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June 2009 |
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| FCC National Broadband Plan Announced |
The National Grange recently wrote to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) applauding them for developing a National Broadband Plan. The Grange proceeded to urge the FCC to ultimately adopt the Plan.
The FCC has outlined an ambitious, far-ranging comprehensive rural broadband strategy report: Bringing Broadband to Rural America. The National Grange commended the Commission for releasing this report and stated it supports the recommendations as a starting point for addressing rural broadband issues within the context of a National Broadband Plan. The Grange noted the importance of developing detailed maps showing which areas of the country lack broadband access, and mapping the current availability of broadband in remote and rural communities to ensure that stimulus funds are used appropriately.
The National Grange believes that failure to incorporate strong provisions to protect the legitimate business confidentiality and individual privacy interests of broadband providers, small businesses, family farmers, and consumers will deter rather than promote the goal of universal broadband adoption in unserved rural and tribal communities. Broadband deployment in tens of thousands of urban and suburban communities across the nation has been successfully completed without requiring widespread public disclosure of legitimate confidential business data or private subscriber information. There is no reason that the same expectations of confidentiality and privacy should not apply to rural broadband deployment efforts. With the appropriate level of protection for confidential and private data as well as the strong commitment of state and local governments and local organizations that know the local landscape, the National Grange believes the FCC can reasonably set a goal of completing these maps by the end of 2009.
According to the National Grange, a National Broadband Plan should address plans to provide financial assistance to families and small businesses, where necessary, and to educate those who need more knowledge of computing. Educational materials should also be developed concerning the financial benefits of educational and personal services available over the internet as well as financial incentives to increase direct employment opportunities available over the internet. Financial support for aggressive technical assistance, education, and outreach to deploy and access government services and client information services by various farming, rural, and tribal constituencies that are directly served by state and federal government programs should also be included.
The lack of broadband adoption in rural and tribal communities may also be due to a lack of an adequate infrastructure as well as a lack of regulatory and employer support for telecommuting and tele-consulting that would directly generate additional jobs, employment, and economic activity in these communities. The National Grange believes that FCC should set an affirmative example, as part of the National Broadband Plan, for the Federal government to help spur the development of remote and rural telecommuting and work opportunities by designating that at least 5% of all FCC technical support contracts must be sourced or outsourced to employees or contractors who will be expected to perform their duties via telecommuting in rural and tribal communities with low broadband adoption rates and/or recent broadband penetration. Further, the National Broadband Plan should, within a four year period, set a goal of requiring broader initiatives by federal and state government agencies to set aside at least 5% of all of their technical support contracts to be outsourced to telecommuting employees or contractors in rural and tribal communities as well.
The National Grange believes that competitive forces should be a driving force in addressing the regulatory oversight challenges of providing high-speed internet access to Americans in rural and tribal communities. Rural and tribal communities offer too large and too important a market for any competitive provider of internet based commercial services to ignore. Rural and tribal communities are equally critical areas for internet based delivery of services by local, state, and federal government agencies. Therefore, the National Grange believes that one-size-fits all regulatory prohibitions that dictate the management of the internet’s infrastructure will be counter productive.  |
| National Grange Endorses National Broadband Resource Center |
The National Grange is pleased to announce the endorsement of the National Broadband Resource Center (NBRC). NBRC will succeed the Alliance for Public Technology (APT) and will act as a connecting point for non-profit entities to receive information and referral for the development and implementation of broadband applications. It will also act as a catalyst for new innovations in broadband applications. We believe these connections and catalysts are needed to ensure that the nearly 60 million Americans living and working in remote, tribal, farming, and rural communities across the United States benefit from efforts to expand broadband capacity.
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| Large Agricultural Export Program Funding |
The National Grange in conjunction with the Coalition to Promote U.S. Agricultural Exports recently wrote to Congressional leaders urging them to support vital funding for USDA’s important exporting programs including the Market Access Program (MAP) and the Foreign Market Development (FMD) Program. The group strongly urged that MAP be funded at no less than $200 million for FY 10, as authorized in the 2008 Farm Bill. In addition, they supported FMD funding at its fully authorized level of $34.5 million, as provided in the Farm Bill. These are the same levels of funding included in the FY 09 omnibus appropriations bill.
