S P E C I A L R E P O R T
‘Ag in the
‘Farm Bill’ Senate considering biofuels tax incentives, disaster aid
House Agriculture Committee After making quick work of
the Hiring Incentives to Restore
will hold hearings this month Employment (HIRE) Act (H.R.
on what could be the 2013 2847), a small legislative package
farm bill | 6 designed to help provide more
U.S. jobs, the Senate last week
moved on to a larger economic
stimulus bill. Included in that
Farm Bureau-supported measure
are extensions of expiring tax
credits, including those for bio-
fuels and equipment deprecia-
tion, as well as aid for farmers
and ranchers hit with a string of
weather-related disasters in 2009.
‘Food Check- The American Workers, State,
and Business Relief Act of 2010
Out Week’
Survey says rural America lags in
Farmers highlight
nutrition on a
budget | 8
access to information superhighway
FB members set new
record in hunger-
relief donations
The donations of
Farm Bureau mem-
bers through the
Harvest for All pro-
gram in 2009 have
been tallied, and the total funds do-
nated is the highest since the program
began in 2004.
Continued on Page 6
HIGH-SPEED INTERNET is a fixture of modern life and critical to economic development. But a recent Federal Communications Com-
mission survey finds that just half of rural residents have high-speed Internet at home, compared to 68 percent of Americans overall.
Farm Bureau is working to shrink that gap.
Alabama dairy farmer Will Gil-
mer recently upgraded from slow,
dial-up Internet access to a faster
broadband Internet connection.
He says high-speed access has
made his life much easier.
“I can do a lot more now.
When I was on dial-up, just to
read a news article sometimes
would eat up too much time be-
n e w s p a p e r
cause it took so long for a page
to load. It would really limit
what I could do,” he explained.
Other things, like educational
online webinars, were not at all
feasible to do at home until Gil-
mer, who is the American Farm
Bureau’s Young Farmers &
Ranchers Committee chairman,
got broadband.
Community’
Farmers and ranchers
lend a helping hand | 4
March 8, 2010 Vol. 89
would extend through the end of
the year the $1 per gallon blend-
ers tax credit for biodiesel and
the small agri-biodiesel producer
credit of 10 cents per gallon. It
would also extend through 2010
the $1 per gallon production tax
credit for diesel fuel created from
biomass, as well as the tax credit
for electricity produced at open-
loop biomass facilities.
Since these tax credits expired
on Jan. 1, biodiesel production is
at a standstill.
“The people who buy fuel
aren’t buying biodiesel,” ex-
plained Beresford, S.D., farmer
“I’ve done a few dairy industry
webinars,” he continued. “Just
having access to that here at
home frees me up a lot, because
now I can run home and partici-
pate in something like that in-
stead of having to get cleaned
up and go to town to do it.”
Fortunately for Gilmer, the lo-
cal telephone company extended
broadband DSL Internet access to
his area, about five miles outside
of town, in January. Across Amer-
ica, many other rural residents
are still waiting for broadband.
The Federal Communications
Commission last fall did a survey
to understand the state of broad-
band adoption and use in the
U.S. The survey found that just
No. 5 fbnews.org
and biodiesel plant investor Paul
Shubeck. “If they’re not buying,
we can’t afford to produce it.”
No work for the plants means
no workers. “We’ve had to lay
off everyone except for a few sup-
port staff who are there to make
sure the pipes don’t freeze,” Shu-
beck said.
According to the National Bio-
diesel Board, the expiration of
the biodiesel tax credit has put
23,000 jobs at risk.
The measure also provides ex-
tensions of the five-year deprecia-
Disaster Continued on Page 3
©istockphoto.com/markgoddard
50 percent of rural residents have
broadband, compared to 68 per-
cent of Americans overall.
That is a significant gap, says
Sabrina Matteson, American
Farm Bureau Federation director
of rural affairs.
“That gap needs to be closed
for rural America to be vibrant,”
she said. “High-speed Internet
is critical to rural development.”
Overall, the FCC survey found
that the cost of broadband, a lack
of computer skills and a belief
that online content isn’t impor-
tant were the main barriers to
adoption. However, rural Ameri-
cans stood out in that they were
Access Continued on Page 3
 fbnews.org March 8, 2010
Viewpoint 2|

Now playing in Washington: Trade Warfare

Exports are essential to the prosperity
of U.S. agriculture. You could say that trade
is the backbone of agriculture since about
25 percent of the total volume of U.S. farm
production is exported and many U.S. com-
modities have even a higher dependence on
world trade.
Unfortunately, it seems U.S. agricultural
trade has gone to the curb. World Trade Or-
ganization talks have been stalled for years
and are one breath away from being dead.
Instead of picking up the slack and passing
bilateral trade agreements, Congress sits on
its hands, ignoring already negotiated trade
deals while other countries take advantage
of our idleness. Consequently, what should
have been significant trade opportunities
for U.S. agriculture have turned into trade
warfare in Washington.
to negotiate trade deals that do not include instead of continuing with disruptive and
the United States. damaging trade warfare.
The U.S. used to be the John Wayne of glo- The show, as they say, must go on.
bal exports, but now we better resemble the
cartoon character Droopy Dog. The
While the U.S. is not opening markets
through new trade agreements, many other
countries are negotiating bilateral and region-
al agreements that are reducing the U.S. agri-
culture industry’s competitiveness and mar-
ket share around the world.
For example, while we urge Congress to ex- Bob Stallman
pedite passage of the Colombia, Panama and President
Korea free trade agreements, the European American Farm Bureau Federation
Union is moving forward with its own Korea
agreement and hoping it can beat us to the
punch.
The big screen, the big picture

Longing for the Golden Age
This year, more than 600 bilateral and
regional trade agreements will be negoti-
ated around the world. Sadly, the U.S. will
have a share in less than 20 of these trade
deals. While President Barack Obama in
his State of the Union address called for
doubling U.S. exports over the next five
years, getting Congress to act is another
matter.
Whatever happened to the United States’
golden age that was forward thinking, op-
portunity driven and ahead of the game in
bridging the global divide? Now our trade
mantra seems to be more about protection-
ism as opposed to expansion, giving way to
144 countries that have passed us in the
trade arena and are negotiating or planning
Agricultural trade is not only critical to the
industry, but an aggressive trade agenda is
important for the U.S. economy and the crea-
tion of American jobs.
It’s estimated that the drop in agricultural
exports from 2008-09 cost roughly 160,000
American jobs. So while leaders in Washing-
ton continue with what I call “happy talk”
about job creation, when it comes to doing
things that actually would create jobs—like
furthering global trade—they aren’t doing
it.
The positive impact of exports, such as job
creation, will continue to be diminished as
long as the U.S. is not moving forward with
an agricultural trade agenda. That’s why it’s
critical that we urge Congress to pass pend-
ing trade deals and work with the adminis-
tration to seek new export opportunities

