The agreement was reached to prevent HSUS from putting restrictive livestock initiatives on the Ohio ballot for public vote.  Fortunately, Indiana does not permit ballot initiatives, but Ohio is right next door to us, and Indiana could become a new HSUS target.

A copy of the agreement can be downloaded here:  HSUS Buckeye Compromise.   Note attention to paragraphs 6, 7, and 10 for a taste of HSUS’s intentions for “supervising” livestock production and retaining control over Ohio livestock regulation.

Sadly, this document does not require HSUS to give up anything – HSUS still retains the right to bring the ballot initiatives to Ohio if HSUS doesn’t think that Ohio is properly (or quickly) implementing the “recommendations” in the agreement.

More information can be found at a great website which operates as a watchdog for HSUS:  Humane Watch

More information and itinerary available on the attached flyer:  Farm Bureau Flyer

Contact Mike Beale (Carroll County Farm Bureau) or Kendell Culp (District 3 Director) for reservation information.  Contact information is on the flyer.

1. Create Job Opportunities

2. Youth and Family Recreation

3. Marketing the County

4. Tourism

5. Infrastructure

6. Government Unity with a Vision

7. Diversity

You are invited to attend a meeting to help develop goals and actions for these issues. Join in on Thursday, September 24, from 7-9 pm at the Burlington Community Center. Also, save the date for November 12, 7-9 pm at the Canal Center to hear presentations on these proposed goals. For more information, check out the attached letter: 09-16-09 Crossroads II Priorities

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels has signed 33 bills into law. A number of these deal with agriculture and rural Indiana.  Click on the Bill Number to go directly to the Indiana General Assembly data about the bill.

- HB 1193 (Rep. Joe Pearson, D-Hartford City, and Sen. Ron Alting, R-Lafayette) adds school corporations, colleges and universities to the list of entities that are eligible to apply for a grant under the E85 Fueling Station Grant Program.

- HB 1203 (Rep. Bob Bischoff, D-Greendale, and Sen. Ryan Mishler, R-Bremen) establishes the invasive species council within the Purdue University College of Agriculture.

- HB 1204 (Rep. Bob Bischoff, D-Greendale, and Sen. Dennis Kruse, R-Auburn) provides that money in the Clean Water Indiana fund does not revert to any other fund at the end of a fiscal year.

- HB 1218 (Rep. Joe Pearson, D-Hartford City, and Sen. Ron Alting, Lafayette) increases to $10 million the balance that will trigger the reinstatement of the collection of producer premiums for the grain indemnity fund. The bill also provides that if premiums are reinstated, they will be collected through June 30 of the year in which the fund reaches $15 million.

- HB 1473 (Rep. Milo Smith, R-Columbus, and Sen. Greg Walker, R-Columbus) requires that residential, agricultural and commercial rental agreements entered into or renewed after June 30, 2009, must disclose if a structure on the property is located in a flood plain.

- HB 1524 (Rep. Terry Goodin, D-Austin, and Sen. Ron Alting, R-Lafayette) allows the State Egg Board to set fees rather than return to the General Assembly for fee increases. It also makes other changes regarding the sale of eggs in Indiana.

- SB 271 (Sen. Randy Head, R-Logansport, and Rep. Joe Pearson, D-Hartford City) provides that a request for an increase in funds for the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at Purdue University must originate from the Indiana State Board of Animal Health, subject to the written approval of the treasurer of Purdue, and will allow fee money to be used for any purpose except for faculty salaries.

- SB 424 (Sen. Ryan Mishler, R-Bremen, and Rep. Bob Bischoff, D-Greendale) allows the director of the Department of Natural Resources to set the boundaries of an area where a pest or pathogen is located and to declare the area to be an infested area. It also changes the definition of “pest or pathogen” for the purposes of certain laws concerning entomology and plant pathology.

- SB 545 (Sen. Ryan Mishler, R-Bremen, and Rep. Bob Bischoff, D-Greendale) makes a number of changes to the state’s fish and wildlife laws. Most significantly, it changes the procedure for establishing a controlled hunt in a state park and increases how old you can be to fish without a license from 17 to 18.

- SB 27 (Sen. Teresa Lubbers, R-Indianapolis, and Rep. Joe Pearson, D-Hartford City) renames the state’s educational technology fund as the Sen. David C. Ford Educational Technology Fund. Renaming the fund is a tribute to the late Sen. David Ford (R-Hartford City), who was instrumental in establishing it.

NYT Our Pigs, Our Food

Purdue and Indiana Pork were quick to respond and noted the lack of “real” data, and the very speculative nature of the article. Certainly, the intent was to leverage the recent and unexpected death of Doc Anderson with yet another attack on the livestock industry. Below is the link to the Purdue article which addressed the topic, the response from Indiana Pork, and local news articles.

