FB Members Gather for annual Meeting

saturday, january 10
sunday, january 11, 2009
FB Members Gather for Annual Meeting
• President Stallman’s Welcome......p. 3
• List of Issue Conferences..............p. 4
• List of Showcase Exhibits.............p. 6
• Suggested Restaurants and
Sights............................................p.12
All rooms located in the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention
Center
7 a.m.- Meeting Registration
5 p.m. East Lobby
7-8 a.m.
Young Farmer & Rancher
Competitors Registration............ East Lobby
YF&R Discussion Meet—
Competitors Orientation........................ 007C
Judges Orientation.................................. 007A
8- Morning Devotions................................Hall D
8:45 a.m.
9:30- 11:30 a.m
Opening General Session (Includes
Address by AFBF President Bob
Stallman and the state Farm Bureau
awards program....................................Hall D
11:30 a.m. Showcase................................................Hall C
-5 p.m.
Silent Auction.........................................Hall C
12- Exhibitor Seminar
12:45 p.m. “More Deere, Less Dough:
The New 5-Series
Tractors from John Deere”.................... 216A
12-
AFB Women’s Recognition
1:30 p.m. Luncheon (by ticket only).......... Ballroom C1
1- Exhibitor Seminar
1:45 p.m. “U.S. Grains Council: Building
Value for America’s Farmers................. 216A
1-2 p.m.
YF&R Discussion Meet Round 1
................................ 006A-D, 007A-D, 008A-B
1:45- Women’s Caucuses
2:15 p.m. ................................................... 216B, 217A-C
2- Exhibitor Seminar
2:45 p.m. “American Farmer: A Photographer
Captures the Spirit of Agriculture”....... 216A
2-3 p.m. Issue Conferences
• From Group to Team:
The Process of Building and
Leading Teams......................... Ballroom C2
• Today’s Retail Food Labels: Too Little,
Too Much or Just Right?........ Ballroom C3
• 2009 Crops Situation and Outlook..... 217D
2:30-
Annual Meeting of the American
3:15 p.m. Farm Bureau Women.............................. 217A
continued on page 5
The American Farm Bureau Federation is
welcoming to San Antonio more than 5,000 Farm
Bureau members from around the country for the
AFBF 90th annual meeting.
“Farm Bureau members had a good time the
last time AFBF met in San Antonio in 1989, and
I’m sure this year’s
annual meeting also
will be a success,”
said Rolland Hayenga,
AFBF’s 2009 annual
meeting consultant.
“Once again, we have
plenty of opportunities
lined up for members
to learn about the
latest developments
in agriculture and
hone their
leadership
skills. I’m
sure everyone
will find
something of
interest and
importance
to them as
farmers and
ranchers and as
businesspeople.”
The theme of this year’s annual meeting,
“Forward! Farm Bureau,” harks back to Farm
Bureau’s beginnings, when its founders envisioned
an organization that would help farmers and
ranchers overcome the challenges of the 1920s
farm depression and move agriculture forward to a
more prosperous future.
This year is an appropriate time to circle
back to that theme, as farmers face a challenging
economy and rapid changes in consumer
preferences and market demands. Several issue
conferences at this annual meeting are in keeping
with the theme.
“Whether it’s the growing variety of food
labels, the public’s interest in knowing more about
how their food is produced, the continuing role
of biofuels in crop prices or the general economic
outlook, the issues to be discussed at this year’s
annual meeting cover a lot of territory and the
conferences offer information that farmers and
ranchers need to stay on top of their industry,”
Hayenga said.
The annual meeting takes place at the Henry
B. Gonzalez Convention Center in downtown San
Antonio, within walking distance of the famous
River Walk.
In addition to this weekend edition of The
San Antonio American, Monday and Tuesday
issues also will be published. Look for them on
newsstands throughout the convention center.
New This Year
The Opening General Session this year
will take place in the morning, instead of in the
afternoon as it was
scheduled in recent
years. The session will
be in Hall D from 9:30 to
11:30 a.m. The session is
sponsored by John Deere.
The Opening General
Session features the
annual address by AFBF
President Bob Stallman,
the annual parade of flags
in which each state Farm
Bureau president carries
his state flag through the
hall and onto the stage
and the state Farm Bureau
awards program. Having the state awards
program during the general session is another
change from prior years, when the awards
were given at a Monday night entertainment
event. This year, annual meeting attendees
are free to explore San Antonio and spend
time with friends on Monday night.
State awards include the Award for Excellence,
presented to state Farm Bureaus that have
demonstrated outstanding achievements in meeting
their members’ needs, and the Navigator Award,
presented to state Farm Bureaus with outstanding
membership growth. Also, the President’s Award is
presented to state Farm Bureaus that demonstrate
the “best of the best” in five program areas. And
the new Pinnacle Award will be presented to one
state in each of six membership categories in
recognition of outstanding results and exceptional
achievement in the past year.
A redesigned AFBF booth will be open in the
Showcase this year. Staff members will be on hand
at the booth to talk with you about AFBF projects
and programs.
Also in the booth and at the Opening General
Session, copies of the new book about AFBF’s
history, Forward Farm Bureau, will be given away.
The book, hot off the presses, tells the story of how
AFBF became the “Voice of Agriculture.” Attend
the session or stop by the AFBF booth to pick up
your copy.
Saturday-Sunday Events
Annual meeting registration begins Friday, Jan.
9, and continues Saturday and Sunday, 7 a.m. to 5
p.m., in the East Lobby of the convention center.
The American Farm Bureau Foundation for
continued on page 8
saturday, january 10
sunday, january 11, 2009
SATURDAY, JANUARY 10
SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2009
Welcome, Farm Bureau Members
Welcome to Texas! I have waited a few years to be able to say that to
the attendees of the American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting, and
I’m happy to have all ya’ll in my home state. I know you will have a big ole
Texas good time.
Americans are taught in primary school about
the wisdom of our nation’s founding fathers.
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James
Madison, Alexander Hamilton and others framed
a Constitution that has stood the test of time, with
only 27 amendments in the 222 years since the
Constitution was signed.
The founders of the American Farm Bureau—
men like J.R. Howard of Iowa, Harvey J. Sconce
of Illinois, Oscar E. Bradfute of Ohio and Frank
W. Smith of New York—showed like wisdom as they and hundreds of
others gathered in November 1919 at the LaSalle Hotel in Chicago to form
an organization “thoroughly representative of agriculture throughout the
entire United States.” Reflecting our democracy, the delegates to that first
convention established a national farm organization in which every member
is given a voice and policies are guided by grassroots action.
Ninety years later, we meet here in San Antonio to renew old
friendships and repeat the policy development process established by our
founders, a process that has kept the American Farm Bureau strong these
many years.
As the delegates to this annual meeting assemble to vote on national
policies concerning agriculture, the environment, international trade and
dozens of other issues, I hope they will be guided by a theme from the
American Farm Bureau’s early days and of this year’s annual meeting:
Forward! Farm Bureau.
Farmers and ranchers today face global challenges in the form of
competition for the sale of our products, purchase of our inputs and
the need to expand our exports to a growing world. We face challenges
from next door, as even the general public often does not understand or
appreciate the work that we do and its importance to America’s security.
We face rapid changes in agriculture. Now, as much as ever, we must
expand our thinking beyond regional boundaries or production areas to
develop policies “thoroughly representative of agriculture throughout the
entire United States,” policies that will move agriculture “Forward!” united.
I thank this year’s 369 delegates—volunteers who have taken the
time to be here on behalf of their fellow farmers and ranchers—for their
dedication. I also thank the thousands of Farm Bureau members who
attended county and state Farm Bureau meetings to develop the resolutions
that culminate in this national conference.
We have a wonderful annual meeting planned with plenty of
opportunities for fun, learning and inspiration for agriculture. I look
forward to seeing you, and I wish you an enjoyable and productive annual
meeting.
Sincerely,
Bob Stallman
President
Location:
East Lobby
Hours:
7am-7pm
Welcome to San Antonio and the
Lone Star State. Texas Farm Bur
glad to host another American Far
eau is
m Bureau Federation annual mee
ting.
San Antonio is one of Texas’ thre
e largest cities, along with Dallas
and Houston, and I’m sure you will
find plenty to see and do while you
here. However, you don’t have to
are
venture far outside our cities to disc
over that
we do agriculture as we do almost
everything else in Texas: BIG!
Eighty percent of the land in Texa
s is in some form of agricultural
production. We lead the nation in
cattle, cotton, sheep, goat, wool,
mohair
and horse production. Other top
crops include vegetables, citrus,
corn, wheat,
peanuts, pecans, grain sorghum,
hay, rice and timber.