Support needed for resolutions to halt GHG regulation

By Mark Maslyn
The “cap-and-trade” climate leg-
islation, without major changes,
lacks the votes needed for pass-
age. That is a good outcome for
a bad bill. It is also a result of the
tens of thousands of letters and
e-mails sent by farmers and ranch-
ers during our “Don’t CAP
Our Future” campaign.
USDA has projected big shifts in
farming if the cap-and-trade
scheme is adopted, with up to 59
million acres switching from food
crop production to forestry just
when the United Nations estimates
we will need to produce 70 percent
more food to meet the demands
of a world population increase
of more than 2.5 billion people.
In addition, the Treasury De-
partment has projected the cap-
and-trade bill will cost the aver-
age family about $2,400 more per
year for energy and food.
Not only does the Senate realize
that cap-and-trade is a bad deal.
So did countries with the world’s
fastest growing economies, such
as China and India, who balked
at similar notions during the Co-
penhagen climate talks last De-
cember. Those talks failed be-
cause other countries clearly had
no intention of shackling their
economies with similar binding
commitments.
Environmental Protection
Agency Administrator Lisa Jack-
son last year testified before the
Senate and noted that without
a shared commitment from all
countries, there would be no
meaningful reduction in global
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
The inference, then, is that it
is foolish for the U.S. to pursue
such an approach unilaterally.
However, EPA’s politically timed
endangerment finding in Decem-
ber has set the stage for a heavy-
handed regulatory assault on the
economy, using the Clean Air Act
to regulate GHGs. Even EPA and
the administration contend this
approach is not desired and is ill
suited to the task, yet they have
set it in motion.
Congress does have an oppor-
livestock operations. Your law-
makers have to choose: either to
stand with you by co-sponsoring
and actively working for passage
of a resolution of disapproval, or
to stand with EPA as it promotes
tunity to act, but in a different regulations that will affect farms
way from what EPA would like. and ranches.
Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) The choice is clear, and any-
and Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) thing short of explicit support
have introduced a resolution of is a hollow gesture. Please con-
disapproval, S.J. Res. 26, to stop tact your member of Congress
this onerous regulation. Com- and senators and ask them for
panion resolutions have been their active support in block-
introduced in the House: H.J. Res. ing this regulation. Let them
76 by Reps. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) know you’ll remember their
and Collin Peterson (D-Minn.), decision this November.
and H.J. Res. 77 by Rep. Joe Bar-
ton (R-Texas). They need biparti-
san support to succeed. Farmers
and ranchers across the country
should be aware that the true
measure of a lawmaker’s support
for agriculture will be adding his
or her name to these resolutions
of disapproval and to a discharge
petition bringing a resolution
of disapproval up for a vote.
USDA has said that using the
Clean Air Act to regulate GHG
emissions will result in the regu-
lation of most of agriculture, Mark Maslyn is AFBF executive
large and small farms, especially director of public policy.

