Fast Facts - Vol. 16 No. 3

Vol. 16 No. 3 - Friday, February 29, 2008

FARM BUREAU DAY TO INCLUDE ENERGY MEETING

Farm Bureau’s annual legislative day in Tallahassee will be Tuesday, March 18. The reception will be held from 5:30-8 p.m. at the Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center. Tickets are available for $10 each at your county Farm Bureau office.

Prior to the legislative reception, Farm Bureau will host an informational meeting for our members interested in producing energy from alternative sources. The meeting will be held from 3-5 p.m. at the Civic Center. Invited speakers include Ag Commissioner Charlie Bronson, Public Service Commission Chair Matt Carter and representatives from the electrical co-ops and investor owned utilities.

Finally, a briefing dinner will be held on Monday, March 17, to update interested members on issues. It will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Cross Creek Golf Club & Driving Range. Reservations are required for the briefing dinner and responses are requested for the energy meeting.

Please call Chris Scovotto at (850) 222-2557.

REP. CRENSHAW’S STAFF VISITS HAMILTON COUNTY

FFB Senior Assistant Director of Field Services Dan Buchanan reports that Hamilton County Farm Bureau hosted a luncheon and farmer forum with Congressman Ander Crenshaw’s Washington, D.C. and state staff. The luncheon was held at Deas Brothers Farm in Jennings. The forum provided about 50 producers with the opportunity to talk with congressional staff specialists about the farm bill, ag labor, specialty crops and pest and disease issues Said FFB Director of Ag Policy Kevin Morgan, “Meetings like these build strong relationships between producers and the congressional staff. The interaction gives the staff a glimpse of how the programs and issues they work on affect Farm Bureau members.”

PRODUCERS CAN APPLY FOR DISASTER PAYMENTS

FFB National Affairs Coordinator Dana Brooks reports that eligible farmers and ranchers who suffered livestock, livestock feed and crop losses that occurred before Dec. 31, 2007, can apply to receive disaster payments.

Late last year, President Bush signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which amends certain sections of the U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans’ Care, Katrina Recovery and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Acts. The legislation allows agricultural producers who suffered losses for crops planted before Feb. 28, 2007, or eligible livestock or livestock feed losses between Jan. 1, 2005, and Feb. 28, 2007, to apply for disaster payments under the Crop Disaster Program (CDP), Livestock Compensation Program (LCP) and Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP). The 2008 Act extends CDP, LCP and LIP payments to eligible farmers and ranchers who suffered 2007 crop, livestock and livestock feed losses throughout the 2007 crop year. The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is now accepting applications and making
payments for quantity losses before Dec. 31, 2007, under the CDP. More information is available online at: http://disaster.fsa.usda.gov.

INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE NEWS

The Internal Revenue Service announced that farmers and fishermen who wish to electronically file Form 1040 returns with Form 4136 must do so between March 3-10. Normally, these taxes would be due March 3, but this year the IRS will not be able to accept electronically filed returns that include Form 4136 before March 3. The delay is due to changes being made to Form 4136, which pertains to the credit for federal taxes paid on fuels. The revisions result from changes relating to the Leaking Underground Storage Tank tax; the changes were included in tax legislation enacted Dec. 29. The IRS estimates the slight delay will affect about 77,000 farmers and fishermen. The delay does not affect taxpayers who do not attach Form 4136 to their returns and it does not affect taxpayers who mail paper versions of Form
4136.

*** FFB Director of Finance Bob Richardson wants to remind members that links to several Web sites that might be of assistance in tax preparation are available on the Florida Farm Bureau Web site. Simply click to http://floridafarmbureau.org/ag_links/tax to get started.

STATE BOARD APPROVES THIRD RFP FOR CAP PROGRAM

The Florida Farm Bureau state board has approved the issuance of a third request for proposals (RFP) for the County Action Partnership (CAP) program. The CAP program will provide up to $5,000 to county Farm Bureaus for approved projects. Successful applicants will be selected by the CAP committee and must be approved by the FFB state board. This innovative program has been created to provide financial assistance to county Farm Bureaus interested in implementing projects of significant importance to Florida agriculture.

Application packets have been sent to all county Farm Bureaus and are also available online at http://floridafarmbureau.org/programs/cap. The application deadline is
March 31, 2008. For more information, contact Kevin Morgan at (352) 374-1537.

