Buckle Up for Farm Bill 2012!

by: Jill Richardson

Fri Apr 23, 2010 at 21:46:26 PM PDT

"I've told people we should put everything on the table," said Agriculture Committee chairman Collin Peterson. "My interest is in providing the best, most rational, safety net for the average commercial farmer in this country."

With a two-year lead time, the House Agriculture Committee chairman is opening a review on Wednesday of the U.S. farm subsidies that date from the Depression era and are subject to myriad calls for reform -- or total replacement.

A number of political headaches from farm supports to trade issues, should be treated in the new bill.

Cotton subsidies must be revised to settle a trade dispute with Brazil. Dairy farmers say milk supports failed to stop a ruinous price plunge. Crop insurance costs are exploding. The Obama administration wants to cut subsidies to big farms.

To get there, Peterson invited a debate whether crop supports should be remolded, perhaps into a system that assures overall revenue for a farm. Supports now are paid mostly on the basis of past production of subsidized crops and whether farm-gate prices for them are below targets set by Congress.

Calling the subsidies "Depression-era" makes them sound outdated, but they are really about as outdated as financial regulations. That is, we ought to go back to something much more similar to what FDR gave us, rules that have been changed and dismantled beyond the point of recognition in the past several decades. I'm glad Peterson thinks that everything's on the table, but I am also positive that whatever Peterson thinks the outcome of the 2012 farm bill debate should be is nowhere near what I think it should be. Ditto to Blanche Lincoln, who will hopefully no longer be a sitting U.S. Senator by the time the bill ultimately passes.

If you'd like to make a statement about the hearing on May 3, you can do so by emailing your thoughts to agriculture at mail.house.gov during the 30 days FOLLOWING the hearing (i.e. until June 2).

Vilsack's Child Nutrition Priorities

by: Jill Richardson

Mon Feb 15, 2010 at 15:13:48 PM PST

Message to President Obama: Why Trade Will Not Save Rural America

by: Jill Richardson

Thu Feb 04, 2010 at 06:00:00 AM PST

Message to President Obama: Why Trade Will Not Save Rural America

February 3rd, 2010  By Paula Crossfield

In Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack's op-ed this week in the Des Moines Register, he recognized that hunger could not be solved by raising production, because production is in fact at record highs. Grappling with how these increases in productivity have not led to increases in profit, he explained that even though we've lost a million farmers in the last 40 years, "income from farming operations declined as a percentage of total farm family income by half." He continued, "Today, only 11 percent of family farm income comes from farming, which may explain why fewer young people go into farming and why many families rely on off-farm income opportunities to keep their farms." Vilsack gets the situation right, but his remedy is wrong. Instead of encouraging diversity and altering the pattern of overproduction which pits large farm owners against small by shrinking margins, the Obama administration's way of dealing with the discrepancy in rural America is through increasing trade.

More below...

Vilsack's new chief of staff is one of the "sustainable dozen"

by: desmoinesdem

Sun Jan 10, 2010 at 15:37:20 PM PST

It's encouraging to know that a voice for family farmers and sustainable practices will be running Vilsack's office. In recommending Ross for an under-secretary position at the USDA, Michael Dimock of Roots of Change wrote more than a year ago,

Karen will represent well the diverse crops of our nation's largest agricultural state. We know she will be a voice of innovation and adaptation that will support full expression of a sustainable agriculture over time. She did a great job shepherding the State Board's recent visioning process for agriculture that rendered what we see as a very constructive vision for our future. Karen has also been a defining and constructive voice in the [Roots of Change]-funded California Roundtable for Agriculture and the Environment.

The visioning process Dimock mentions was California Ag Vision, an "effort to develop a broad consensus on how California might arrive at a farming and food system that can be sustained by the year 2030."

Ross will replace Iowa native John Norris, who did not come from an agriculture background but had worked closely with Governor Vilsack for years. Norris agreed to be Vilsack's chief of staff at USDA with the understanding that it would be a temporary position. Norris was pursuing a spot on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, to which the Senate confirmed him in December. Having completed his work as Vilsack's chief of staff, Norris will start work next week at the FERC.

Here's a novel idea

by: desmoinesdem

Thu Dec 03, 2009 at 11:16:15 AM PST

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is using our tax dollars to make loans to hog and poultry factory farms at a time when we have too many factory farms, too much pork and poultry on the market, and record-low pork and poultry prices.

To make matters worse, USDA is also using our tax dollars (about $150 million so far) to buy overproduced pork and poultry off the market in an effort to stabilize prices. [...]