We also produce leaders, and we
couldn’t be more proud to be the
home state of Bob Stallman, AFB
F president. I know he, like all of
us at Texas
Farm Bureau, will be beaming with
pride this week as you and your
fellow
Farm Bureau members explore our
state.
Texas pioneered America’s energy
industry with its productive oil
fields, and today we’re a pioneer
of renewable energy as well. You
are as likely
to see wind turbines across our field
s and pastures as cotton and catt
le.
has more megawatts of wind ene
rgy capacity installed than any othe Texas
r state and
is home to the nation’s largest win
d farm.
Our state is known for its mix of
cultures and influences, from
can-do, frontier spirit of the plai
ns to the Western ideals of hard wor the
k and
heroism. But I hope it’s our Texa
s hospitality that sticks with you
this week.
Make yourself at home, and don’t
be a stranger. “Ya’ll” come back
and visit us
again soon.
Sincerely,
Kenneth Dierschke
President
The San Antonio American
The San Antonio American is the official newspaper of the
American Farm Bureau Federation’s 90th annual meeting, Jan. 11-14,
2009, in San Antonio, Texas. The newspaper is published three times:
Saturday-Sunday (combined), Monday morning and Tuesday morning.
Published by:
American Farm Bureau Federation
600 Maryland Ave., SW, Suite 1000W
Washington, D.C. 20024
Ph: 202-406-3600
Editor:
Lynne Finnerty, Editor, FBNews, AFBF
Graphics:
Mary Burns, Graphic Design Director, AFBF
Jordan Cutler, Senior Graphic Designer, AFBF
Photography:
Mike Danna, Public Relations Director, Louisiana
Farm Bureau Federation
Ken Kashian, Photographic Services Director,
Illinois Farm Bureau
Writers:
AFBF Public Relations staff members
State Farm Bureau Public Relations staff members
Production:
Staton Communications Inc., Orlando, Fla.
The AFBF Newsroom is located in room 212A-B of the Henry B.
Gonzalez Convention Center. Please stop by or call 210-582-7020 with
any story suggestions or corrections.
saturday, january 10
page
sunday, january 11, 2009
4
Conferences offer industry insights, motivational speeches
Each American Farm Bureau Federation annual meeting offers
breakout conferences to help farmers and ranchers stay up to date on
the issues that may affect their businesses and help them become better leaders. This annual meeting includes 14 issue conferences for you
to check out.
Sunday from 2 until 3 p.m., attendees will have a choice of three
conferences.
The conference titled “From
Group to Team: The Process of
Building and Leading Teams” will
explore what it takes to build and
lead effective work teams. Speaker
Guy Harris is an expert in conflict
resolution and relationship issues.
The session will be in Ballroom
C2.
The second choice, “Today’s
Retail Food Labels: Too Little, Too
Much or Just Right,” will cover
what the ever-growing array of food
descriptions such as “Hormone
Free” and “All Natural” means for
consumers and producers. If you’re
interested in keeping up with consumer food trends, attend this session in Ballroom C3.
Third, speakers at the “2009
Crops Situation and Outlook” conference will attempt to forecast
what the crop price roller coaster
will do this year. Speakers will include Dr. James Sullivan, senior
vice president of Informa Economics, and Sharon Johnson, senior cotton analyst for First Capital Group
in Atlanta, Ga.
From 3:30 until 4:30 p.m.
Sunday, a round of four sessions
is available. The “Ag Challenges
Initiative: Activists Needed” session will explain how AFBF’s Ag
Challenges Initiative has worked
to bridge the gap between livestock
producers and Americans who are
far removed from agriculture. At
the session, livestock producers will
talk about why farmers and ranchers need to become “activists” and
some of the ways they can do so.
Speakers include Alabama dairy
producer Will Gilmer, Missouri hog
producer Chris Chinn and California livestock and poultry consultant
Michelle Ganci. The session will
take place in room 217D.
“The Growing Role of Biofuels
for Today, Tomorrow and Beyond”
is a session that will look behind the
scenes of the food versus fuel debate
and deal with the future of the U.S.
biofuels industry. Brooke Coleman,
executive director of the New Fuels
Alliance, founder of the Northeast
Biofuels Collaborative and spokesman for www.FoodPriceTruth.org,
will speak at the session. This conference is sponsored by the United
Soybean Board and takes place in
room 214A-B.
“The Fiscal Wake-Up Tour” is a
joint project by four think tank organizations seeking to wake voters
up to the nation’s dire fiscal outlook
and get them to demand action from
their elected leaders in Washington.
Speakers include Bob Bixby, executive director of the Concord Coalition, Gene Steuerle, vice president
of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation,
Paul Cullinan, research director for
Budgeting for National Priorities at
the Brookings Institution, and Alison Fraser, director of the Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies
with the Heritage Foundation. The
session will be in Ballroom C3.
The “Living at the Speed of
Life” conference will help you learn
strategies for dealing with the problem of too many things to do and
continued on page 11
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saturday, january 10
sunday, january 11, 2009
page
5
Welcome, Young Farmers and Ranchers
It’s an honor for me to welcome all the
young farmers and ranchers who are in San
Antonio for this year’s American Farm Bureau
Federation annual meeting.
After a busy and exciting year, it’s also
time for me to bid you farewell as chairman
of the national Young Farmers and Ranchers
Committee. I have learned a lot as a member of
the AFBF board of directors, and I’ve spent a
lot of time traveling around the country to talk
about the importance of a strong agriculture
industry. It has been a tremendous experience.
For the last few years the committee has set
a new standard for being activists on behalf of
agriculture and helping the non-farming public
understand farmers’ role in putting food on their
tables. We’ve posted over 100 articles on the
Farm Bureau Blog about everything from how
farmers and ranchers care for their animals to
how much fun it is to read to kids.
Members of the national committee and
state YF&R committees have read accurate
books about agriculture to pre-kindergarten
and kindergarten kids through the Accurate Ag
Books program.
We’ve raised thousands of dollars and
donated millions of pounds of food for hunger
relief through Farm Bureau’s Harvest for All
program. The totals for 2008 won’t be tallied for
another couple of months, but we know we’ve
helped to feed thousands of hungry families
and to ensure that the good food we produce
makes it to even the neediest Americans’
tables. I’m proud that the YF&R committee has
spearheaded this effort.
As we gather here in San Antonio,
it’s an appropriate time to celebrate our
accomplishments throughout the last year. It’s
also when we hold exciting competitions in
which Young Farmers and Ranchers display
their knowledge of agriculture and their
professional accomplishments.
Everyone who has worked hard to make it
to the national competitions—winning at the
state level—deserves applause. But now it’s
time to pick the best of the best in the national
Achievement Award, Discussion Meet and
Excellence in Agriculture competitions. You all
have my best wishes for success as you compete
for the top prize in your category.
These competitions wouldn’t be possible
without our sponsors, including Dodge, Case
IH, Stihl and Valvoline. All the committee
members join me in thanking these sponsors for
their generous support.
As I prepare to turn over the title of
chairman to someone else, I thank my fellow
Young Farmers and Ranchers for this great
opportunity. I’ve met wonderful people. I’ve
attended dozens of Farm Bureau gatherings
around the country. I’ve forged friendships that
I hope will last a lifetime. I hope my successor
has as good a time as chairman as I have had,
and has every success with the committee’s
programs, projects and goals. This committee is vital to growing Farm
Bureau leaders and telling farmers’ story of care
for the land, livestock and food supply.
I wish you an enjoyable annual meeting and
continued success as farmers and ranchers.
Sincerely,
W. Townsend Kyser III
Welcome, Farm Bureau Women
Welcome to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 90th annual meeting here in San Antonio, and a very special welcome to all the Farm
Bureau Women who are here for our annual business meeting and the other activities we have at
this time of year.
For me, a highlight of 2008 was the Women’s
Leadership Conference in Louisville, Ky., in
April. The conference is open to all Farm Bureau
women, and we had about 700 women there. The
speeches, interactive presentations, workshops
and tours inspired women to be leaders and
spokespeople for agriculture and helped them
hone the skills to do so with confidence and success. I look forward to this conference like nothing else. The next one will be in 2011.
We held a second Communications Boot
Camp, three days of intensive training in public
speaking, giving media interviews and lobbying
elected officials. This program helps us put the
“Leadership” in the committee.
The committee continues to be a leader in agricultural education. We launched the White-Reinhardt Fund for Education through the American
Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture in 2004,
and last year we passed another milestone in this
effort by doubling from five to 10 the number of
teachers we could send to the National Agriculture in the Classroom conference. The fund also
provided 29 mini-grants to state and county Farm
Bureaus to support their agricultural education
programs. I am so proud of this successful program.
