the vast
trade show featuring over 100 agricultural
exhibits.
2015 Sponsors
The Wisconsin Pork Association would
like to thank the following 2015 Expo
sponsors:
• Genesus Genetics, Inc
• Johnsonville Sausage
• The Hanor Company
• Resource Engineering Associates,
Inc
• Elanco Animal Health
• Motomco
• Babcock Genetics, Inc
• Vita Plus
• Equity Cooperative Livestock Sales
Association
• National Pork Producers Council
• National Pork Board
For more program details, see page 2
2
Wisconsin Pork Association – Pork Headlines: January/February 2015
Pork Sessions at Pork/Corn/Soy Expo
Continued from front page
Pork Industry Seminars
WPA will be offering a number
of educational sessions for pork
producers, which are open to
the public and paid for with Pork
Checkoff.
Sessions include
certification training for pork
producers in the Pork Quality
Assurance® (PQA) Plus and
Transport Quality Assurance®
(TQA) programs. The PQA Plus®
certification session will be held on
Thursday, January 29, beginning at
8:00 a.m. TQA certification will be
held at 9 a.m. on Friday, January
30. Anyone wishing to participate
in the TQA® or PQA Plus®
certification only does not need to
register for the Expo, but should
contact the WPA office at 1-800822-7675 to reserve a space in the
training.
Another session, The Value
of Hog Manure - $avings for
Your Farm will feature MI State
Extension Educator Jerry May and
nutrient management planner Nikki
Wagner, Frontier-Servco FS. Pork
producers and crop growers will
learn how to determine the value
of manure and cost savings that
can be realized by efficiently using
this resource. Farmers can also
learn about nutrient management
planning to help effectively use
manure.
Additionally, Dr. Lisa Becton with
the National Pork Board will give an
update on PEDv cases across the
country and review research they
have conducted on feed, manure,
and other areas during the PEDv:
Where are we Now, and What’s
Next? session. Dr. Julie McGwin
with the WI Dept. of Agriculture will
also talk about the current status
of PEDv in Wisconsin and any
possible implications for the 2015
show season.
Other sessions of interest
include a general session featuring
agriculture economist David Kohl,
a Farm Bill workshop, and a
panel with national commodity
organizations discussing industry
issues. Chef Matt Baier with Dream
Dance Steak will also present a
cooking demonstration featuring
Wisconsin Commodities and the
Farmland video will be shown on
Thursday afternoon.
Finally, pork producers will have
the opportunity for a round table
discussion with WPA leadership.
Board members will be available
to answer questions on current
issues in the industry and address
other issues or concerns from
members. This Coffee with the
Board session will take place on
January 30 at 7:30 a.m.
Taste of Elegance and Youth Pie
Auction
The 27th Annual Taste of
Elegance contest will be held on
Jan. 29. Eight chefs will showcase
their creative pork entrees during
a reception beginning at 6:15
p.m. Those attending will be able
to sample the chefs’ creations
and vote on their favorite for the
People’s Choice award. The
winning chef will receive $750 and
an opportunity to attend an allexpense paid trip to the Culinary
Institute of America in St. Helena,
CA, hosted by the National Pork
Board and the Pork Checkoff.
Following the Taste of Elegance,
WPA will host its’ annual Pie
Auction. Industry organizations
and individuals are invited to bid on
the delicious pies, with funds going
to youth education programs and
scholarships for the pork industry.
A Silent Auction will also be held
throughout the night, which raises
funds for the Gunderson Memorial
Scholarship.
SIP Lunch
Pork producers who are enrolled
in the National Pork Producers
Council
Strategic
Investment
Program (SIP) are invited to take
part in a special luncheon on
Thursday, January 29. Investors will
be updated on legislative activities
supported with their contribution
to the SIP. Updates will include
issues to watch for in the upcoming
legislative session, updates from
the NPPC Washington D.C. office,
and in-depth review of Wisconsin
legislative efforts.
Contact the WPA office at 1-800822-7675 or 608-723-7551 with
questions or for more information.
WPA ANNUAL MEETING
NOTICE
Notice is hereby given to all
members of the Wisconsin Pork
Association, Cooperative, that
the annual business meeting
will be held in conjunction with
the Pork/Corn/Soy Expo on
January 29, 2015, 12:30 p.m., at
the Kalahari Resort, Wisconsin
Dells.
All 2014-15 WPA active
members and SIP Investors
are eligible to vote during the
annual meeting. If you have any
questions, please contact one of
the WPA Board members or the
WPA office.
