Wisconsin Producers Attend National Pork Industry Forum

Wisconsin Pork Association – Pork Headlines: March/April 2016
1
March/April 2016
Legislative Updates . ����� 2
NPPC Updates . . . . ����� 4
Awards����������������������������� 6
Buy WI First Directory ��� 7
Calendar . . . . . . . . . ����� 8
WPA
Membership
Membership in Wisconsin
Pork Association
has
many benefits. In addition
to
communications
on
important industry updates,
paid WPA members receive
discounts to pork industry
programs and coupons
from industry partners. Your
membership also helps
WPA continue to provide
a voice for you and other
Wisconsin pork producers
as state and federal public
policy issues threaten onfarm operations.
If you have not done so
already, please complete
and return your membership
renewal form to the WPA
office. You can download
the membership form from
www.wppa.org/membership
or call 1-800-822-7675 to
have a form sent to you.
Don't let this be your last
issue of the Wisconsin Pork
Headlines . . . Renew your
membership today!
During Pork Forum, Wisconsin producer AV Roth, Wauzeka (left),
was re-elected to the National Pork Producers Council board
of directors. WPA members Mike Salter, Black Creek, (center)
and Tom Knauer, Avalon, served as delegates representing
Wisconsin during the NPB and NPPC annual meetings.
Wisconsin Producers Attend
National Pork Industry Forum
Producers and pork industry
members from across the country
gathered recently for the 2016 National
Pork Industry Forum in Indianapolis,
IN. Pork Forum is a collaborative effort
between the National Pork Board and
the National Pork Producers Council
to host their annual meetings. During
the annual meetings, delegates
representing each state elect board
members and vote on resolutions
and advisements to help direct future
efforts of the organizations.
One topic garnering lots of attention
from the delegates during both the
NPPC and NPB meetings was a
resolution and advisement in response
to the recent lawsuit regarding the sale
of the "Pork, the Other White Meat"
trademark. In a historic move, 145
Pork Checkoff delegates representing
43 states and importers unanimously
supported an advisement urging the
USDA Secretary to "mount a strong
and vigorous defense". During the
advisement’s introduction and discussion,
it was particularly noteworthy that every
state represented in the delegate body,
including Wisconsin, added their name
as co-sponsors to the advisement. NPPC
delegates also unanimously approved a
similar resolution.
2
Wisconsin Pork Association – Pork Headlines: March/April 2016
Wisconsin Legislative Updates
By Jordan Lamb, DeWitt Ross &
Stevens
The Wisconsin State Legislature
has officially wrapped up its action
for the 2015-16 legislative session.
The Legislature addressed a
number of issues that affect
Wisconsin farmers and also left
a number of critical issues for
the next session, which begins in
January 2017.
High Capacity Wells. The
Legislature
considered
two
different approaches to addressing
farmers’ concerns surrounding
the regulatory problems under
current law with permitting of high
capacity wells.
Unfortunately,
neither approach will be sent to
the Governor for his signature this
session.
Comprehensive High Capacity
Well-Permitting Reform (SB 291/
AB 477) – FAILED TO PASS.
Senator Rob Cowles (R-Green
Bay) and Representative Scott Krug
(R-Nekoosa) worked on legislation
to
provide
comprehensive
regulatory certainty to those
seeking a new high capacity well
or those who desire to reconstruct
or repair an existing high capacity
well, while also putting into place
mechanisms to address particularly
sensitive areas in Wisconsin in
terms of groundwater pumping.
This legislation was very thorough
in the issues it addressed, but it
could not be drafted in an agreedupon manner before the session
came to an end. It is expected to
be revisited again during the 201718 session.
