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The Nebraska primary election was held May 15 and based on the results at the time of publication, the candidates listed below will advance to the upcoming general election on November 6.
Congress
District 2 - Lee Terry
Legislative Races
District 1 - Dan Watermeier
District 17 - Van Philips
District 19 - Jim Scheer
District 21 - Mike Hilgers
District 23 - Jerry Johnson
District 25 - Kathy Campbell
District 27 - Colby Coash
District 29 - Larry Zimmerman
District 33 - Les Seiler
District 35 - Mike Gloor
District 41 - Kate Sullivan
District 43 - Al Davis
District 47 - Ken Schilz
University of Nebraska Regents Race
Regent District 3 - Jim Pillen
Regent District 5 - Lavon Heidemann
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In his first annual message to Congress in 186l, President Abraham Lincoln pointed out, "Agriculture, confessedly the largest interest of the nation, has not a department nor a bureau, but a clerkship only, assigned to it in the Government." Congress established USDA the following year on May 15.
Historians have noted that although Lincoln's primary problem during his presidency was preserving the Union, the agricultural legislation he signed, including the USDA act, transformed American farming. See historical highlights from USDA history here.
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For their annual team-building activity, the NEFB staff visited farms Friday to learn about new technology and production practices.
At Tuls Dairy in Butler County (left photo), Pat Klitz explained how the dairy works with Dairy Farmers of America on distribution of its milk, which goes to Roberts Dairy in Omaha and the Leprino Cheese plant in Ravenna.
Tuls uses a video monitoring system (right photo) to safeguard the safety of employees and the animals. Tuls milks more than 10,000 cows three times a day.
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Nebraska Farm Bureau has joined with the American Farm Bureau and 13 other State Farm Bureaus asking to intervene in a lawsuit that seeks to force EPA to establish federal numeric nutrient water quality standards for all states in the Mississippi River Basin.
The resolution of the lawsuit could be significant for farmers, municipalities and others throughout the 31-state basin because numeric nutrient standards could lead to more costly and stringent limits on nutrient runoff to waters that ultimately contribute to the Mississippi River.
"Farmers and their state governments in the Mississippi River Basin have worked successfully for years to minimize nutrient runoff and will continue to do so," American Farm Bureau President Bob Stallman said May 9.
"Farmers have no reason to believe that EPA could establish scientifically defensible standards for any one state, much less for 40 percent of the U.S. land mass."
Read more here.
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Nebraska Farm Bureau President Steve Nelson resonded Tuesday to news that Beef Products International has closed three plants where it processed Lean Finely Textured Beef:
"We are saddened to learn that 650 hard-working Americans will be without jobs due to a misinformation media frenzy that inaccurately and unfairly targeted a beef product that has been deemed safe by USDA since 1974.
"BPI's decision to close three of its plants that produce lean, finely textured beef is the direct result of a growing trend where hype and hysteria have replaced common sense decision-making based on facts and science. This trend is particularly concerning to farmers and ranchers whose livelihoods are dependent upon consumer confidence in the food they eat.
"The closure of these plants and the inability of lean, finely textured beef to recover from the baseless negative exposure it received is exactly why Nebraska Farm Bureau expressed disappointment directly to USDA in a letter to the agency questioning its decision to offer alternatives to lean, finely textured beef through its school lunch programs. That decision only furthered unfounded fears about the safety of the product. It is our opinion that USDA failed in its mission to use science to base its decisions.
"This unfortunate situation is a worst case example of how rhetoric and half-truths have successfully dismantled a food safety program built around science to protect American consumers. Hopefully common sense will prevail and these plants will have the chance to reopen in the future."
Follow this link for Steve Nelson's comments on the Nebraska Radio Network here.
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The Nebraska Department of Education is revisiting the agency's K-12 Social Studies standards and there could be a greater role for agriculture. The Department hosted three citizen input meetings on possible revisions, the last in Omaha on Tuesday. Nebraska Agriculture in the Classroom State Coordinator Deanna Karmazin attended the session in Lincoln. According to Karmazin, the Department is receptive in finding ways to further integrate agriculture into the standards process. "We've been asked to identify and share thoughts on how agriculture could be incorporated into the standards and we're working to provide specific examples on how that can be done." The update for social studies standards is part of the Department's ongoing standards revision process. The idea of doing more in schools to acknowledge the role of agriculture was raised during the 2012 legislative session through both a bill and interim study resolution offered by Sen. Kate Sullivan of Cedar Rapids. Sullivan's proposals would examine the status of agriculture awareness in the state's K-12 education system and determine if more is needed. Nebraska Farm Bureau worked with Sen. Sullivan to introduce the measures as part of the organization's overall interest in providing more farm and food information to Nebraska youth.