MINI-GRANT APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE

The Florida Farm Bureau-Ag in the Classroom (FFB-AITC) Mini-Grant program offers cash awards to help educators more effectively integrate agriculture into their curriculum. Certified Florida teachers engaged in classroom instruction at the Pre-K through 12th grade levels are eligible for the FFB-AITC Mini-Grant program for the 2008-09 school year. Grants of up to $250 will be awarded for budgeted expenses to provide an original and creative activity or program. Florida Farm Bureau will award up to $7,500 in total grants throughout the state. Applications must be received by Oct. 1, 2008.

For more information or a copy of the application, contact your local fieldman. Information and applications are also available online at http://floridafarmbureau.org/programs/teacher_mini_grants.

AG LITERACY DAY IS APRIL 10

Register for Florida Agriculture Literacy Day 2008 by visiting Florida Agriculture in the Classroom, Inc.’s Web site at http://www.agtag.org. The event is scheduled for Thursday, April 10, 2008 and hundreds of Florida agriculture industry volunteers are invited to read a special children’s book developed in honor of this year’s event. “Ag Literacy Day is Florida Ag in the Classroom’s most popular agriculture industry event,” said FAITC Chair Cara Martin. “We have more than doubled to 1,500 the number of industry volunteers who participate in Ag Literacy Day since it began in 2003.”

BMP WORKSHOPS SCHEDULED IN SOUTH FLORIDA

A Southeast Florida BMP Workshop is being presented in two locations in mid-March. One workshop will be held March 11 at the Westwinds Nursery in Palm City. The other workshop is scheduled for March 12 at the Jungle Nursery in Homestead. There will be hands-on training in irrigation uniformity, collecting water samples for testing pH and EC, and how to sample plant tissue for nutritional needs. There will be a second workshop six weeks after the first where attendees will share their experiences using BMPs. Both workshops will be conducted from 1-6 p.m.

Registration fee for the workshops is $40 per person and includes dinner. The registration fee also includes follow-up April workshops in Martin and Miami-Dade counties. Registration deadline is March 7.

For more information on the Palm City workshop, call Ed Skvarch or Sharon Lear at (772) 462-1660.  For more information on the Homestead workshop, call Patty Viera at (305) 248-3311, ext. 225.

AGRITOURISM WORKSHOP SCHEDULED

The Original Florida Tourism Task Force will be offering a full-day workshop with Jane Eckert on Tourism Opportunities for Farmers on Tuesday, April 8, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The workshop will be conducted at the Best Western Gateway Grand in Gainesville. Jane Eckert is a nationally renowned agritourism expert. As a marketing professional with a lifetime of farm experience, Jane dedicates herself to helping farmers, ranchers and tourism professionals learn more about agritourism. The registration deadline is March 31 at 5 p.m.

Visit http://nfrec-sv.ifas.ufl.edu to register or call Karen Hancock at (386)
362-1725 for more information. You can also e-mail her at khancock@ifas.ufl.edu.

WEBB NOMINATED FOR CONSERVATION AWARD

FFB Assistant Director of Field Services Eva Webb was recently nominated for the inaugural NACD/NRCS Olin Sims Conservation Leadership Award. The award was ultimately presented to Montana farmer Milo L. “Buzz” Mattelin. The award is presented annually to an individual, district or organization. Recipients are selected based upon superior service to the conservation community in promoting and leading conservation on private lands.

“PLATE FOR A PLATE” CHALLENGE

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles H. Bronson is teaming up with the Florida FFA Association to encourage sales of the FFA specialty license plate. As part of his “Plate for a Plate” challenge, Bronson is calling upon FFA chapters throughout the state to increase sales of the plate, which generates revenue for the agri-science education organization. As a reward for selling the most license plates during the “Plate for a Plate” contest period, the winning FFA chapter will win a “Fresh from Florida Feast” prepared by award-winning FDACS Chef Justin Timineri, as well as a “Field Day with Commissioner Bronson.” In addition, Bronson will serve as guest agriculture teacher for the day.

The “Plate for a Plate” contest begins March 1 and ends April 30, 2008. “I am pleased to host this contest to help spur sales of the FFA specialty license plate,” Bronson said. “FFA helps prepare students for the future through agricultural education, and proceeds from license plate sales help sustain, enhance and expand these important programs. I hope that many motorists throughout Florida will help these students by purchasing the FFA specialty license plate through their local FFA chapter.” Details and verification forms are available by clicking to http://www.flaffa.org/ffatag.html.