Another big achievement each year is the
commemoration of Food Check-Out Week. This
event, spearheaded by the Women’s Leadership
• The Growing Role of Biofuels for Today,
Tomorrow and Beyond..................... 214A-B
• The Fiscal Wake-Up Tour....... Ballroom C3
• Living at the Speed of Life:
Staying in Control in a World Gone
Bonkers..................................... Ballroom C2
continued from page 1
2:30-
YF&R Discussion Meet Round 2
3:30 p.m. . ............................ 006A-D, 007A-D, 008A-B
4- Exhibitor Seminar
4:45 p.m. “Check Out How the [Dairy] Checkoff
is Benefiting You”.................................... 216A
3- Exhibitor Seminar “Canada—More Than
3:45 p.m. Just Your Northern Neighbor”.............. 216A
4:45- 5 p.m. 3:30-
Issue Conferences
4:30 p.m. • Ag Challenges Initiative:
Activists Needed.................................... 217D
5-6 p.m. YF&R Discussion Meet Sweet 16
006A-D, 007A-D
YF&R Discussion Meet Sweet 16
Announcement.......... Showcase Stage, Hall C
Committee, spotlights the abundance of food we
Americans enjoy thanks to the productivity of
farmers and ranchers. For 2009, we have a stronger consumer message: “Stretching your grocery
dollar with healthy, nutritious food.” There are
many new materials and fact sheets to support
the program and we encourage all Farm Bureau
members to be involved in this program.
But we don’t stop at patting ourselves on the
back. We also use the occasion to make a donation to a Ronald McDonald House to benefit the
families of sick children for whom the Ronald
McDonald House is a home away from home
while they care for their child. I’ve said it before
and it bears repeating: If we can tell our story and
do some good at the same time, it’s a win-win.
This program continues to be one of the more uplifting things the committee does.
Our newest effort is reading accurate books
about agriculture to elementary school students.
It is our hope that through exposure to books that
portray farming in a positive and accurate way,
children will grow to understand and appreciate
that agriculture puts food on the table, paper in
the notebook, T-shirts and blue jeans in the dresser drawer and quality in our lives.
I’m proud of all these efforts and the committee’s role in providing leadership for them. Now
it’s time to get together and assess our achievements over the last year and plan new initiatives
for the year ahead. I always enjoy these discussions about accomplishments and goals. But most
continued on page 14
saturday, january 10
page
sunday, january 11, 2009
6
Showcase Exhibits
EXHIBITOR.................................... BOOTH #
ADT Security Services Inc................ 475, 574
AFB Women’s Leadership Cmte....... 555, 557
AFBF Member Services.................... Bridge 1
AgraGate Climate Credits Corp........ 550
Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada...... 663, 665, ......................................................... 667
Agriculture Dept., Embassy of Israel 669
AirEvac Lifeteam EMS Inc............... 351
American Canine Association Inc..... 546
American Farm Bureau Foundation
for Agriculture.................................. 305
American Farm Bureau Insurance
Services Inc...................................... 556
American Farmer (Paul Mobley,
Photographer).................................. 473
American Seed Trade Association..... 548
American Sugar Alliance................... 248
AmeriGas Propane............................. 674
Arkansas Farm Bureau...................... 270, 272
Beltone Hearing Care Network......... 462
Budget Vehicle Rental Area............... 380
Case IH.............................................. 105
Cattlemen’s Beef Board..................... 652
Choice Hotels Intl.............................. 433
CHS.................................................... 357
CNFA................................................. 452
Collective Underwriters/Identity
Theft 911.......................................... 435
Council for Agricultural Science
And Technology............................... 355
Crop1 Insurance................................. 552
Dairy Management Inc...................... 650
Dodge................................................. 217
Double S Liquid Feed Service Inc..... 256
EXHIBITOR.................................... BOOTH #
DTN/The Progressive Farmer............ 445
Element Markets LLC....................... 668
European Union Delegation of the
European Commission to the U.S.... 653, 655, ......................................................... 657
Farm Bureau Bank............................. 561, 660
Farm Bureau Promotion &
Education......................................... 553
Farm Bureau Safety & Health
Network........................................... 654, 656
Farm Safety 4 Just Kids..................... 457
Feeding America................................ 356
Firetrace International LLC............... 437
Foreign Economic Cooperation
Center, Ministry of Agriculture,
People’s Republic of China............. 649, 651
Fuel Masters LLC.............................. 439
Georgia Peanut Commission............. 365
Grazing Lands Conservation
Initiative........................................... 450
High Plains Journal............................ 645
Humana.............................................. 575
Indiana Farm Bureau Inc................... 673, 675
John Deere......................................... 721
Kansas Farm Bureau.......................... 544
Kentucky Farm Bureau...................... 244, 246
KVIE Channel 6/America’s
Heartland.......................................... 346
Land’s End Business Outfitters.......... 461, 560
Member Service Booth/Grainger
Store................................................. Bridge 2
Monsanto: Commercial Acceptance.. 345
National Education Center for
Agricultural Safety........................... 573
EXHIBITOR.................................... BOOTH #
Nationwide......................................... 533
New Mexico Farm & Livestock
Bureau.............................................. 245, 344
Norac Inc............................................ 647
Oklahoma Farm Bureau..................... 532, 534, ......................................................... 536
Pennsylvania Farm Bureau................ 538
Progressive Agriculture Foundation.. 569
Scriptsave........................................... 453
Shell Pipeline Co............................... 257
Sustainable Agriculture Research
and Education.................................. 247
Texas Department of Agriculture....... 474
Texas Farm Bureau............................ 517, 617
The Heartland Institute...................... 472
The Heritage Foundation................... 375
The Keystone Center......................... 572
U.S. Grains Council........................... 456
U.S. Soybean Export Council............ 260
United Soybean Board....................... 672
USDA—Ag in the Classroom........... 455
USDA—Grain Inspection, Packers
And Stockyards Administration....... 454
USDA Farm Service Agency............. 348
USDA National Agricultural
Statistics Service (NASS)................ 449
USDA Rural Development................ 447
USDA National Agricultural Library 451
USFDA Center for Veterinary
Medicine.......................................... 554
Washington Farm Bureau.................. 433
Washington Farm Bureau/
Washington Convention & Visitors
Bureau.............................................. 545
Exhibitor Seminars
All are located in room 216A of the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center.
Sunday, January 11
Monday, January 12
12 – 12:45 “More Deere, Less Dough: The New 5-Series Tractors from John Deere”
Speaker: Keith Hendrix
Sponsor: John Deere
1 – 1:45
“U.S. Grains Council: Building Value for America’s
Farmers”
Speaker: Shannon Schaffer
Sponsor: U.S. Grains Council and American Farm Bureau Federation Economic Analysis Department
2 – 2:45“American Farmer: A Photographer Captures the Spirit of Agriculture”
Speaker: Paul Mobley
Sponsor: American Farm Bureau Federation Public
Relations Department
3 – 3:45“Canada—More Than Just Your Northern Neighbor”
Speakers: Pamela Simpson and Chris Leggett
Sponsor: Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada
4 – 4:45“Check Out How the Checkoff is Benefiting You”
Speaker: John Bavido
Sponsor: Dairy Management Inc.
9 – 9:45“Food, Feed and Fuel—How the Soybean Checkoff is Working to Support All”
Speaker: United Soybean Board Director
Sponsor: United Soybean Board
10 – 10:45“An Update on Carbon Market Opportunities for
Agriculture & Forestry”
Speaker: David Miller
Sponsor: AgraGate Climate Credits & Iowa Farm Bureau
11 – 11:45“Field to Market—The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture Outcomes”
Speakers: Julie Shapiro, Sarah Stokes Alexander and Bob Young
Sponsor: Keystone Center and American Farm Bureau
Federation Economic Analysis Department
12 – 12:45“The European Commission Agricultural and Food Safety Policy”
Speakers: Dan Rotenberg and Wolf Maier
Sponsor: European Commission
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economy in its class.(3) For those who
Program (5) now includes Trailer Sway
Control and class-exclusive(4) Hill Start
backed by the industry’s only Lifetime
Powertrain Limited Warranty.(7)
THE ALL-NEW DODGE RAM. NEVER BACK DOWN FROM A CHALLENGE.
