Lester Spell, Jr., D.V.M., Commissioner

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Farm Bureau June 16, 2008
Lester Spell, Jr., D.V.M., Commissioner
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• Statewide
• 6.4 Billion farm value
• 26 Billion economic impact
• Employs 1 out of 4 citizens, either directly or
  indirectly
• Over 42,000 farms
• Over 11 million acres of farm land
• 18 million acres in forest land

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Mississippis Top 5 Commodities
Source Mississippi State University
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Mississippi Historical Crop Data
Source Chicago Board of Trade
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Shared Concerns of Agriculture That Impact all
Americans
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Shared Concerns of Agriculture

• Farm Bill
• Diseases and Pests
• Increased Farm Input Cost
• Energy Needs
• Safe Food
• Extremists
• Labor
• Truth about Increased Food Costs

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1. Farm Bill

• 1 3 years
• Country of Origin Labels
• Permanent Disaster Provision

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2. Diseases and Pests

• BSE (Mad Cow)
• Avian Flu
• Cogongrass and Soybean Rust

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COGONGRASS
-Chokes out native vegetation -Changes natural
habitat -Creates fire hazard -Threatens
endangered species - Expensive to Control
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Distribution of Cogongrass In US
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Cogongrass Control Demonstration Program has
been operating 5 years

• 10,200 acres of cogongrass has been treated.
• 1,086 landowners have been provided herbicides.
• Have over 400 landowners on a waiting list for
  assistance with herbicides.
• Cogongrass has been found in 63 of our 82
  counties.

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SOYBEAN RUSTPhakopsora pachyrhizi
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Soybean Rust Observation - 2008
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Soybean Pest SurveyDr. Billy Moore and Dr. Jim
Hamer

• Soybean Pod Borer
• Soybean Rust

• Survey statewide
• 30 S.M.A.R.T Fields (Soybean Management with
  Applied Research Technology)
• Soybean Sentinel Plots
• May through September
• Weekly surveys

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3. Increased Farm Input Costs
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3. Increased Farm Input Costs
Source The Delta Council
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3. Increased Farm Input Costs

• Monsanto profit jumps, raises 2008 forecast
• Reuters, January 3, 2008
• Agricultural company Monsanto Company said on
  Thursday its quarterly profit nearly tripled,
  helped by strength in its corn seed and herbicide
  businesses, and raised its 2008 forecast.
• Net income rose to 256 million, or 46 cents per
  share, in the first quarter ended November 30
  from 90 million, or 16 cents per share, a year
  earlier.

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4. Energy Needs

• 1970s Oil Embargo We learned nothing
• Middle class Americans pay 15.26 of income for
  gasoline
• 90 of worlds oil owned by different governments
• Use all energy resources available
• Wind
• Coal - Lignite
• Ethanol (various sources)
• Biodiesel (various sources)
• Water
• Nuclear (1978)
• Solar
• Natural gas
• Fossil Fuels (CO2 Recovery Offshore Alaska)

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5. Safe Food

• Food trace back (Farm and animal ID)
• BSE (Mad Cow)
• Hamburger recalls
• Spinach
• Tomato

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6. Extremists

• Timber harvest
• Horse slaughter for human consumption
• Meat animal production and poultry
• Livestock shows/rodeos

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7. Labor

• Adequate legal labor force essential Approx.
  70 of Ag workforce undocumented workers
• Need universal personal identification that
  cannot be counterfeited
• Border security

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8. Truth About Increased Food Costs

• General Mills profit jumps on sales rise
• - USA Today, March 28, 2008
• General Mills Inc. said its profit climbed 61
  percent in the third quarter as strong demand and
  higher prices led to a big rise in sales.
• The earnings for the maker of Cheerios and
  Wheaties cereals were above Wall Street
  expectations

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8. Truth About Increased Food Costs

• Sales lift Kellog
• The Associated Press, October 29, 2007
• The world's leading cereal producer earned US
  305 million, or 76 cents per share, in the
  July-September period, up from 281 million, or
  70 cents per share, a year earlier.

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Farmers Share of Retail Food Dollar
Farmers Share of Retail Food Dollar
Source USDA/NASS
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Heaven help the nation that does not have him
(the farmer) to support it.- Paul Harvey
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