FBNews
Don Lipton, Director, Public Relations
Lynne Finnerty, Editor
Erin Anthony, Assistant Editor
Phyllis Brown, Assistant Editor
March 8, 2010 Vol. 89 No. 5
Published semimonthly, except monthly in August and December, by the
American Farm B ­ ureau Federation, 600 Maryland Ave., SW, Suite 1000W, Washington, DC 20024.
Phone: 202-406-3600. E-mail: fbnews@fb.org. Web site: http://www.fb.org.
Periodical postage paid at Washington, D.C., and additional mailing offices. Subscription rate for officers
and board members of county and state Farm Bureaus—$6, which is deducted from dues.
For other subscribers—$10.
Postmaster: Send address changes to FBNews,
600 Maryland Ave., SW, Suite 1000W, Washington, DC 20024. (ISSN 0197-5617)
March 8, 2010
Farmers must search for unity, common ground
By Dean Norton
It’s difficult to be a farmer
these days, and it feels particu-
larly lonely in New York. Be-
tween national “exposés” on tail
docking on a dairy farm, and
one of our foremost residents,
Kerry Kennedy, calling all farm-
ers in New York slave owners on
Thanksgiving Day in a New York
City paper, it seems the odds
are stacked against us at times.
Only two of our current state-
wide elected officials have actual-
ly been elected by voters state-
wide, and that tends to cause
problems in a state that is en-
tirely city dominated. If a politi-
cian hasn’t had to eat barbecued
chicken at the New York State
Fair to meet people upstate, he
or she tends not to have a good
handle on the needs and impor-
tance of agriculture when mak-
ing policy decisions.
But I’ve been pleased recently
by an up-and-coming trend in
our state’s agricultural commun-
ity, and it’s so vitally important
that the message needs to be
communicated beyond New
Rural America lags in access to information superhighway
Continued from page 1
much more likely to cite access as
their main hurdle. One in 10
rural non-adopters said they
simply could not get broadband
where they live. That is more
than twice the national average.
Farm Bureau, working with a
non-profit organization called
Connected Nation, is working to
change that. The Kansas, Michi-
gan and Ohio Farm Bureaus have
partnered with Connected Na-
tion to map the areas in those
states that don’t have broadband
and develop plans to expand ac-
cess in underserved areas. The
mapping efforts are funded by
Farm Bureau contributions and
broadband grant funds from last
year’s federal economic stimulus
bill. Connected Nation soon will
Senate considering biofuels tax incentives, disaster aid
Continued from page 1
tion for farming business ma-
chinery and equipment, the
enhanced charitable deduction
for donated food and the en-
hanced tax deduction for donat-
ing a conservation easement.
In addition, it would extend
Key Points
The American Workers, State, and
Business Relief Act of 2010 would
extend:
•  the $1 per gallon blenders tax
credit for biodiesel
•  five-year depreciation for farm-
ing business machinery,
equipment
•  the enhanced charitable deduc-
tion for donated food
•  the enhanced tax deduction
for donating a conservation
easement
fbnews.org
York. That trend is our common
ground.
Put 10 farmers in a room to-
gether, and you’ll get about 50
different opinions. However,
more and more I’ve noticed that
not only is community support
growing because of the “foodie”
movement in New York, but
there is also a strong recognition
that separately we will hang un-
less we stand together publicly.
You see, in New York, according
to the last Census, farmers repre-
sent exactly one-tenth of 1 per-
cent of the population. And now
we are starting to see everyone in
the farm community wake up
and realize that an attack on one
farmer is an attack on every
farmer.
Instead of the near-constant
division a decade ago between
organic farmers and convention-
al farmers, we now have people
sitting down together, working
out their differences through the
county and state Farm Bureau
policy process and figuring out
how to respond, publicly and
appropriately, to these disparate
attacks.
apply for grant funds for broad-
band expansion programs in ad-
ditional states.
“The key goal is to identify at
the very local level where the
gaps in the network are,” said
Raquel Noriega, public policy di-
rector at Connected Nation. “Ob-
viously those gaps tend to be in
rural America.”
The map data can be used to
develop localized strategic broad-
band plans that demonstrate to
providers the benefits of expand-
ing service. For example, if ser-
vice maps and demographic in-
formation show that a large
number of residents would be
willing and able to pay for broad-
band, it helps make the case to
the provider to pay for the nec-
essary infrastructure.
the additional standard deduction
for state and local real property
taxes, the deduction of state and
local sales taxes and the above-
the-line deduction for qualified
tuition and related expenses.
“The farm and ranch sector
can help stimulate the economy,
assist those in need and preserve
open space when agricultural
producers’ incomes allow them
to do more than cover necessary
expenses,” American Farm Bureau
Federation President Bob Stall-
man wrote to senators last week,
urging them to pass the bill.
Extensions related to rural de-
velopment include the railroad
tax maintenance credit, tax in-
centives for rural communities
and increased Medicare pay-
ments to rural hospitals and
physicians. that will not be eligible for assis-
The agriculture disaster portion
of the bill includes $150 million
for specialty crop producers, $50
million for livestock, $42 million
|3
We’ve finally realized in New
York agriculture that there are
too few of us to waste time dis-
agreeing in the public forums,
and that we have to be united
and strong when we walk the
halls of the state Legislature.
A case in point: New York Farm
Bureau is now working hand in
hand with our state organic
farmers association to oppose
a farm labor mandate bill that
would be devastating to all sizes
of farm operations. While the
organic folks and the conven-
tional folks still disagree on a
few issues—like collective bar-
gaining for larger operations—
we’ve all agreed to be quieter
on our disagreements and stand
together so that we do not di-
lute our message in our state
Capitol.
We’ve also started working
together with local community
groups more than we ever have
before, frankly out of sheer neces-
sity. Chambers of Commerce, our
local government associations,
environmental organizations
and some New York City-based
land conservation groups are a
More funding for broadband
programs could be on the way.
The economic stimulus bill also
directed the FCC to develop a Na-
tional Broadband Plan—a plan to
ensure that all Americans have ac-
cess to broadband capability. The
BROADBAND ADOPTION BY GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION
(By percentage)
RURAL RESIDENTS ALL OTHERS IN SAMPLE
All 50 68
Ages 18-29 56 78
Ages 30-49 63 76
Ages 50-64 51 67
Ages 65+ 29 37
Source: Federal Communications Commission survey, October-November 2009
for first-handlers of cottonseed
in primary disaster counties and
$25 million for aquaculture. Also,
$21 million would be allocated
for a sugar cane cooperative
transportation project in Hawaii
and $75 million would go to-
ward no-interest loans to poultry
producers whose contracts with
Pilgrim’s Pride were terminated
when the company declared
bankruptcy in December 2008.
It also would provide a 90 per-
cent direct payment to any pro-
ducer with base acres located in
a disaster county who can show
a 5 percent quality or quantity
loss on at least one crop of eco-
nomic significance on the farm.
Stallman said the help is need-
ed because many agricultural di-
sasters in 2009 occurred on farms
tance under the disaster package
included in the 2008 farm bill.
After working through a num-
ber of amendments last week, the
Capitol View
few of our current partners—
people we typically would not
have worked with before. Sure,
we still differ, but the message to
these groups has been consistent:
If you care about eating, three
times a day, you’d better care
about New York agriculture.
Will this approach be success-
ful in New York’s completely
chaotic political process? Only
time will tell. The challenges are
great, but for the first time in a
while, it doesn’t feel so lonely to
be a farm organization walking
the halls of the state Capitol.
Dean Norton is president of
the New York Farm Bureau.
final plan, due to Congress by
March 17, is expected to recom-
mend directing about $9 billion to
programs to connect rural areas.
That would be in addition to the
$7.2 billion provided in last year’s
economic stimulus package.
Senate is expected to vote on the
American Workers, State, and
Business Relief Act of 2010 this
week.
The first jobs package (H.R.
2847), passed by the Senate on
Feb. 24 and the House on March
4, provides an exemption from
social security payroll taxes for
workers hired in 2010 that have
been unemployed for at least 60
days and an additional $1,000
income tax credit for every new
employee retained for 52 weeks.
It also extends for one year high-
er small business expensing that
allows small businesses to write
off up to $250,000 of expendi-
tures instead of having to depre-
ciate them over time and keeps
the current highway bill going
through 2010. In addition, it ex-
pands Build America Bonds to
allow state and local govern-
ments to borrow at lower costs
to finance more infrastructure
projects.

Georgia Farm Bureau sends peanut butter to Haiti
Georgia Farm Bureau and its
county offices recently donated
$16,000 to the Peanut Butter
for Haiti initiative. Peanut But-
ter for Haiti is delivering pea-
nut butter and peanut products
to the citizens of Haiti affected
by the January earthquake.
The Georgia Farm Bureau do-
nation will purchase 17,777
Ag in the
themselves and their families.”
Peanuts contain more than 30
of the essential nutrients USDA
recommends for a daily balanced
diet including vitamin B6, calci-
um, vitamin E, iron, magnesium,
selenium and zinc. Peanuts are
also naturally cholesterol-free and
low in saturated fat.
Georgia Farm Bureau contrib-
photo by georgia farm bureau