(1) Must be a Farm Bureau member for at least 30 days. Contact your local Farm Bureau office for details. (2) AMCI-Certified testing, 2009 Dodge Ram Crew 1500 4x4 5.7L vs. comparably equipped 2008 Ford and GMC
pickups; fuel economy while towing 5,000 lb; details at dodge.com. (3) 14 city to 20 highway est. mpg. Results depend on driving habits. Comparison based on the latest full-size pickup competitive data vs. the 2009 MY
Ram 1500. (4)Based on Automotive News Full-Size Pickup segmentation. (5) Always drive carefully, consistent with conditions. Always wear your seat belt and obey traffic laws. (6)Five-Star Frontal Crash Test Rating
for Ram 1500 4-door crew cab. Star ratings are part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrations (NHTSA) New Car Assessment Program (www.safercar.gov). (7)No deductible. See dealer for a copy of Limited
Warranty details. Non-Transferable. Not available on SRT,® diesel, Dodge Sprinter, Ram Chassis Cab and certain fleet vehicles. Farm Bureau is a federally registered collective membership and a registered service mark
of the American Farm Bureau Federation and is being used by Dodge under license from the American Farm Bureau Federation. Dodge, HEMI and SRT are registered trademarks of Chrysler LLC.
saturday, january 10
page
sunday, january 11, 2009
8
FB Members Gather
Continued from page 1
Agriculture Golf Classic will be
played Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.,
at the Quarry Golf Club. The first official event on Sunday
will be the Morning Devotions
program, featuring an inspirational
message by Larry Pratt, Texas Farm
Bureau board member, farmer
and rancher, and minister. The
program will also include a musical
performance by the San Antonio
Chordsmen, a barbershop-style, a
cappella singing group. The program
will be at 8 to 8:45 a.m. in Hall D.
The Morning Devotions program
is sponsored by the American
Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership
Committee.
The Opening General Session
will follow the Morning Devotions
program in Hall D.
The Showcase, Farm Bureau’s
trade show, opens at 11:30 a.m. in
Hall C. See the Showcase listing on
page 6 for a complete guide to the
exhibits. The Showcase will be open
until at 5 p.m.
Included in the Showcase again
this year is the Silent Auction to
benefit the AFB Foundation for
Agriculture. The auction will be
open during Showcase hours, 11:30
a.m. – 5 p.m., on Sunday and 8 to
11 a.m. Monday. Nationwide has
generously agreed to match up to
$15,000 in contributions.
Registration for the Young
Farmers and Ranchers competitions
will be from 7 to 8 a.m. Sunday in
the East Lobby. The competitors and
judges orientation will begin at 7
a.m.
The Farm Bureau Women’s
Leadership Committee is kicking
off its activities with the Women’s
Recognition Luncheon (by ticket
only), 12 – 1:30 p.m. in Ballroom
C1. The luncheon will be followed
by the Women’s Caucuses from
1:45 until 2:15 p.m. The Midwest
region will caucus in room 217B, the
Northeast will be in room 216B, the
South will be in room 217A and the
West will be in room 217C.
The issue conferences and
leadership sessions will begin
Sunday at 2 p.m. Conferences will
continue on Monday. See page
4 for descriptions of this year’s
conferences.
Other Meeting Highlights
The keynote speech by former
U.S. Sen. Bill Bradley will be the
feature of the Closing General
Session on Monday, beginning at 3
p.m., in Hall D. Known as a longtime senator, candidate for president
in 2000 and former professional
basketball champion, Bradley will
speak about today’s politics and the
economy. The session is sponsored
by Monsanto.
Bradley represented New Jersey
as a Democrat in the U.S. Senate
from 1979 to 1997. He played
basketball for the New York Knicks
from 1967 until 1977, during
which the team won two national
championships. Today, Bradley is
a businessman. He is managing
director of Allen & Company, an
investment bank based in New York,
and a board member of Starbucks.
The AFBF Distinguished Service
Award, the highest honor that
AFBF gives to an individual, will
be presented at the Closing General
Session. The award recognizes
those who have devoted much of
their careers to helping farmers and
ranchers.
The winners of the Young
Farmers and Ranchers competitions
also will be announced at the Closing
General Session, where the winners
will be presented the keys to their
shiny new Dodge trucks.
Monday’s events also include
the Flapjack Fundraiser (by ticket
only) at 7 a.m. in Ballroom B.
The event raises money for the
AFB Foundation for Agriculture.
Foundation awards, Book of the
Year recognition and the Farmer Idea
Exchange awards will be presented
Tune in to channel 38 at
the Marriott Riverwalk
and channel 37 at the
Marriott Rivercenter
to watch episodes of
America’s Heartland, the
Farm Bureau-supported
public television
program that tells the
story of America’s farm
and ranch families.
at the breakfast. The Farmer Idea
Exchange awards are sponsored by
New Holland.
Also on Monday, the Women’s
Leadership Committee State Chair
Luncheon and the County Presidents’
Luncheon (by invitation only) will
be in room 008A and Ballroom B,
respectively. Both luncheons begin at
11:30.
Tuesday morning will bring the
start of the annual meeting of AFBF
voting delegates, beginning at 8
a.m., in Ballroom C1-C2. The 369
delegates from all over the country
will debate and vote on resolutions
and adopt national Farm Bureau
policy for 2009.
Regional caucuses will begin
at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the following
locations:
• Midwest—217A
• Northeast—217B
• South—217D
• West—217C
The annual meeting will end on
Wednesday, Jan. 14, with attendees
looking forward to the next one, Jan.
10-13, in Seattle, Wash.
Pin on a
memory
The American Farm Bureau
Foundation for Agriculture is
proud to present its 2009 annual
meeting commemorative lapel
pin.
These limited edition
souvenirs are for sale for $10
each in the foundation booth in
the Showcase (Booth #305) in
Hall C. Only 500 pins will be
sold. The proceeds will benefit
the foundation’s agricultural
education efforts.
them scholarships to attend the National Agriculture in the Classroom
conference. The mini-grants and teacher scholarships are provided through
the White-Reinhardt Fund for Education, named for two former AFB
Women’s Leadership Committee chairs.
July—A federal judge on July 24 ruled that a Critical Feed Use
January—More than 5,000 Farm Bureau members met Jan. 12-15 in
New Orleans, La. American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman gave his annual address as farmers and ranchers concluded one of
their best years in a long time, but he also listed challenges such as high
costs for feed, fertilizer
and fuel.
February—The
American Farm
Bureau Women’s
Leadership Committee
commemorated Food
Check-Out Week, Feb.
3-9, by donating food,
money and children’s
books to the Ronald
McDonald House in
Columbia, S.C. Food
Check Out Week comes
in early February, when
most Americans have
earned enough disposable
income to buy food for
the whole year.
March—The totals
State Farm Bureau presidents take part in the annual
parade of flags during the Opening General Session of
the 2008 AFBF annual meeting. The tradition opens the
annual meeting, celebrates Farm Bureau’s strength in
all 50 states and Puerto Rico and demonstrates state
pride.
came in and AFBF
announced that Farm Bureau farm and ranch families in 2007 raised more
than $130,000 and donated 4.6 million pounds of food for hunger relief
through Farm Bureau’s Harvest for All program. Farm Bureau Young
Farmers and Ranchers spearhead the program in cooperation with Feeding
America, formerly known as America’s Second Harvest, the nation’s
largest network of food banks. Since Harvest for All was launched five
years ago, Farm Bureau members have donated more than 9 million
pounds of food, logged nearly 25,000 volunteer hours and raised more
than $600,000. The cash and food donations amount to more than 16
million meals.
(CFU) program to allow haying and grazing on Conservation
Reserve Program acreage to help relieve tight livestock feed
supplies could go forward with conditions. AFBF vigorously
defended the CFU program in court, filing friend-of-the-court briefs
and providing details from farmers and ranchers on the management
decisions and investments they had made in preparation for using
the CFU program. Also in July, on the 9th, Mike Spradling, Oklahoma
Farm Bureau president, gave congressional testimony on behalf of
AFBF that farmers and ranchers hauling their own goods to market should
not be held to truck weight regulations meant for commercial long-haul
drivers.
August—The
Environmental Protection
Agency upholds the federal
Renewable Fuels Standard
(RFS) that requires the
nation’s fuel supply to
include 9 billion gallons of
renewable fuels—ethanol
and biodiesel—in 2008 and
Mike Spradling (right), Oklahoma Farm Bureau 11.1 billion gallons in 2009.
president, testifies about burdensome truck weight EPA denied a request from
restrictions.
the governor of Texas to
reduce the RFS by half. AFBF President Bob Stallman said Farm Bureau
was pleased that EPA had not turned its back on the promise of renewable
fuels.
September—As the stock market crashes and Washington moves to
bail out major banks and investment firms, AFBF says the farm economy
is still in pretty good shape but the financial crisis making headlines and
rippling across the globe could moderate demand for U.S. farm products
and increase the volatility of crop prices and production costs. AFBF
economists on Sept. 26 predict that as the credit supply tightens, more
farmers may be expected to contract and pay for inputs like fertilizer
up front, shifting the credit function from dealers to farmers. Also in
September, presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain
respond to a series of questions posed by AFBF about farm policy,
environmental regulations, immigration reform, energy policies and more.
