Nebraska Farm Bureau News - March 2011

NebraskaFarm Bureau NewsMARCH 16, 2011

VOL. 29 ISSUE 3

Soldiers in Afghanistan Thankful For NEFB Beef Jerky Shipmentpage 4

Farm Moms and City Moms Are Connected Through Foodpage 7

Legislative and Congressional Highlightspages 10-11

NEFB Leaders Visit D.C. On Lobbying Trippage 15

The Crude Realitypage 14

highergas prices

higherfood prices

higherbusiness expenses

2 MARCH 16, 2011 Nebraska Farm Bureau News

contents

On the CoverThe cost of crude oil is leading to higher gas prices, higher food prices and higher business expenses for farmers and ranchers.

Photos by Tina HendersonPhoto Illustration by Tara Grell

Try Out Our New "tag"Learn how to use your smart phone to scan a code to open a website or pdf, make a phone call, send an email, etc.

page 8

Scholarships & LoansNebraska Farm Bureau is accepting applications for education loans and scholar-ships. Also, find a list of County Farm Bureaus that are accepting scholarship applications.

page 19

In Every Issue3 County News4 Member Benefits5 What’s Cooking?10 State News11 National News14 Cover Story17 Your Backyard27 Want Ads

Healthier TimesA recent sleep survey finds that sleep and technol-ogy don't mix. Use of many devices meant to make life easier and more entertaining often make us sleepier.

page 22

The President’s MessageBy Keith Olsen, PresidentNebraska Farm Bureau Federation®

The legislature’s Appropriations Committee is currently doing the painful work of crafting the state’s budget for the next two years. Because of

reduced revenues, senators will have to trim expendi-tures by some $943 million.

The pain in the state budget will be shared by every-one. Every proposed cut has a constituency that benefits from the program that is being considered for lower funding or possibly for elimination. Already state sena-tors have sent the governor a measure eliminating state aid to counties, cities and Natural Resources Districts (LB 383), which reduces the budget by about $44 million over two years. These local subdivisions will also have to cut their budgets, or they may look for increased rev-enues. Often they look to the property tax, which falls especially heavy on farmers and ranchers.

In his budget proposal, Gov. Heineman has included funding for a one-time expenditure of $25 million to get the University of Nebraska’s Innovation Campus off to a good start. Funding something new when money is tight for ex-isting programs might seem incongruous. But it is precisely when resources are the most scarce that we must be most strategic in using them.

INVESTMENT IN THE FUTUREInnovation Campus is an investment in the future. I

am delighted that it will focus so heavily on capitalizing on our largest industry and biggest resource – agricul-ture. Innovation campus will have three themes: food, fuel and water – all areas where the university has considerable strength and leadership as home to the Global Water for Food Institute, the Water Center, the Food Processing Center and extensive research on renewable energy from agriculture.

Innovation Campus is designed as a public-private part-nership. The state’s $25 million in funding will enable the

university to obtain $40 million from the private sector over two years, for renovations to the 4-H Building to make it into a conference center and business incubator, and to construct a modern life sciences research building.

Over the next 20 to 25 years, Innovation Campus is expected to create more than 5,500 new jobs with a total annual payroll of $267 million. That’s great news, but here’s what I find really exciting – greatly increased opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students at the university.

IANR Vice Chancellor Ronnie Green said recently, “Think of a campus buzzing with students who are engaged in the commercialization process through internships, work study and even curricular assignments that are connected to busi-

ness plan development in real-time. We see all of these as opportunities to further build on the innovation and entre-preneurship themes that have been building on our campus in recent years.”

LEADING ON ISSUES

It’s not hard for me to visualize those students moving into leadership positions where they will be movers and shakers on issues that concern us all

– producing more food with less water and fewer produc-tion inputs, lessening our dependence on imported fuel, finding additional ways to protect the environment while meeting the needs of our growing world population.

I have no doubt that more belt-tightening is coming. But I am equally certain investing in Innovation Campus is the right thing to do. I applaud Gov. Heineman for making a bold proposal for Nebraska’s future.

Innovation Campus

VOLUME 29 ISSUE 3 March 16, 2011

USPS 375-780 ISSN 0745-6522

Official publication of the Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation

402/421-4400www.nefb.org

Nebraska Farm Bureau’s Mission is making the future

great for Nebraska’s agricultural community.

Yearly subscription: 50 cents of membership dues.

