Archive for the 'Issues' Category
Effective January 1, 2012, anyone who is hired to apply, handle or transport fertilizer for agricultural purposes within Indiana must become certified through the Office of the Indiana State Chemist and Seed Commissioner.
The new rule also requires certification for anyone applying manure from confined feeding operations. Certification exams are conducted at the Purdue University-based OISC, with exams available at remote testing sites starting in January.
Purdue Pesticide Programs will offer a training manual in January. “Category 14 Agricultural Fertilizer Applicator” will sell for $32 and be available through Purdue Extension’s The Education Store at The Education Store.
More information can be found at this Press Release from Purdue: New Fertilizer Rule
December 21, 2010 | Education and Issues and News and Resources | No Comments »
The Indiana sheep and goat associations in cooperation with the Purdue Cooperative Extension Service cordially invite you to join other sheep and goat producers at a town hall meeting to identify ways to help Indiana’s small ruminant producers market their products.
There has been a great deal of informal discussion among sheep and goat farmers across the state about deficiencies in the marketing options. The Indiana sheep and goat associations in cooperation with the Purdue Cooperative Extension Service have received a USDA grant to investigate what can be done to improve marketing opportunities for small ruminant producers.
It is up to us as livestock producers to indicate the challenges we face and provide suggestions regarding cooperative marketing, interest in graded sales, tele-auctions or other ideas. No idea is too small, the more producers involved, the stronger a marketing program we can develop. We look forward to meeting you at one of the Town Hall locations listed below. We thank you in advance for your collaboration and input. If you are unable to make any of these meeting we would still appreciate your ideas, suggestions and information.
For more information, send an email to Sheep and Goat Group or call us at 765-891-0716. All times are EST. Click the links below for more information about specific meetings:
November 1, 2010 7pm Dubois County- SIPAC (Southern Indiana -Purdue Agricultural Center) Location:
November 3, 2010 7pm Hancock County-County Extension Office
October 06, 2010 | Education and Issues and News and Resources | No Comments »
From your Indiana Farm Bureau:
Significant changes have been taking place in environmental regulations over the last few years. Agriculture 
has been targeted for many of the changes. Regulations on livestock and poultry operations, both the state confined feeding operations regulations and the NPDES permit requirements for CAFOs, have been a main focus of our efforts to ensure that the regulations are fair to our farmers while still being protective of the environment. Under these new regulations, only CAFOs that propose to discharge will be required to obtain an NPDES permit. Most livestock and poultry operations will be able to seek regulatory approval under the state level CFO permit.
In other words, unless you are a CAFO that proposes to discharge, you can request your current CAFO permit will be allowed to revert to a CFO permit. However, the proposed draft regulation will re-define, to some degree, how you operate as a CFO. We have isolated the components that we feel are of primary concern to our producers and have offered some perspective on why this should concern you. Please review these areas of comment and offer your opinion.
Comment Summary is a two-page PDF available here: CFO Draft Rule Producer Comments0910
It is important that all livestock and poultry operations consider the impact of the changes to the confined feeding rules. How new operations are constructed and how all operations are managed and manure is applied will likely see big changes. Our goal, and why your assistance in filing your own comments is requested, is to help ensure that you can continue to operate your farm in an economically feasible manner. For those of you who don’t own livestock, you may wonder how these rule changes will affect you. First, livestock farmers are the biggest customers of corn and soybean farmers. Secondly, and maybe most importantly, is that these regulations put into place practices and standards that can be easily translated to all farming operations where nutrients are applied.
Whether you choose to submit comments is up to you. But either way, please consider the impact that the changes will have on agricultural production.
While it probably does not need to be mentioned, it is better to be safe than sorry. Any comments you file will be public documents. In other words, don’t share any confidential information and be professional. Please note your comments are due by Friday, Sept. 24th.
If you have any questions, please contact –
- Greg Slipher, Livestock Development Specialist, Indiana Farm Bureau — 317-692-7886
- Justin Schneider, Staff Attorney, Indiana Farm Bureau — (317) 692-7835
September 16, 2010 | Issues and Resources | No Comments »
The “Buckeye Compromise” has been reached in Ohio between the State of Ohio (Governor Stickland), the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation and the Humane Society of United States (HSUS). Unfortunately, this “agreement” seems to put a leash on Ohio livestock regulation, and puts HSUS “at the table” for regulatory oversight.
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
July 02, 2010 | Issues and News | No Comments »
On June 29 and 30, Carroll County producers are invited to join the Indiana Farm Bureau fact-finding tour to Ohio to discuss with fellow farmers and government officials the impact of HSUS and PETA. This trip is fully funded by the local Carroll County Farm Bureau Incorporated from District 3.
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.
June 23, 2010 | Education and Issues | No Comments »
The Carroll County Focus on the Future – Carroll County at the Crossroads II information sessions developed several priorities for focus. Among them are:
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
September 21, 2009 | Events and Issues and News | No Comments »
August 24, 2009 | Events and Issues and News | No Comments »
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) is soliciting public comment on amendments to rules at
327 IAC 5-4-3 and
327 IAC 5-4-3.1 concerning concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO),
327 IAC 15-15 concerning the NPDES CAFO general permit rule program, and
327 IAC 16 concerning confined feeding operations (CFO). IDEM seeks comment on the affected citations listed and any other provisions of Title 327 that may be affected by this rulemaking.
August 24, 2009 | Education and Issues and News and Resources | No Comments »
The Indiana Farm Bureau has provided a nice summary of the ag-related legislation that was approved (or not) in the 2009 Indiana General Assembly. You can review the summary at this link:
may-22-2009-public-policy-dispatch
June 15, 2009 | Issues and News | No Comments »
Governor Daniels Signs A Number of Ag Bills
from Indiana Farm Bureau Public Policy Dispatch, April 23 ,2009, with thanks to Indiana Soybean Council and Jane Ade Stevens for the compilation.
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.
April 27, 2009 | Issues and News | No Comments »
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Effective January 1, 2012, anyone who is hired to apply, handle or transport fertilizer for agricultural purposes within Indiana must become certified through the Office of the Indiana State Chemist and Seed Commissioner.
