Illinois' Grain Industry Could See Boost of As Much As $575 Million

SPRINGFIELD - September 27, 2011. As Governor Pat Quinn continues his efforts to increase Asian investment in Illinois, officials from the Quinn administration today announced a major agricultural trade agreement with Taiwan. Representatives from the Department of Agriculture hosted members of a Taiwanese trade delegation in Springfield as part of a goodwill mission designed to further a long-standing trade relationship.

"Illinois' products are the best in the world, and we are committed to selling those products in the global marketplace," Governor Quinn said. "Agreements that help us increase trade with Asia are essential to ensuring our role as a leader in the global economy and bringing good jobs home to Illinois."

The 22-member delegation from Taiwan agreed to import additional Illinois grain in 2012 and 2013 and signed letters of intent with the Illinois Corn Growers Association and the Illinois Soybean Association during a visit to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library.

"The Illinois agriculture industry is dependent upon export agreements like this," Agriculture Director Tom Jennings said. "Forty percent of Illinois grain is shipped out of the country and we thank the Taiwan Feed Industry Association and the Taiwan Vegetable Oil Manufacturers not only for their business, but also for their long-standing friendship."

The Taiwan Feed Industry Group signed commitments to purchase 303 million to 413 million bushels of U.S. corn and 0.5 million to 0.75 million metric tons of corn by-products. Illinois will supply approximately 43 million to 59 million bushels of the corn. At current prices, the deal is worth $288 million to $393 million to the state's corn growers.

"Illinois farmers are pleased and encouraged by the sale of Illinois corn and corn products to the Taiwanese," said Illinois Corn Marketing Board Chairman Bill Christ. "Even though this has been a tough year, Illinois farmers remain reliable producers, and Taiwan continues to be a valued customer."

The delegation, which also included representatives from Taiwan's Vegetable Oil Manufacturers and Oilseed Processing Association, signed similar letters outlining its intent to purchase up to 118 million bushels of U.S. soybeans.  Illinois' share of the transaction is around 14 million bushels, or $182 million worth, of soybeans.

"We thank Taiwan for their continued support of our industry and Illinois soybean producers," said Illinois Soybean Association Chairman Matt Hughes. "We look forward to building a stronger relationship with them, especially since more than half of our soybeans are exported to countries like Taiwan each year."

This year Taiwan is the sixth-largest export market for U.S. agricultural products and the fifth-largest market for U.S. corn and soybeans.

While here in the state the delegation will visit a central Illinois farm and tour a rail terminal grain elevator before continuing on its U.S. tour.

ST. LOUIS (Sept. 19, 2011) - U.S. soybean farmers - especially those in Kansas - are undoubtedly especially proud this season of the Kansas State University (KSU) Wildcats - or, more specifically, their stadium playing field.

KSU recently installed AstroTurf® GameDay Grass™ at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan. AstroTurf products include a soy-based backing called BioCel®, from Universal Textile Technologies. BioCel uses soy-based-polyol technology developed with support from the soybean checkoff.

"We love seeing our U.S. soy on the football field," says USB New Uses program Chair Bob Haselwood, who farms about 65 miles east of Manhattan in Berryton. "The number one user of our soybeans is the animal ag sector, which uses 98 percent of our soybean meal. But soybean oil is used in a lot of things people aren't aware of, such as paint, cleaners and turf, and the list goes on and on."

"In fact, industrial use of U.S. soy has jumped 50 percent since 2006," adds Haselwood.

The sustainability of U.S. soy proves to be one important reason behind its increasing popularity in new, industrial uses. More often than ever, builders and other industrial customers choose soy-based products over those made with petroleum-based chemicals.

To recognize the new soy uses milestone, the United Soybean Board (USB) and Kansas Soybean Commission held a pregame event before the Wildcats' game on Sept. 17. The event offered the chance to hand out GameDay Grass samples to fans and talk to them about the versatility of soy.

While Kansas State became the first NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision institution to install soy-based AstroTurf, this superior surface is in use at every level of competition in facilities across the United States and Canada.

For example, the National Football League's St. Louis Rams and Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays play on soy-backed AstroTurf. As do the baseball teams at Kansas State, Ohio State and South Carolina. The football teams at Auburn, Tennessee and Texas all practice on GameDay Grass. And the Citrus Bowl, home of the Capital One Bowl and Champs Sports Bowl games, also sports AstroTurf. Click here to see if a venue near you uses AstroTurf.

BioCel combines the oil from U.S. soybeans with recycled content to make a polyurethane product alternative to similar petroleum-based goods. According to AstroTurf, the renewable backing extends the turf's life, enhances player safety, lessens our country's dependence on foreign oil and improves outdoor air quality.

This is just one of the new uses for U.S. soy that the soybean checkoff supports as part of its mission to help research, develop and promote additional ways to utilize the crop. Every year, thanks in part to checkoff funding, dozens of new soy-based products reach the marketplace.

USB is made up of 69 farmer-directors who oversee the investments of the soybean checkoff on behalf of all U.S. soybean farmers. Checkoff funds are invested in the areas of animal utilization, human utilization, industrial utilization, industry relations, market access and supply. As stipulated in the Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight responsibilities for USB and the soybean checkoff.

For more information on the United Soybean Board, visit us at www.UnitedSoybean.org
For more information on new uses for U.S. soy, visit us at www.SoyNewUses.org
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WASHINGTON - Senator Chuck Grassley today asked U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to grant a request by Iowa Governor Terry Branstad for 27 additional counties be designated as disaster areas.  The counties sustained substantial damage from several weather events over the summer, including a major hail and wind storm in July.

