by Tim Alexander

Quinn Proclaims Illinois Soybean Day

URBANA – The governor of Illinois proclaimed July 31, 2014 as Illinois Soybean Day during a reception recognizing the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of the Illinois Soybean Association (ISA). Gov. Pat Quinn’s  designation was read by Illinois Agriculture Director Bob Flider during the program, which was held at the University of Illinois at Urbana. More than 200 past leaders, association members and guests attended the event, including Bob Hauser, U of I College of ACES dean; Ray Gaesser, American Soybean Assoc. president, John Becherer, United Soybean Board CEO, and many other agriculture and academic leaders.

The ISA was founded in 1964 as the Land of Lincoln Soybean Assoc. by a group of Champaign County farmers in order to provide collective representation for the state’s soybean growers. ISA hosted the reception to honor its past accomplishments in leadership, market development and production, while looking squarely ahead to their current goal of utilizing 600 million bushels of Illinois soybeans by 2020. (ISA news release)

EU Trade Pact in Sixth Round of Talks

NORMAL – At last report, Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (T-TIP) negotiations had extended to six rounds, leaving many in the U.S. livestock industry wondering if a trade pact that lifts the European Union (EU) ban on certain imports of beef and pork treated with hormones and chemicals can ever be agreed upon. “Getting a T-TIP with Europe, we feel, is going to be very important both to grain and meat exports,” said Tamara Nelsen, senior director of commodities for the Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB), during the annual IFB Commodity Conference recently held in downtown Normal.

“T-TIP is going to broaden and expand the trade relationship between the U.S. and Europe, particularly on meat export products. With pork and beef sometimes hitting barriers in Europe– barriers often not based on science but rather consumer preference– we’ve been closely watching what’s been going on with T-TIP,” Nelsen added.

One of the biggest hurdles for T-TIP lies with the EU ban on U.S.-used hormones and beta-agonist drugs in livestock. Another lies in duties imposed on imports to the EU that the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), IFB and other commodity organizations are asking to have lifted. Discussing those barriers was a big reason U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack traveled to Europe in June to discuss the importance of T-TIP with agricultural and trade officials from the EU. With Russia’s recent embargo of all U.S. agricultural products, T-TIP talks take on additional importance to U.S. agricultural exports.

“Harvest 2014” Expo Set for Aug. 21

DECATUR – The “Harvest 2014” expo and trade show will make its debut at Decatur’s Progress City USA on Thursday, August 21. Sponsored by ADM and ADM Crop Risk Services, the expo will offer educational sessions focused on Deere and Case IH combines, outlooks for supply and cost of propane and diesel, grain conditioning, drying and quality monitoring, avoiding the Palmer amaranth “nightmare,” market outlook and strategies, preparing grain bins, fans and dryers, and more. A special unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) demonstration is also planned.

A special “early bird” price of $50 for the expo is being offered through Aug. 15. After Aug. 15 and at the gate, the cost is $75. Sessions will commence at 9 a.m. and conclude by 4 p.m. Visit www.harvest-2014.com for more details and to register online.

Illinois Farmer to Lead U.S. Grains Council

BLOOMINGTON – Claremont, Illinois corn farmer Ron Gray was recently elected as U.S. Grains Council (USGC) chairman, the Ill. Corn Growers Association has announced. The election of Gray, a past corn growers’ board chairman and ICGA delegate to the USGC, came during the organization’s recent 54th annual board of delegates meeting in Omaha.

“The Council works around the world to connect U.S. agriculture with valuable markets, ultimately improving our bottom line. We are the catalyst in the global marketplace that makes that happen,” Gray said in his first speech to USGC members. “Our theme this year is ‘global awareness, global connection.’ This means working with our delegates, board members, state and agribusiness partners, as well as the customers who rely on our products and those far away from the farm who should be aware of the impact trade has on their lives.”

In addition to having spent 35 years in production agriculture, Gray is also a crop insurance agent.

Also during the annual USGC meeting, former ICGA staffer Larry Groce received the organization’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Groce, who served with Ill. Corn from 1972-1974, attended his first USGC meeting in 1974 with former ICGA president Rollie Main. Ill. Corn has been a USGC member since that year. (Ill. Corn Daily Updates)

Kate Danner Recognized at White House Event

BLOOMINGTON – Illinois soybean farmer Kate Danner was recognized during the Champions of Change event held at the White House in Washington. D.C. July 29. Danner, 25, is vice-president of Longley Farms near Aledo, where she works with her father raising soybeans and corn. The event gathered around 200 young farmers and ranchers from across the U.S. to the White House to share ideas regarding the future of farming.

“We know the number of farmers is declining in the U.S., so it is important that farmers in my generation have open conversations with our leaders. It will help us keep farming and feeding people around the world,” stated Danner, in an ISA news release following the event. “Although topics like hydroponics and urban farming will be part of agriculture’s future, conventional farming remains a vital part of the story. That’s where I fit.”

Champions of Change is a weekly event that invites people from across the country who are doing extraordinary things in their communities or industries to “share their ideas to win the future” at the White House.

Illinois Farm Fact:

The soybean checkoff funds market development, soybean production and profitability research, promotion, issues management and analysis, communications and education. (Ill. Soybean Assoc.)

(Tim Alexander is a freelance reporter who writes agriculture, news and feature articles for the News Bulletin, Farm World and many other publications.)