Minneapolis, Minn. – The quest to become the best wakeboarder in the United States ended for some today, as the 2011 Nautique WWA Wakeboard National Championships, presented by Rockstar Energy Drink wrapped up 11 of its 23 divisions. The top wakeboarding talent in the country gathered today on the banks of the Mississippi River in downtown Minneapolis to vie for their respective division’s national title. Among the 11 champions crowned today was Tim Nilsen, who claimed his first national title in the Masters division. Despite choppy water conditions, the Northern California native posted a score of 66.67 to best Mike Vanpatten, Kevin Michael, and Steve Jones in the four-man final.Nilsen, along with the other 10 national titlists, will now represent the United States at the 2011 WWA World Championships next month.

The 2011 Nautique WWA Wakeboard National Championships, presented by Rockstar Energy Drink is free to the public during all five days of competition. For those who cannot attend the event in person, just "like" the King of Wake’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/kingofwake) to watch all the live streaming footage.

The 2011 Nautique WWA Nationals will also air on the VERSUS television network at 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Sept. 6.

The video answers many questions consumers have about poultry production. For example, the poultry industry is constantly asked the question: Are chickens and turkeys fed hormones? The answer is emphatically, NO! The poultry industry does not use hormones. Contrary to the popular myths that abound, growth-enhancing additives such as hormones or steroids are never used. The video explains how, through advances in breeding, modern animal care practices, and the efforts of the American farmer, we can produce poultry sustainably and economically to help feed the world.

The video also takes a look at the 40,000+ family farmers who own and operate the vast majority of small poultry farms, helping to preserve the time-honored tradition of family life on the farm. It is through their efforts that a spirit of stewardship has been set that establishes the standard of care for animals and the land on which they are raised.

These standards extend all the way down to the poultry litter found at poultry farms for which nutrient management programs have been employed for more than a decade. Poultry litter is a valuable commodity to farmers who recycle the litter for application on pastures and crop lands, reducing the need for synthetic chemical fertilizers. Many farmers also sell litter to their neighbors to bring in additional income, which helps sustain the family farm.

Producing poultry for consumption is modern agriculture at its best, and addresses the world demand for food which is safe and affordable. The poultry industry is proud to provide one of the safest and healthiest food options available to consumers, and invites everyone to take a peek behind America’s dynamic poultry industry.

For more information regarding the video, visit www.poultryegginstitute.org/training/, or you can view the video on YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cVzxY6Enbg

The California Poultry Federation Annual Meeting and Conference is set for Sept. 15-16 in Monterey, and again this year we couldn’t hold this popular event without the help of sponsoring companies, organizations, allied members and processing leaders. We need all of you to make this a success. I’ve attached a sponsor form that you can return by fax, email and/or snail mail; you will notice that our sponsor rates haven’t changed in 15 years, and I’m hopeful that will entice you to sponsor and make this one of our best meetings ever.

We have some of the finest speakers lined up including, Tom Elam, the nation’s expert on corn ethanol and its effect on the price of poultry feed. He will also provide us his outlook for 2012 and beyond. Former Assembly Speaker Robert Hertzberg, who is one of the west’s most popular political minds, will give us his thoughts about the state of California and how redistricting may affect the future success of the Golden State. Those are only a few of our speakers. You can go to our website, www.cpif.org , for the latest updates for our fall Conference and Meeting.

Registration forms will be mailed soon, but you can also download the form from the web, or click here, and register right away.

Thank you for considering a sponsorship, and we look forward to a great meeting and networking opportunity for all of you.