pounds of peanut butter, which uted $5,000 of the total donation

equals 248,888 servings.
As of March 1, Peanut Butter
for Haiti will have shipped sev-
en truckloads of peanut butter
and peanut products or about
246,000 pounds of peanut prod-
ucts to the Caribbean nation.
Relief organizations are distri-
buting the peanut butter in
Haiti. According to Peanut But-
ter for Haiti’s Web site, the
group’s goal is to send 10,000
jars of peanut butter.
“We’re really excited to be
part of this effort to help the
people of Haiti recover from the
January earthquake,” Zippy Du-
vall, Georgia Farm Bureau presi-
dent, said. “Peanut butter is a
delicious, nutritious food that
doesn’t require refrigeration or
cooking and travels well, which
makes it a great food to send to
Haiti to feed the earthquake vic-
tims who are struggling to feed
and asked its 158 county offices
to join it in supporting the cause.
The county Farm Bureau offices
responded by donating a total of
$11,000.
“We appreciate all of the dona-
tions that our county Farm Bu-
reaus contributed. Each donated
dollar buys about one pound of
peanut butter, which equals 14
servings,” Duvall said. “Their gen-
erosity shows that farmers are truly Amy Hammond, Operation Blessing procurement account manager, accepts a
committed to feeding the world.” shipment of peanut butter at the U.S. Navy base in Norfolk, Va. Operation Bless-
Early County 2055, a non-profit ing is one of the relief organizations working in Haiti to distribute peanut butter
organization based in Blakely, Ga., donated by the Peanut Butter for Haiti initiative.
initiated Peanut Butter for Haiti.
The project expanded as numer- nated peanut butter to the proj- Peanut Butter for Haiti, P.O.
ous peanut organizations, includ- ect, and cash donations are being Box 725, Blakely, GA 39823.
ing the Georgia Peanut Commis- used to buy peanut butter at cost Checks should be made payable
sion, the National Peanut Buying from Tara Foods and ConAgra. to Early County 2055 and desig-
Points Association, Birdsong Pea- Donations will be accepted nated “Peanut Butter for Haiti.”
nuts and Golden Peanut Com- through the end of March, which
pany, offered their support. The is National Peanut Month. Tax-
J.M. Smucker Company and John deductible contributions may http://www.pbforhaiti.com
B. Sanfilippo & Sons have do- be sent to Early County 2055,

Farm family’s ‘imperfect’ veggies help fight hunger

With about one in every 15
households in Oregon struggling
to put meals on the table, the Or-
egon Food Bank needs all the help
it can get. Along with the food
manufacturers, wholesalers and
retailers and government sources
you’d expect the food bank to
tap into for support, it also relies
on a number of farmers to help
feed thousands of Oregonians.
Among these generous growers “We have vegetables that don’t
is Montecuccuo Farms, oper- make grade, like turnips that are
ated by brothers Jason and Brian too small or too big or cucumbers
Montecuccuo and their father, that are crooked, that we donate
uncle and cousin. Montecuccuo to the food bank, rather than
Farms is located in Canby, in the throw it away. It helps a lot of
northwestern part of the state. people eat,” Jason said. “The vege-
The family gives to the food tables are perfectly fine and fresh.
bank vegetables such as cucum- Rather than dumping that prod-
bers, parsnips or beets that aren’t uct out to the cattle or back in the
quite fit for retail. field, we meet a need with it.”
During harvest, the Montecuc-
cos and their workers pick all the
vegetables and separate them
into two categories: those that
make the retail grade and those
that don’t because their shape
and size aren’t what consumers
expect. Those in the latter cate-
gory go to the food bank.
Jason emphasized that the
quality of the imperfect-looking
vegetables is as high as those
that he sends to market. “There
is nothing wrong with them,”
he explained. “It’s what I eat at
home. It’s what my family eats.”
Consumers pay a considerable
amount of money for some of the
produce.
“Most of the time parsnips are
sold at high-end restaurants and
we’re giving this stuff away. It’s
definitely good produce,” said
Jason, who is treasurer of Clacka-
mas County Farm Bureau. Brian
serves on the county Farm Bu-
reau board.
Montecucco Farms’ work with
the food bank has gone on for
quite a while, according to Jason,
and the family has donated up
to 240,000 pounds of vegetables
in a year. But his aren’t the only
farm goods distributed through
the food bank, Jason pointed
out.
“A number of other farmers in
the area donate,” he said, nam-
ing potatoes, apples and dairy
items as some of the other prod-
ucts he’s seen at the food bank’s
large warehouse.
Oregon Food Bank operates four
regional food banks serving
the Portland metro area, Tilla-
mook and southeast Oregon.
Those four centers distribute
food weekly to more than 340
food pantries, soup kitchens,
shelters and other programs
helping low-income individuals.
The food bank also distributes
food to 20 regional food banks
across Oregon. In 2009, the bank
delivered 785,569 food boxes
(each includes enough food for
40 home-cooked meals) and pro-
vided most of the ingredients for
3.8 million emergency meals.

