A32-Lancast»r Faming, Saturday, December 16, 2000
Cattle Producers
Look Forward To New
Administration, Congress
WASHINGTON, D.C. Cat
tle producers look forward to
working with a Bush Adminis
tration and the new Congress to
solve issues important to the fu
ture of family farms and ranches
across the country, the National
Cattlemen’s Beef Association
(NCBA) said recently after presi
dential election results were con
firmed.
“President-Elect Bush and
Vice President-Elect Dick Che
ney share many views with
American beef producers such as
elimination of the death tax,
local control of environmental
policies and making sure that
trade laws are fair, protect U.S.
producers and continue to open
new overseas markets for U.S.
beef,” said NCBA President
George Hall.
“However, the narrow majori
ties in the House and 50-50 split
in the Senate, combined with an
entirely new administration,
makes it imperative that cattle
producers mobilize like never be
fore to keep our industry moving
forward,” Hall said. “ We need
every able body. We need to be
united. We need to speak with
one voice. We need to ensure the
agenda set by lawmakers in
cludes our priorities,”
“NCBA is proud Of the strong,
bipartisan relationships we have
developed over the years in both
the House and Senate,” said
Hall. “We look forward to con
tinuing those relationships in the
next Congress to make gains in
issues important to family farms
and ranches.”
Hall added that the continued
power and impact of suburbia is
only expected to grow, with
IT’S WHAT’S FOR DINNER.
BEEE
Call Us For Your Nearest Dealer!
LEBANON VALLEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
Manufacturing • Powder Coating * Precast
P.O. Box 187, Myerstown, PA 17067 • (717) 866-2030
fewer congressmen focused on
rural issues. The 2000 Census
will be released next spring, and
there is a potential for fewer
rural seats due to suburbaniza
tion.
“As agriculture numbers be
come smaller, so does our voice,"
Hall said. “But bybanding to
gether, using sound scientific
reasons and educating elected
leaders on the importance of our
industry to this great country
and around the world, we can be
effective.”
As the new administration
works to fill its cabinet positions,
NCBA will urge that considera
tion be given to individuals who
understand the complexities of
the cattle business.
NCBA is prepared to move
ahead with such issues as death
tax repeal and other tax relief
measures, opening new overseas
markets to U.S. beef producers,
maintaining a free market sys
tem and a free flow of market in
formation so that cattle produc
ers can use their ingenuity to
continue to develop beef prod
ucts that meet consumer de
mands, continued efforts to de
velop innovations to solve food
safety issues, and developing
common sense environmental
policies to maintain open spaces
across the country.
“We already are working to
deliver positive results for cattle
producers during the next session
of congress,” Hall said. “But to
be successful, it’s critical for cat
tle producers to stay active and
make their voices heard at the
local, state and national levels.”
New Members Named To USDA’s
Forestry Advisory Council
WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S.
Department of Agriculture Sec
retary Dan Glickman has an
nounced the selection of four
members to the USDA National
Urban and Community Forestry
Advisory Council. There is one
new member and three are reap
pointed.
Their term begins Jan. 1, 2001
until Dec. 31,2003.
The new member appointed to
the 15-member council is Eliza
beth Kinch, with the Derby
Community Foundation, Derby,
Kan.
Corn Growers Denounce USDA’s
Inaction On Upper Mississippi River
ST. LOUIS, Mo. Recently,
the National Corn Growers As*
sociation (NCGA) publicly chas
tised USDA for its inactivity on
the issue of improving the trans
portation infrastructure on the
upper Mississippi River.
Addressing the USDA’s Agri
cultural Transportation Summit
in St. Louis, Tim Burrack, a com
grower from Arlington, lowa,
and a member of the NCGA Pro
duction and Stewardship Action
Team, rebuked the USDA for its
failure to fulfill commitments
made two years ago.
