California’s egg farmers filed suit Friday in Fresno County Superior Court seeking a determination that Proposition 2 – a law regulating egg-laying hen enclosures – is unconstitutionally vague.  The law’s lack of clarity in size and density requirements prevents egg farmers from modifying their housing facilities in time to comply with the January 1, 2015, implementation date. "California’s egg farmers have spent the last four years attempting to gain a clear understanding of how to comply with Proposition 2 but, unfortunately, we are no closer today to knowing how to comply than we were when the law first passed in 2008," said Arnie Riebli, president of the Association of California Egg Farmers (ACEF).  He added, "Given the ambiguity in Proposition 2 and the risk of criminal prosecution for violating it, egg farmers have no choice other than to challenge the validity of the law." Read More

The House of Representatives today passed the Russia and Moldova Jackson-Vanik Repeal Act of 2012, which repeals outdated legislation that is a roadblock to the United States taking full advantage of Russia’s ascension to the World Trade Organization (WTO). The vote of 365 to 43 would establish permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) with Russia if a similar bill is passed by the Senate and signed by the president.

The National Chicken Council (NCC), National Turkey Federation (NTF), U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) and USA Poultry & Egg Export Council (USAPEEC) commend the House for their quick action in passing this legislation, and encourage the Senate to act similarly.  Read More

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced that the agency has not found evidence to support a finding of severe "economic harm" that would warrant granting a waiver of the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS). The decision is based on economic analyses and modeling done in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)."We recognize that this year’s drought has created hardship in some sectors of the economy, particularly for livestock producers," said Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. "But our extensive analysis makes clear that Congressional requirements for a waiver have not been met and that waiving the RFS will have little, if any, impact."  Read More

A coalition of livestock, poultry and dairy organizations today expressed extreme disappointment with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s denial in the wake of the worst drought in more than half a century of requests that it waive a federal law that requires corn to be turned into ethanol for gasoline.

The Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) requires 13.8 billion gallons of corn-based ethanol to be blended into gasoline in 2013, an amount that will use about 4.5 billion bushels of the nation’s corn crop, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

"We are extremely frustrated and discouraged that EPA chose to ignore the clear economic argument from tens of thousands of family farmers and livestock and poultry producers that the food-to-fuel policy is causing and will cause severe harm to regions in which those farmers and producers operate," the coalition said.

In fact, dozens of poultry, pork, beef and dairy operations have filed for bankruptcy, been sold or simply gone out of business over the past several months because of rising feed grain prices.  Read More

Tim Nilsen of Nilsen Farms is a contract turkey grower in California. The ranch was established in 1983 by Tim’s father Norm and has been continually evolving over the years to become one of the most state-of-the-art poultry facilities in the U.S. Tim is one of nine finalists in the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance search for new "Faces of Farming and Ranching. Earlier this summer, USFRA put out a call for standout farmers and ranchers who are proud of what they do, eager to share their stories of continuous improvement with others and are actively involved today in telling those stories to enter the search for the "Faces of Farming and Ranching". Farmers and ranchers from different commodity groups, farming practices, sizes and geographies applied – and among all of the quality entrants received, they are down to nine finalists. 

Click here to cast your vote for Tim.   

Record-high feed costs this year have not been kind to many farmers who raise livestock, but turkey producers say healthy demand for their product has helped them weather the storm.  Bill Mattos, president of the California Poultry Federation, said the holidays are always "a good time for the turkey industry," because of the whole-body birds that are sold-about 40 percent of the year’s business-and he expects the state will once again sell all of its turkeys this year.  Read More 

A letter regarding the farm bill and estate tax reform, signed by the California Poultry Federation and other California agriculture organizations, was sent to Congress today. The letter urges the House and the Senate to work swiftly to tackle two important issues to American agriculture and the public before the end of the year – extend the current estate tax law and pass a five-year farm bill. Click here to read the letter.

A documentary about the historic 2009 march of farmers and farm workers across the heart of the California Central Valley to demand that irrigation water restrictions be overturned and their water supply be turned back on is coming to Modesto’s State Theater Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012. "The Fight for Water: A Farm Worker Struggle" highlights the human impact an environmental decision had on the farming community when its water supply was shut off, and the march farmers and farm workers staged in order to fight for their water. The Modesto screening is being sponsored by the following organizations: The California Farm Water Coalition; the Stanislaus County Farm Bureau Federation; The California Poultry Federation and Mapes Ranch. Admission is $6 at the State Theater located at 1307 J Street, Modesto, The film begins at 7 p.m. and will be followed by a panel discussion featuring several of the film’s participants.  

Falling U.S. demand for gasoline has combined with high corn prices to force the closure of several U.S. ethanol plants. Ethanol makers are actually losing money on every gallon of the fuel they make this year, but they can’t stop making the stuff because the Renewable Fuel Standards enacted during the George W. Bush administration mandates production of 13.2 million gallons of ethanol to mix with gasoline this year.  Read More