Texas Farm Bureau | Agriculture News | Texas Ag News Friday, December 16, 2005

Calendar

Dec. 20	RFD-TV’s "Rural Texas," 5:30 p.m.
Dec. 23-26	Christmas Holidays (Waco Office Closed)
Jan. 2	New Year’s Holiday (Waco Office Closed)
Jan. 5	New County Presidents’ Orientation, Waco
Jan. 8-11	AFBF Annual Meeting, Nashville, Tenn.
Jan. 13-31	Ft. Worth Stock Show "Planet Ag" Exhibit, Fort Worth
Jan. 17-18	Blackland Income Growth (B.I.G.) Conference, Waco

Chambliss immigration bill falls short
The Labor Department’s H-2A visa program for temporary foreign workers would be streamlined under legislation proposed this week by Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.).

Additionally, Chambliss’ bill contains a two-year visa provision for undocumented farm workers currently in the United States. It also includes several other provisions such as prevailing wage rate language, 11-month and 33-month visa renewals under H-2A, a $3,000 per employee background check paid by the employer for undocumented workers seeking "blue cards" (two-year visas), and the right for employers to file petitions helping supervisory workers to apply for "green cards."

Chambliss is seeking support for the bill to be incorporated into more comprehensive immigration reform legislation. The legislation contains many positive provisions but differs in significant respects from the amendment he offered earlier this year and appears to fall short of Farm Bureau policy. A temporary worker program is increasingly important to all agricultural sectors—crops and livestock. Farm Bureau estimates that at least $6 billion of U.S. fruit and vegetable production alone is at risk of being lost to foreign competition without a workable temporary worker program.

AFBF Hurricane Fund totals $938,429
The American Farm Bureau Federation’s Hurricane Ag Fund now totals $938,429. Contributions will be disbursed to agricultural or rural-related charities selected by Farm Bureau affiliates in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas.

Donations are still being accepted. Mail checks directly to the AFB Foundation. Donations are tax deductible when made out to AFBFA/Hurricane Ag Fund. Checks should be mailed to: AFBFA/Hurricane Ag Fund, 600 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Suite 800, Washington, D.C. 20024.

Member Benefits prize winners announced
A number of Texas Farm Bureau programs, divisions, and service providers, with booths at the organization’s recent state convention, offered prizes. Lucky winners of the drawings and their prizes are as follows: Jay Pfeiffer, Kendall County, and Binnie Dierschke, Tom Green County, each won $50 Visa Check Cards, courtesy of Beltone and the local Beltone office; Shirley Smelley, Parker County, car seat, Infant Car Seat Program; Jerry Neuman, Coryell County, booster seat; Helen Shu-ford, Starr County, four Kelly Light passenger tires, Ampac; Ruby Schumacher, Cooke County, Continental battery, Ampac; Judy Waits, Jackson County, Continental battery, Ampac; Melody Muennink, Medina County, Hickory Farms snack basket, Texas Sale Barn; Howard Schirmer, Bexar County, cookbook, Texas Sale Barn; Linda Kieschnick, Lee County, Little Spouse on the Prairie Book, Mel Robinson Texas Legacy CD, and picture frame; Ron Marshall, Ellis County, 27-inch Magnavox TV, Fleet Sales; Karen Henzel, Victoria County, recordkeeping program, Cattle Max; Sammy Gunter, Van Zandt County, Buck Boss, flashlight and multi-tool; Shirley Radle, Falls County, welder with Victor kit, Thermadyne; Daniel Redman, Runnels County, Continental battery, Ampac; James Stolte, Comal County, Snow Globe, Member Benefits Dept.; and Jane Hillenkamp, Leon County, jacket, Public Relations Division.

Sue Turner, Ellis County and Bill Psencik, Fayette County each won Dewalt cordless drills from Grainger. Winning coffee mugs/gift basket, courtesy of Member Benefits, were: Donna Gunter, Van Zandt County; Laura Goldsberry, Hidalgo County; and Connie Redwine, Wise County.

Winning a Norfolk pine tree, courtesy of Member Benefits, were: Rachel Broussard, Tyler County; Coleen Smith, Hopkins-Rains County; and Jake Foltyn, Jackson County.

