American Agri-Women

American Agri-Women elect officers, recognize outstanding contributors at 36th annual convention
Dr. Barry Flinchbaugh receives Veritas Award

November 30, 2011, ALMA, Kan.– Women involved in agriculture from throughout the U.S. and Canada met in Wichita, Kan., recently for the 36th annual American Agri-Women (AAW) convention. They elected officers, recognized outstanding contributors – and gathered information and resources to advocate for agriculture.

AAW (www.americanagriwomen.org) is a national coalition of more than 40,000 farm, ranch and agribusiness women, representing 60 state and commodity affiliates.

National officers for 2012 are:

• President: Karen Yost, Billings, Montana
• First Vice President for Resolutions & Vital Issues: Sue McCrum, Mars Hill, Maine
• Vice President Communications: Abby Amick, Alma, Kan.
• Vice President Education: Lisa Condon, Horicon, Wis.
• Secretary: Jody Elrod, Sinton, Texas
• Treasurer: Peggy Clark, Dayton, Ohio
• Past-President: Chris Wilson, Manhattan, Kan.

American Agri-Women 2012 officers (from left) Chris Wilson, Peggy Clark, Jody Elrod, Karen Yost, Sue McCrum, Abby Amick, and Lisa Condon.

Award Winners

Dr. Barry Flinchbaugh, professor of ag economics at Kansas State University received the Veritas award for exemplifying the organization’s “pursuit of truth” ideal. He has had a distinguished career in academia, consulted with the U.S. Congress and others on ag policy and is the author of more than 100 publications.

AAW President Chris Wilson and Veritas Award Winner Dr. Barry Flinchbaugh.

Two women were presented with the Leaven award, the organization’s highest honor for members.

• Carol Chandler, California Women for Agriculture
• Julie Tesch, Minnesota Agri-Women

Convention speakers covered the latest issues in agriculture including sustainability, marketing, environmental topics, energy, estate planning, advocacy, and more.

Since 1974, AAW members have worked together to educate consumers; advocate for agriculture; and provide networking and professional development opportunities. Go to the AAW web site for more information and to join, www.americanagriwomen.org. Find AAW on social media at: Facebook.com/AgriWomen/ and Twitter.com/Women4Ag/ (@Women4Ag.)

View more convention photos (http://tinyurl.com/co3k2e5):

 

AAW Past National President Trenna Grabowski Passes August 9, 2011

We regret to report the passing of Trenna Grabowski on August 9 in Colorado. 

Details may be viewed here.

 

AAW Set to Take 2011 Policy Positions to DC

AAW representatives from throughout the country will be in Washington, DC, this month to meet with their Congressional Delegations regarding key issues affecting agriculture.  The AAW 2011 Policy Positions may be found here.

AAW Mid-Year Board of Directors Meeting Speaker Videos Available for Watching Online

Sheriff Paul Babeu of Pinal County Arizona

Anna Marie Knorr, Western Growers Association/Holly Swanson, Operation Greenout

Affiliate and committee reports

 

 

AAW Hails Passage of H.R. 872, Regarding Pesticide Application Permits

The House of Representatives has passed H.R. 872, the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act of 2011, by a vote of 292 to 130. H.R. 872 states that National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits are not required when applying pesticides according to their EPA approved label.

American Agri-Women (AAW) President Chris Wilson said that AAW supported the passage of this legislation and commended the House of Representatives for its bipartisan support of the bill, signally the understanding that NPDES permits could be burdensome and unnecessary. Historically, pesticide applications have been regulated under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), rather than NPDES permits under the federal Clean Water Act. A court decision was the reason that NPDES permits would be required in addition. H.R. 872 amends both the Clean Water Act and FIFRA in order to restore the previous regulatory framework. 

"AAW was pleased to join with other farm organizations in support of this important measure, and we hope the Senate will move quickly to pass this bill."

 

Dear AAW Members,

President Obama has signed the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. Throughout the process on this legislation, AAW Food Safety Chair Ruth Jensen has kept us updated. Below and on the Food Safety Page, Ruth outlines this new act.

You can contact Ruth with questions: msjensen@comcast.net

The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act “modernizes “our food safety system to supposedly better prevent foodborne illness and respond to outbreaks. Chatter in the halls of Congress is that the new Republican Chairman-Elect of the House Agriculture Committee, Frank Lucas of Oklahoma intends to omit funding for this Act.

Click here for a section-by-section description of the bill.

 

Coming Up on the Agri-Women TV Show

Farm women are making a difference from coast to coast. RFD-TV began airing their weekly tv show for farm women on Tuesday, August 31, at 9:30 p.m. EST. The show will repeat each week on Wednesdays at 11:30 a.m.

The American Agri-Women Show is a series by, for and about farm and ranch women. In this half-hour series, AAW brings a weekly topic of concern to farm, ranch and agribusiness women and shares information about how to manage risk in agricultural operations. Each show features expert advice on that week's topic and includes a visit with a farm woman who is addressing that issue in her farming operation. Farm women from Oregon to North Carolina are featured on the show. Tune in at 6 and 9 pm EST on Channel 230 on DISH and Channel 344 on DIRECTV.