Associate Member, Nebraska Press Association

EDITORIAL STAFF

Editor/Advertising/Writer: Tina Henderson [email protected] or ext. 4446

Writer: Cheryl Stubbendieck [email protected] or ext. 4405

Graphic Designer/County News/Month in Pictures: Tara Grell [email protected] or ext. 4494

Want Ads and County Annual Meeting Notices: Natalie Friesen [email protected] or ext. 4485

NEBRASKA FARM BUREAU FEDERATION

Keith Olsen, president (Grant)Steve Nelson, first vice president (Axtell)Rob Robertson, chief administrator/ secretary-treasurer (Lincoln)

BOARD OF DIRECTORSMark McHargue, second vice president (Central City)Nathan Bartels (Elk Creek)Andy DeVries (Ogallala)Del Ficke (Pleasant Dale)Jason Kvols (Laurel)John C. Martin (Pleasanton)Scott Moore (Bartley)Kevin Peterson (Osceola)Tanya Storer (Whitman)Shelly Thompson (Whitney)Sherry Vinton (Whitman)

NEBRASKA FARM BUREAU NEWS is published monthly, except July, by Nebraska

Farm Bureau Federation, 5225 South 16th St., Lincoln, NE 68512. Periodicals postage paid at

Lincoln, NE and additional entry offices.POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:

Nebraska Farm Bureau NewsAttn: Tina Henderson

P.O. Box 80299, Lincoln, NE 68501.

Courtesy Image from www.innovate.unl.edu

Nebraska Farm Bureau News MARCH 16, 2011 3

COUNTY NEWS

Jo Anderson of Gothenburg, Nebraska Farm Bureau Ag Promotion Committee member for District 7, visited her Agriculture in the Classroom Ag Pen Pal classes Feb. 23. Pic-tured at left Anderson explains a picture of an ear of corn on which sets a small house and barn – the basis of her family farm and life – to Laura Blumenthal's third grade class at Blumfield Elementary School in Ralston. At right Anderson meets with Kate Jurjevich's third grade class at LeMay Elementary School in Bellevue. The students are displaying small bags of corn chips donated by Frito Lay in Gothenburg and small bags of corn kernels. Anderson explained the relationship between the corn kernels and corn chips to the stu-dents during her visit.

Dawson County Farm Bureau

Anderson Visits Her Ag Pen Pal Classrooms

IT’S YOUR SHOT!2011 Nebraska Farm Bureau ®

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Gage County Farm Bureau held a member-ship breakfast March 1 at its office in Bea-trice to discuss issues and membership and to recruit new members. The breakfast was prepared and served by Jean Spilker, Gage County Farm Bureau member. Pictured at left are Gage County Farm Bureau mem-bers Scott Spilker (from left), John Knabe and Duane Siems discussing issues. Pictured at right are Calvin Carey (from left) of Bea-trice, Nebraska Farm Bureau President Keith Olsen and Rodney Smith of Dewitt. Carey and Smith were some of the potential new members at the breakfast.

Gage County Farm Bureau

County Holds Breakfast To Recruit New Members


The Route Clearance Team poses for a picture with the beef jerky shipped to Afghani-stan in February.

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Marty Baker (right) presents an appreciation plaque from the 1-134 Calvary to Roger Berry, NEFB VP/member services, for a shipment of beef jerky sent to Afghanistan.

Soldiers in Afghanistan Say Thank You to Nebraska Farm Bureau for Beef Jerky

MEMBER BENEFITS

Sgt. Major Marty Baker of the Nebraska National Guard brought greetings and thanks to Nebraska Farm Bureau for the shipment of beef jerky received by his unit in Afghanistan, when he visited the Farm Bu-reau office in Lincoln while on leave. Baker is a senior claims adjustor for Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance in Lincoln.

“We are touched that people back home think of us while we are overseas. Beef jerky is something we don’t usually get and we have truly enjoyed it,” Baker said March 8.

FIRST SHIPMENTBaker received and distributed the first

shipment of Nebraska Beef Jerky in Farm Bureau's "Beefin' Up the Troops" Project, to his unit in Afghanistan, the Nebraska Na-tional Guard soldiers of the 1-134 Calvary.

“Beef jerky is a perfect match for the troops. They can throw it in their pack un-til a later time and then enjoy a great Ne-braska beef snack,” Roger Berry, NEFB vice president of member services, said. “So far we have shipped two boxes of beef jerky

to Afghanistan or 320 packages and we’re working on a third,” Berry said.

Each package of beef jerky has a sticker thanking troops for their service and all of the sacrifices they are making to protect our country, Berry said.

TROOP SUPPORT IMPORTANTRyan Richter, currently serving at the

Information Dominance Center in Kabul, Afghanistan, recently traveled to Camp Ju-lien where he received a package of beef jerky.