Repair,
Replacement,
Reconstruction and Transfer of
Ownership of HCW’s (SB 239/AB
874) – PASSED IN DIFFERENT
VERSIONS – FAILED. Senate
Rick Gudex (R-Fond du Lac) and
Rep. Lee Nerison (R-Westby)
introduced more limited high
capacity well legislation that
would simply clarify that owners
of existing HCW’s can repair,
replace, reconstruct and transfer
the ownership of HCW’s without
triggering an environmental review
of their wells. This legislation was
Wisconsin Pork Association board members recently visited the State Capitol
to speak with legislators about current issues important to agriculture. Board
members visiting legislators included (l-r) Ray Ibeling, AV Roth, Mike Salter, Bill
Gnatzig, Nathan Brickl, Jonathan Wyttenbach, and Jessica Boehm.
amended at the very end of the
session to include a mandatory
study of particular sensitive
watersheds in Wisconsin and, in
the Assembly version, to include a
provision that would allow private
well owners to sue high capacity
well owners under a nuisance
action if they are “unreasonably
harmed” by high capacity wells
that have lowered the water table
or caused a decrease in their water
pressure. Under this provision,
the prevailing party could collect
their attorneys’ fees and costs.
This is the same as the provision
under current s. 823.08, known as
Wisconsin’s “Right to Farm” law.
However, after the Assembly
passed the legislation, several
Republican Senators as well as the
Wisconsin Realtors Association,
objected to this fee provision
when the bill reached the Senate.
Accordingly, the Senate removed
the provision. Unfortunately, at
the time this article was written,
the Assembly had no plans
to reconvene to concur in the
amended Senate version of the
bill. As a result, even though this
bill passed both houses, because
it passed in different forms, it will
not be sent to the Governor.
Transportation / Road Weight
Limits. Senator Jerry Petrowski
(R-Marathon) and Representative
Keith Ripp (R-Lodi) continued to
refine their initial comprehensive
implements of husbandry (farm
implements) weight limit legislation
that was originally passed in 2014
(2013 Wisconsin Act 377) and which
generally gave farm implements
operating on the roadways a 15%
increase in road weight limits.
Implements of Husbandry
(IOH) 2.0 – ENACTED 2015
Wisconsin Act 15. In April 2015,
the Governor signed 2015 Act 15,
Continued on page 3
Wisconsin Pork Association – Pork Headlines: March/April 2016
3
Wisconsin Legislative Updates
Continued from page 2
which clarified IOH issues related to
towed and attached IOH; specified
that IOH with rubber tracks can
legally operate on a highway; and
provided other technical changes
that improve the application of the
law to “agricultural commercial
motor vehicles” (Ag CMVs).
Implements of Husbandry
(IOH) 3.0 – ENACTED 2015
Wisconsin Act 232. During the
fall 2015 session, Representative
Ripp and Senator Petrowski further
updated IOH laws with roughly
15 distinct yet very technical
modifications. For instance this
legislation provided: the definition
of farm tractor was updated to
reflect recent changes in statutory
language from Act 377 and Act 15;
SMV sign usage was updated to
correct inconsistencies and clarify
its true purpose (to indicate speed);
and further clarifications as to how
wide implements being trailered
need to be properly lighted and
marked.
Extension of Fall Harvest
Weight Exemption – ENACTED
2015
Wisconsin Act
235.
Assembly Bill 733 and Senate Bill
509, authored by Representative
Spiros (R-Marshfield) and Senator
Petrowski (R-Marathon), provides
that the 15% seasonal weight
limit increase for certain vehicles
transporting agricultural crops
from harvest to initial storage
or harvest to initial processing,
begins on August 1st rather than
on September 1st of each calendar
year. This weight limit increase
ends on December 31 of each
calendar year.
Other Legislative Issues:
Authority of UW Board of
Regents to Sell or Lease
Agricultural Land – ENACTED
2015
Wisconsin Act
230.
Assembly Bill 717 and Senate
Bill 571, authored by Senator
Jerry Petrowski (R-Marathon)
and Representative Keith Ripp
(R-Lodi), expands the authority
of the Board of Regents of the
University of Wisconsin System
regarding transfers of agricultural
land.
Prior Wisconsin law
allowed the Board of Regents to
sell or lease specified tracts of
agricultural land and improvements
thereon subject to the approval of
the Building Commission. This
legislation allows the Board of
Regents to sell or lease agricultural
land without the approval of the
Building Commission, allowing the
University to be more nimble and
responsive in terms of agricultural
land transfers.