Wisconsin Pork Association – Pork Headlines: January/February 2015
3
WPA Annual Meeting January 29, 2015
The WPA annual meeting will be
held on Jan. 29 beginning at 12:30
p.m. Items on the agenda include
setting policies for the upcoming
year, selecting producers to
represent the industry on the WPA
Board, and voting on National Pork
Board delegates.
In addition, updates will be
provided by representatives from
the National Pork Board and
National Pork Producers Council.
Industry awards will be presented
for the WPA Distinguished Service
- Industry and Producer, and
Legislator. Youth participating in
the 2015 WPA scholarship program
will also be honored.
If you are a pork producer who
would like to get more involved in
your industry organization, consider
running for a delegate position for
the National Pork Board annual
meeting. Pork producers who have
sold hogs in their name in the last
year are eligible to run. If elected,
you would represent Wisconsin at
the 2016 National Pork Industry
Forum, held the first week of
March. If you have any questions
on serving as a delegate, contact a
WPA board member or staff.
The following resolutions have
been proposed by the WPA Board
for consideration during the WPA
Annual Meeting. All 2014-2015
WPA active members are eligible
to vote on these policy issues.
2015-1-Nonpoint
Source
Pollution
–
MOTION:
WPA
supports practical, science-based
best
management
practices
to address nonpoint source
pollution from Wisconsin farms
through a coordinated approach
between farmers and regulatory
agencies to implement existing
nutrient reduction strategies, with
adequate funding for agriculture.
WPA further supports requiring
urban and suburban lands to meet
similar nonpoint source pollution
standards as those for agricultural
lands.
Rationale: Wisconsin farmers
are under increased pressure to
address possible nonpoint source
pollution from agricultural lands.
2015-2-Nutrient
Management
Regulations – MOTION:
WPA
supports reasonable, scientificallybased state laws, standards
and regulations to govern the
application of manure and other
nutrients to Wisconsin agricultural
lands and to regulate nutrient runoff
from farms and farmlands.
Rationale: Revisions to nutrient
management standards, such as Continued on page 6
4
Wisconsin Pork Association – Pork Headlines: January/February 2015
NPPC - Strategic Investment Program Updates
‘Omnibus’ Fiscal 2015
Spending Bill Signed
President Obama has now signed
the $1.1 trillion fiscal 2015 spending
bill, which included a number of
pork industry priority provisions
The spending measure:
•
Provides $2 million for
biosecurity and herd management
to address the Porcine Epidemic
Diarrhea Virus.
•
Provides a $3 million
increase over the previous
year’s funding for the National
Antimicrobial
Resistance
Monitoring Service, bring total
NARMS funding to $10.6 million.
•
Requires
the
U.S.
Department of Agriculture to
submit to Congress within 15 days
of a final resolution from the World
Trade Organization on complaints
related to the U.S. Country-ofOrigin-Labeling (COOL) law or by
May 1, 2015, recommendations for
changes in federal law that would
be required for a COOL law that
does not violate US international
trade obligations
•
Precludes the use by
USDA of funds to write, prepare
or publish a final rule or an interim
final regulation related to the buying
and selling of livestock under the
Grain Inspection, Packers and
Stockyards Act unless the annual
cost of the rule does not exceed
$100 million. USDA is prohibited
from implementing provisions
related to competitive injury,
packer-to-packer sales, additional
capital investments, three-day right
to cancel contracts, “undue and
unfair” preferences and business
justification, among others.
•
Expresses concern that the
advisory committee on the 2015
Dietary Guidelines for Americans
is considering issues outside
its scope, including agriculture
production
practices
and
environmental matters Language
in the measure directs USDA to
include in the final 2015 Dietary
Guidelines only nutrition and
dietary information
•
Requires
the
U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency
to rescind the “Waters of the United
States” (WOTUS) interpretative
rule. The agency is not, however,
prevented from finalizing a WOTUS
rule
•
Prohibits
EPA
from
requiring livestock producers to
report greenhouse gas emissions.