October—AFBF provides guidance to livestock producers who must
now give animal origin information to slaughter facilities under new
country-of-origin labeling rules.
November—The American
April—Nearly 700 Farm Bureau women gathered April 25-28 in
Louisville, Ky., for the Women’s Leadership Conference. Attendees
sharpened their leadership skills and considered a challenge from AFBF
President Bob Stallman: “Make this organization one that people think of
first when the words ‘women,’ ‘agriculture’ and ‘opportunity’ are linked in
a sentence.”
May—Congress passed the final farm bill after a long, hard effort to
ensure funding for farm programs, conservation programs, nutrition
programs and others and develop a House-Senate compromise. The
House passed the bill on May 14, and the Senate followed suit the next
day. AFBF President Bob Stallman said passage of the farm bill gave
farmers and non-farmers alike assurance and stability at a time when
domestic food security was more important than ever.
June—The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture in
cooperation with the AFB Women’s Leadership Committee awarded 29
mini-grants worth $500 each for state and county agricultural education
projects. The foundation also recognized 10 schoolteachers for their
efforts to improve students’ understanding of agriculture and awarded
Leon Hesser (center) accepts the AFB
Foundation’s “Book of the Year” award from
Terry Gilbert (left), chair of the American Farm
Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee, and
Dr. Robert Owens of Alpharma, which sponsored the award.
Farm Bureau Foundation for
Agriculture gives the second
annual “Book of the Year” award
to Leon Hesser for The Man Who
Fed The World, his biography of
Dr. Norman Borlaug. Borlaug
introduced corn hybrids and
disease-resistant wheat to farmers
in developing countries, helping
them increase food production and
fight hunger.
December—President-elect
Barack Obama names former
Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack as his nominee for secretary of agriculture. AFBF
President Bob Stallman says Vilsack is an ardent supporter of furthering
the use of renewable fuels and international trade, and his experience with
many of the issues facing agriculture today will serve him well in his new
position. Also in December, approximately 5,000 Farm Bureau members
prepare to travel to San Antonio, Texas, for the 90th annual meeting of the
American Farm Bureau Federation.
saturday, january 10
page
sunday, january 11, 2009
10
Farmers Bring Winning Ideas, Inventions to Showcase
Fifteen farmers from around
the country have brought their
equipment modifications,
marketing techniques and other
innovations to San Antonio so their
fellow farmers and ranchers might
benefit from them as well. Each
year, up to 15 farmers participate in
the Farmer Idea Exchange, to share
their ideas for cutting costs and
improving efficiency.
One overall best idea will
be announced at the Flapjack
Fundraiser Monday morning. The
winner will receive one full year’s
free use or 300 operating hours of a
New Holland Bidirectional tractor,
courtesy of New Holland.
To see all the great ideas these
producers have come up with, visit
their booths in the Showcase. The
following are this year’s top 15
ideas from around the country.
Ag Equipment
RTK Tower, John McDowell
Jr., Shamrock, Texas—This shopbuilt RTK (real-time kinematic)
GPS tower provides a less than
1-inch variance signal in an area
where no commercial service is
available. This semi-permanent
tower is easy to raise or lower with
common farm equipment, which
allows it to be installed on rented
property.
EZ-Glide Hay Mover, Adam
Rief, Bancroft, Neb.—The EZGlide is a round bale mover that has
a capacity of hauling eight bales per
load. It can move about 700 bales
per day; it can load and unload any
type of round bale such as alfalfa,
bean stubble, straw, corn stalks,
etc.; and it is self-loading and selfunloading. The EZ-Glide moves
bales faster and safer than machines
currently on the market.
Bradd Steering Stabilizer,
Marvin Bradd, Mansfield,
Ill.—Stabilizing wheels are
installed on each side of a three-
wheeled sprayer’s front wheel to
improve the handling and steering
management of the sprayer. The
two additional wheels could share
as much as 50 percent of the weight
that is normally on the front wheel
and provide better contact with the
ground to improve steering force.
Ant Bait Applicator, Ray
Boyd, Enterprise, Ala.—This
device makes fire ant control more
convenient and affordable. The ant
bait applicator attaches to a riding
lawnmower and dispenses a premeasured amount of bait to the ant
mound as the mower passes over it.
Tank Gauge, Donny Smith,
San Saba, Texas—Large farm
tanks have gauges but smaller ones
don’t. Installing a commercial
gauge would cost hundreds or
thousands of dollars. This pulleysystem gauge can be installed
inexpensively on smaller tanks,
allowing the farmer to see how
much liquid feed or fertilizer is in
the tank without having to climb to
the top. This saves money and time
for the farmer and makes his work
safer.
Rotating Hay Spear for Front
End Loader, Eddie Warren,
Richmond, Ky.—This device
allows the farmer to place half a
roll of hay, rather than the standard
one roll, in a ring, allowing more
cows to feed while limiting the
amount of hay fed. This is useful
when limiting hay to cattle due to
drought or when feeding smaller
numbers of cattle.
Conservation/Improved
Efficiencies
A Homemade Watergate
Abutment, Jim and Nancy
Harmon, Lebanon, Ky.—This
is a homemade structure to hold a
watergate in place in a stream while
preventing erosion of land at the
post sites. The system, using rocks
continued on page 13
County Farm Bureaus Demonstrate Program Ideas
If you’re looking for a new program idea to take back to your county Farm Bureau, you should visit the
Showcase and see the top 14 ideas
in this year’s County Activities of
Excellence (CAE) program.
County Farm Bureaus around
the country compete each year for
the claim of best new program idea,
and the American Farm Bureau
Federation recognizes their initiative through the CAE program. The
following are this year’s winning
programs.
Education & Ag Promotion
“Your Connection to Agriculture” Television Series, Champaign County, Ill.—“Your Connection to Agriculture” is a television
program written and produced by
the Champaign County Farm Bureau to highlight agricultural issues
and topics to help educate the public about agriculture. Each episode
spotlights a sector of the diverse agriculture industry in the county. The
show is in its third season and recently completed its 57th episode.
Bounty of Kane, Kane County, Ill.—The Kane County Farm
Bureau worked with the state Ag-
riculture Department, farmers markets operations and direct farm marketers to develop a Web site where
consumers can find local farm
products. The county Farm Bureau
printed and distributed 50,000 postcards with the Web site address and
a list of farmers market dates and
locations, and developed a brochure
with a map and list of product offerings at farmers markets and local farms. The Farm Bureau used
USDA grant funds for this project.
Images from the Land, A Concert, Shelby County, Ohio—The
“Images from the Land, A Concert”
event featured photos of local farm
families doing day-to-day activities.
The photos were set to music for a
concert. The audience was able to
follow the seasons of agriculture
through the photos and music. The
county is a growing community that
is losing touch with its agricultural
roots. To help educate and inform
the community, the county Farm
Bureau worked with other agriculture affinity groups to develop this
event that would not only capture
the essence of the county’s agricultural heritage but also educate nonagricultural residents about the agri-
culture industry’s contributions and
day-to-day practices.
“Power of Green” Ad Campaign, Gratiot County, Mich.—
This eight-week ad campaign in
three local newspapers and on two
local radio stations focused on issues facing production agriculture
and included testimonials from local farmers about the things they do
to protect the environment. Local
business owners also gave testimonials on how agriculture benefits
business in the county. The county
Farm Bureau also ran a yearlong ad
campaign at the local cinema.
Ag Expo, Texas County, Mo.—Students in grades 3 and 4 in all county
schools experienced agriculture
firsthand during this one-day expo.
Buses brought the excited groups to
the county fairgrounds to learn about
agriculture and its impact on them,
the role of the agricultural producer
and career opportunities in agriculture. The county Farm Bureau organizes this biennial event to provide
factual, hands-on information about
agriculture to students.
Bushels for Books, Union County, Ky.—The Bushels for Books
project is a fund raising campaign
through gifts of grain to purchase
appropriate agriculture books from
the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture’s approved list
for the county public library, school
libraries, preschools and daycare
centers. Local farmers are asked to
donate gifts of grain to the county
Farm Bureau to provide funding to
buy the books. Not only can farmers
save on their taxes by contributing
commodities such as corn, soybeans,
wheat or milo, they can benefit the
county’s children by providing access to positive and accurate books
about agriculture.
Member Services
Fencing for Flooded Farmers,
Fillmore County, Minn.—Fencing
for Flooded Farmers was an effort
to collect new and used fencing material and money to assist farmers
who were hit by the August 2007
floods. The floods affected three
counties and destroyed several hundred miles of fencing. The drive
began immediately following the
floods in an effort to provide quick
help to those who needed supplies.