Legislative Interim Study Resolution 511- Agriculture Literacy
Nebraska Agriculture in the Classroom
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The Agriculture Department's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service should grant non-regulated status to a new variety of herbicide-tolerant corn, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. Approval of DAS-40278-9, the regulatory name of the genetically engineered corn variety, will provide farmers an important alternative to manage hard-to-control weeds and respond to potential herbicide resistance. In a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, AFBF pointed out that a plant risk assessment conducted by APHIS "clearly justifies a determination of non-regulated status" for DAS-40278-9. The new corn variety is tolerant of the herbicide 2,4-D, which has been used by U.S. farmers for 60 years to control broadleaf weeds in fruit, vegetable and field crops, as well as turf and residential lawns. During that time, the Environmental Protection Agency has conducted detailed, science-based regulatory reviews to evaluate the human health and environmental safety risks of 2,4-D. In 2005, EPA reassessed 2,4-D and reregistered it for use on crops including corn. Earlier in April, EPA issued a decision not to re-open the safety assessment for 2,4-D based on review of the best available science.
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Nebraska Farm Bureau's political action committee, NFBF-PAC, has named Rep. Lee Terry a "Friend of Agriculture" and is endorsing his re-election to represent Nebraska's Second Congressional District.
PAC Chair Mark McHargue says Terry understands agriculture and has a solid record of supporting small businesses and promoting economic growth.
Read more here.
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Thursday afternoon the Obama administration announced its Department of Labor would withdraw the proposed rule dealing with children under the age of 16 who work in agriculture vocations. Instead, the agency will work with American Farm Bureau and other rural interests on education efforts to reduce youth related farm accidents. "The Nebraska Farm Bureau is elated with the Department of Labor's decision to withdraw the agency's proposed rule to restrict the ability of children to work on America's farms and ranches," said Nebraska Farm Bureau President Steve Nelson. "This is a true victory for farm and ranch families everywhere. This decision will continue to allow us to maintain the valued traditions of our rural way of life by providing opportunities for children to actively participate on agriculture operations." Child safety on the farm has always been a priority for Nebraska farmers, however, the DOL's rule would have prevented many children from working on agricultural operations and eliminated opportunities to learn first-hand the important skills needed to work in agriculture. The Department of Labor had received numerous comments in opposition to the proposal. "Nebraska Farm Bureau is proud to have contributed to the effort with our 'Let Me Get My Hands Dirty' campaign which encouraged farmers, their children and FFA students across the state to share their concerns with the Department of Labor," said Nelson. "It was critical that rural voices were heard throughout this rulemaking process." In a little over a month, Nebraska Farm Bureau had collected over 1,800 signatures from Nebraska FFA students in opposition to the proposed rule.
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Nine University of Nebraska-Lincoln agriculture students who received Nebraska Farm Bureau-related scholarships were honored at a luncheon today (April 26) on UNL's East Campus in Lincoln. NEFB provided four $1,000 freshman recruiting scholarships; Keith and Doris Olsen provided one $1,000 freshman and two $500 upperclassman scholarships; the Kenneth Schwartz Memorial Scholarship provided two $1,000 scholarships; and one student was awarded the Keith R. Olsen Agricultural Policy Internship Award that enables them to intern in a public policy position in Washington, D.C. this summer. Pictured from left are former NEFB President Keith Olsen; Steve Waller, dean of the UNL College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources; Juliana Batie of Lexington; Megan Malloy of Decatur; Bryce Vaughn of Alliance; Vanessa Naprstek of Creighton, Eric Doht of Pender; Emma Likens from near DeWitt; William Miller of McCook; Jill Petersen of Burwell; and NEFB President Steve Nelson. Not pictured is Daniel Barr from near Wymore. Barr, Likens and Naprstek received Farm Bureau scholarships. Miller received an Olsen freshman scholarship and Doht and Malloy received Olsen upperclassmen scholarships. Vaughn received the Keith R. Olsen Agricultural Policy Internship Award. Batie and Petersen received the Schwartz Scholarships.
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On April 24, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the nation's fourth case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in a dairy cow from central California. This find was part of a targeted surveillance system by USDA. It was never presented for slaughter for human consumption, so at no time presented a risk to the food supply or human health. Additionally, milk does not transmit BSE, USDA Chief Veterinary Officer John Clifford said April 24.
American Farm Bureau President Bob Stallman said: "American beef and dairy products are safe. The safeguards our government has in place to detect any incidence of this disease are clearly working. The report of a cow with bovine spongiform encephalopathy, discovered during the pre-rendering process, is proof that our detection system works.
"Government officials have confirmed that the animal in question was a dairy cow from California. This animal did not enter the food chain. Scientists say the animal displayed an atypical case of BSE, meaning it is a rare form not generally associated with feed consumption. USDA scientists said they remain confident in the health of the national herd and the safety of beef and dairy products.
"We are pleased to hear that the Agriculture Department is conducting a comprehensive and immediate investigation into additional details surrounding this case."
Click here to read USDA's statement on BSE.
Click here to read frequently asked questions about BSE.
Click here for talking points about BSE.
Click here to watch the BSE statement from USDA.
Nebraska Farm Bureau is seeking its members best photos of Nebraskans, Nebraskans at work, and Nebraska's natural beauty. Enter your photo in our competition to win cash prizes and see your photo in "Nebraska Farm Bureau News" and electronic media. Read the contest rules and details here.
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