NPPC Presents Arguments in
EPA Lawsuit
NPPC
recently
presented
oral arguments in Minneapolis
in its lawsuit against the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency
in the ongoing fight to prevent EPA
from publically disclosing sensitive
private and personal information on
hundreds of thousands of farmers
in response to demands from
animal activist groups. Heard in the
U.S. District Court for Minnesota,
the suit seeks to prevent EPA
from releasing any additional
information on livestock farmers in
response to open-ended Freedom
of Information Act (FOIA) requests
In early 2013, EPA released a
massive compilation of raw data
on farms in 30 states to the Natural
Resources
Defense
Council,
Earth Justice and the
Pew Charitable Trusts
under FOIA requests
the groups filed. The
information included,
in some instances, farmers’ home
addresses, phone numbers, e-mail
addresses and personal medical
information, which originally was
collected as part of a sweetheart
deal EPA made with environmental
group Waterkeeper Alliance – and
negotiated by a lawyer now on the
staff of the Humane Society of the
United States – when it became
obvious that NPPC was going to
win its legal challenge to EPA’s
CAFO rule. When NPPC and other
agricultural groups complained to
the agency about the data release,
it requested that the environmental
organizations return the data.
EPA reissued the information
after redacting some of it, but the
reissued data still contained some
personal information EPA was set
to release additional documents
on farmers from five other states,
including Minnesota, in mid-2013
when NPPC and the American
Farm Bureau Federation filed their
lawsuit
Mexico Temporarily
Eliminates Tariffs on Pork from
Non-NAFTA Suppliers
The Mexican government has
announced it is creating large,
tariff rate quotas for pork, rice and
motorcycle tires. The move comes
in response to high consumer
prices. Mexico, which already
provides duty-free access to
products from the United States
and Canada through the North
American Free Trade Agreement,
hopes to increase supply from
other nations by eliminating
tariffs. The move is temporary,
but an end date for the
duty-free quota was not
provided. In 2013, the
United States exported
625,477 metric tons of
Continued on Page 5
Wisconsin Pork Association – Pork Headlines: January/February 2015
SIP Updates
Continued from Page 4
pork and pork products, valued
at $1.22 billion, to Mexico, making
it the second largest value market
and the largest volume market for
U.S. pork exports. According to
Iowa State University economist
Dermot Hayes, U.S. pork exports
to Mexico have created more than
9,000 U.S. jobs.
SIP
Funding
for
industry
representation like those described
above come directly from pork
producer investment in NPPC’s
Strategic Investment Program
(SIP.)
SIP allows NPPC and
Wisconsin Pork Association to:
fight for reasonable legislation and
regulation, develop export market
opportunities, and proactively
address issues of industry and
consumer concern, including food
safety, environment, and animal
health and welfare. Producers
agree to contribute $0.10/$100 of
market value. The ability to use
these unrestricted funds better
equips WPA and NPPC to respond
to today’s threats on the state and
national level.
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5
UW-Extension and DNR to Offer
Meetings for CAFOS
The University of WisconsinExtension and Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources
are teaming together to offer
sessions across the state for
Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System (WPDES)
permitted Concentrated Animal
Feeding Operation owners and
managers, nutrient management
plan writers and engineers. The
meetings will be held across
Wisconsin in February.
Session goals are to improve
nutrient management plan
implementation; improve
communication between plan
writers, permit holders and DNR;
and provide other information on
regulations that may affect large
farming operations.
The speakers and topics vary
somewhat by location. For specifics,
contact the WPA office at 1-800822-7675, or the respective site host
(details listed at right). General topics
include recordkeeping, reporting,
and reminders; Implements of
Husbandry update; fall/winter
spreading panel; EPA update;
engineering 101; Karst reminders;
and a DNR panel question and
answer session.
Registration is $30 in advance;
$45 after registration deadline or
walk-ins. Lunch is included.
For more details or to register,
c o n t a c t t h e r e s p e c t i v e U WExtension office listed below. All
programs start with registration at
8:30 a.m., with the program running
from 9 – 3:30.
Fe b. 2 - J e ffe r s o n C o u n ty
Extension office, Jefferson. Contact
Jefferson Co. Extension at 920674-7295.
Feb. 3 – Tundra Lodge Conference
Center, Green Bay. Contact Brown
Co. Extension at 920-391-4610.
Feb. 4 – Crystal Falls, New
L o n d o n. C o n ta c t B ro w n C o.
Extension at 920-391-4610.
Feb. 6 – Iowa County UWExtension Community Room,
Dodgeville. Contact Iowa County
Extension, 608-930-9850.
Feb. 10 – UW Fond du Lac,
Fond du Lac. Contact Brown Co.
Extension at 920-391-4610.
Feb. 11 - Marshfield Ag Research
Station, Marshfield. Contact Clark
Co. Extension at 715-743-5121.