Collections were held around the
continued on page 14
SATURDAY, JANUARY 10
SUNDAY, JANUARY 11, 2009
PAGE
Conferences
Continued from page 4
not enough time to do them. Who
couldn’t use that? Cher Holton,
president of the Holton Consulting Group, will lead the session in
Ballroom C2.
More conferences will be offered on Monday, with the first
round from 9:30 until 10:30 a.m.
Attendees will have a choice of four
sessions during this time, beginning with the “Rural Towns Flourish by Choice, Not by Chance”
session spotlighting how three
state Farm Bureaus have created
successful rural development programs. Speakers include Carolyn
Dunn, Kansas Farm Bureau leader,
Heather Hartlerode, co-president of
the Rural Medicine Student Leadership Association at the University
of Arkansas for Medical Sciences,
and Steve Gauck, Indiana Farm Bureau leader. The conference will be
in room 214A-B.
Also at 9:30 will be a repeat of
“The Fiscal Wake-Up Tour” session. The session will be in Ballroom C3.
“Presenting with Pizzazz! How
to Give Dynamic Presentations, No
Matter the Topic” will provide tips
for putting together polished, interesting presentations. Cher Holton,
president of the Holton Consulting
Group, a speaking professional and
trainer, will present this session in
room 217A-B.
For theater with a message,
check out the session titled “Sowing the Wind: A Rural Health and
Safety Intervention Theater Project.” It’s an interactive play that
teaches responsibility and good decision-making through the story of
one farm family. The session is appropriate for family members of all
ages. Cast members include Stephanie Jo Wise, Joanna Underhill,
Andrew Kindig and Brian Martin.
Charlie DelMarcelle is the director
and stage manager. The session will
be in room 217C-D.
The final round of conferences
11
Shuttle Information
Shuttle Bus Times
and Routes
Sunday, Jan. 11
6 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 12
6 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 13
7 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 14
7 a.m. – 1 p.m.
will be from 1:30 until 2:30 Monday. The “Insurance: The Financial
Crisis” conference will delve into
how the global financial crisis developed and what it means for Farm
Bureau insurance companies. The
session is in room 217C-D.
A look into the crystal ball for
livestock and poultry producers
is on tap at the “Livestock Market
All Routes to the
Convention Center
Route 1 – Red
Hyatt Recency San Antonio
Route 2 – Blue
The Sheraton Gunter
The Crowne Plaza
Route 3 – Orange
Marriott Rivercenter
The following hotels are within
walking distance of the convention
center:
Grand Hyatt
Hilton Palacio del Rio
Marriott Riverwalk
Outlook: Looking Out Over Unsettled Waters” conference. Chris
Hurt, Purdue University professor
and Extension economist, will speak
about the factors driving cattle, hog
and poultry prices. The session will
be in room 214A-B.
Finally, if you’re seeking inspiration and motivation to take home
continued on page 14
America’s Farm and Ranch Families,
We Salute You!
The dedication and hard work of America’s farm and ranch families is the foundation on which our great nation was built.
Those same values are what keep American agriculture vital today.
Whether it’s providing the safest, most affordable and most abundant food supply in the world; growing the commodities to
make renewable fuels that help strengthen our national security; implementing environmentally sound practices to prevent soil
erosion, preserve and restore wetlands, clean the air and water and enhance wildlife; offering employment for more than 24
million American workers to produce process and sell the nation’s food and fiber; or any of a number of other valuable contributions, agriculture impacts every American’s quality of life.
The blessing of three square meals a day is not something we should take for granted. Neither are any of the other blessings we
receive from our strong agricultural industry.
That’s why we, the Farm Bureau family of insurance companies, thank America’s farm and ranch families. And, we salute you
for being the best in the world! We are proud to provide our support to you by helping meet your risk and insurance needs.
American Agricultural Insurance Company
The reinsurance company owned by and dedicated
to assisting the Farm Bureau insurance companies
with all their reinsurance needs.
saturday, january 10
page
sunday, january 11, 2009
12
San Antonio Offers Great Restaurants, Attractions
All restaurants are in the
downtown/River Walk area.
$ Cost exceeds $25 per person
$$ Cost exceeds $40 per person
$$$Very expensive
EAT!
American
Biga on the Banks 203 S. St. Mary’s St.
(Market St.)
Ph: 210-225-0722
$$
Citrus 150 E. Houston St.
(Soledad St.)
Ph: 210-230-8412
$$
The Cove
606 W. Cypress St.
(San Pedro Ave.)
Ph: 210-227-2683
$
$$
Sandbar Fish House & Market
152 E. Pecan St.
(St. Mary’s St.)
Ph: 210-222-2426
$
Sushi Zushi 203 S. St. Mary’s St.
(Market St.)
Ph: 210-472-2900
$
Paesanos Riverwalk 111 W. Crockett St.
(Presa St.)
Ph: 210-227-2782
$
Spanish/Tapas
Las Ramblas 306 W. Market St.
(Navarro St.)
Ph: 210-298-8040
$
Bohanan’s Prime Steak $$
& Seafood
219 E. Houston St.
(Navarro St.)
Ph: 210-472-2600
Morton’s,The Steakhouse $$$
300 E. Crockett St.
(Bonham St.)
Ph: 210-228-0700
Continental
The Fig Tree Restaurant $$
(Romantic) 515 Villita St.
(Presa St.)
Ph: 210-224-1976
$
Ácenar 146 E. Houston St.
(St. Mary’s St.)
Ph: 210-222-2362
$
Casa Rio
430 E. Commerce St.
Ph: 210-225-6718
A River Walk landmark. One of
the first restaurants on the River
Walk.
Little Rhein Steak House $$
231 S. Alamo St.
(Market St.)
Ph: 210-225-2111
Zinc
207 N. Presa St.
Ph: 210-224-2900
Tex Mex/Southwestern
Café Ole
527 River Walk St.
Ph: 210-223-2939
Boudro’s on the Riverwalk $
421 E. Commerce St.
(Presa St.)
Ph: 210-224-8484
Schilo’s Delicatessen
424 E. Commerce St.
(Presa St.)
Ph: 210-223-6692
French
Pesca on the River 212 W. Crockett St.
(St. Mary’s St.)
Ph: 210-396-5817
Steak
Rainforest Café
110 E. Crockett St.
(Losoya St.)
Ph: 210-277-6300
Houston Street Bistro 204 E. Houston St.
(St. Mary’s St.)
Ph: 210-476-8600
Le Rêve $$$
152 E. Pecan St.
(St. Mary’s St.)
Ph: 210-212-2221
Ranked 6th best restaurant in
the nation in 2007 by Gourmet
magazine.
$
Mama’s Café
100 N. Main Ave.
(Commerce St.)
Ph: 210-354-2233
A good breakfast spot
Oro 705 E. Houston St.
(Ave. E)
Ph: 210-244-0146
Landry’s Seafood House $$
517 N. Presa St.
(College St.)
Ph: 210-229-1010
Italian
The County Line (Barbecue)
111 W. Crockett St.
(Presa St.)
Ph: 210-229-1941
Hard Rock Café 111 W. Crockett St.
Suite 210
(N. Presa St.)
Ph: 210-224-7625
Las Canarias $$
112 College St.
(bet. Navarro & St. Mary’s Sts.)
Ph: 210-518-1063
The Palm 233 E. Houston St.
(Navarro St.)
Ph: 210-226-7256
Seafood
Chart House
600 Hemisfair Plaza Way
(bet. Durango Blvd. &
Market St.)
Ph: 210-223-3101
$$
Iron Cactus $
200 Riverwalk
(bet. Commerce & St. Mary’s
Sts.)
Ph: 210-224-9835
Piedras Negras De Noche
1312 S. Laredo St.
Ph: 210-227-7777
Zuni Grill 223 Losoya St.
(Commerce St.)
Ph: 210-227-0864
$
Other
Marble Slab Creamery
849 E. Commerce St.
Suite 111
Ph: 210-227-9100
Ice cream at the Rivercenter
Mall.
Starbucks
Four nearby locations:
Marriott Riverwalk
Marriott Rivercenter
Rivercenter Mall
849 E. Commerce St.
The Riverwalk
111 W. Crockett St.
GO OUT AND PLAY
The Alamo
300 Alamo Plaza
Ph: 210-225-1391 (ext. 34)
Open 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.
Monday through Saturday and 10
a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Admission is free.
www.thealamo.org
Buckhorn Saloon & Museum
318 E. Houston St.
Ph: 210-247-4000
Open 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
This 120 year-old saloon is now a
museum of Texas history suitable
for the whole family. Belly up to
the bar at the saloon-turned-café
or browse the curio store.
www.buckhornmuseum.com
San Antonio Missions National
Historical Park
2202 Roosevelt Ave.
Ph: 210-534-8833
Open daily from 9 a.m.
until 5 p.m.