"Farmers across the state have faced about every kind of challenge that summer weather can bring.  People along the Missouri River haven't been able to assess the damage to their fields because they are still under water.  And, farmers stretching from Fremont County to Linn County have dealt with hail, wind, and drought damage," Grassley said.  "I've seen this damage firsthand as I've traveled Iowa during the month of August.  I hope Secretary Vilsack acts on Iowa's request as soon as possible."

If granted, farmers in the counties of Adams, Clarke, Davis, Decatur, Fremont, Henry, Jefferson, Jones, Keokuk, Lee, Linn, Louisa, Lucas, Marshall, Mills, Monona, Monroe, Montgomery, Page, Polk, Tama, Taylor, Van Buren, Wapello, Washington, Wayne and Woodbury, and in the counties adjacent to each of those counties, would be eligible for FSA emergency loans, the Livestock Indemnity Program, and the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments (SURE) Program.

Here is a copy of Grassley's letter to Vilsack.  Branstad's letter can be found by clicking here.

September 13, 2011

The Honorable Thomas Vilsack

Secretary

U.S. Department of Agriculture

1400 Independence Avenue, SW

Washington, DC 20250

Dear Secretary Vilsack:

I respectfully ask that you grant the request made by Iowa Governor Terry Branstad for a disaster designation for 27 counties in the State of Iowa as a result of severe weather including hail, drought conditions, and strong winds that were supposedly measured in some areas at over 100 miles per hour.  Not only did the strong winds damage crops, but it also caused significant damage to buildings and equipment.  The 27 Iowa counties which have been severely impacted by these weather events are Adams, Clarke, Davis, Decatur, Fremont, Henry, Jefferson, Jones, Keokuk, Lee, Linn, Louisa, Lucas, Marshall, Mills, Monona, Montgomery, Page, Polk, Tama, Taylor, Van Buren, Wapello, Washington, Wayne, and Woodbury.

Thank you for your prompt consideration of this request.

Sincerely,

Charles E. Grassley

United States Senator

Q:        What is the farm bill?

A:        About every five years, Congress passes a comprehensive farm and food policy bill, covering a range of programs and provisions.  The last farm bill, in 2008, contained 15 titles for commodity price and income supports, farm credit, trade, agricultural conservation, research, rural development, energy, and foreign and domestic food programs including food stamps and other food programs.  Most of the federal spending for programs in the 2008 farm bill went to four of those titles.  Nutrition accounted for 76 percent of the spending.  Crop insurance was nine percent.  Farm commodity support was seven percent.  And, conservation was seven percent of spending in the farm bill, according to estimates from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

Q:        What about the next farm bill?

A:        Debate over the 2012 farm bill is underway.  I'm a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, where several hearings have been held this year to prepare for new legislation.  In August, I held three town meetings that focused on priorities for the new farm bill.  Iowa farmers told me that they want crop insurance to be maintained even if other programs need to be reduced, given the federal budget crisis, because crop insurance is a necessary tool for managing risk.  Farmers also are concerned about disproportionate cuts to the agriculture budget.  As I've said, everything's got to be on the table in the effort to reduce deficits and control spending, but the agriculture budget should be treated fairly.

Q:        How can farm commodity support be justified to taxpayers?

A:        The safety net for American agriculture is a way to make sure the United States has continued access to the most abundant and affordable food supply in the world.  Without a reliable food supply, nothing less than social cohesion and survival is in jeopardy.  The food safety net needs to be effective, efficient and responsible.  I hope the upcoming farm bill will include a farm-program reform that I've sought for a long time.  My farm program payment limits initiative would put a hard cap and other safeguards on payments farmers can receive from the federal farm program, including requirements to make sure those who receive payments are actively engaged in the farming operation.  The farm program was not designed to help big farmers get bigger but, today, 10 percent of the biggest farmers collect nearly 70 percent of total farm payments.  That runs counter to the goal of the farm program, which is intended to help small and medium-sized farmers - who play an important role in producing America's food supply - weather the downturns in the agricultural economy.  The farm program needs to focus on these farmers because when a farming operation gets larger, it's in a position to withstand tough years on its own.  The trend in farm program payments going to big farmers also has a negative impact on the next generation of farmers.  When 70 percent of farm payments go to 10 percent of farmers, it puts upward pressure on land prices and makes it a lot harder for smaller and beginning farmers to buy ground or afford to cash rent, which helps them get a foothold in farming.

Q:        How else does Washington impact the family farm?

A:        Just like other businesses and employers nationwide, farmers face headwind from heavy-handed regulations out of Washington.  During my meetings with Iowans, I hear time and again from farmers fed up with the lack of common sense behind too many of those regulations, whether it's the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) trying to regulate the dust kicked up by the combine at harvest time or the U.S. Department of Transportation trying to treat locally-used farm vehicles like over-the-road semi-trailer trucks when it comes to licensing, permits and fees.

Farmers also need access the new market opportunities created by international trade agreements.  Congress is still waiting for a chance to pass long-readied trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia and Panama.  Lawmakers can't act until the President submits the agreements.  There's no doubt that Washington needs to open new doors for agriculture to overseas exports, to generate new economic activity and opportunity.

Iowa has a lot at stake in all of these areas.  Our state is the number one producer of corn, soybeans, pork and eggs.  Cow-calf operations in Iowa produce some of the finest beef cattle in the world.  Iowa dairy farms are integral to communities statewide.