Ag Day at the Capitol
The annual Ag Day at the Capitol
will be held on March 11 at the
Monona
Terrace
Convention
Center, Madison. Ag Day at the
Capitol is the largest gathering
of farmers from across the state
representing a variety of farm
groups to learn more about state
issues and meet with their state
legislators.
Registration will begin at 11 a.m.
with introductions at 11:30, followed
by lunch. At 12:45 a legislative
briefing will be held.
WPA will pay the $25 registration
fee for all members. If you are
interested in attending, please
contact the WPA office at 1-800822-7675 by March 1. WPA will
assist in making appointments for
you to visit with your state senator
and representative. For those who
are new to Ag Day, WPA staff and
board members would be happy to
make capitol visits with you.
6
Wisconsin Pork Association – Pork Headlines: January/February 2015
Proposed WPA Resolutions
Continued from page 3
the NRCS 590 technical
standards, and regulations are
underway in Wisconsin.
2015-3-High Capacity Wells
– MOTION: WPA supports the
development of legislation to
provide regulatory certainty to
farmers under Wisconsin’s high
capacity well permitting program
for new, reconstructed and
replacement high capacity wells
used for agriculture. WPA supports
legislation that protects farmers’
investments that have been made
in high capacity well and irrigation
systems, and that provides farmers
with a workable, clearly-defined
and scientifically-based system for
applying for new high capacity well
permits.
Rationale: Since the Wisconsin
Supreme Court’s decision in Lake
Beulah Management District v.
DNR (2011), there has been no
defined or consistent regulatory
structure for the approval of high
capacity wells in Wisconsin. As
such, farmers have struggled to
both drill new wells and to maintain
their current investments in wells
and well systems.
2015-4-Antibiotic
Use
-MOTION: WPA supports the
responsible use of antibiotics as a
pork production tool and opposes
further restrictions on the use of
currently approved antibiotics.
Rationale: All antibiotics used
in pork production have been
approved by the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration after
undergoing rigorous review for
safety to animals, humans and the
environment. The pork industry
is working to comply with FDA
Guidance 213, which will eliminate
growth promotion uses of antibiotics
that are important to human health.
Further restrictions on animal
antibiotics could be detrimental to
both human and pig health, animal
well-being, will increase producers’
production costs and will ultimately
lead to higher prices at the meat
counter.
2015-5-Swine Health -- MOTION:
WPA expresses appreciation for
the support given the industry by
DATCP in protecting the state’s
high swine health status in the face
of PRRS, PEDV and other disease
threats.
Rationale: The State Veterinarian
and Animal Health Division have
worked closely with Wisconsin
pork producers to find and employ
workable solutions that address
potential disease threats while
minimizing the impact on all
production segments, including
youth swine projects.
2015-6-Electronic
Payment
Option – MOTION: WPA urges
the livestock marketing industry
to investigate and work toward
implementation of electronic fund
transfer/ACH producer payment
options for hog deliveries.
Rationale: Electronic payments
will help minimize the threat of
contagious disease organism
transfer to farms via mailed hard
copy payments from markets.
2015-7 – Facility Engineering
Requirements – Motion: WPA
requests review and, where
applicable, revision of livestock
facility engineering requirements
to better match requirements
imposed by neighboring states.
Rationale: Agency (DNR, NRCS,
DATCP, and County) engineering
requirements related to waste
storage facilities are putting
Wisconsin producers at a sizeable
cost disadvantage to those in
neighboring
states,
impeding
modernization, expansion and new
construction of pork production
facilities in Wisconsin.
2015-8 – Permitting Processes
– Motion: WPA applauds recent
efforts by regulatory agencies to
address processes that cause
lengthy delays in the permitting
of livestock facilities, and urges
continued
cooperation
and
progress in this critical area.
Rationale:
While
WPA
understands the intent behind
permitting, the process often
gets bogged down, discouraging
modernization and expansion that
would otherwise result in industry
growth and additional jobs in the
state.
2015-9 – UW Extension -- Motion:
WPA encourages UW Extension
agricultural agents to work across
county lines, and urges that these
agents not be required to have
a Master's Degree in order to do
so. Further, WPA encourages the
UW Extension system to establish
regions in which specialized
agricultural agents are assigned,
and that these agents would
be required to have a Master's
Degree.
Rationale: Staffing and budget
issues facing Extension make
it logical to seek new ways for
this important educational and
support resource to serve rural
communities.
