MAPI Fall Newsletter 2014 - Michigan Allied Poultry Industry

Fall 2014
Calendar of Events
MI Farm Bureau Annual
Mtg.
December 2-4, 2014
Grand Rapids, MI
MAPI Board Meeting
December 10, 2014
DCPAH, MSU Campus
MABA Winter Conf. &
Trade Show
January 12-14, 2015
Lansing Center, Lansing
MAPI Annual Meeting
Winter Seminar
February 19, 2015
Lansing Center, Lansing
National Poultry
Improvement Plan
Pullorum Certification
Testing
March 10, 2015
MSU Animal Pavilion
Midwest Poultry
Federation
March 17-19, 2015
St. Paul, MN
MAPI Golf Outing
Moss Ridge Golf Club
June 23, 2015
Dear Member,
It is with great sadness that we mourn the passing of George
E. House. George served as the Executive Director of MAPI
for ten years. George was a kind man and always carried a
smile. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Deanna
and children Paul and Sara.
I want to thank MAPI members Jeff Armstrong, Ken Punter
and Mark Tilbury for an outstanding presentation they made
before the Michigan Agriculture teachers on October 17. In
an effort to create interest amongst our young people to work
in the poultry industry, MAPI is reaching out to our ag
teachers to create a partnership for poultry education. We
will keep you informed as this effort moves forward.
Be sure to read through the newsletter for important
information that impacts your industry.
As always, if you have any questions, thoughts or ideas please contact the MAPI office. I look forward to hearing from
you.
Sincerely,
Val Vail-Shirey
Executive Director
Michigan Allied Poultry Industries, Inc.
2014 Board of Directors
Rob Knecht - Konos
President
Doug Dreyer - West MI Pullets
Vice-President
Scott Maust - Active Feed Co
Treasurer
Dr. Darrin Karcher - MSUE
Secretary
Jeff Armstrong - Sunrise Acres
Mohamed Mousa - Herbrucks
Poultry Ranch
Ken Punter - Crockery Creek
Jeff Smith - Smith Turkey
Farms
Andy Snider - Snider Farms,
LLC
Mark Tilbury - Miller Poultry
Michigan Allied Poultry Industry, Inc (MAPI)
Membership Renewal
You will soon receive your 2015 Membership Renewal.
Industry advocacy and good policy doesn't happen by
accident. Now more than ever we need your participation
and support to keep our industry moving forward. We all
appreciate your membership!
In Memory of George E. House
January 14, 1939-October 2, 2014
George E. House was born in Kewanee, Illinois to Carl and Rose House. He
attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison and graduated in 1963. George and
Deanna J. Howell were married on June 24, 1961. They lived in Southern Wisconsin
until 1971 when he and his family moved to Portage, Michigan and then to Ada,
Michigan in 1990. George worked in the agriculture business arena his entire career,
first as President of Production Credit Association of Kalamazoo then at the Hamilton
Farm Bureau. George was an active member of Trinity United Methodist Church in
Grand Rapids, Michigan, served on the Michigan 4H Foundation Board for 30 years
and was presented the Trustee Emeritus Award from the Michigan 4H Foundation.
George became the Executive Director of Michigan Allied Poultry Industries
(MAPI) in 2001 and retired from that position in 2012 due to deteriorating health.
The Michigan Poultry Industry benefited immensely from his knowledge of
agriculture, tireless energy, leadership skills and genuine interest in and for the
Michigan Poultry Industry. He expertly used his acquaintances with people in politics,
Michigan State University and the Michigan Department of Agriculture to the
enhancement of the Michigan Poultry Industry. George represented the MAPI in an
exemplary manner and will long be remembered for his friendly personality and
always present smile.
George is survived by his wife Deanna and children: son Paul of Whitewater,
Wisconsin and daughter Sara of Kalamazoo, Michigan.
MAPI Members present to Michigan FFA Teachers
Jeff Armstrong of Sunrise Acres, Ken Punter of Crockery Creek Farms & Mark Tilbury of Miller Farms
explain the need for young people to get involved in the Michigan Poultry Industry.