Admission is free; however, large
groups should notify the park
before they visit.
Comprised of four of the five San
Antonio missions. Travel from
mission to mission on the eightmile Bike and Hike Trail.
www.nps.gov/saan
La Villita Historical Arts
Village
418 Villita St.
Ph: 210-207-8613
San Antonio’s first neighborhood,
the “little village” is now home
to art galleries, craft shops and
clothing and jewelry stores.
www.lavillita.com
Sea World San Antonio is
closed in January.
Six Flags Fiesta Texas also is
closed during most of January,
including the dates of the AFBF
annual meeting.
Tower of the Americas
600 Hemisfair Park
Ph: 210-223-3101
Get a panoramic view of San
Antonio atop this 750-foot-tall
tower.
Operating hours are 10 a.m.
until 10 p.m. Sunday through
Thursday and 10 a.m. till 11 p.m.
Friday and Saturday.
Tickets are $10.95 each for adults
and $8.95 each for children.
www.toweroftheamericas.com
San Antonio Museum of Art
200 W. Jones Ave.
Ph: 210-978-810
This museum has an extensive
collection of Asian art, European
and American paintings,
Greek and Roman antiquities,
pre-Colombian art and Latin
American art.
Hours are 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Tuesday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Wednesday through Saturday
and noon – 6 p.m. Sunday. The
museum is closed on Mondays.
Admission costs $8 per adult, $7
per senior (65 and older) and $3
per child aged 4-11. Admission
is free for children aged 3 and
under.
www.samuseum.org
San Antonio Zoo
3903 N. St. Mary’s St.
Ph: 210-734-7184
This is the third-largest zoo in
America.
Open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Guests may remain in the zoo
until 6 p.m.
Admission is $9 for each adult
and $7 for children 3-11 years
old and senior citizens 62 and
over. Children aged 2 get in for
free. Special ticket prices are
available for the handicapped.
www.sazoo-aq.org
King William Historic District
1032 S. Alamo
Ph: 210-227-8786
This 25-block area near
downtown is one of the oldest
and most elegant neighborhoods
in the city. You can pick up a selfguided walking tour from the San
Antonio Conservation Society
(107 King William St., Ph: 210224-6163).
www.kingwilliamassociation.org
Witte Museum
3801 Broadway
Ph: 210-357-1900
Home of historic artifacts and
photographs focusing on Texas
history, science and water
resources.
Open 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday
and Wednesday through
Saturday, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Tuesday, and noon – 5 p.m.
Sunday.
Tickets are $7
per adult, $6
per senior (ages
65 and up), $5
per child aged
4-11 and free for
children aged 3
and under.
www.
wittemuseum.org
saturday, january 10
sunday, january 11, 2009
page
13
San Antonio: One of America’s Favorite Cities
With plenty of cultural
and historical attractions and
outstanding restaurants, it’s no
surprise that San Antonio was
named as one of America’s favorite
cities in 2008 by Travel & Leisure
magazine—the second year in a
row that San Antonio has claimed
that distinction.
It probably helps that, in
addition to the attractions, San
Antonio has some of the friendliest
folks around. NBC’s Today Show
ranked the city as one of the five
friendliest in the U.S. in 2008.
San Antonio is Texas’ secondlargest city, and it welcomes about
26 million tourists each year. It’s
perhaps best known for its two-mile
River Walk, a network of walkways
through downtown, along the San
Antonio River, connecting hotels,
shopping and dining destinations
and historic landmarks.
Or, perhaps, the city is better
known for the Alamo, a former
Roman Catholic mission built by
the Spanish Empire for educating
local Native Americans. It later
served as a fortress for Mexican
soldiers and, after they seized
control from the Mexicans in
1835 during the Texas Revolution,
for heroic Texas settlers (which
included many Mexicans) fighting
for Texas’ independence
from Mexico.
After the Texans
took control, the
mission was the site
of the most famous
battle of the revolution
in February 1836,
when Mexican forces
launched an assault
on the Alamo and
reportedly killed all
or most of the settlers.
Although the Texans
lost at the Alamo, news of the battle
prompted Texans to join the army
in droves and go on to win the
Battle of San Jacinto and the Texas
Revolution. During the San Jacinto
battle, soldiers shouted “Remember
the Alamo!” It was a cry of
vengeance that rallied the soldiers
on to victory.
Today, the Alamo is a museum
where tourists can learn about
Texas history, as well as history of
the Spanish Empire’s colonialism
in America’s Southwest.
San Antonio is named for
Saint Anthony of Padova, Italy,
because Spanish explorers and
missionaries in 1691 came upon
the Native American settlement
on the saint’s feast day of June 13.
Coincidentally, the leader of the
FIE
Continued from page 10
management intensive grazing
operation rather than purchased
permanent water fountains. The
portable tubs, built on the farm for
about $80 each, are plugged into
buried water lines. A shutoff valve
that can be opened in freezing
weather keeps the water in the tubs
and hoses from freezing in winter.
and old recycled fence materials,
costs less than building a new
conventional concrete structure and
it uses existing resources.
Electronic Fence Wire
Winder, Martin Thomas,
Morganfield, Ky.—Electric fence
is widely used for pasture rotation
for cattle, but removing the fence is
a problem when rotating pastures
or cropping. This machine can be
hooked to the tailgate of a pickup
truck, four-wheeler, tractor or other
vehicle and coils one-half mile of
wire in 10 minutes.
Livestock/Equine
(Animal Agriculture)
Portable All-Weather
Livestock Water Tub, Bill Payne,
Stanford, Ky.—This system
uses a portable water tub on a
Marketing/Management
The Hay Saver, Victor
McElfresh, Augusta, Ky.—This
modified saw chain saws through a
round bale of hay without snagging
the hay or clogging the saw. The
teeth of the chain are ground from
L-shape into a flat I-shape. The idea
is applicable for operations with
small herds and saves waste from
overfeeding.
Safety/Health/Accessibility
Modified Crutch Tip Gas Can
Spout Cover, Richard Layden,
Mexican troops who laid siege to
the Alamo was Antonio Lopez de
Santa Anna.
While the Battle of the Alamo
is in the distant past, national
defense remains an important
presence in San Antonio. The
city is home to one of the largest
military concentrations in the
United States, including Fort Sam
Houston (Army), Lackland Air
Force Base, Randolph Air Force
Base and Brooks City-Base (Air
Force). The defense industry is the
second-largest economic engine in
the city, behind tourism.
This year’s American Farm
Bureau Federation annual meeting
follows the 2008 annual meeting
in New Orleans. Interestingly, San
Antonio was the temporary home
of the New Orleans Saints football
Hoopeston, Ill.—Gas cans without
a spout cover can spill and become
a safety hazard. Fitting the spout
with a crutch tip drilled with a hole
in the center and secured through
an I-bolt prevents the loss of the
spout cover.
Master Hitch, Mike
Brookshire, Winchester, Ky.—
This invention is a hitch that fits
into any 2-inch hitch receiver
and allows the user to tow any
agriculture machinery safely and
worry free. It allows the user to
hook the machinery to a draw
bar and hook up the PTO shaft,
avoiding mishaps with the PTO
shaft during transport.
Workshop
Poop Pipe Blaster, Bruce
Ferris, Dowling, Mich.—This
device removes clogs and cleans
out various drain lines, including
manure lines from the barn to the
team for the 2005 NFL
season due to Hurricane
Katrina. The city is
courting its own NFL
franchise, and is already
home to the NBA’s San
Antonio Spurs.
San Antonio is also
known as a center of fine
Tex-Mex restaurants, and
the Culinary Institute of
America recently located
its newest campus in the
city with a focus on Latino
cuisines. See page 12 for a list of
restaurants you might want to visit
while you’re here.
The River Walk already is a
top tourist destination, but the city
is working to make it even better.
A project to lengthen the River
Walk from its current 2 miles to 13
miles is under way. The extension
will join the original River Walk
to San Antonio’s museums, the
historic Pearl Brewery and cultural
attractions to the north in 2009, and
to the city’s four Spanish colonial
missions to the south in 2014.
This fast-growing city
promises tourists and Farm Bureau
conventioneers a great time now
and even more exciting attractions
in the years to come.
liquid manure storage tank. It uses
water pressure as its power source.
The cost of building the device is
less than $20, a significant savings
over the $200-$300 service call to a
commercial drain cleaner.