He wrote in an e-mail dated Feb. 26, 2011: “First of all, thank you for your sup-port to all of the people out there. I don’t think most of the common Americans un-derstand the value of a thank you and the

effect it has on the people that are here. I ensure that I spread the good word about your delicious product, your support and Willow Creek Meats. Thank you for your never-ending support to those out here,” Richter said.

The beef jerky and shipping costs are funded entirely by donations.

Please make your donation in any amount to:Nebraska Farm BureauAttn: Beefin’ up Our HeroesRoger BerryP.O. Box 80299Lincoln, NE 68501For more information contact, Berry at

800/742-4016 ext. 4406 or at [email protected].


Cheesy Creamed CornIngredients3 pints frozen corn1 8-ounce package cream cheese, cubed1 3-ounce package cream cheese, cubed¼ cup butter, cubed¼ cup milk8 ounces processed American cheese, cubed

DirectionsCombine all ingredients in a slow cooker; mix well (I found that it is easier to mix in a large bowl and then pour into the slow cooker). Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or until heated through and the cheeses are melted. Stir well before serving.

Yield: 10-12 servings

Grilled Pork Butt recipe from Southern Living magazine. Ranch Potato Casserole from Taste of Home magazine. Cheesy Creamed Corn recipe from Taste of Home’s Quick Cooking magazine with modifications and photos by Lois Linke, wife of Karl Linke, Nebraska Farm Bureau district director of member services for the southeast.

WHAT’S COOKING?If you want to submit your own recipes, and photos if you have them, send them via email to [email protected].

Ranch Potato CasseroleIngredients6-8 medium red potatoes (about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds – new potatoes are best)1/2 cup sour cream1/2 cup prepared ranch-style dressing1/4 cup bacon bits or cooked crumbled bacon2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Topping Ingredients1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese2 cups slightly crushed corn flakes1/4 cup butter, melted

DirectionsSimmer the potatoes in water until just tender; drain; quarter (leaving skins on, if de-sired) and set aside. Combine sour cream, dressing, bacon, parsley and 1 cup cheese in a large bowl. Add potatoes and gently toss to coat. Place potatoes in a greased baking dish and top with 1/2 cup cheese. Combine corn flakes and butter; sprinkle over cas-serole. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes.

Yield: 8 Servings

The Right Carbs Can Help Keep You TrimThe days of skipping the bread basket or saying no

to pasta are over, according to the new “Carb Lov-ers Diet” book from the editors of Health magazine.

Scientists at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center for Human Nutrition in Denver and a team of international researchers have discovered that eating the right carbohydrates can make you get and stay trim.

The diet does not advocate “stuffing yourself with bagels and cookies all day.” Rather, it recommends increasing your total intake of carbohydrates, specifi-cally a type of carbohydrate called “resistant starch.”

The book’s authors, Ellen Kunes and Frances Largeman-Roth, recently appeared on the “Ra-chael Ray Show” and explained how resistant starch works. “It’s a type of carbohydrate that resists diges-tion in the small intestine,” Largeman-Roth said. “So what that means is that you’re not taking in all the calories from it. It makes you feel full and it actually boosts your metabo-lism and burns more fat.”

Kunes added that, “Your goal is to get somewhere between 10 and 15 grams of re-sistant starch for the day. You do that and you’re going to kick up your fat burning by something like 25 percent!”

According to the website, www.carblovers.com, foods containing resistant starch that the authors recommend include bananas, oatmeal, white beans, lentils, potatoes, plan-tains, garbanzo beans, pearl barley, whole wheat pasta and brown rice.

The website is chock-full of recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks – even dessert.

UPCOMING MONTHSBelow are themes for the coming months!

Submit your recipe to: [email protected]

April – salads using home garden ingredients and strawberry recipesMay – dairy foods for kidsJune – 4th of July

Grilled Pork Butt (for pulled pork)

Ingredients1 6-8 pound bone-in pork shoulder roast (Boston butt)cherry wood chips (or wood of your choice)

NOTE: I like to apply the dry rub the day before grilling. Also, grilling directions are for a 2-burner grill.

Dry Rub Ingredients4 teaspoons seasoned salt2 teaspoons dark brown sugar1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar1 1/2 teaspoons paprika1/4 teaspoon garlic powder1/4 teaspoon pepper1/8 teaspoon dry mustard1/8 teaspoon ground cumin1/16 teaspoon ground ginger

DirectionsCombine all rub ingredients together. Rinse pork roast and pat dry. Coat with dry rub. Light one side of grill, heating to 250-300°; leave other burner off. Place wood chips in a small foil pan. Cover with foil and poke 6-8 small holes in the top. Place the roast over the UNLIT side and the wood chips over the LIT side. Close the grill lid and grill for 7-9 hours, maintaining a temperature of 225-250°. DO NOT LIFT THE LID. (It is tempting.) Roast is done when internal temperature is 190°. Remove from grill, cover with foil and let stand 15 minutes. Slice, shred, or chop roast.