Michigan's Minimum Wage Increased
Beginning September 1, 2014 employers in Michigan are required to pay increased
minimum wages. Public Act 138 increased the state's minimum wages from $7.40
per hour to $8.15 per hour on September 1, 2014; $8.50 per hour on January 1,
2016, $8.90 per hour on January 1, 2017 and $9.25 per hour on January 1, 2018.
Employers are also required to increase the minimum wage for employees earning
tips from $2.65 per hour to $3.10 per hour. If the employee's tips and the tipped
minimum wage do not equal or exceed $8.15 per hour, the employer must pay the
shortfall to the employee.
Michigan Farm Bureau's Livestock and Poultry Advisory
Committee
Jeff Armstrong of Sunrise Acres Egg Farms and Scott Maust of Active Feed are
currently serving on Michigan Farm Bureau's Livestock and Poultry Advisory
Committee. The purpose of the committee is to discuss issues of importance to the
Michigan livestock and poultry industry and to develop appropriate recommendations
to the MFB Board of Directors.
With the challenges facing the livestock and poultry industries it is important that
informed members participate and help shape recommendations and policy.
Recently, Jeff Armstrong attended an American Farm Bureau conference on
Livestock and Poultry in Washington, DC. The conference included an information
session on Waters of the US and smaller group meetings within specific livestock
groups to make recommendations to the American Farm Bureau.
Guest speakers from Dominos and Wal-Mart were presenters speaking on what is
happening at the retail and consumer levels.
Thank you Jeff and Scott for representing Michigan Allied Poultry Industries!
American Egg Board
Greg Herbruck from Herbruck's Poultry Ranch, recently rotated off the board after
many years of service.
Dick Patmos from Sunrise Acres Egg Farms in Hudsonville, MI was appointed to the
American Egg Board as a member representing the East North Central states. Dick's
term is 2014 - 2015 and his first meeting was March 13, 2014. Dick's first board
meeting included updates from each of AEB's Committees including details on the
2013 measureable objectives, 2014 Easter outreach, research, Dunkin' Donuts
partnership, Good Egg Project and more.
Nominations for Area III for 2015 were recently made to Secretary Vilsack and
include Stephen Herbruck of Herbruck's Poultry Ranch, Paul Vandebunte of Konos
and Scott Maust of Farm Crest Foods.
As a large egg producing state, it is important that Michigan is well represented at
AEB. We thank our Michigan farmers for their service.
Quick Guide to the Michigan Agricultural Mapping Tool
The Michigan Agri-Business Association's "Agricultural Mapping Tool" is a publicly
available web-based resource that was developed in partnership with the Michigan
Department of Agriculture and Rural Development through a Strategic Growth
Initiative Grant.
This interactive tool gives Michigan agribusinesses, producers, policymakers and
others access to key information across the state. It is intended to guide strategic
business decisions, allow agriculture to seize new opportunities for economic
growth, and provide guidance in developing priority areas for agricultural
expansion in response to new markets, climate change and other factors.
Getting Started:
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
The tool can be accessed free of charge on the MABA website
at www.miagbiz.org
You can also view our brief video tutorial to learn how to use
the system on our website
EPA Waters of the United States
Deadline for Comments November 14, 2014
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) introduced a proposal during the month
of March to change the definition of what is considered a Water of the United States.
Allowing this proposal to be implemented would greatly hurt the agricultural industry
in allowing the EPA the opportunity to claim jurisdiction over areas such as ditches. In
order to alter a Water of the United States, approval and permits must be issued to the
individual. Through increasing the amount of land being considered as a Water of the
United States, the proposal will prove to be very costly for many agriculturalists who
will most likely need to pursue permits.
It is crucial to spread the word of the influence this bill has on the agricultural industry.
It is also important to contact your local senator and representative to voice the
concern of the EPA's proposal and the importance of the bill preventing the proposal
to pass. Below is an example provided by the Farm Bureau of an effective letter that
can be used in contacting your representatives.