State
Income
Taxation
of Revenue Derived from
Agriculture – IMPLEMENTATION
UNDERWAY. Wisconsin is in the
third year of a transition into a state
income tax credit for all revenue
derived from agriculture. As a part
of a state budget bill agreement
reached with agriculture, the
Wisconsin Legislature did not
expand that credit to the anticipated
5.5% level, but instead adjusted the
tax credit for ag income derived in
2015 to be only 4.0%. This means
that income derived from farming
during 2015 will pay at a state
income tax rate of 3.75% instead
of the full 7.75%. The reason for
this change was to allow the state
to maintain the revenue necessary
to also terminate the “alternative
minimum tax” in Wisconsin. Next
year, the state income tax credit
for income derived from agriculture
in 2016 will be 7.5%. This means
that on 2017 farm tax returns, the
remaining income tax due from
farm income will only be 0.25%.
Issues for Next Session:
Additional Funding for Local
Roads – Budget Bill 2017-19.
A number of Ag groups have
expressed general support for
the Governor, the Legislature,
stakeholders and the Wisconsin
DOT to work cooperatively on
increasing funding for roadways in
Wisconsin. In particular, increasing
funding for local roads is of great
concern to Wisconsin farmers.
This issue is not currently active,
but is continually discussed.
Funding for UW-CALS and
UW Extension – Ag Research.
The next biennial budget is just
around the corner. The Governor
will introduce his budget bill early
in 2017 and the Legislature aims
to finish work on the bill by the end
of May or early June. Wisconsin
farmers are watching closely as
that budget will affect the funding
for UW and we are concerned with
funding for agricultural research
inside CALS and UW-Extension.
The inherent connection between
robust agricultural research in
Wisconsin and a robust agricultural
economy in Wisconsin has become
more apparent in recent years
as budgets for ag research have
steadily decreased.
High Capacity Wells. Despite
the efforts to get legislative clarity
for the regulation and permitting
of high capacity wells this session,
no statutory changes were made.
Accordingly, this issue will again
become a top priority for Wisconsin
farmers during the 2017-18
legislative session. The legislature
did show farmers that this is a
priority, however. Accordingly, we
made progress on this issue and
hopefully can build on that during
the next session.
Wisconsin Pork Association – Pork Headlines: March/April 2016
4
NPPc - Strategic Investment Program Updates
South Africa Now Accepting
U.S. Pork exports
South Africa this month started
accepting U S pork exports
NPPC, which worked with the
Obama administration to convince
the African nation to lift a de facto
ban on U S pork, welcomed the
news The United States can ship
to South Africa a variety of raw,
frozen pork, including bellies,
hams, loins, ribs and shoulders,
for unrestricted sale and other pork
for further processing South Africa
imposed a number of restrictions
on pork imports, including one
to prevent the spread of Porcine
Reproductive and Respiratory
Syndrome (PRRS) to South
African livestock even though the
risk of disease transmission from
U S pork products is negligible
There is no documented scientific
case of PRRS being transmitted to
domestic livestock through imported
pork In early January, after the
Obama administration threatened
to suspend its trade benefits under
the African Growth and Opportunity
Act – duty-free access for products
exported to the United States –
South Africa announced it would
partially lift its ban on U S pork
NPPC will continue to work with the
governments in Washington and
Pretoria to get the South African
market fully opened to U S pork
NPPc calls for Improved fMd
Vaccine Bank
Citing the seriousness of the
disease and the devastation it could
cause the U S livestock industry,
the National Pork Producers
Council has urged congressional
lawmakers and the Obama
administration to make dealing
with an outbreak of foot-and-mouth
disease (FMD) a priority
“Improving preparedness for an
FMD outbreak through development
of an adequate vaccine bank
must be a priority,” testified NPPC
immediate past president Dr
Howard Hill, a veterinarian and
pork producer from Cambridge,
Iowa, before a subcommittee of the
House Committee on Agriculture
FMD, a foreign animal disease
endemic in Africa, Asia, South
America and the Middle East, can
affect all cloven-hoofed animals,
including pigs, cattle and sheep
While it rarely infects humans
and isn’t a food safety issue,
an outbreak in North America,
which currently is free of it, could
negatively affect meat
exports and domestic
meat sales
To deal with any
foreign animal disease
outbreak, the U S
pork industry has
been working with
the U S Department
of Agriculture on a
“Secure Pork Supply”
plan, which would
enhance coordination
and
communication
among producers and
federal, state and local government
