Alabama Farmers Leave Lasting Impact On Capitol Hill |
|
Agricultural advocacy took center stage on Capitol Hill during the Washington Legislative Conference (WLC) March 7-10, as passion and patriotism sent 140 Alabama Farmers Federation members to Washington, D.C.
U.S. Sens. Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville, both of Alabama, met with members addressing concerns and questions. Britt and Tuberville said they were eager to be with fellow Alabamians and received standing ovations from Federation members.
Attendees also received farm bill briefings from American Farm Bureau Federation and National Republican Senatorial Committee staff. As farmers crisscrossed the capital, they met with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services and U.S. Grain Council to talk about inputs and inflation.
A perennial conference favorite, the Congressional Barbecue packed out American Legion Hall March 8. This time of fellowship and one-on-one conversation with members of Congress and their staffers featured Bishop’s Barbecue from Colbert County and Priester’s Pecans in Lowndes County. U.S. Rep. G.T. Thompson, R-Pa., who chairs the House Agriculture Committee, joined to hear the voices of Alabama farmers.
|
|
Inaugural Jr. Dairy Expo Held March 11 |
|
|
|
The inaugural Jr. Dairy Expo (JDE) was March 11 in Montgomery.
The contest was organized by the Alabama Farmers Federation as part of the Jr. Livestock Expo, held in conjunction with the Southeastern Livestock Expo. Kirk Butcher of Windy Hill Family Farms in Newnan, Georgia, was the judge.
Mason Patterson of St. Clair County exhibited the overall grand champion senior heifer at the Alabama JDE. His heifer was also the champion Holstein.
|
|
Young Farmers Represent At AFBF Fusion Conference |
|
The conference drew over 1,000 volunteer-leaders from the three program areas — Promotion & Education, Women’s Leadership and Young Farmers & Ranchers — to learn, share and grow together. Alabama farmers attended leadership breakout sessions and heard from special guest speakers, including AFBF President Zippy Duvall.
During the conference, Tanner Hood, a senior at Auburn University, made the Sweet 16 in the collegiate Discussion Meet contest.
|
|
Federation Prepared For Legislative Session |
|
Economic development and education were on the minds of Alabama lawmakers March 7 as the 2023 legislative session began.
Gov. Kay Ivey called a special session of the Legislature to allocate $1 million in federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Lawmakers began work on the funding bills March 8 and are expected to conclude the special session this week. The regular session should resume next week.
Federation Agricultural Legislation Director Preston Roberts said the organization’s priority will be rural economic development, including funding for a proposed Alabama Farm Center.
“As Alabama’s economy grows and jobs are created, we want to make sure farmers and rural residents aren’t left out,” Roberts said. “We will work to extend and potentially expand the Growing Alabama Tax Credit and Alabama Jobs Act to encourage continued economic investment. The Federation also will share research funded by the Alabama Farmers Agriculture Foundation demonstrating how the Alabama Farm Center would benefit the state.”
Other Federation priorities include standardizing the referendum schedule and administrative fees for the producer-funded peanut checkoff while reducing audit expense for the sheep and goat checkoff. The External Affairs team also is working to preserve budget allocations for agriculture and forestry programs.
Sign up for Federation publication emails, including CapCon that highlights the legislative session. Sign up here.
|
|
Down To Earth: Alabama Farmers Sustain For The Future |
|
Farmers and timber landowners work with the future in mind.
“I love knowing that my three kids watch calves be born and see the fish grow every year,” said Hale County farmer Townsend Kyser. “Farming is a great way for me and my wife, Kelly, to raise Laura, Will and Sam. It allows them to see what it takes for this world to work. My hope is that they are proud to grow up on the farm.”
Farmers like Kyser use forward-thinking practices to reduce inputs, raise yields, produce healthy and sustainable products, and ensure their children have resources needed to steward the land, too.
Gleaning ideas about more efficient, sustainable growing practices is one reason Kyser and fellow farmer David Lee join grassroots organizations like the Federation.
“I love what I do because my kids love to jump in the truck and go with me to work cattle,” Lee said. “My kids are already thinking about ways to improve the operation.”
|
|
Faith, Family, Farm-Fresh Produce Fuel Farmer In The Dell |
|
|
|
Spring means sunshine, sprouting plants and sweet strawberries.
Thanks to U-pick operations like Farmer In The Dell in Auburn, locals get a taste of farm life by picking their own strawberries straight from the field.
“It is just a different experience to get to eat while you pick,” said Marie Foshee, whose family owns Farmer In The Dell. “To pick that berry off the vine and put it right into your mouth makes you appreciate agriculture in a different way.”
|
|
About 99% of farm bill outlays go to nutrition, crop insurance, commodities and conservation titles. The “other” category makes up the remaining 1% of all projected outlays.
Figure 1 provides the breakdown of all projected outlays as a percentage of total outlays under the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill, PL 115-334), including titles within the “other” category. This Market Intel will analyze the titles of the farm bill outside of the top four titles that account for nearly all farm bill outlays. These programs, while only making up 1%, have huge impacts on one of the most productive groups of people in the country, rural Americans.
|
|
The Alabama Farmers Federation is hosting a Forestry & Wildlife Seminar March 24 at the home office in Montgomery. The cost is free for Alfa Farmers members, but pre-registration is required.
Register by emailing William Green at wmgreen@alfafarmers.org. Lunch will be sponsored by the Alabama TREASURE Forest Association. CFE credits are available to foresters.
|
|
-
Gov. Kay Ivey has proclaimed March 2023 Prescribed Fire Awareness Month in Alabama. A coalition of state, federal and private organizations under the umbrella of the Alabama Prescribed Fire Council requested the proclamation to raise awareness of the essential role fire plays in stewarding natural resources and protecting lives and property. Click here to learn more.
-
Beginning June 11, over-the-counter livestock antibiotics will no longer be available, according to a directive from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). After June 11, producers must have a prescription from a licensed veterinarian to get antibiotics for their livestock. Click here to read more.
-
The American Farm Bureau Federation has signed a right-to-repair agreement with Case IH and New Holland, similar to its January agreement with John Deere. Click here to read more.
-
Gov. Kay Ivey signed Executive Order 735 March 8 to reduce red tape citizens and businesses must navigate. The order places a moratorium on new rule-making by executive branch agencies and establishes goals to reduce regulatory restrictions in the Alabama Administrative Code. Click here to learn more.
|
|
-
June 5 - Young Farmers of Alabama Golf Tournament in Montgomery
|
Simply Southern TV Season 9 |
The first half of season 9 is winding down. Be sure to tune in for more new episodes!
March 18/19/22: Circle J Dairy in Pickens County, Harrison Brothers Hardware Store, Rural Roundup, Sweet Grown Alabama video on lettuce and a Southern Bite recipe for Tomato Cracker Salad
March 25/26/29: A Best Of Southern Bite episode featuring recipes for Sausage Gravy, Fried Green Tomatoes, One-Pot Ratatouille with Chicken, and Mom’s Peach Cobbler
Shows air over the weekend on six broadcast stations and on Wednesdays on national cable network RFD-TV. To find out where and when the show airs near you, visit simplysoutherntv.net and click “Where To Watch.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