MAP, which is administered by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), forms a highly successful partnership between non-profit U.S. agricultural trade associations, farmer cooperatives, non-profit state-regional trade groups, small businesses, and USDA to share the costs of overseas marketing and promotional activities, such as consumer promotions, market research, trade shows, and trade servicing. Exports are a vital part of the U.S. economic engine, and agricultural exports continue to be its strongest component. Since its creation in 1985, MAP has proven to be highly successful in helping to boost U.S. agricultural exports, protecting and creating American jobs, and increasing farm income. Over this period, U.S. agricultural exports have increased by nearly 300 percent, and today over 1.2 million Americans have jobs that depend on these exports. A study commissioned by USDA prior to the 2008 Farm Bill debate showed that farm net cash income increased considerably as a result of spending on market development activities. We believe it makes little sense to reverse that trend, especially during an unprecedented economic downturn.
By any measure, MAP has been tremendously successful and extremely cost-effective in helping maintain and expand U.S. agricultural exports, protect and create American jobs, strengthen farm income, and help, at least in part, to offset the government-supported advantages afforded foreign competitors. MAP is one of the few tools U.S. agriculture has to compete in the international marketplace, and is even more important today as our competitors increase their financial resources to gain market share. |
| National Grange Urges Medicare Part D Reforms |
Ed Luttrell, President of the National Grange, called on Congress and the Administration to increase resources for outreach and education in farming communities regarding the importance of timely sign up for the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug program among eligible farmers. “Successful implementation of the Medicare Part D program in our nation’s farming communities through a wide variety of market based plans has been critical to the success and economic health of those communities and the personal health of eligible family farmers and rural small business owners living in those communities,” the Grange leader stated.
Analysis recently conducted by the National Grange on the nation’s farm population using data from the USDA’s Census of Agriculture has revealed that Medicare, and particularly the Medicare Part D prescription drug program, will have an increasing and important economic and quality of life impact on a significant number of family farmers and rural small businesses in the United States. According to 2007 Census of Agriculture, 30% of the nearly 2.2 million farm operators in the United States are currently over the age of 65, while the average age of an American farmer is 57 years old. Taking into account the diversity in the size of these farm operations, the diversity in the crops and livestock produced on these farms, and the market conditions that have prevailed in the agriculture sector over the past five years, analysis conducted by the National Grange has concluded that more family farmers and their spouses over the age of 65 will receive greater direct financial benefits from participating in the Medicare programs in general, including the Part D prescription drug program, than they will from participating in federal farm commodity support programs as administered under the 2008 Farm Bill.
President Luttrell noted that lifelong family farmers and rural small business owners often want to remain active in their farming and business operations after the traditional age of retirement because the physical and mental stimulation of working helps keep these individuals healthy and gives them a purpose. In addition, Luttrell noted that an increasing number of couples and individuals who have not been actively involved in farming or owning a small business during their primary careers are electing to take up these occupations in their retirement years as a way to stay active and healthy as well as generate additional retirement income. Luttrell said he anticipates this trend toward greater numbers of retirement farmers and rural small business owners to grow as the “baby boomer” generation reaches retirement age. Access to affordable prescription drugs through a variety of market based coverage choices, as currently provided under the Medicare Part D program, will directly support the healthy lifestyle decisions that are currently being made by traditional and retirement career farmers and rural small business owners who want to be involved in their rural communities in their later years.
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| American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 Increases Agriculture Production Costs |
The Agriculture Energy Alliance, including the National Grange, recently wrote to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to express concerns about the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009. The House Committee on Energy and Commerce recently approved this legislation, HR 2454.