e Community
Osguthorpes sign deal to protect land from development
FAMILY CONTINUES LEGACY OF FARMLAND PROTECTION
Mining and agriculture used to
be the dominant industries around
Park City, Utah, just about 30
miles from Salt Lake City. Back
then, in the late 1940s, Stephen
Osguthorpe’s dad, “Doc” Os-
guthorpe, bought his first farm in
the area, and then he added to it
over the years, including a 121-acre
farm in now-touristy Park City.
Doc passed away last year, but
the Osguthorpe family—Stephen,
his kids and their kids—still
raises sheep, alfalfa and feed oats
on that same farm.
One thing that has changed,
however, is Park City itself. The
Osguthorpes are the last farmers
in the Park City area. Nowadays
the town is known more for huge
ski resorts and the Sundance Film
Festival. Tourists easily outnum-
ber locals, especially during the
ski season. And when real estate
developers see nearby, open land
like the Osguthorpe farm, they
see land that is just waiting to be
turned into hotels and pricey
vacation homes.
That is not the Osguthorpes’
vision.
“We’re in agriculture. It’s our
livelihood, our lifestyle,” said
Stephen Osguthorpe, who also
serves as vice president of the
Utah Farm Bureau. “We’re not
developers.”
Facing pressure from developers
and wanting to take the issue off
the table, the Osguthorpes in Feb-
ruary reached an agreement with
the Park City government that
will pay the family $5.75 mil-
lion in exchange for putting the
121-acre parcel under a conser-
vation easement. The easement
ensures that the land will remain
undeveloped and makes it more
viable for the next generations
of Osguthorpes to farm there.
“I have kids and grandkids who
are interested in carrying on this
agricultural legacy,” Osguthorpe
said. “We thought this was the
best way to be able to do it.”
Osguthorpe says conservation
easements are a good way to keep
farms from becoming victims of
sprawl.
“If people have fallen in love
with the land like we have and
enjoy working with it and want
to pass it to the next generation,”
he said, “this is a very good way
to do it.”
The deal had been in the works
for years, ever since the city
bought another piece of the fam-
ily’s land, where their old white
barn still stands. The city will
fund all but $1 million of the
deal, with the remainder to be
March 8, 2010
S P E C I A L R E P O R T
paid by the Summit Land Con- they wouldn’t be surprised. For The family hasn’t developed
servancy, which has been given each of the last three years the any of their land, and knowing
two years to raise the money. family has been a finalist for the how much work has gone into
News of the deal has already Leopold Conservation Award, it, that’s the last thing they want
moved some Park City residents which is granted by the national to see happen.
to open their checkbooks and Sand County Foundation and, in Originally it was a dry farm.
donate to the conservancy. Utah, in partnership with the Then the family built a well and
Utah Farm Bureau and the Utah irrigated it. They run a feedlot.
Ripe for development Cattlemen’s Association. They’ve used part of their land to
The conservation easement start a recreation business—guided
Of course, the land is worth also would be a fitting tribute to snowmobiling in the winter and
much more than what the family Doc Osguthorpe. horseback riding in the summer.
is getting for its development “One thing my father taught us And today the farm spans thou-
value. Located less than two is if you have land, you leave it sands of acres in five counties.
miles from Park City’s Main in better condition than you “When my dad bought it, it
Street—a stretch of chi-chi bou- found it, for the benefit of the was just sagebrush,” Osguthorpe
tiques and restaurants at the foot next generation,” Stephen said. recalled. “Everybody has just put
of the ski slopes—the parcel is “Protecting the soil and water- a lot of hard work into this farm.
appraised at $9.4 million, even in sheds—that’s been the focus of It’s a really nice farm now, and
a down economy. our farming operations, because we want to see it stay that way.”
The parcel is also next to land we know that if we’re going to be Thanks to the Osguthorpe
owned by the Air Force, which in business tomorrow, we’ve got family and their ongoing con-
has state zoning rights to develop to take care of the land today.” servation legacy, it will.
its own property without going
through local regulations. Osgu-
thorpe says a bill passed in the
state Legislature also allows up
to 100 acres of land adjacent
to a military installation to be
included in the zone. The local
newspaper, the Park Record, says
the military has for years wanted
to build a hotel in the Park City
area and could have partnered
with the Osguthorpes to develop
both parcels of land together.
“There were concerns that this
property would be in that zone
and be developed, and there was
a lot of pressure on us to do
something along those lines,”
Osguthorpe said. “But, a lot of
people didn’t want to see a big
hotel or a lot of houses there.”
He says the reaction to the deal
from folks around town has been
“totally positive.” He attended
a city council meeting recently
where fellow residents said how
much they enjoy the views af-
forded by the farm and expressed
appreciation for a deal that will
now keep those views available.
“I’ve never been congratulated
so much for being a farm owner
as I was that night,” Osguthorpe
photo by utah farm bureau
said. “People are starting to real-
ize it’s more than providing food
for them. It’s also providing open
space and viewsheds, and they
don’t have to pay for it because
it will still operate as a farm.”
He says he knows that people
riding by must say to themselves,
“They’re just waiting to sell that
land and make a lot of money.”
“Now people can see we’re
not going that route,” he said. The Osguthorpes’ old barn—known by locals as the Park City barn—is a local land-
mark welcoming visitors to the ski-resort town. It sits on property that Park City
A legacy of conservation bought from the family to maintain as open space. Now the city and the Osguthor-
pes have reached a new agreement that will protect even more of the family’s land
If they knew the Osguthorpes, from development.