Winning beauty products donated by the TFB Discount Prescription program were: Duane Wendel, Young County; Mary Lou Dujka, Fort Bend County; Phyllis Lowe, Young County; and Ed Knight, Cooke County. Each winning a Magnavox DVD player, courtesy of the Discount Prescription program, were Kathy Fuller, Erath County, and Victor Dutschmann, Coryell County.

Commodity baskets, courtesy of TFB’s Commodity & Regulatory Activities Division, were won by Ronald Joost of Fayette County and William Dujka, Fort Bend County. Winner of a commodity basket provided by TFB’s Research Education and Policy Development Division was Buzzy Botard of Jim Wells County.

The TFB Medical Plan provided free cholesterol checks for all members during the convention.

Danley wins ‘Excellence in Ag’ award
July Danley, executive director of the TriCounty Agribusiness Association, Stephenville, was named the winner of Texas Farm Bureau’s 2005 Excellence in Agriculture Award at the recent state convention.

The Excellence in Agriculture Award program is designed for individuals who are involved in agriculture, but do not make the majority of their living from an operation that they own.

As winner of the contest, Danley received one year’s use of a 2006 3/4 ton Dodge 4 x 4 Quad Cab pickup; an expense paid trip to Nashville, Tenn. to compete in the national award competition at American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual convention in January; and $500 cash, courtesy of Dodge.

The runners-up were Will and Becky Coward of Gatesville and Charlie and Holly Rand of Tyler.The runners-up received a $200 gift certificate to Grainger Industrial Supply, courtesy of Grainger; and a new pair of Justin boots, courtesy of Justin Brands, Inc. Each finalist also received a $50 gift certificate for any Am-Pac product, courtesy of Am-Pac; and their expenses paid to the TFB annual convention.

‘Kids, Kows and More’ event highlights agriculture

Denae Buzbee, Connally ISD fourth grade teacher, along with her students (above), enjoyed the presentations given by McLennan CFB directors, using the Mobile Learning Barn during the ‘Kids, Kows and More’ event.

The "Kids, Kows and More" event, held in the Heart O’ Texas Coliseum Exhibit Building in Waco in November, showcased agriculture and taught fourth-graders its relevance in every day life. McLennan County Farm Bureau co-sponsored the event with the McLennan County Extension Office.

Among the hundreds attending the educational outreach were the students of Connally Elementary teacher Denae Buzbee. Buzbee attended Texas Farm Bureau’s Summer Ag Institute and implemented the "Ag in the Classroom" program in her classroom this year. Students have learned the difference between broilers and laying hens and the process that takes cotton from field to fabric.

"I’m involved in agriculture, and I feel it’s very important for the kids in my class to understand it," said Buzbee, whose family owns Buzbee Seed and Feed in Waco and has raised cattle and horses. "A lot of them had never seen a Holstein cow. We take field-trips which allow them to experience agriculture first hand."

Buzbee’s students have also learned agriculture’s historical role in the development of the Lone Star State.

Buzbee, who grew up involved in 4-H and FFA, hopes to expand the program at Connally Elementary next year by having real farmers and ranchers make classroom visits, to further educate the kids.

2006 Food Check-Out Day expanded to full week
This year Food Check-Out will no longer be one day, but is extended to a full week! It will be Sunday, Jan. 29 through Saturday, Feb. 4 and counties are encouraged to hold events throughout. A national Food Check-Out event will take place Wednesday, Feb. 1 in Washington, D.C.

"Also this year we will be continuing to partner with Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC), its cornerstone program Ronald McDonald House and other local food charities," said Gene Hall, Texas Farm Bureau Public Relations director. "Last year’s food donations to RMHC helped make the event more visible. There are many opportunities for working with local charities and food banks to expand awareness to the community."

According to Hall, the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has not yet published its figures for the 2004 disposable income spent on food.

"Once those updated figures are released, we will make them available for localizing the event planning kits and news release kit," he added.

Since this information is a key message of the Food Check-Out week, Hall advised county FBs to continue checking the TFB website (www.txfb.org) or call 254-751-2246 for additional details.

"We will communicate with you on the Food Check-Out Week materials. This will include pricing information on stickers, posters and banners, along with a print-ready version of the new logo," Hall said. "All of the events and programs you’ve planned will still work in the new week-long format."