To view the AAW TV shows online, follow this link to our Vimeo.com Channel. 

Upcoming shows include:

 Accessing farm credit - Doug Hoffbauer and Janet McPherson/ Vickie & Marie Bowers

 Organizational resources for individual development - Chris Wilson/IA Women in Agriculture

 Business planning - Doris Mold/Sharon Rogers/Alicia Morris

 Entrepreneurship - Donita Whitney Bammerlin/Brenda Renyer /Nancy Patterson

Ag labor needs - Kathy Reavis/Arlene Frelk

 Leadership for agriculture - Marcie Williams & Neil Strong/Syngenta participants and 2010 Syngenta leadership participants

The American Agri-Women Show is made possible through a grant from USDA’s Risk Management Agency. For more information, visit the AAW website: http://americanagriwomen.org.

 

 A RESPONSE TO FOOD INC

What is agriculture really like? Not what you saw portrayed in Food Inc.  Food production in the U.S. today is still happening on our farms and ranches. Here's a document with facts about American agriculture and the truth about food production.

 

AAW Advocating for Agriculture Video Contest 
 

Congratulations to Janelle and John Swiercinsky of Mokena, IL, winners of AAW's 1st Advocating for Agriculture Video Contest, with their video "Grace and Clover."

AAW is looking for great videos that tell the true story of agriculture!  There's a lot of information being circuluated to the public that doesn't accurately portray our industry.  What's happening on your farm or ranch?  Send us links to your videos - We'll link to them as favorites at our You Tube site:  http://youtube.com/americanagriwomen.  Send video links to:  aawvideocontest@americanagriwomen.org.

 

ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT RULING THREATENS FOOD PRODUCTION IN CALIFORNIA

Judging from the varied reactions of viewers watching last Sunday's 60 Minutes TV segment, "California: Running Dry", the state's three-year-drought is more complicated than simply the weather, according to the president of a national coalition of farm and ranch women. "If you look at comments on the CBS website, you can see how emotional people are," said Chris Wilson, president of American Agri-Women. "But if people studied the facts of this case, they would see the devastating effects of the Endangered Species Act on not only rural people but Americans everywhere, not just California, because these farmers feed the world."

In a 2006 lawsuit environmental groups demanded that the pumps in the Delta be shut off to protect a small minnow-smelt. Protectors of the smelt claim it can be sucked into the pumps that distribute water to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. In August 2007, U.S. District Judge Oliver Wanger ordered curtailing of the pumping of water that supplies the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta until a new biological opinion could be written, which it was in December 2008, resulting in more pumping restrictions. San Joaquin Valley water agencies challenged the ruling. As a result, in May 2009, Judge Wanger agreed the original restrictions on pumping needed to be revisited with the water agencies' compelling argument that people are being harmed by unreasonable concern over the welfare of a tiny fish.

According to one Californian, the drought was just as severe last year and farmers cut back on planting, but received from 10-30% of their water allocation through the Delta, depending on where their land was located. This year, because of the Delta smelt ruling, the allocation is 0% (zero percent). Hundreds of thousands of acres have been fallowed, almond trees pulled, and more than 60,000 jobs were lost.

The Obama administration has addressed the California water crisis by releasing a coordinated interim action plan of six federal agencies with their list of actions to be coordinated with the state. But some say it is too little, too late.

Carol Chandler, past president of California Women for Agriculture, stated, "There is a lot of rhetoric about conservation and restoration without addressing the need for water storage and temporary suspension of the Endangered Species Act. To improve our situation, growers in California need more water storage, conveyance capabilities around the fragile Delta so water can travel south, repair of the Delta levees to prevent salt water intrusion and flooding (salt water intrusion comes into the Delta during drought when the water seeps in from the Pacific Ocean), and suspension of the Endangered Species Act during severe drought conditions." Chandler added that many people would like to see a review of the biological opinions declaring that the pumps were the reason the smelt were dying.

AAW president Wilson stated, "A fish has been put above the needs of human beings who rely on the fresh products that come out of one of the most bountiful breadbaskets of America. We depend on California production of over 300 crops. Just one example is that 90% of almonds come from California. Without an adequate water supply, we risk shortages of our food supply here at home. United States farmers produce the most plentiful and safest food supply in the world so why risk growing it elsewhere? We all believe in conservation of the species but your families must come first."

 

American Agri-Women partners with Broadband for America

Over the past three months, the Broadband for America (BfA) coalition has grown to nearly 100 members ranging from independent consumer advocacy groups, to content and application providers, to the companies which build and maintain the internet. Together these organizations represent the hundreds of millions of Americans who are literally connected through broadband.

American Agri-Women is proud to be part of this growing network of advocacy groups determined to give broadband availability to all Americans regardless of geographic location, economic position, or social level. It’s encouraging to see the names of Time Warner and Verizon along with other communication networks as members.

Broadband for America’s network website is www.broadbandforamerica.com. Please visit the site and sign up as a follower to receive communications.

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