Capitol View
New bill could rev up debate on Cuba trade, travel
House Agriculture Commit-
tee Chairman Collin Peterson
(D-Minn.) on Feb. 23 intro-
duced a bill to ease U.S. restric-
tions on trade with and travel
to Cuba.
The Travel Restriction Re-
form and Export Enhance-
ment Act (H.R. 4645) would
eliminate the requirement that
Cuba use a third-country bank
to pay for sales and scrap the
requirement that Cuba pay for
purchases before the exports
can leave U.S. ports. In addi-
tion, it would allow U.S. citi-
zens to travel to the island na-
tion just about 90 miles south
of Florida, helping U.S. export-
ers build relationships in Cuba
and increasing demand for
U.S. foods.
Peterson called the current
restrictions “bureaucratic red
tape” and “arbitrary prohibi-
tions” and said his bill would
increase the ability of U.S.
farmers to sell their products
House Ag to begin hearings on next farm bill
The 2008 farm bill is just barely
implemented, but one committee
in Congress is already starting
preparations to debate the 2013
farm bill.
House Agriculture Committee
Chairman Collin Peterson (D-
Minn.) has said that his commit-
tee would begin to hold hearings
in Washington in April, with
field hearings to be held around
the country in late-spring and
early-summer. There is no sched-
ule for the hearings yet.
Peterson says the goal of these
early hearings will be to get a
bipartisan bill that members can
agree on as early as possible.
“I think it’s important for us to
be proactive and get ready for the
next farm bill,” Peterson told
FB members set new record in hunger-relief donations
Continued from page 1
Farm and ranch families last
year raised more than $213,000
and donated more than 4.8 mil-
lion pounds of food to help feed
needy Americans. Combined, the
monetary and
food donations
provided the
equivalent
of nearly 5.3
million meals
through Feed-
ing America-
affiliated food
banks. The
prior mon-
etary dona-
tions record
was $160,000
in 2008.
Members of
Farm Bureau’s
Young Farm-
ers & Ranchers (YF&R) commit-
tees spearhead the Harvest for All
program, but all facets of Farm
Bureau contribute to the effort.
The partnership between Farm
Bureau and Feeding America is a
national community action pro-
fbnews.org
6|
to Cuba the same as to other
trading partners.
Chris Garza, American Farm
Bureau Federation trade special-
ist, says it’s time for the 47-year-
old embargo against Cuba to go
the way of the Studebaker and
the Cold War.
“The embargo has not worked.
All it has done is it has kept good
U.S.-grown food out of Cuba’s
marketplace,” he said. “That
hasn’t helped the Cuban people
or U.S. farmers and ranchers.
This legislation will allow us to
FBNews. “I want to get started
early and be ready in case changes
need to be made.”
An early start might be a good
idea. The last farm bill was sup-
posed to be completed in time to
be the 2007 farm bill, but delays,
especially in the Senate, resulted
in multiple short-term extensions
of the 2002 farm bill. Some even
worried that farm law would re-
vert to decades-old law that serves
as the foundation on which sub-
sequent farm bills have been
built. In the end Congress com-
pleted the farm bill in early 2008.
Tara Smith, American Farm Bu-
reau Federation farm policy spe-
cialist, says the upcoming hear-
ings will deal in broad strokes,
not specifics.
gram through which farmers can
help ensure that every American
can enjoy the bounty produced
by the nation’s farm and ranch
families.
“In these difficult economic
times, Harvest
for All is all
the more im-
portant,” said
Will Gilmer,
AFBF YF&R
chairman
and a dairy
producer
from Lamar
County, Ala.
“As farmers
and ranchers,
we are blessed
to work every
day, feeding
America and
the world.
Harvest for All is a great way to
share our many blessings with
those less fortunate than we
are.”
Aside from raising food and
funds for the initiative, farmers
and ranchers tallied 5,449 vol-
help feed the people of Cuba.”
A Texas A&M University study
in 2000 estimated that the Cu-
ban market for U.S. agricultural
products at that time would be
worth about $1 billion. Garza
says it’s likely worth more than
that.
“On average, since the market
has been open to us we have been
exporting between $400 million
and $500 million worth of prod-
uct [per year],” he explained.
“We think that the A&M estimate
is conservative based off of what
“At this stage I expect the
committee will just want to get
a general idea of what’s work-
ing well and what’s not,” she
said.
The early start also might help
the committee, rather than non-
ag interests, shape the
debate.
“We’ve seen increas-
ing involvement in
the farm
bill debate
by people
who don’t
actually know
much about farming
and ranching,” said Smith,
“and I expect we’ll see it even
more the next time. The farm
bill touches on a lot of different
unteer hours assisting hunger
groups through Harvest for All.
“We are so grateful to Farm Bu-
reau for the dedication to fight-
ing domestic hunger with Feed-
ing America and our network of
more than 200 food banks across
the nation,” said Vicki Escarra,
president and CEO of Feeding
America. “The Harvest for All pro-
gram makes a tremendous differ-
ence in our efforts to provide food
to millions of people struggling
with hunger year after year. We
thank the Farm Bureau for its on-
going dedication and generosity.”
The Illinois Farm Bureau took
top honors for raising the most
funds in 2009 at $92,112. The
New York Farm Bureau was No.
1 in food donated, at 3.65 mil-
lion pounds. The top honor for
volunteer time went to Michi-
gan Farm Bureau, at 2,754 volun-
teer hours. Each YF&R Commit-
tee from the three winning states
received a $1,500 grant from the
American Farm Bureau Federa-
tion to donate to the food bank
of its choice.
Second place winners were In-
March 8, 2010
we have been exporting.”
Congress in 2000 cracked
open the door to Cuba by al-
lowing agricultural exports
under strict conditions, such
as cash-only or third coun-
try-financed transactions.
The Bush administration in
2004 tightened those restric-
tions further by requiring
payment in advance of any
exports leaving U.S. ports.
The Obama administration
last year eased travel restric-
tions for Cuban-Americans, so
they could visit family mem-
bers remaining in Cuba. The
move gave hope to supporters
of trade with and travel to
Cuba that the president would
sign a bill if Congress can pass
it.
The Peterson bill already has
38 co-sponsors. The House Ag-
riculture Committee will hold
a hearing on March 11. AFBF
President Bob Stallman is
scheduled to testify.
areas, from conservation to nutri-
tion and more, and that’s great.
But we still want to ensure that
we have a farm bill that works
for farmers and ranchers.”
Information about the hearings
will be posted soon at www.agri
culture.house.gov.
diana for funds donated, at
$46,894; Pennsylvania for food
donated, at 631,748 pounds; and
Illinois for volunteer time, at
1,854 volunteer hours. Second
place winners received $1,000
grants from AFBF to donate to
food banks.
In addition, five state YF&R
committees received $500 grants
for “most innovative” programs.
The winners are Indiana for “Pig-
gy Bank Promotion,” Michigan
for “Chicken Project,” New York
for “Feed the Hungry,” Pennsyl-
vania for “Lady Moon Farm Proj-
ect” and South Dakota for “Great
PETA-Inspired Milk Donation.”
The awards were presented Feb.
21 during the AFBF YF&R Leader-
ship Conference in Tulsa, Okla.
Since Harvest for All was
launched seven years ago, Farm
Bureau families have gathered
more than 20 million pounds of
food, logged more than 35,000
volunteer hours and raised near-
ly $1 million in donations. Com-
bined, the food and monetary
donations amount to nearly 24
million meals.
March 8, 2010
From the marina to lawmaker meetings, volunteer
leader continually advocates for agriculture
The way long-time chairman
Margaret Evans tells it, the St.
Clair County (Ala.) Farmers Fed-
eration Women’s Division should
be approached as a business and
