TAKE FIVE A five-minute summary of AAI, regulation, and industry activities for members of the largest state agribusiness association in the nation. Inside this Issue: Page 1: WOTUS Draft Sent to White House Funds for Conservation Research and Demo Projects Available ISU/CALS Held Workshop on Resistance Management April 16, 2015 WOTUS Draft Sent to White House U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sent a draft Clean Water rule (commonly known as Waters of the U.S.) to the Office of Management and Budget for inter-agency review on April 3. Providing the proposed rule is not finalized, the latest version is not available for the public. EPA administrator Gina McCarthy and assistant secretary of the Army Jo-Ellen Darcy posted highlights in a blog posted on EPA Connect. According to McCarthy and Darcy, the input from more than 400 meetings and public comments shaped the final rule. In written testimony to the U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry committee in regards to the rulemaking on defining “Waters of the U.S.”, the National Pork Producers Council stated within the system already in place under the Clean Water Act the point and nonpoint tools the EPA currently have established for states, counties, cities and pork producers are adequate for maintaining and improving water quality. Branstad, Reynolds Lead Iowa Trade Missions A year ago, a draft rule was published by the agencies in the federal registry and opened for public comment. Since then, more than one million public Nevertheless, jurisdictional clarification is needed. comments were received from a wide range of stakeholders including farmers, agriculture Full article available here. organizations and business owners. AAI in Action: Welcome 2015 Members! Funds for Conservation Research and Demo Projects Available Page 2: Calendar of Events The State Soil Conservation Committee Research and Demonstration Fund has assistance available to support research or education/demonstration projects that explore sustainable agriculture and projects focused on reducing nonpoint pollution. Funding level for the grant program is established by the committee and it is anticipated that $150,000 will be available this year. Individual grants cannot exceed $50,000 total over a two-year period. More information about applying for assistance can be Funds are available to collaborative teams of scientists, found at www.IowaAgriculture.gov and then click on farmers, institutions, soil and water conservation “Conservation” at the top of the page. districts and educators. Interested applicants can also contact Tarrita Spicer Applications must be submitted to the State Soil with the IDALS at 515-281-5851 or Conservation Committee by May 22, 2015. A July 1 [email protected]. start date for selected projects is anticipated. ISU/CALS Held Workshop on Resistance Management Agribusiness Association of Iowa 900 Des Moines Street Des Moines, Iowa 50309 515-262-8323 800-383-1682 Fax: 515-262-8960 www.agribiz.org Given increased attention on the impacts of pesticideresistant pests on agronomic practices and the changing national regulatory framework to address resistance management, Iowa State University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (ISU/CALS) and IDALS facilitated a one-day meeting on January 30, 2015 to discuss pesticide resistance management options in Iowa crop systems. Iowa CCA Director Ex-Officio of the AAI Board, Amy Asmus, Asmus Farm Supply, Inc., attended the meeting along with representatives from the Iowa community of farmers, agriculture support networks, and pesticide technology providers. Asmus presented meeting notes to the AAI Board during the Board Meeting on March 25. Planning for the workshop included input from Iowa farm organizations, cooperatives, agricultural retailers, certified crop advisors, independent crop advisors, land management firms, and pesticide companies. A summary of the meeting, including recommendations based on the day’s discussions, is available here: Resistance Management Meeting Summary Report 2015.pdf In addition, several background papers that were prepared prior to the meeting are also available here: Resistance Management Meeting Background Materials 2015.pdf TAKE FIVE Page 2 AAI Meetings & Events: AAI Services Board Meeting May 11, 2015 AAI Board Room Showcase Committee & Subcommittee Meeting June 1, 2016 AAI Board Room Agronomy Committee Meeting June 10 AAI Board Room Branstad, Reynolds Lead Iowa Trade Missions Gov. Terry Branstad is heading to South Korea and Japan in September, Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds is going to Brazil later this month, and the governor wants the president of China to visit Iowa again this year as state leaders work to build on a record $15.1 billion export year. The trade mission trips are being coordinated by the Iowa Economic Development Authority and travel expenses for Branstad and Reynolds will be financed by private donations to the Iowa Economic Development Authority Foundation. According to EDA officials, Iowa’s exports have increased by nearly 39 percent since 2011 -- from $10.8 billion to $15.1 billion last year. Brazil is Iowa’s fifth-largest trading partner, with exports exceeding $500 million in manufactured and value-added goods in 2014; while South Korea is Iowa’s ninth-largest export destination, with exports close to $367 million in manufactured and value-added goods during the same “We have reaped benefit from previous trade missions period. and look forward to building on the foundations we have laid in the past," Branstad said. Full article available here. The governor used his weekly news conference Monday to announce that he and Reynolds will lead trade missions to South Korea and Brazil, respectively, with both trips aimed at expanding trade and investment opportunities. They have led trade missions to both destinations in the past. Membership Committee Meeting June 11 AAI Board Room AAI in Action Thank you to ALL of our new and renewing 2015 members! Below are new members as of Jan 2015. Be social with AAI! Randy Greg Jared Dennis Beth Kevin Lori Ahad Don Ellen Jennifer Mike John Mike Evan Jay Angela Sean Christina Gregg Ron Tim Paul Matt Kyle Kaden Crawford Levow Bruggman Bollmeyer Cielsik Brocker Herrstrom Mujeeb Bradley Devick Horning Mitchell Griffith Herrick Kock Smith Schafer McMahon Schmidt Cox Soden Mannchen Scott Solem Arkfeld Hauber Adair Feed & Grain Co. Adapt-N Ag Partners, LLC Bollmeyer, Inc. Cargill, Inc. CHS Insurance Services, LLC Farmers Cooperative Company Farmers Cooperative Company Flowserve FMC Corporation FMC Corporation GROWMARK, Inc. Helena Chemical Company Helena Chemical Company Helena Chemical Company Helena Chemical Company Holmes Murphy Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance J.C. Ramsdell Enviro Services, Inc. JR Simplot Kugler Company Micro Matic, USA West Central Ziegler Ag Equipment, Inc. Student Member Student Member Adair New York Albert City Hinton Hopkins Polk City Ames Ames Westfield Cambridge Marion Ankeny Shenandoah Shenandoah Creston Creston West Des Moines Ankeny Flandreau Raymore McCook Brooksville Dedham Altoona Earling Galena IA NY IA IA MN IA IA ia IN IA IA IA IA IA IA IA IA IA SD MO NE FL IA IA IA IL
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