For more information http://www2.epa.gov/uswaters
Communicate
with
the
EPA
by
visiting
their
website
http://www.regulations.gov/#!submitComment;D=EPA-HQ-OW-2011-0880-0001
at
Dear Administrator McCarthy,
I oppose the Environmental Protection Agency's implementation of its proposed rule
on the Definition of the Waters of the United States under the Clean Water Act, Docket
No. EPA-HQ-OW-2011-0880. While EPA has stated this rule will offer clarity, simplify
the regulatory process, and improve protection of water resources, I believe the
proposed rule does none of those things. Instead, this rule will hurt the agriculture
industry, as well as many other businesses. It will damage the American economy that
depends on the services agriculture and other industries provide. Further, it will
interfere with states' efforts to develop water protection programs that really work and
which do not depend on such burdensome regulation. The rule does not benefit the
environment like EPA says it will. The rule must be rescinded to fix these problems.
Thank you for your time and attention.
Respectfully submitted,
Your Name
MAEAP Certified 2014
Critter Barn * Crockery Creek Turkey Farm * Grand Valley Turkey Farm
* H &H Turkey Farms * Herbruck's Poultry Ranch * Konos * Sietsema Turkey Farms
* Snider Farms LLC * Sunrise Acres * White Acres, L.L.C. * Zoet Poultry Inc
On Monday, October 13, Michigan Allied Poultry Industries, Inc. sponsored an
educational forum for legislative staff hosted by the Agricultural Leaders of Michigan
(ALM). The program included a number of leaders from across Michigan's agriculture
industry to update legislative staff on Michigan's agriculture sector during the harvest
season for many crops and commodities. Presenters included:
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Bruce Sutherland, Vice President of Michigan Agricultural Commodities
Dave Armstrong, President and CEO of GreenStone Farm Credit Services
Angel Jenio, Communications Specialist with the Michigan Corn Growers
Association
Mike Wenkel, Executive Director of Potato Growers of Michigan
Val Vail-Shirey, Executive Director of Michigan Allied Poultry Industries
Bruce Sutherland outlined the challenges and opportunities that come along with
grain harvest. This fall, Michigan is looking at record production fueled by the use of
modern growing methods - with USDA projecting record corn and soybean harvests.
However, producers and agribusinesses will face a bigger challenge to dry crops - an
effort that requires more energy and time - as well as challenges with rail logistics
needed to move the crop.
Dave Armstrong shared financial implications across the agriculture sector today,
with prices dropping for grain but strong markets for dairy and livestock. Armstrong
said that as grain prices normalize and producers put less cash into inputs and real
estate, other sectors related to the agriculture industry could have a bearish outlook
going forward.
Angel Jenio echoed the harvest concerns among Michigan corn producers facing a
late, wet harvest while preparing to deal with major logistics challenges. Roughly 140
million bushels of corn exports equates to about 39,000 railcars or 79,000 double
truckloads, highlighting the need for reliable transportation infrastructure during
harvest time.
With a strong potato crop projected, Mike Wenkel said storage will remain a key
concern for growers handling more potatoes and working to keep them dry until
marketing. At the same time, potato growers are looking ahead to continue
implementing water quality solutions into the future.
Val Vail-Shirey highlighted the growth of Michigan's poultry industry. She noted that
Michigan egg producers are supplying more eggs than ever for markets nationwide;
turkey production will nearly double in the next two years, and as broiler demand
increases, there's potential for more production and new processing capacity in the
Lower Peninsula. Vail-Shirey highlighted the significant energy and labor needs of
poultry operations as production expands.
This event was part of a series of monthly forums sponsored by ALM aimed at
educating legislative staff on issues important to Michigan's agricultural industry.
ALM is a coalition of agricultural, commodity and agribusiness leaders committed to
promoting Michigan agriculture, participating in the ongoing dialogue about issues
affecting our state, and harnessing agriculture's power and potential to further grow
Michigan's economy.

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