Based on its own data, USDA has provided over $264 million in loans to build new factory farms in the past two years. [...]

In the past, USDA has said it doesn't want to suspend these loans because it doesn't want to eliminate credit going to beginning farmers. We have to remember, though, that these loans - which are averaging about $500,000 each - are going solely for the construction of new and expanding hog and poultry factory farms. Why encourage beginning farmers to put up capital-intensive factory farms when there is already severe overproduction and record-low prices? USDA could provide much smaller loans to many more beginning family farmers if it stopped making factory farm loans, and directed the money elsewhere.

On the Des Moines Register's site you can read the whole op-ed by Hugh Espey, executive director of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement. Unfortunately, it sounds as if Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has not been receptive to the Campaign for Family Farms and the Environment, which has been pushing for the UDSA to change its loan policies. There is precedent for such action. Espey writes that the Clinton administration "ordered a halt to these loans in 1999 when similar oversupply conditions existed."  

Vilsack Lays Out Priorities for Child Nutrition But Says Very Little

by: Jill Richardson

Sat Oct 31, 2009 at 14:49:54 PM PDT

In general, he wants three things. First, better access to school nutrition programs for children. Second, healthier school lunches. Third, less errors made by the federal government in managing the school lunch program.

Vilsack Filibusters - Then Gets Booed and Hissed

by: Jill Richardson

Tue Oct 13, 2009 at 07:11:02 AM PDT

I can't perfectly recall the first two questions, but one was whether the Obama administration and Vilsack's USDA stood behind our request for mandatory funding for Farm to School. Vilsack didn't answer. He talked. He talked quite a bit actually. But the basic answer was either "No," "Maybe," or "Not yet." It certainly wasn't yes and he didn't want to say it. Instead he talked about the importance of providing healthy school lunches to children and making sure children who receive free and reduced cost lunch don't feel stigmatized by it.

Then came the next question, asked by blogger Ashley Colpaart of the US Food Policy blog. She said she could see that the USDA was doing a lot to help small and mid-sized farmers, but much of their barriers to success come from large farms. She asked what he was doing to prevent large farms from keeping small and mid-sized farms from succeeding by harming the environment or preventing fair competition.

That's when the filibuster started. Vilsack did just about everything except for answer the question. He talked and talked and talked. Talked about Afghanistan. About feeding the world. About the trade balance. Honestly, I don't know what all he talked about. I tuned out after it became apparent that a real answer to the question wasn't coming.

Vilsack didn't like that question and he obviously didn't want any more questions like it. The easiest way to prevent more questions? Make your answers really, really long. After he finally wrapped up, he was given a notecard saying "Time for two one more questions."

That's when John Kinsman, a legendary dairy farmer from Wisconsin, stood up to ask about dairy. Vilsack gave him a much less longwinded answer, now that he knew he was soon off the hook.

I think the questions were supposed to be finished, but Jeffrey Smith piped up with a question about GMOs. Vilsack answered honestly, that he was for GMOs and he thinks they are needed to feed the world. And... he got booed and hissed. Not by everybody, but by some. It was audible. He heard it. He said he was willing to read any studies and he was willing to meet with anybody.

Then he thanked us and quickly got the hell out of the room. On his way out, I gave him a copy of my book.

USDA funds research on local food potential in northeast US

by: desmoinesdem

Fri Sep 18, 2009 at 05:00:00 AM PDT

These studies will be conducted as part of the "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" initiative launched this week by USDA to connect people more closely with the farmers who supply their food, and to increase the production, marketing and consumption of fresh, nutritious food that is grown locally in a sustainable manner.

"This research project will help identify and quantify the capacity to produce food locally that meets the needs of large urban populations in different seasons of the year," said Agriculture Secretary Vilsack. "The lessons that we learn and the information that we glean from this project also will give us important insights into how we build and sustain local production systems elsewhere in the United States and abroad."

Scientists in Maine and Maryland will "model and determine the suitability of East Coast soils for agricultural production, as well as land availability in the Northeast for local production of fruit and vegetables." Researchers at Tufts University will study "marketing and processing options for local food production, and also [...] how land-use policies could further encourage such production."

More details are in the full text of the press release, which I've posted after the jump. I wish the USDA had funded this kind of research two or three decades ago, but better late than never.

Vilsack declines pork industry request (for now)

by: desmoinesdem

Wed Aug 12, 2009 at 08:29:09 AM PDT

"We are down to our last $7 or 8 million because there's been such a demand for so many kinds of commodities, including pork. I think in the last fiscal year $62 million worth of pork purchases have been made," [Secretary of Agriculture Tom] Vilsack says. "...So we are trying to meet the demands of everyone."