The coalition explained to Speaker Pelosi that the legislation burdens U.S. farmers with higher production costs by placing U.S. producers of key agriculture imports, such as fertilizer and petroleum products, at a serious competitive disadvantage and forces even more production of these products overseas to countries with no carbon reduction policies. U.S. farmers already depend on energy imports for about 55% of their nitrogen fertilizer needs. If energy production is forced to operate overseas to countries that do not regulate carbon emissions, agriculture production costs will significantly increase. In addition, the bill does not provide farmers with the ability to recover these cost increases through the sale of carbon offset credits.
The bill as currently drafted does not recognize and support the benefits that agriculture provides reducing carbon emissions through agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs) that play a key role in carbon sequestration. The coalition suggests that HR 2454 be amended to recognize the important role agriculture has played in protecting and restoring our environment.
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| Scientists Sign Support for Biodiesel |
Over the past four months more than 100 scientists have voiced their support for biodiesel by signing the “Scientists for Biodiesel” declaration. The “Scientists for Biodiesel” declaration began in February 2009, by Dr. Rob Myers, a director of the Thomas Jefferson Agricultural Institute, and Roger Beachy, President of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. According to Myers, the goal of this declaration is to “increase awareness and information sharing about the depth and breadth of the scientific research behind biodiesel that contributes to its sustainability.” The 100-plus signatures by scientists from U.C. Berkeley, Texas Tech, Penn State, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Sandia National Laboratories, among others, “demonstrates the strength and breadth of support for biodiesel within the scientific community,” said Wendy Wintersteen, Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and director of the Experiment Station at Iowa State University. For more information on the “Scientists for Biodiesel” declaration, including a list of signatures, please visit www.biodieselsustainability.com.
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| Legislative Round - UP |
The Maine State Grange hosted its annual Legislative Luncheon last spring. Members of the Legislative and Agriculture Committees plus several Deputies and State Officers served more than 200 legislators and their guests, making the event a huge success. Gov. John Baldacci and Commissioner of Agriculture Seth Bradstreet were in attendance.
New Hampshire State Grange
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The New Hampshire State Grange has been working with the New Hampshire Farm Bureau to save the NH Department of Agriculture. The governor proposed combining the department with several others. At a recent hearing attended by over 200 people, the Grange was able to tell members of the New Hampshire General Assembly about the importance of a state Department of Agriculture.
The Ohio State Grange Master and Overseer spoke at a Columbus International Program (CIP) in conjunction with the Columbus Kiwanis Club, to share information about the Grange to a visiting Serbian Agricultural Cooperative delegation. For over 38 years CIP has provided opportunities for professionals from around the world to gain valuable insight and experience through their professional exchange programs throughout central Ohio. The Serbians spent twenty-two days in Ohio meeting with professional counterparts in the United States. Upon returning home they will build on the relationships created to make changes in their own country.
Pennsylvania State Grange |
In an effort to preserve the "opportunity for an eighth generation to work our farm, if they choose to do so," Matt Espenshade, a seventh generation dairy farmer from Lancaster County, presented testimony on behalf of the PA State Grange, requesting that the Pennsylvania Milk Marketing Board (PMMB)"extend the $2.15 over-order premium payment."
Espenshade told the PMMB, "During the past 142 years, our farm has weathered many storms...the Great Depression, a failed attempt at 'going organic,' threats of eminent domain seizure for development. However, at no time have we been as close to a breaking point as we are now." He continued, "In many ways, my farm's current situation is representative of many farms in Lancaster County, and across Pennsylvania."
The list of items that can be fed into anaerobic digesters grew slightly more palatable when the Washington governor signed Senate Bill 5797 into law, allowing Washington farmers and ranchers to mix food byproducts into their biodigesters along with its primary fuel – cow manure. “Anaerobic digesters are great at changing waste products such as manure into energy, but they’re even more efficient when you toss in some food waste,” Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen ( D-Camano Island) said on Earth Day while explaining her motivation for sponsoring the bill to broaden the variety of biomass that can be used in the machines. SB 5797 exempts anaerobic digesters from solid waste permitting requirements under specific conditions and guidelines. Haugen is hopeful that eliminating regulatory red tape will encourage farmers and ranchers to use otherwise wasted organic material to produce heat and electricity.
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