officials, support continuity of
operations for producers and
accelerate disease response
Part of that response would be
vaccinating susceptible animals
But, pointed out NPPC’s Hill to
the House agriculture panel’s
Subcommittee on Livestock and
Foreign
Agriculture,
USDA’s
Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service (APHIS) currently doesn’t
have enough vaccine or the ability
to obtain it to adequately deal with
an FMD outbreak
USdA Releases final
'cOOL' Rule
The
US
Department
of
Agriculture released a final rule
related to the Country of Origin
Labeling (COOL) law, making
official the repeal of the meat
labeling provision of it Congress in
December included in a year-end
funding bill the repeal language,
which allowed the United States to
avoid trade retaliation from Canada
and Mexico, which objected to the
COOL law Avoiding retaliation was
the top priority of NPPC, which
helped lead a broad coalition
supporting repeal of the pork
and beef labeling requirement of
COOL
High court Refuses to Hear
challenge to ePA's chesapeake
Bay Rule
The U S Supreme Court decided
not to review a federal appeals
court ruling upholding a U S
Environmental Protection Agency
plan to put the Chesapeake
Bay and its 64,000-square-mile
watershed on a “pollution diet ”
The decision effectively ends
legal action on EPA’s regulation
setting so-called Total Maximum
Daily Loads (TMDLs) – the amount
Continued on page 5
Wisconsin Pork Association – Pork Headlines: March/April 2016
5
Strategic Investment Program Updates
Continued from page 4
of pollutants, including otherwise
unregulated farm and agricultural
storm water runoff – for the bay
NPPC in early November joined
the American Farm Bureau
Federation,
other
agricultural
groups and business organizations
in petitioning the Supreme Court
to review the decision of the U S
Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit
in Philadelphia to uphold a lower
court ruling that EPA can set TMDLs
for the bay to force states to meet
federal water-quality standards
NPPC, AFBF and the other
groups argued the Clean Water
Act does not authorize EPA to set
standards for states, the agency’s
action was a violation of longestablished federalism principles,
the regulation was arbitrary
and capricious and the TMDLs
are based on flawed computer
modeling The TMDLs likely will
cost taxpayers and farmers billions
of dollars by the time the rule is fully
implemented in 2025 The groups
fear the Chesapeake Bay TMDL
program will be used as a model
for regulating other waterways,
including the Mississippi River,
and could be used to limit the size
of farms, force more burdensome
and unnecessary regulations on
farmers and restrict the application
of manure to cropland In their
petition to the high court, the
groups argued that the EPA TMDL
rule “opens the door for a dramatic
expansion of federal power ”
NPPC Elects New Officers,
Board Members
NPPC delegates elected new
members to its board of directors
at its annual business meeting in
Indianapolis March 3-5 Re-elected
to the board for another three-year
term were Jim Compart, of Nicollet,
Minn , Ken Maschhoff, of Carlyle,
Ill , and AV Roth, of Wauzeka, Wis
Board member Kent Bang was
re-elected to a two-year term for
the Allied Industry Council seat
Jen Sorensen, of Ankeny, Iowa,
was elected as a new member of
the board for a three-year term
They join current directors Cory
Bollum, with Hormel Foods Corp
in Austin, Minn – who is the
Packer Processor Industry Council
representative – Phil Borgic, of
Nokomis, Ill , Jim Heimerl, of
Johnstown, Ohio, David Herring,
Rural Mutual
Insurance Company
of Lillington, N C , Bill Kessler, of
Mexico, Mo , Dale Reicks, of New
Hampton, Iowa, Kraig Westerbeek,
of Warsaw, N C , and Terry Wolters,
of Pipestone, Minn Re-elected to
the NPPC Nominating Committee,
which vets candidates for the board,
was Duane Stateler, a producer
from Ohio Joe Baldwin, a producer
from Indiana, also was elected to
the committee
SIP
Funding
for
industry
representation like those described
above come directly from pork
producer investment in NPPC’s
Strategic Investment Program
(SIP )
SIP allows NPPC and
Wisconsin Pork Association to:
fight for reasonable legislation and
regulation, develop export market
opportunities,
and
proactively
address issues of industry and
consumer concern, including food
safety, environment, and animal
health and welfare
Producers
agree to contribute $0 10/$100
of market value The ability to
use these unrestricted funds
better equips WPA and NPPC
to respond to today’s threats
on the state and national level
www.ruralins.com
As the leading insurer of Wisconsin farms, we recognize that agri-business requires special protection. After all, your farm operation is
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To protect your livelihood, call 1-877-219-9550 or visit our website and we can show you the variety of coverage’s available to address all
your insurance needs.