Vilsack says there may be more money in the pipeline this fall. "When October 1 comes, when the new fiscal year starts, we have a little greater flexibility and at that time we are taking a look at all these requests," Vilsack says, "and we will make determinations at that point in time in terms of what is being requested of us and what we think makes sense." [...]

"We are very sensitive to the concerns of the pork industry. We have tried to respond by asking our institutional purchasers like the Department of Defense and others to purchase more pork products. We'll continue to do that," Vilsack says. "But I think we are stuck by virtue of the amount of money left in the account that we use to do this, but in October 1 it gets replenished and we'll be in a different position."

Meanwhile, Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement makes it easy for Iowans to e-mail Governor Chet Culver to tell him they oppose taxpayer-funded bailouts of factory farms. Consider contacting your governor with a similar message if you live in Nebraska, Colorado, Michigan, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Illinois or Oklahoma.

Is Obama's Plan for Tackling Hunger Just Another Chance for Big Ag and Biotech to Cash In?

by: Jill Richardson

Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 05:42:22 AM PDT

Much of the piece follows the money and connections behind Obama's current policy to "help" Africa by helping Monsanto. It's not just a money and influence problem, it's also an ideology problem. And it's really tragic because real lives are at stake here.

Hillary and Vilsack To Promote GMOs in Africa

by: Jill Richardson

Tue Aug 04, 2009 at 15:10:15 PM PDT

Also during the high-level tour, the top US diplomat will on Wednesday afternoon visit the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) laboratories along Waiyaki Way.

She will be accompanied by US Secretary of Agriculture, Thomas J. Vilsack, together with U.S. Representatives Donald M. Payne and Nita M. Lowey.

"The visit will focus on KARI's contributions to Kenya's food security and agricultural development. It will include a laboratory tour, discussion with KARI staff and collaborating partners, observation of a maize research plot, and ceremonial tree-planting," according to a brief from the US embassy in Nairobi.

Here's what the USDA says about Vilsack's trip to Africa:

As part of the Obama Administration's efforts to enhance global food security, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will attend the 8th U.S.-Sub-Saharan African Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum in Nairobi, Kenya from Aug. 4-6, 2009. At the forum, Vilsack will highlight the USDA's ongoing food security efforts in Africa and other places throughout the world which is focused on building the agricultural industry in developing countries.

Here's what the press release says about his visit to KARI with Secretary Clinton:

Finally, he plans to visit the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute and meet with women scientists receiving African Women in Agricultural Research and Development fellowships.

Who are those research grant winners that Vilsack is meeting with? If you scan the list, you'll notice several are involved with biotechnology. One works with the Uganda agency that is partnering with Monsanto to create drought tolerant corn.

Below I've included a press release from the U.S. Food Crisis Working Group about Clinton and Vilsack's trip and visit to KARI.

UPDATE: A few more links...  "KARI Adopts Genetically Modified Maize" and a post about pros and cons of a Kenyan biosafety bill

No, Vilsack! Bad Secretary!

by: Jill Richardson

Wed Jul 15, 2009 at 14:30:34 PM PDT

Ann Tutwiler - Senior Advisor for International Affairs. Previously, she was advisor on International Trade for the Africa Bureau's Sustainable Development group at USAID. Before joining USAID, she was Managing Director, Agricultural Markets, for the Global Development Program at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Before joining the Hewlett Foundation, she served as president and chief executive officer of the International Food & Agriculture Trade Policy Council. She was Director of Government Relations for the North American oilseed crushing and corn refining companies of Eridania Beghin-Say. She has served on the board of the International Fertilizer Development Council, the Partnership to Cut Hunger and Poverty in Africa and the Dean Rusk International Studies Program at Davidson College. Tutwiler received a degree in political science from Davidson College and a Masters in Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. She also received certificates in agribusiness management from Purdue University and INSEAD. She was recently awarded the John W. Kuykendall Award for Community Service from Davidson College.

