February 18 , 2016
WHITE
A five-minute summary of AAI, regulation, and industry activities for members of the largest state agribusiness association in the nation.
In This Issue
AAI IN ACTION
 
AAI MEMBER BRIEFING 
2016 IOWA LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: CURRENT EVENTS AT CAPITOL HILL AND WHAT OUR MEMBERS SHOULD KNOW
As this week draws to an end, Friday, February 19th, signals the first "Funnel Date" in the Iowa legislature.   This funnel is a reminder that all legislative bills must be passed by a committee by this date, or they are considered "Dead" for this year. The exception are those items that are considered appropriations which do not have the same requirements.  
 
This legislative session has gotten off to a very active start, and despite the fact that this is a tighter budget year than any time in recent history, that does not correlate with the number of Study bills presented.    

AAI is continuing to work with our lobbyists to monitor, support, or oppose legislation that has a direct impact on our membership. To date, we are engaged in bills regarding:
  • Pesticide drift
  • Anhydrous ammonia safety issues
  • Tax issues including decoupling and bonus depreciation
  • Propane inspection and regulation issues
  • And several  regarding environmental / clean water study bills
We encourage our members to watch for more definitive reports following this week's funnel and as the session progresses.
Environmental Technology Front and Center
2016 SHOWCASE & CONFERENCE

Light snowfall proved to be only a minor inconvenience as more than 1100 people participated in the 2016 Agribusiness 
Showcase & Conference on February 9 and 10. The 2016 Showcase set new records with 127 exhibiting companies on the Showcase floor and a record 270 community college students in attendance for the Agribusiness Career Day.


Pictured above: Carol Balvanz, Policy Director, Iowa Soybean Association, spoke to a room of over 270 Iowa community college students, agricultural instructors/advisors, and FFA Seniors during the 3rd Annual Agribusiness Career Day on Wednesday, February 10, 2016.

An increased focus on environmental opportunities was evident at the 2016 Showcase with the addition of three Environmental Technology (ET) Forums highlighting the latest in environmental products and services for agriculture. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey kicked off the ET Forums and also presented his Water Quality Initiative Awards during the event.

"We see more exhibitors and more attendees finding value in our Showcase year after year," said Joel Brinkmeyer, Agribusiness Association of Iowa CEO. "The educational opportunities we offer at the Showcase, in addition to seeing the advanced technologies being applied to equipment and services, really makes it time well spent."
"When you look at this show, and hear the kinds of opportunities to be able to better manage our nutrients, we see the investments by the companies here, in bringing technology to producers that will reduce loss of nitrogen and phosphorus, those are the kinds of engagements that are going to get us there," said Northey.
Fourteen $1,000 Scholarships Awarded to Community College Students From Around the State 
Pictured Above: Back row left to right - Steve Winter, Alex Houber, Aaron Bruihler, Ryan Houlb, Alex Boyle, Dalton Brown, Levi Pratt, Anthony Furlin, Front row left to right - Nick Viner, Katelynn Carson, Detrich Totemeier, Callie Hulst, and Emily Rumley. Not pictured: Zachary Greimann.

Congratulations to our 2016 Agribusiness Career Day scholarship recipients! Each student was awarded a $1,000 scholarship from their sponsoring companies. Thank you to our ABC Day sponsors. Please join me in congratulating our youth!

IN THE NEWS
 
Governor Branstad: DMWW lawsuit is a War Against Iowa Farmers

Governor Terry Branstad says the Des Moines Water Works lawsuit is a war against Iowa farmers. Iowa Governor Terry Branstad spoke about water quality and the Des Moines WaterWorks lawsuit at the Agribusiness Showcase Wednesday, February 10 in Des Moines.

Branstad says he hates seeing the capital attacking farmers in rural Iowa. "We have some of the most productive farmers and some of the most productive land in the world. If this lawsuit were successful, it could take some of this most productive valuable farmland and convert it back to swamp and make it not very valuable and that would be devastating to the Iowa economy," Branstad said.

The governor says he has proposed an alternative to fix water quality issues.  Listen to Ben's complete interview with Governor Branstad  here .
TPP Education Needs to Start Now

The Chief Agricultural Negotiator for the US Trade Representative says the election year is putting added pressure on getting the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement passed.

US Trade Representative Michael Froman signed the agreement in early February.  Darci Vetter says the next step is for the Administration to submit the agreement to Congress.

Once submitted, Congress has 90 legislative days for it to pass through both the House and the Senate.  "Now, in legislative days that gets stretched out to be a very long time," she says.  "But obviously when you start a clock you want to make sure you have the support to move this agreement through the process.  So we are currently working closely with congressional leadership and leadership committees about the best time to submit this bill."
People of Influence in Iowa Agriculture 
by: Iowa Farmer Today

Jim Tobin, who recently retired as vice
president of industry affairs for Monsanto, has had an influence on development of biotech crops.  Tobin's influential journey started growing up with three brothers on a farm near New Market in Taylor County, Iowa.  His parents, Kelly and Irene Tobin, encouraged the kids to be active in 4-H. One the 4-H projects Tobin worked on was photography.
Wendy Wintersteen is proud of the
 School of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Iowa State University. "I always say I won," Wintersteen says of being selected as dean of the college 10 years ago. "I've always believed strongly that the land grant universities have a responsibility to the state . . . That's a big part of our mission." That attitude is one reason Wintersteen is often praised by leaders of Iowa agricultural organizations.
2016 Membership
 Dues Reminder

A final round of 2016 membership dues will be in the mail by next week. Please watch your mail boxes for our informational packet. 

If you have not already submitted payment to the AAI offices for 2016 dues by March 31, 2016 your company name and contacts will be removed from the 2016 Membership Directory.

If you need assistance with making payments or questions on our dues structure please call or email AAI's membership director Reilly Vaughan at 515-262-8323


2016 Membership Directory Advertising Benefits

Benefits of advertising in 2016:
  • 5 Free listings in Buyer's Guide printed version
  • A linked listing on digital Buyer's Guide (www.agribiz.org/aai-buyers-guide)
  • Special listing in Advertiser's Index printed version showing page number of your ad
  • Yearly Recognition by over 1,200 AAI members who use our directory daily
  • Member discounted rates - see pages 2-3 of enclosed packet
  • Yearly Recognition by over 1,200 AAI members
Please download our advertiser packet today! Deadline to advertise is February 29, 2016. 
Upcoming Events
& Meeting
Agribusiness Association of Iowa | 5152628323
  aai@agribiz.org | www.agribiz.org
900 Des Moines Street
Des Moines, IA 50309