Premiums Paid Here, Stay Here To Keep Wisconsin Strong.
Wisconsin Pork Association – Pork Headlines: March/April 2016
6
WPA Honors Producers, Industry Members
The Wisconsin Pork Association
recognized producers and industry
members for their dedicated
service during the WPA Annual
Meeting held February 4, 2016 in
Wisconsin Dells
Producer Honoree Award
The Producer Honoree Award
is presented to a fellow individual
whose contributions to the
Wisconsin swine industry merit
special recognition Tom Knauer,
Avalon, is the 2015 recipient of this
award
Tom, along with his wife Marge,
started their swine operation in
1977 They own 75 acres, produce
corn, and have Angus beef cows
and purebred Landrace and
Hampshire hogs Tom takes great
DON’T WAIT...
BE READY!
The NEW Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD)
for medically important feed-grade antibiotics
and prescription rule for water-based antibiotics
TAKE EFFECT ON JANUARY 1, 2017.
ANTIBIOTICS
RESOURCE CENTER
Visit pork.org/antibiotics
for more information.
©2015 National Pork Board, Des Moines, IA USA. This message funded by America’s Pork Producers and the Pork Checkoff.
pride in raising quality livestock and
focuses on sound genetics Tom
served on the WPA Board from
2010-2016, has been active on
the WPA Youth and Swine Health
Committees, has attended the
National Pork Industry Forum as
a delegate, and has made several
trips to Washington, D C to meet
with legislators on behalf of the
pork industry He has also been an
active member of the Rock County
Pork and Beef Producers and has
served on the Rock County Fair
Board
Agri-Communicator Award
This
award
acknowledges
the efforts of individuals in the
agriculture industry to communicate
with others The 2015 recipient
of the WPA Agri-Communicator
award is Zen Miller
Zen joined UW-Extension in
1996 as the dairy and livestock
agent in Outagamie County In
2009, he joined the newly formed
UW-Extension swine team and
took over the role as swine team
leader in 2012 As team leader,
Zen has been engaged in a number
of projects, including a swine
team booth at Farm Technology
Days,
coordinating
meetings
with Wisconsin processors and
producers, hosting an annual
Badger Pork Day, and organizing a
bacon contest for 4-H youth in his
county He has also served for a
number of years as a Pork Quality
Assurance Plus and Transport
Quality Assurance trainer and
advisor to farmers
Industry Honoree Award
This award recognizes industry
representatives who are dedicated
to promoting and serving the pork
industry The recipient of the award
for 2015 is Gary Onan
Gary is a professor and serves
as Chair of the Animal and Food
Science Department at the
University of Wisconsin River Falls
Gary has taught swine production
at UW-River Falls, serves on the
WPA Youth Committee, and has
been involved in other youthfocused activities such as swine
project meetings, judging swine
and pork carcass shows at county
fairs, and in recent years scanning
hogs at county fairs for virtual
carcass shows He has also done
some swine housing research at
UWRF with a focus on the use
of hoop structures for grow-finish
and the effect on growth, feed
efficiency, and carcass merit.