Purdue Experts on Livestock and Antibiotic Resistance

indiana-pork-ny-times-mrsa-statement

ny-times-mrsa-article-producer-talking-points

WLFI TV 18 Article March 16 NYT Article Upsets Local Farmers

WLFI TV 18 Article March 17 US Bill Aims to End Antibiotic Misuse

Lafayette Journal and Courier Article March 18 Push to Limit Antibiotics for Livestock

Randy Curless, Indiana Pork President letter to NY Times Response to Kristof

NASS Census of Agriculture (website)

Carroll County Data

Indiana Data

US Info – Farm Numbers

US Info – Economics

US Info – Demographics

The Carroll County office of the UDSA-FSA will be hosting two workshops about the New Farm Program.  Each workshop will include an overview of the Program, eligibility and payment limitations, as well as information for the SURE, SADA and ACRE programs.  Forms will be available, with staff assistance to help.  Jacob Maxwell, the Executive Director at the Carroll County FSA office, presented the educational program at the January 17 CCAA Members Meeting.  He has generously shared his presentation and links to the USDA website for more information (below).

Workshops – both on February 5, 2009, at 10:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. at the Carroll County 4-H Building.

New Eligibility Forms:

Form 902I – For Individuals

Form 902E – For Entities, Partnerships, and Husband-Wife operations

Form 926 – AGI Statement

Form 901 – Member Information

Form 902 – Continuation form for Farm Numbers

2008-farm-bill-overview (PDF)

More information about the Farm Program is available at the UDSA website:

For commodity programs, including payment limits and eligibility: Commodity Programs

For disaster assistance information: Disaster Assistance

While at the time of this posting it’s too late to submit a report if you are required to do so, you can follow the links below for more information. The National Pork Producers have filed a lawsuit challenging the “unworkable rule” and reporting requirements.

For more information, you can check out the EPA Fact Sheet

The Press Release put out by the National Pork Producer’s Council regarding the new rule and the NPPC lawsuit may be found at this link: NPPC website

From field to grocery store

Save the Date!  March 19, 2009, is the annual Carroll County Ag Day.   The Soil and Water Conservation District and Carroll County Ag Association puts together this event for all Carroll County 4th Graders.  Students get a chance to learn important hands-on information about the agriculture industry – where food comes from and how it gets to their table.  Volunteers are needed to help make this event a success.  Mark your calendar today, and stay tuned for more information, early in 2009.

Public meetings to discuss the Comprehensive Land Use Plan being developed for Carroll County will be held throughout the county beginning July 23. All meetings will be from 7-9 p.m.

The first meeting, next Wednesday (July 23) will be held at the Flora First Christian Church
on South Center St.

The second meeting will be held in Delphi on July 29 at the Wabash & Erie Canal Conference Center.

A third meeting set  for July 31 and will be held at the Burlington Park Community Building.

The final meeting will be held Aug 6 at The Sportsman Inn in the northwest part of the county.

Copies of the Comprehensive Plan are available for review at the following locations: Area Plan Office at the Carroll County Courthouse, Delphi; Burlington Community Library, Camden Jackson Twp. Public Library, Delphi Public Library, Flora-Monroe Twp. Public Library, and Northwest Carroll Library, Yeoman.

The plan is available for download and printing –NOTE – this is a 5MB file – suitable for broadband access.  If you need assistance, please contact (add contact information here)
DRAFT- Carroll County Comprehensive Land Use Plan July 2008

Carroll County Chamber of Commerce along with the Carroll County Economic Development Corporation have worked to promote and retain business (jobs) within our county. (12) proposed projects that have been presented to Carroll County Government. To fund these projects The Chamber and Economic Development Corporation have requested the County Council and the County Commissioners dedicate an EDIT tax increase of .15%. The Chamber and EDC believe that these projects will: 
(a) bring new businesses to the county
(b) help retain the businesses that currently exist
(c) increase a diverse and healthy economic tax base within the county

Board of Zoning Appeals meet on the fourth tuesday of each month if they are needed for a special exception or variance. The time of their meetings is immediately following the area plan commission meeting. All applications must be submitted to Zoning Administrator at least 30 days prior to the regular meeting and must be published in the local paper at least 10 days prior.

Documents

• 2008 Area Plan Members
• Area Plan Permit Fees
• Notice of Appeal Form
• Permit Application
• Zoning Ordinance

View the entire document from the Indiana State Department of Agriculture
A Closer Look at Indiana’s Livestock Industry

As an advisory body to state government1, the Indiana Land Resources Council developed this guidance document to clarify the extent of local authority to regulate livestock operations.

The purpose of this document is to aid state and local officials in understanding the roles and responsibilities of each unit of government in the regulation of livestock agriculture. It will first look at the specific powers granted to local units of government under the state’s land-use policies and then analyze the areas where state agencies have preemptive authority.

View the entire document from the Indiana State Department of Agriculture
Role of Local Officials