What is the “farm bill”? 

The Farm bill is a statute that can regulate farm production and prices. It creates jobs, protects our environments and natural resources, revitalizes rural economies, invests in education, promotes renewable energy, and improves public health and nutrition. 

The bill does not just benefit farmers, it benefits everyone. It provides funds to grow, promote, and purchase safe and healthy foods. In the long run it benefits each and every one of us; whether we know it or not.

            The farm bill offers many programs that are designed to help farmers during the current drought crisis. The drought is causing farmers’ crops across the nation to dry out and die. However, if the bill does not pass soon farmers could lose a lot of hard earned money. I think right now we really need a temporary drought relief package to help out farmers losing crops and money due to what is possibly the worst drought in 50 years.  There is expected to see a drop in bushels of corn produced as compared to last year, even though farmers have planted more this year than any time in the past 75 years. The longer it takes to pass this bill, the more money we are losing.

            One of the problems we are facing is that farmers need to plan, just as any other business and industry does. They need to know what their future is going to hold. They cannot know this without a lot of the programs, policies, etc. that is included in the farm bill. A lot of the debate is being focused on food assistance programs for the poor, which makes up for a lot of the bill’s spending. If we rush to pass this bill it should not be at the expense of jobs and struggling families, especially because it could take away from school lunches, which is sometimes the only meal that kids from these struggling families may receive each day.

            It has been expected that little will happen between now and the presidential election (November 6th). However, I feel that there will be a push to pass something disaster related in September because of the severity of the drought. Hopefully seeing the conditions the drought is causing across the country congress will act soon. We are simply running out of time to pass this bill. 

Aquaculture Defined: Aquaculture, also known as aqua farming, is the farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and aquatic plants. Aquaculture involves cultivating freshwater and saltwater populations under controlled conditions. Mariculture refers to aquaculture practiced in marine environments and in underwater habitats.

As you know, or maybe you don’t, Alabama is one of the leading states in aquaculture sales. Alabama ranks third nationally behind the states of Mississippi and Arkansas. The states of Louisiana and Florida are also in the top five, ranking fourth and fifth. There are 4,028 aquaculture farms in the U.S. Alabama has the fourth highest amount of farms in the U.S. with 215 farms. Alabama has about 25,000 water acres of fish farms, where commercial farmers produce 25 different aquatic species. Alabama’s most dominant species is farm raised catfish, in which Alabama ranks 2nd nationally in annual sales. In 2008, Alabama catfish sales totaled $93.3 million. Alabama’s three large-scale processors sell catfish to all 50 states, Canada, Europe, and Asia. Alabama is also home to the world’s largest catfish processing plant. Alabama produces about $98 million worth of catfish a year. Other species that Alabama aquaculture farmers raise are shrimp, tilapia, and crawfish. 

Thought to Ponder: Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana produce 95% of the catfish grown in the U.S. 

The Alabama FFA Foundation Specialty Tag is now available for pre-commitments at your county tag office. Persons desiring to support FFA programs in Alabama by purchasing pre-commitments must complete a “Commitment to Purchase” application for the Alabama FFA Foundation distinctive plate and remit the additional $50 fee to their county license plate issuing office. The county returns the original copy of the application form and a commitment to purchase tag receipt indicating receipt of the additional fee to the applicant. The “Commitment to Purchase” application can be completed even if it is not time for your tag to be renewed. The $50 fee is an annual fee in addition to the standard tag registration fees. Once the precommitments meet the required amount (1,000), applicants will have an unlimited time to return to the county office and receive their license plate. In order to receive the plate, applicants must present the ORIGINAL copy of the “Commitment to Purchase” application form and tag receipt. Once tags become available, anyone may purchase an Alabama FFA Foundation distinctive plate. 

To find out more about purchasing your FFA tag visit the Alabama FFA Website. 

          Wednesday, the United States Department of Agriculture reported half of the nation’s counties have been declared “natural disaster areas” because of severe droughts affecting the West, Midwest, and Southeast.  About 1,584 counties across 32 states are experiencing the drought. Some are saying this is the worst drought in more than 50 years. The drought is shriveling a lot of food crops & animal feedstock in the affected counties. With the drought continuing and crop shortages, this means higher food prices are to be expected. The USDA estimates that prices could rise as much as 3.5 percent this year and up to 4 percent in 2013.

          The USDA said it was allowing haying and grazing on 3.8 million protected acres and that insurance companies agreed to a 30 day grace period for farmers on insurance premiums. The Nature Conservancy was okay with the haying and grazing, as long as the impacts to wildlife and habitats were minimal. These are a few steps that the USDA and others are taking to help farmers in drought areas.

          Corn and soybean ratings are also tremendously decreasing, and are in the worst shape for this time of year since 1988. About 24 percent of the corn was in good or excellent condition and an estimated 29 percent of the soybean crop with top ratings, both of these as of last week. The corn crop has received most of the damage. Everyone is hoping for rain. It will most likely not save the corn crop, but could probably limit the damage of the soybean crop.

          To find out more about the drought and to remain updated visit the following website: http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/