Public Service Award
This award recognizes a legislator
who provides outstanding support
to the pork industry The 2015
Continued on page 7
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Wisconsin Pork Association – Pork Headlines: March/April 2016
Awards
Continued from page 6
recipient of the WPA Distinguished
Public Service award is Senator
Jerry Petrowski.
Senator Petrowski has been a
great leader for Wisconsin farmers
in the Wisconsin Legislature since
he was first elected to the State
Assembly in 1998. Because he is a
farmer himself, he truly understands
the needs of the farming community.
Legislators from both parties value
his leadership and knowledge on
agricultural issues, which include
the following bills this session:
•Authoring legislation that further
clarifies the framework for farm
implements to be operated legally
on Wisconsin roads (Implements
of Husbandry legislation).
•Authoring legislation to establish
that local governments can allow
piping of manure in road right of
ways.
•Continuing to support additional
truck weights during harvest
7
WPA 'Buy Wisconsin First'
Directory
The Wisconsin Pork Association’s
“Buy Wisconsin First” directory
is now available online. The
directory will also be published in
the Midwest Herdsman Magazine.
The directory features several top
quality Wisconsin show pig and
seedstock producers from across
the state. It is a great resource
for youth involved in 4-H or FFA
pig projects who are beginning
to look for their project animals.
The directory is posted on the
WPA website at wppa.org/buywisconsin-first-directory. Featured
breeders include: Walsh Family
Farm; West Central WI Show
Pig Sale; Krebs Farms; Magolski
Farms; Graff Show Pigs; Robert
Walstra & Family; Yelinek Show
Pigs; Hardyman Family Show Pigs;
UW-Platteville Pioneer Farm &
Guests; Cherney/Nuttleman Show
Pig Sale; Matt Cherney Show Pigs;
Tom Knauer Family; and Puntney
Show Pigs.
months, including legislation that
extends the harvest period from
August through December each
year.
•Legislation to allow the Board
of Regents of the University
of Wisconsin System to sell or
lease agricultural land without
the approval of the Building
Commission.
Wisconsin Pork Association
P.O. Box 327
Lancaster, WI 53813
Address Service Requested
Non-Profit Organization
U.S. Postage Paid
Lancaster, WI 53813
Permit No. 91
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8
Wisconsin Pork Association – Pork Headlines: March/April 2016
UPCOMING CALENDAR OF EVENTS
MARCH
26 ~ West Central WI Show Pig Sale, Whitehall
29-31 ~ WPS Farm Show, Oshkosh
30~ Walsh Family Farm Online Showpig Sale, Showpig.com
APRIL
1-2 ~ WI Assoc. Meat Processors Convention, Madison
1-2 ~ Matt Cherney Show Pig Sale, Lavalle
2 ~ Cherney/Nuttleman Show Pig Sale, West Salem
6 ~ WPA Board of Directors Meeting, Madison
10 ~ UWP Pioneer Farm Show Pig Sale, Platteville
20-21 ~ NPPC Legislative Action Conference, Washington D.C.
WPA Staff
Tammy Vaassen, Executive Vice President
Mandy Masters, Program Director
Contact at : (800) 822-7675, (608) 723-7551
or [email protected]
WPA Board of Directors
Bill Gnatzig, President
(715) 760-0781, [email protected]
Jim Magolski, Vice-President
(920) 851-4724
[email protected]
Jessica Boehm, Secretary
(608) 692-2733
[email protected]
Mike Salter, Treasurer
(920) 739-0403 [email protected]
Nathan Brickl, (608) 588-9625
[email protected]
Ray Ibeling, (608) 751-3513
[email protected]
Budd Post, (414) 640-8076
[email protected]
Shannon Wolf, (608) 778-0806
[email protected]
Jonathan Wyttenbach, (608) 3476135, [email protected]
A.V. Roth, NPPC Representative
(608) 476-2377, [email protected]