Yield: 10-12 servings

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Brian Carpenter of Antelope Coun-ty raises his hand in support during a role-playing session exploring the importance of being involved in lo-cal issues.

Adam Peterson, NEFB central district director of Member Services, leads a session on how to plan, organize and run an effective County Farm Bureau board meeting.

During a Leadership Academy presentation Feb. 25-26, Shane Greckel of Knox County (left) and Brian Bresnahan of Polk County work on an exercise dealing with the impor-tance of political involvement.

Tessa Hangs of Hitchcock County (left) writes down her group’s ideas to improve County Farm Bureaus in Nebraska. Tracy Neidig of Madison County offers suggestions during the session Feb. 25.

Nebraska Farm Bureau® Leadership AcademyFeb. 25-26, 2011 • Grand Island, NE • Photos by Roger Berry

Karen Hartford of Dundy County and Dustin Fairley of Jefferson County show the “no” vote in a role-playing exercise at the Leadership Academy in Kearney on Feb. 26.

Shana Beattie was born and reared on her family’s cattle ranch in North Central Florida. She now resides in Sumner, where she farms with her husband Bart and his parents on Be-attie Ranch, a, fifth-generation fam-ily farm. Currently, the Beatties farm corn, soybeans, alfalfa and certified grass seed. In addition to raising crops, they run a cow/calf ranch and a wean-to-finish swine operation where they use the corn they’ve raised as the primary feed source for the livestock.

Dawn Caldwell and her husband, Matt, and their two children run a diversified farm in Edgar, which was passed down from Matt’s grandfa-ther. About half of their fam-ily farm is used to raise crops, and half is pasture to raise cattle. She has a life full of family, farming and a full-time job off the farm. Caldwell has an incredible respect for farmers and what they contribute to the world.

Kristen and Todd Egg-erling, along with Kristen’s parents, operate a farm and ranch near Martell, on land that was home-steaded by Kristen’s family in 1873. In addition to rais-ing two children, Kristen is heavily involved in the day-to-day care of the cattle and crops with the guiding philosophy to improve the farmland and rangeland they operate.


To learn more, or enroll in the program for free, visit OutdoorNebraska.org or call your local Game and Parks representative.

The Open Fields and Waters program provides access to more places for hunting and fishing. This program:

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Farm Moms and City Moms Have More in Common Than You Might ThinkWith the average American three gen-

erations removed from the farm, there is a developing disconnect between consum-ers and the farmers who grow their food. Consumers want to know where their food comes from, and to hear it from a farmer. So Nebraska launched a program called “CommonGround,” Kelsey Pope, ag pro-motion coordinator for the Nebraska Corn Board and program coordinator for Com-monGround in Nebraska, said March 10.

“The primary mission of CommonGround is to allow farm moms to share their stories about food production, food safety and ev-eryday farm life,” Pope said.

Nebraska is the second of five states to organize a way for moms from all walks of life to talk about where their food comes from and what they feed their children, she explained.

LEARNING ABOUT FOOD“CommonGround is a grassroots cam-

paign that showcases the common values and expectations shared by farmers who grow the food and the consumers who pur-chase products from the grocery store,” she said.

The farmer-led program is sponsored by the Nebraska Corn Board, Nebraska Soy-bean Board, National Corn Growers Asso-

ciation and the United Soybean Board.“Women on the farm have a similar role

as their urban mom counterparts,” Pope said. “They have to shop for food to feed their family, run kids to and from school and other activities – along with chasing cows that got out, taking meals to farmers in the fields and driving the grain truck to the co-op. So who better to address questions and concerns about food than the farm women themselves?” she said.

WOMAN TO WOMANCommonGround is the start of a move-

ment to include all women who want to be involved. “We’ve been talking to some

women about using their speaking skills and social media tools together to advocate for agriculture,” Pope said. Three women vol-unteers who have received media training and are official spokespersons for the pro-gram are Kristen Eggerling of Martell; Dawn Caldwell of Edgar, a member of the Clay County Farm Bureau; and Shana Beattie of Sumner, a member of the Dawson County Farm Bureau.

To learn more, visit www.FindOurCom-monGround.com or find CommonGround on facebook and twitter at www.facebook.com/commongroundnow and www.twitter.com/commonground.