“In 1998, USDA held a sum
mit similar to this one to de
termine the transportation needs
of American agriculture,” noted
Burrack. “One key point from
that meeting was that American
farmers saw the dire need for im
proving locks on the upper Mis
sissippi and Illinois rivers. Two
years ago it seemed the USDA
got the message, touting various
Memorandums of Understand
ing with the Department of
Transportation and the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers. It now
appears only the Corps has hon
ored those document ”
■■■■■■■■■
BOOTH
This is all you and your family need to direct you to Doebler’s Hybrids at
the 2001 Keystone Farm Show, Jan. 9-11,2001. Stop by and visit with
some of our District Sales Managers. Learn about our NEW FOR 2001
Hybrids and what’s hap- j ~ pening with many of our
new BIOTECH varieties. We have been getting
some very impressive re- suits from our test plots
throughout the region. You
Doebler Dealer there. If
order yet, take advantage
place your order with him
ordered but have been
more, here’s your opportunity to take advantage
c'f some great deals while supplies last. A number of
varieties are very limited so place your order as soon as you can. Ask your
Doebler representative about Farm Plan® credit and its advantages for
farmers. Most of all, enjoy the show with family and friends.
BOOTH
Three members have been re
appointed to serve a second
term. They are: John Ball, associ
ate professor of forestry, South
Dakota State University, Brook
ings, S.D.; Dan DeWald, natural
resources manager, City of Belle
vue Parks and Community Serv
ices, Bellevue, Wash., and Debo
rah Gangloff, executive director,
American Forests, Tracy’s Land
ing, Md. Ms. Gangloff will con
tinue to serve as the chairwoman
of the council.
The experience these four
members bring to the council will
enhance USDA’s efforts to pro-
For several years, the NCGA
and other leading agricultural
groups have pressed for improve
ments to locks and dams on the
upper Mississippi and Illinois
rivers in order to maintain the
U.S. competitive edge in the
global grain trade. Major com
petitors of U.S. farmers Argen
tina, Brazil, and China - contin
ue to invest hundreds of millions
of dollars into their transporta
tion systems and dramatically re
duce their costs for moving grain
for export.
The NCGA has actively en
dorsed the Corps’ completion of
the Upper Mississippi River
Navigation Study. That study
will outline the economic and en
vironmental benefits of doubling
the size of seven locks from 600
feet to 1,200 feet and lengthening
guide walls on five other locks.
The 15-year project would cost
$1.2 billion. A lock and dam
users’ trust fund would pay $6OO
pillion with the U.S. Treasury
paying the other half.
“NCGA is particularly inter
ested in this study because the
upper Mississippi and Illinois
rivers are the primary artery for
(cut along dotted lines)
tect and increase urban tree
cover and heighten the impor
tance of urban and community
forestry initiatives throughout
the nation,” said Glickman.
The council advises the secre
tary concerning the care and
management of trees, forests,
and related natural resources in
urban and community settings.
The council also works with fed
eral and state agencies and other
partners to share information,
technical assistance, and award
competitive cost-share grants
that advance the science and
practice of urban forestry.
U.S. corn and bean exports,”
Burrack said. “Every year, more
than one billion bushels of corn
move toward export markets on
these waterways.”
Since the summit more than
two years ago, Burrack said, the
Corps and agricultural groups
have repeatedly asked USDA to
provide information and exper
tise to the study - requests that
have fallen on deaf ears.
“Much of the current debate
surrounding economics of the
upper Mississippi study could be
put to rest if USDA would only
commit the'resources necessary
to find the correct answer,” said
Burrack,: “Instead, we see a
USDA that just wants .to hold an
occasional meeting and ; perpetu
ate the myth thatit i$ represent
ing American agriculture,”
Burrack pointed out that since
the 1998 summit, foreign mar
kets have continued to expand
while “the Corps has met the
study deadline with '&liyf hrid
USDA has continued to duck its
responsibilities as the govern
mental representative of U.S. ag
ricultural interests.”
mmmmmmrnmmlkm
1341
may run into your local
you haven’t placed your
of this opportunity to
or her. If you’ve already
thinking about ordering
135