Foster Farms scored a victory Thursday in its bid to have rivals better disclose the additives in their poultry. The U.S. Department of Agriculture proposed a rule on labeling for poultry and other raw meat products that contain saltwater, broth and other substances aimed at enhancing flavor and texture. The rule would require "common, easy-to-understand terms" so consumers know what they are getting, said a news release from the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service. Foster Farms, based in Livingston, had objected to certain out-of-state companies using the word "natural" on such products.These labels could mislead people into consuming too much sodium, according to Foster Farms, which has mostly additive-free items in its product line. Read More

WASHINGTON, July 21, 2011 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is proposing a new rule to establish common, easy-to-understand names for raw meat and poultry products that include injections, marinades, or have otherwise incorporated added solutions which may not be visible to the consumer. FSIS has determined that some labels do not clearly identify if a solution has been added to a raw product to enhance flavor or texture. As a result, consumers may be purchasing raw meat and poultry products with higher sodium content than they realize. The agency invites comments on the proposed rule, which is intended to clarify these products’ labels so consumers can easily distinguish them from raw meat and poultry that do not contain added solutions. Read Full Story

Research recently released by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) shows chicken as the best meat for the environment, producing the lowest carbon footprint of the most common meat proteins.

Read about how California chicken producers care for the environment. fosterfarms.com/about/stewardship.asp petalumapoultry.com/planet centralcoastfryerfarms.com/ranches.html www.maryschickens.com/

WASHINGTON, July 13, 2011/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — This week’s report on corn and other grains by the U.S. Department of Agriculture marks an important turning point in the evolution of agriculture, according to the National Chicken Council: for the first time, the government is predicting that more corn will be used in this crop year for motor fuel than used for animal feed to help produce food for people. Read more

Click here for a PDF of the final resolution filed June 30, 2011.

The U.S. Senate recently voted 73-27 in favor of an amendment by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) to eliminate the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC) and repeal the import tariff on foreign ethanol. The amendment was identical to the Ethanol Subsidy and Tariff Repeal Act, which was introduced by Senator Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-Okla.) and Senator Feinstein in May.

“Today’s overwhelming vote shows a bipartisan consensus to repeal irresponsible ethanol subsidies and tariffs,” Senator Feinstein said. “The 73 votes sent a powerful message that the days of big subsidies for ethanol are coming to a close. We must be serious about addressing the debt and deficit, and this is a good first step.”

The ethanol subsidy currently gives large oil companies 45 cents for every gallon of ethanol they blend with gasoline, even though much of that use is mandated by law. If the subsidy was repealed by July 1, as the amendment calls for, it will save approximately $2.7 billion for the remainder of 2011.

The ethanol tariff is comprised of a 54-cent-per-gallon secondary tariff and a 2.5 percent ad valorem tax. The ethanol tariff makes the United States nation more dependent on foreign oil by increasing the price of imported ethanol.

“Ethanol is the only industry I know of that receives a triple crown of government support: its use is mandated by law, it enjoys protective tariffs and oil companies receive federal subsidies to use it,” Senator Feinstein added. “These flawed policies, which cost taxpayers nearly $6 billion a year, must be changed.”

Right after this vote, the U.S. House of Representatives introduced a similar bill, led by Congressman Wally Herger, to do just about the same thing as passed in the Senate.

But let’s not get too optimistic. The senate vote was only a primer for what’s to come, since any new legislation like this must originate in the House before the Senate can do anything. Their historic vote was huge for the anti-corn ethanol folks, like us, which is why now we see the House looking to do much the same thing.

But like everything that goes on in Washington, DC, we must be as vigilant as ever, and continue to let our leaders know how important this is to animal agriculture, the food industry, and the consumers who rely on food throughout the world. If you are concerned about jobs, then you should be with us in trying to eliminate these subsidies. These corn subsidies have got to go, and not soon enough. But I urge you to send a note to your member of Congress, thank both Senators Feinstein and Boxer for their work to eliminate these subsidies, and make a pest of yourself.

If you are concerned about corn ethanol subsidies, don’t let today go by before contacting the office of your member of Congress. Now!

Washington—Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) has reached an agreement with Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) to repeal the nearly $6-billion-a-year ethanol subsidy and end the tariff on foreign ethanol by the end of this month. The agreement will reduce the federal deficit by $1.33 billion and invest $668 million in new technologies to reduce U.S. dependence on oil… Full Story