So, what's the International Food & Agriculture Trade Policy Council, where she used to work? Here are their funders (which includes her other employer, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation):

IPC Funding and Donors
Annual Structural Support, 2008
Bunge North America (United States)
Cargill, Inc. (United States)
Croplife International (United States)
Fonterra Cooperative Group, Ltd. (New Grain and Feed Trade Association (United Kingdom)
International Fertilizer Association
Deere & Company (United States)
Monsanto Company (United States)
Nederlandse Zuivel Organisatie (The Netherlands)
Nestlé (Switzerland)
Rabobank International (The Netherlands)
Syngenta International AG (Switzerland)
Unilever N.V. (The Netherlands)
Universal Corporation (United States)
World Wildlife Fund (United States)

Project Support and In-Kind Support, 2008
Hogan and Hartson LLP
Illinois Farm Bureau
Japan Association for International Collaboration of Agriculture and Forestry
North American Export Grain Association (NAEGA)
National Oilseed Processors Association

Government Support, 2008
Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality
German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development

Foundation Support, 2008
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

Follow the Money

by: Jill Richardson

Tue Jun 23, 2009 at 17:07:33 PM PDT

Who doesn't want us to believe that organics can feed the world? All the people who would lose money if we went organic: oil companies, biotech companies, pesticide companies, and fertilizer companies. And who funds The Chicago Council on Global Affairs? Archer Daniels Midland, Kraft Foods, Monsanto, Caterpillar, BP, McDonalds... you get it.

The Chicago Council released a report funded by the Gates Foundation that outlined a plan to feed the world. They then presented that report in testimony at a Senate Foreign Relations committee hearing earlier this year. In a Washington Times op ed (where I always get my news), they summarize the findings of the report, calling for a Second Green Revolution. On their side is Dick Lugar, who co-authored another Washington Times op-ed with Norman Borlaug (father of the first Green Revolution) who say we need higher yields and GMOs in the developing world if we are to fight hunger. Lugar has co-sponsored a bill that the Chicago Council sees as a vehicle to enact their plan, but now it seems that a new effort is afoot and Hillary Clinton is leading it (as her department will be the ones carrying out the bill).

To gain more support for their plan, the Chicago Council is hosting a breakfast with Secretary Tom Vilsack as a guest. They've also held a past event with Senator Dick Durbin.

Meanwhile, our government is entirely ignoring an alternative viewpoint to feeding the world, one presented by the IAASTD report (from the World Bank and UN), which specifically rejects GMOs as tools to help the developing world, saying they are poorly suited to meet the needs of poor and subsistence farmers. They call for agroecological approaches to farming as the best tool to feed the world. And, because the crop inputs used in the developed world are so expensive and thus often unavailable to poor farmers - the very people we are trying to help - those farmers achieve higher yields using organic (agroecological) methods.

Don't hold your breath, Secretary Vilsack

by: desmoinesdem

Mon Jun 22, 2009 at 10:50:54 AM PDT

[USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service administrator Michael] Michener declined to discuss the department's strategy for promoting international acceptance of biotechnology, saying it's still in the works. But he argues that the Obama administration can be more effective than the Bush administration, which went to the World Trade Organization to unsuccessfully break European resistance to the genetically engineered crops.

Vilsack is taking a lighter approach, Michener said, recounting a discussion the secretary had with his German counterpart.

Vilsack "made this very creative argument on how during the eight years of the Bush administration, the Europeans would lecture us on how we had to bring our citizens along and educate them on the science of climate change. He turned that around and said, 'You know, you've got a similar responsibility on biotech'" Michener said.

That certainly is a "creative" analogy. Getting Americans on board with serious policies on climate change may be our only hope for avoiding a catastrophic global warming scenario. Gaining European acceptance for genetically-modified crops has no comparable global benefit (no, these crops won't magically end world hunger).

But a more important point is after the jump.

Liberal Policy: Let Them Eat Arugula

by: Jill Richardson

Fri Jun 12, 2009 at 12:39:14 PM PDT

Children are a target audience. Vilsack said the gardens will help educate them on how their food is produced. Mrs. Obama invites local school groups to help maintain the White House garden.

"We want people, and particularly young people, to understand the connection between the land and their food," Vilsack said.

Vilsack stumped the crowd with a question as what is the largest-volume commodity that his department provides to schools. It's not potatoes or chicken nuggets. It's mozzarella cheese.

Kids need a more balanced diet, he said.

"Part of our challenge is to figure how to make the kids' choice be the salad rather than the pizza slice."

Wait, what? The National School Lunch Program has long been a dual purpose program that simultaneously feeds kids and subsidizes farmers. And while the free commodities provided by the USDA to schools for lunches do include some fruits and vegetables, that amount is dwarfed by the (often high fat) meat and dairy provided. Essentially, the mix of commodities provided turns the food pyramid on its head. So does this new statement signify any movement or effort by Vilsack to change that problem?

(h/t Tom Laskawy)