Handle Clamp, Wayne
Tjeerdsma, Avon, S.D.—The
Handle Clamp is a tool holding
device. It securely holds hand
tools such as shovels, spades,
brooms, grease guns, etc., on farm
equipment, saving the operator time
and the cost of lost or damaged
tools.
Greased Lightning, Daniel
Prough, LaGrange, Ind.—This
innovation attaches a light to a
grease gun to free up the operator’s
hands for pumping and holding the
grease tip at the same time, rather
than having to hold or balance a
flash light, too. This is handy when
greasing equipment under poor
lighting conditions.
saturday, january 10
page
14
Womens
Continued from page 5
Conferences
Continued from page 11
of all, I enjoy seeing all of you and
catching up on what’s happening in
your neck of the woods.
I hope you will enjoy the issue conferences, General Sessions,
Women’s Leadership Committee
activities and everything else the
annual meeting has to offer. I look
forward to seeing you and wish you
a successful and motivational annual meeting.
Sincerely,
and make your Farm Bureau more
productive, the “No One Can Stop
You But You!” conference is a good
choice. Speaker Walter Bond, former NBA basketball pro and, today,
an entertaining motivational speaker, will talk about how to achieve
your best no matter what hurdles
come your way.
Start your year armed with information and inspiration by attending the conferences that interest
you.
sunday, january 11, 2009
Terry Gilbert
Chair, AFB Women’s
Leadership Committee
CAE
Continued from page 10
state, raising more than $15,000 and
collecting several thousand dollars
worth of used fencing material.
Health and Safety Fair, Sacramento County, Calif.—This county Farm Bureau responded to the
need for health and safety information and services for farm workers
and their families by holding a free
health fair. Now in its third year, the
Health and Safety Fair is a commitment to the health and well-being
of the farm community. The fair
provides health screenings and immunizations, as well as health and
safety educational information and
demonstrations for men, women
and children.
Policy Implementation
Animal Agriculture 101: An
Introduction to Livestock Production and Care, Tuscarawas
County, Ohio—This two-day seminar provided instruction for county
animal control officers on identification of livestock, basic body condition, feeding, shelter, animal behavior and handling, biosecurity, proper
removal and disposal, and other issues. The program will help individuals responsible for responding
to animal care complaints become
continued on page 15
American Farm Bureau Federation®
Salutes, Congratulates & Honors
Congratulations to
Matt Schuiteman
Iowa Farm Bureau’s
2008 Discussion Meet Winner
David Rydberg
Iowa Farm Bureau’s
2008 Bob Joslin Excellence in Ag
Award Winner
NC Farm Bureau Salutes
YF&R State Winners
Achievement - Jason & Robin Starnes
Discussion - Joe Deal
Ex. in Ag - Andy VonCanon & Brittany Whitmire
Jeff & Paula Ellis
Iowa Farm Bureau’s
2008 Young Farmer Achievement
Award Winners
saturday, january 10
sunday, january 11, 2009
page
15
13
Improve Rural Livelihoods, Volunteer to
Help Farmers Overseas
The American Farm Bureau Federation and CNFA became partners in December 2008 to
identify agricultural and food professionals who
might be interested in participating in the Farmer-to Farmer (FTF) Program.
FTF provides voluntary technical assistance
to farmers, farm groups, and agribusinesses in
developing and transitional countries to promote
sustainable improvements in food processing,
production, and marketing. The program is funded by the United States Agency for International
Development (USAID) through the farm bill.
Typically, volunteers spend three weeks overseas working directly with recipients in the host
country. CNFA arranges all travel, accommodation, visas and other logistical issues for the volunteers and pays all of these expenses upfront.
Support is provided throughout the assignment
by CNFA’s in-country staff, allowing volunteers
to focus their attention on their work.
CNFA is a Washington, D.C.-based, nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization dedicated to
stimulating economic growth around the world
by nurturing entrepreneurship, private enterprise,
and market linkages. CNFA has been successfully implementing FTF around the world since
1992. In September 2008, CNFA was awarded
CAE
Continued from page 14
better acquainted with livestock production and
care practices. The county Farm Bureau worked
with the state Farm Bureau and the Ohio State
University Extension to develop the program.
County Farmers Market, Somerset County, Pa.—Somerset County was the only one in
Pennsylvania that did not have an established
farmers market. The county Farm Bureau worked
with the Cooperative Extension office and the
Chamber of Commerce to open a farmers market to supply local farm products to the public,
give farmers another avenue to market their products and educate the public on where their food
comes from. More than 20 vendors participate
each week, and yearly gross sales at the farmers
market are over $100,000.
FFA Ag Career Tour, Hillsdale County,
Mich.—The county Farm Bureau sponsored an
agricultural career seminar and farm tour to further the interest of high school and FFA students
in agriculture (as directed by a 2008 adopted local resolution). The ag tour shows students—103
so far—that there are many diversified careers in
agriculture besides basic crop or livestock production.
three new FTF projects, which will significantly
expand the program. Core countries in which
volunteers will be working now include Angola,
Georgia, Kenya, Malawi, Moldova, Mozam-
In addition to voting on American Farm
Bureau Federation policies, the AFBF
voting delegates will fill 18 seats on the
board of directors.
Expiring two-year terms on the
board include:
Midwest Region
Craig Lang, Iowa
Keith Olsen, Nebraska
Bob Peterson, Ohio
Don Villwock, Indiana
Northeast Region
Alex Dowse, Massachusetts
Carl Shaffer, Pennsylvania
bique, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Volunteering with the CNFA FTF Program
can lead to concrete benefits for people in developing countries and personal satisfaction for volunteers. Significant successes in the past have led
to increased efficiency, sales and wages through
new technologies, techniques and strategies.
CNFA is at the AFBF 2009 Showcase in
booth 452. Please stop by to learn more about
the program and to register as a volunteer.
Public Relations & Information
A Taste, Broward County, Fla.—This daylong exposition was designed to display area agricultural products and bring producers and their
local community together. There were tasting
booths, competitions, informative speakers and
experts available for questions on ag-related topics. The event was held on a traditionally busy
shopping day at the local mall, in the outdoor
stage area, with 68 exhibitors. More than 2,000
people attended.
Agriculture Affects Us All, Los Angeles County, Calif.—The goal of this campaign is to make
a mainstream urban audience realize the importance of agriculture.
Recipe for Ag, Marshall County, Kan.—The
county Farm Bureau selects and provides one
recipe per week for an Affiliated Foods grocery
store. The store owner then selects one ingredient
from the recipe that will be featured in his weekly
sale promotion and in a flier and coupon.
Multi-level Approach to the “Oil-Gas Rush,”
Chenango County, N.Y.—The program is a
multi-level approach to inform and help prepare
landowners to negotiate oil and gas leases.
Southern Region
Ron Anderson, Louisiana
Kenneth Dierschke, Texas
Zippy Duvall, Georgia
Mike Spradling, Oklahoma
Lacy Upchurch, Tennessee
Larry Wooten, North Carolina
Western Region
Alan Foutz, Colorado
Kevin Rogers, Arizona
Michael White, New Mexico
In addition, vacant seats currently or
formerly held by the following state Farm
Bureau presidents will be filled due to the
resignation of these presidents. The new
board appointments will be for the one year
remaining in each two-year term.
Northeast Region
John Lincoln, New York
Southern Region
Marshall Coyle, Kentucky
Stanley Reed, Arkansas
The American Farm Bureau Women’s
Leadership Committee will hold elections
for chair, currently Terry Gilbert of Kentucky,
who also serves on the AFBF board, and
vice-chair, currently Sherry Saylor of Arizona,
and fill four seats on its board of directors.
Expiring two-year board terms include:
Midwest Region
Helen Norris, Kansas
Northeast Region
Ethel Nash, West Virginia
Southern Region
Ginny Paarlberg, Florida
Western Region
Angela Ryden, Colorado
The AFBF Young Farmers & Ranchers
Committee will elect a new chairperson to
replace Townsend Kyser of Alabama, who
is completing his one-year term. The YF&R
Committee chair also serves on the AFBF
board of directors.
Farm Bureau Bank is a full-service bank committed
to providing members with a superior combination
of competitively-priced products and quality service.
Founded in 1999 by Farm Bureau, Farm Bureau Bank
serves the financial needs of more than
100,000 Farm Bureau members across 42 states.
We invite you to come grow with us!
800.492.FARM l farmbureaubank.com
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IL, MI, MO, MS, OH, or WY and may not be available in some counties or parishes. Farm Bureau, FB and the FB National Logo are registered service marks
owned by the American Farm Bureau Federation and are used under license by FB BanCorp and its subsidiaries, including
Farm Bureau Bank FSB. FB BanCorp is an independent entity and the AFBF does not own, is not owned by, and is not under
common ownership with FB BanCorp or its affiliated entities.