Wisconsin Pork Association – Pork Headlines: January/February 2015
Wehler Retires from WPA;
Vaassen Named Executive Vice
President
The Wisconsin Pork Association
Board of Directors has announced
that Tammy Vaassen has been
named Executive Vice President
for the organization, following
the retirement of Mike Wehler on
December 31
Wehler has been on the WPA staff
since 2005. Under his leadership,
the organization has been actively
engaged in legislative and advocacy
issues on the state and national
level. In addition, he has helped
to guide livestock involvement in
sustainability programs on a state
and national basis, worked to assist
farms in expansion efforts across
the state, and provided education
to state regulatory agencies on
pork industry issues
He will
continue to serve as a consultant
to the association.
Vaassen joined the WPA staff in
1993, after receiving her Bachelor
of Science Degree in Animal
Science from UW-Platteville For
the past 21 years, she has served
in a number of roles for Wisconsin
Pork
Association,
including
communications,
education,
marketing and fundraising
“I look forward to continuing to
represent the industry as Executive
Vice President,” Vaassen said. “It
is an honor to serve Wisconsin’s
pork producers, and to work with
the leadership of the WPA Board
and committees.
We have
dedicated farmers who, in addition
to managing their operations,
spend countless hours on behalf
of their industry to ensure its’
continued success. I hope to carry
out their vision for the future of the
industry here in our state. ”
Vaassen and her husband, Brian,
reside in Cuba City with their two
children, Brady and Mykenzie.
Rural Mutual
Insurance Company
PUBLIC NOTICE By
WPA AND THE NATIONAL
PORK BOARD
The election of pork producer
delegate candidates for the 2016
National Pork Producers (Pork Act)
Delegate Body will take place at
2:00 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 29, 2015,
in conjunction with the Wisconsin
Pork Association Annual Meeting
at the Kalahari Resort, 1305
Kalahari Drive, Wisconsin Dells,
WI All Wisconsin pork producers
are invited to attend
Any producer, age 18 or older,
who is a resident of the state and
has paid all assessments due
may be considered as a delegate
candidate and/or participate in the
election All eligible producers are
encouraged to bring with them a
sales receipt proving that hogs
were sold in their name and the
checkoff deducted.
For more
information, contact Wisconsin
Pork Association, P.O. Box 327, 131
South Monroe Street, Lancaster,
WI 53813, 608-723-7551.
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Wisconsin Pork Association
P.O. Box 327
Lancaster, WI 53813
Address Service Requested
Non-Profit Organization
U.S. Postage Paid
Lancaster, WI 53813
Permit No. 91
8
Wisconsin Pork Association – Pork Headlines: January/February 2015
UPCOMING CALENDAR OF EVENTS
January
8 ~ Sauk Co. Pork Producers Annual Meeting, Baraboo
18 ~ Dane Co. Pork Producers Annual Meeting, Lake Kegonsa
21 ~ Ag Economic Outlook Forum, Madison
29 ~ WPA Annual Meeting, Wisc. Dells
29 ~ Taste of Elegance, Wisc. Dells
29-30 ~ Pork/Corn/Soy Expo, Wisc. Dells
February
2-11 ~ WPDES Meetings, see page 5 for dates/locations
28 ~ Rock Co. Pork Producers Annual Meeting, Janesville
March
5-7 ~ Pork Forum, San Antonio
7 ~ Fond du Lac Ag Showcase, Fond du Lac
11 ~ Ag Day at the Capitol, Madison
12 ~ Badger Swine Symposium, Arlington
24-26 ~ WPS Farm Show, Oshkosh
WPA Staff
Tammy Vaassen, Executive Vice President
Mandy Masters, Assistant Program Director
Contact at : (800) 822-7675, (608) 723-7551
or [email protected]
WPA Board of Directors
Mike Beisbier, President
(608) 524-2537, [email protected]
Mike Salter, Vice President
(920) 729-0403,
[email protected]
Tom Knauer, Treasurer,
(608) 883-2838,
[email protected]
Jessica Boehm, Secretary
(608) 692-2733,
[email protected]
Bill Gnatzig, (715) 760-0781,
[email protected]
Jim O'Neill, (608) 588-9625,
[email protected]
Gary Skalitzky, (920) 478-3297,
[email protected]
A.V. Roth, NPPC Representative
(608) 476-2377, [email protected]
Shannon Wolf, (608) 778-0806
[email protected]
Jonathan Wyttenbach, (608) 3476135, [email protected]