that business’ most valuable as-
sets are people. “Whether there is
one person at a meeting or 100,
they’re the most important,” ac-
cording to Evans, who has been
chair since 1976, when the wom-
en’s division was established.
Ask any of the other women
on the committee or anyone in-
volved with the county Farmers
Federation and they’ll likely tell
you the women’s division’s big-
gest advantage is Evans herself.
“She tries to find the good in ev-
erybody,” said committee mem-
ber Jan Parker. “She gets people
to step out of their comfort zone
and do things they didn’t think
they could. She’s just a real moti-
vator. You want to please Miss
Margaret.”
Evans takes very seriously and
personally the committee’s role
in educating consumers and non-
farmer neighbors about the im-
portance of U.S. agriculture and a
home-grown food and fiber supply.
In addition to Farm-City Week,
Ag in the Classroom and other
programs, the committee also
hosts a yearly quilting fair and
holiday open house. While the
St. Clair County Farmers Federa-
tion is well represented at these
State Focus
Idaho Supreme Court upholds
county CAFO rule
The Idaho Supreme Court earlier this
month upheld a Gooding County or-
dinance intended to protect the coun-
ty’s water quality from animal waste
runoff. The ordinance establishes cer-
tain setbacks for locating confined
animal feeding operations in the coun-
ty. It also prohibits CAFOs from hav-
ing more than five animal units per
tillable irrigated acre owned by farmers.
The land base to support the animal
units is required to be in Gooding
County with the exception of surround-
ing farmland in bordering counties. The
Idaho Dairymen’s Association, along
with the Idaho Cattle Association Inc.,
challenged the law, arguing that it
should be removed because the state’s
water quality rules pre-empt all coun-
ty and local laws aimed at those types
of farms. The groups also said that
the part of the law that puts a tight limit
on the number of animals that
can be raised per acre unconstitution-
ally deprives them of their property
rights without due process. The Su-
preme Court rejected both those
arguments.
fbnews.org
|7 State FB Links
two events, so are other mem-
Photo by Darryal Ray, Alabama Farmers Federation
bers of the community, as Evans
and the committee intended.
“When new people move into
the area and come to our meet-
ings, Margaret is very warm and
cordial to them,” said Parker.
“She wants to be very inclusive.
Many of the women’s division
programs are specifically geared
toward making new people who
aren’t familiar with the organi-
zation feel at home and welcome
and want to come back.”
Evans and the women’s divi-
sion are also involved with other
civic organizations, such as those
that advocate for children.
“We have to be involved local-
ly, and not just with agriculture,”
Evans explained. “We have to put For Margaret Evans, chair of the St. Clair County Farmers Federation Women’s Divi-
ourselves out there so people know sion, summers at her family’s marina on the Coosa River are another opportunity to
what the federation is all about.” share with people the importance of home-grown food and fiber.
Farming and ranching isn’t
such a hard sell, Evans said. “Af- Among those most in need of she does talking.
ter all, women in the county are an agriculture education are law- “She treats everyone fairly and
interested in agriculture—they’re makers. Evans is adamant that with respect,” Parker said. “She
all cooking it and wearing it.” women who support agriculture might not agree with you, but
All consumers—men, women write to their local, state and na- she’ll hear you out.”
and children—respond well to tional elected officials and meet Whether it’s through tradition-
the division’s efforts to explain with them face-to-face when they al women’s division programs or
the farm-to-table connection. have the opportunity. a conversation with boaters at
“When people think about Legislators “aren’t going to vote the marina where Evans spends
meat, they think Wal-Mart or the way I want every time, but her summers, her mission is the
Winn-Dixie,” Evans said. “But they will at least have heard success of U.S. agriculture.
when you tell them how a farmer what I have to say and know “We absolutely have to let peo-
raises and cares for the animal how I feel,” Evans said. ple know how important it is to
that provided that meat, they ap- As Parker pointed out, Evans is produce our food in America,”
preciate it more.” willing to do as much listening as Evans said.
Kentucky Senate OKs livestock Missouri rejects increasing Closing of Nevada College of
commission property taxes for best farms Agriculture considered
The Kentucky Senate recently approved Missouri lawmakers rejected a tax plan  The University of Nevada, Reno, which is
a bill that would create a commission to earlier this month that would have in- the state’s land grant university, is con-
set rules for how animals are treated on creased property taxes for the state’s best sidering a proposal to close the College
farms. The bill is aimed at pre-empting farms and lowered taxes on the worst. of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natu-
efforts by animal-rights groups to pass State law provides that agricultural land ral Resources. The move comes after a
treatment standards. A large group from be assessed on its productivity value, not 6.9 percent budget cut by the Nevada
the Kentucky Farm Bureau was on hand market value, thereby assessing farmland Legislature at a special session in Febru-
as the Senate Agriculture Committee on its true worth for agricultural produc- ary. Closing the college is one of several
passed Senate Bill 105 sponsored by tion, rather than development, specula- possible outcomes. Closing departments
Agriculture Committee Chairman David tion or other purposes. Every two years, within the college and merging some
Givens. The bill would create a 14-mem- the productivity values used for property departments into other colleges at the
ber Kentucky Livestock Standards Com- tax assessments are reviewed and university also is being considered.
mission chaired by the state agriculture adopted by the State Tax Commission. In “Where does Nevada agriculture go from
commissioner. The state veterinarian December, the commission voted to in- here?” is the question posed by Doug
would be a non-voting member. The crease the productivity values for higher Busselman, executive vice president of
other members would include the dean quality land, cut them for lesser land and Nevada Farm Bureau, in response to the
of the University of Kentucky College of keep them the same for the worst. The proposed closures. “Our state’s agricul-
Agriculture and the chair of the Animal Missouri Farm Bureau and the state De- tural organizations and the farm and
Control advisory board. One of the four partment of Agriculture criticized the ranch families they represent need to
members appointed by the governor commission’s recommendations. “This evaluate the needs and wishes of pro-
would represent KFB. “The goal is that is a much-needed victory for Missouri duction agriculture. Comparison of these
the conversation be driven by scientific farmers at a time when they face many needs with possible changes in light of
standards and practical animal care stan- difficult economic challenges,” said the university’s plans could take us down
dards and the conversation not be driven Charlie Kruse, MFB president. If the in- various paths, including the potential of
by emotion,” Givens said. In addition to creased productivity values had been put seeking inclusion of the industry’s needs
livestock care, herd health and providing in place, Missouri farmers’ property taxes in the reorganization process.” A decision
safe and affordable food for consumers would have gone up by almost $10 mil- on program closures is expected in early
will also be addressed by the board. lion, according to MFB. June.
 fbnews.org March 8, 2010
Grassroots 8|

Food Check-Out Week spotlights nutritious, healthy food

During Food Check-Out
Week (Feb. 21-27), farmer and
rancher members of many lo-
cal Farm Bureaus reached out
to consumers in their com-
munities with information
and cost-saving tips on putting
nutritious meals on the table.
“Stretching Your Grocery
Dollar With Healthy, Nutri-
tious Food,” the official theme
of Farm Bureau’s Food Check-
Out Week, reflects the fact that
Americans from all walks of
life continue to experience
an economic squeeze. Dining
out less often and preparing
more meals at home is typi-
cal for growing numbers of
Americans.
“As today’s tough economic
times continue, public health
experts remain concerned that
consumers may resort to buy-
ing less-nutritious foods that
lack essential vitamins, min-
erals, fiber and other nutri-
ents,” said Terry Gilbert, a
Kentucky farmer and chair of
the AFB Women’s Leadership
Committee, which spearheads
the annual event. “During
Food Check-Out Week, tips
for better nutrition on a tight
budget, making sense of food
labels and understanding US-
DA’s MyPyramid were among
the topics Farm Bureau mem-
bers talked about with con-
sumers, at supermarket dem-
onstration stations and other
venues.”
A number of studies have
shown that rising energy costs
for processing, packaging and
transportation were the driv-
ing forces behind increased re-
tail food prices over the past few
years, Gilbert noted. However,
retail food prices have actually
decreased compared to last
year.
Since the mid-1990s, Farm
Bureau members have donated
around $3 million in food and
monetary contributions to Ron-
ald McDonald Houses and other
worthwhile charities during Food
Check-Out Week. Ronald McDon-
ald Houses provide a “home-
away-from-home” for the fami-
lies of seriously ill children re-
ceiving medical treatment at
area hospitals.
On behalf of the American
Farm Bureau, Gilbert and the
committee donated $2,500, as The AFB Women’s Leadership Committee shopped for groceries for Wichita Ronald
well as food, to Ronald McDon- McDonald House Charities. L to R: Helen Norris, Kan., Ethel Nash, W.Va., Vice Chair
ald Charities Wichita (Kan.). Sherry Saylor, Ariz., Frances Price, S.C., Gabe Ottolini, Ronald McDonald House
Other Food Check-Out Week Charities, Ginny Paarlberg, Fla., Angela Ryden, Colo., and Chair Terry Gilbert, Ky.
events in Wichita included the
AFB Women’s Leadership Com- book.com/NationalFoodCheckout he hit 10,000 followers. Fowle
mittee staffing supermarket dem- Week. spread the word about Food
onstration stations at Leeker’s In addition, two Farm Bureau Check-Out Week by posting his
Foods and being joined by the members in California successful- intention to donate 100 pounds
Kansas Farm Bureau Women’s ly used social media to promote of beef from his ranch to a lo-
Committee to give presentations Food Check-Out Week and en- cal senior center upon reach-
at elementary schools about courage food donations to worth- ing 10,000 followers. Loyal
where food comes from. while charities. Dairy producer followers of Prock and Fowle,
New this year, AFBF and the Ray Prock and rancher Jeff Fowle many of whom are foodies and
Soybean Checkoff launched a each had around 9,000 followers non-farmers, re-posted their
joint Facebook fan page to pro- on the micro-blogging Web site messages (tweets) to others,
mote Food Check-Out Week. Twitter when they launched the rapidly spreading the word.
AFBF is donating $1 to the Gal- social media initiative. As a result, both men quickly
veston (Texas) Ronald McDonald Prock’s posts brought attention reached 10,000 followers and
House for every person who be- to Food Check-Out Week by en- started making plans for their
comes a fan of the page by the couraging others to support chari- charitable food donations.
end of March, up to $5,000. The ties such as Ronald McDonald The third week of February
house sustained major structur- House. He also pledged that he was selected for Food Check-
al damage during Hurricane Ike. and his family would donate Out Week as a bridge to Na-
People may become a fan of food and cook a meal for families tional Nutrition Month in
the page by visiting: www.face staying at a nearby house when March.

Tennessee FB leads in rescue of neglected cattle

After a local man was arrested
and charged with animal cruelty
for not adequately feeding, con-
taining or caring for his cattle,
the Bedford County, Tenn., Farm
Bureau and Tennessee Farm Bu-
reau (TNFB) stepped up to the
plate and helped rescue the sur-
viving cattle.
Beginning on Feb. 13 and con-
tinuing for the next few days,
about 450 head were carefully
loaded onto trailers and taken to
a receiving farm where they could
be looked at by veterinarians, fed
and nursed back to health. Farm wanted to do the right thing for
Bureau is underwriting the cost of agriculture and the cattle,” ex-
moving and caring for the cattle, plained Julius Johnson, TNFB
with donations of equipment and chief administrative officer.
hay from other organizations and The problem of the owner not
individual farmers and ranchers, containing his cattle had been
as well. Approximately 150 head ongoing for over a year. He had
were found dead or died soon been charged with Cattle Roam-
after being moved. ing at Large.
TNFB has shunned the spot- “As soon as we found out about
light for its efforts. “We were fo- the poor condition of the cattle,
cused on taking immediate ac- we had several meetings to dis-
tion to help those animals. Our cuss what we could do,” said
focus was not on talking about Marty Davis, Bedford County
what we were doing. We just Farm Bureau president. “After
figuring out that the court would
have to award custody of the ani-
mals to somebody locally, we of-
fered to work with the Shelby-
ville-Bedford County Humane
Association to do the rescue and
pay for the animals’ care.”
TNFB also learned that the
photo by tennessee farm bureau
tion and Farm Bureau worked
together. State law allows local
humane associations to take
charge of animals seized by law
enforcement due to neglect or
abuse, but the humane groups
aren’t always equipped to handle
such a large herd in dire need of
veterinary care and nourishment.
“We approached each other
and we all agreed that it made a
lot of sense to work together,”
Johnson explained.
The Tennessee Farmers Co-op,
the local Extension Service, Ten-
nessee Cattlemen’s Association and
the state veterinarian also helped
with the rescue, and local veteri-
narians volunteered their time.
Even before the Bedford Coun-
ty incident, TNFB was looking at
forming a Livestock Recovery
Fund to protect farm animals in

sheriff was getting calls from cases of neglect or natural disas-

out-of-state animal rights groups
that wanted to swoop in and,
perhaps, take advantage of one
individual’s neglect to show all
livestock owners in a bad light.
But even if that wasn’t the case,
says Johnson, Farm Bureau
would’ve wanted to help.
“We believe that agriculture
needs to take care of agriculture’s
problems,” he said. “Ag folks know
Several head of cattle, in poor condition due to a rough winter and inadequate feed, best how to take care of livestock.”
were relocated so they could be fed and given veterinary care. Tennessee Farm Bu- In fact, that is the main reason
reau is underwriting the cost of the rescue effort. that the local humane associa-
ter. TNFB would work with poul-
try, pork, cattle and other groups
in the state to put a recovery team
and funding in place. Johnson said
that an end result of the recent
rescue effort could be putting that
plan into action more quickly.
The cattle will continue to be
given appropriate feed and veter-
inary care until they are in good
enough condition to sell, TNFB
said. The proceeds from sale of
the animals will be used to de-
fray the costs of the rescue effort.