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HSUS Uses ‘Push Poll’ To Criticize Gov. Heineman, Farm BureauBy Cheryl Stubbendieck

Nebraska poll results released March 1 by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) – the country’s largest animal rights group – are highly suspect, a respected Ne-braska political expert said March 11.

“There’s no question this ‘poll’ was designed to achieve the desired political outcome HSUS wanted,” Philip L. Young of Lincoln said. Young is a public relations and political consultant with more than 30 years’ experience in Nebraska politics and public policy.

The HSUS poll used a tech-nique called “push polling,” in which an organization attempts to influence or alter the view of respondents under the guise of conducting a poll. Respondents are given “background” on a question before they are asked to respond. The background information encourages the re-sponse the poll’s sponsor wants. (See box.)

The poll purported to show that “Nebras-ka voters think that the relationship between Gov. Dave Heineman and the nation’s largest animal protection group, the Humane Soci-ety of the United States, shouldn’t be antago-nistic” and that a majority of Nebraska voters would favor restricting several veterinarian-approved common animal care practices.

GOVERNOR OPPOSES HSUSHeineman has been outspoken in his op-

position to HSUS and his belief that Ne-braska farmers and ranchers are in the best position to make decisions about the care of their animals. Nebraska Farm Bureau agrees with the governor. In a news release about the poll, HSUS said respondents gave Heineman a 67 percent favorability rating and HSUS a 65 percent rating, compared to

45 percent for Nebraska Farm Bureau.The Lincoln Journal Star obtained one of

the questions used in the telephone survey of 500 registered Nebraska voters who had voted in the 2008 presidential election or had registered to vote since then. According to Lake Research Partners of Washington, D.C., which conducted the research, it used a stratified sampling method.

The HSUS news release said 61 percent of respondents indicated they want the gov-

ernor to open a dialogue with HSUS while 25 percent said he should refuse.

“The results (of the sample question) have no legitima-cy whatsoever,” Young said. “When you preface the question with this one-sided attack, I’m surprised the ‘open a dialogue’ numbers weren’t significantly higher. If 61 percent is the best

HSUS can do, then it’s in much worse shape in Nebraska than anyone would have thought.

“Knowing this is the methodology HSUS used, it calls into question all of the data HSUS received from this so-called poll,” Young said.

FB SUPPORTS HEINEMANNebraska Farm Bureau President Keith Ol-

sen said Farm Bureau stands solidly behind Gov. Heineman and appreciates the governor’s work

and efforts on behalf of Nebraska agriculture.“The governor knows Nebraskans don’t

want a special interest group from Washing-ton, D.C., like the HSUS to dictate to us on how to properly care for animals.”

Olsen pointed out that, “Wayne Pacelle, president of HSUS, visited Nebraska last No-vember and was quoted as saying his organi-zation didn’t have an interest in any initiative in Nebraska concerning farm animals. Yet now HSUS releases a survey with questions

concerning farm animals. I think we have to conclude it has an interest in an initiative.

“Nebraskans need to remember that HSUS is not your local spay-and-neuter hu-mane society. HSUS is a political organization seeking to advance an anti-meat, anti-animal agriculture agenda and reduce consumers’ food choices. Less than half a percent of the millions HSUS takes in in fund-raising goes to local animal shelters. Much of the rest goes for its political agenda.”

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"Here is what some people say about this issue. They say that Gov. Heineman is just a bully picking on a non-profit organization with over 50,000 members in Ne-braska – the Humane Society of the United States – whose only goal is to end animal suffering. Gov. Heineman has said he would veto ANY legislation that deals with animal cruelty. That's an extremist position and it would mean vetoing laws that make abusing or torturing pets a crime, even if a majority of the Legislature passed it. The Governor believes there should be no dialogue or compromise with animal welfare groups, and that no Nebraskan should work for those groups. These advocates say instead of trying to do what is right for Nebraska by assuring humane treatment of animals, including those raised for food, Gov. Heineman has made this a personal fight and he is out of step with mainstream Nebraskans.

"After hearing this, what do you think? Should Governor Heineman open a dia-logue or should he continue to refuse to discuss humane treatment of farm animals with the Humane Society and other animal protection groups?"

Copyright Lincoln Journal Star reprinted with permission.

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Five Things To Know About Agriculture SpendingWhen it comes to spending on agriculture

programs, all of the wrangling over this year’s federal budget is just a foretaste of bigger battles, according to one farm policy veteran.

“Congress is looking for deep budget cuts this year. Some of that is bound to come from agriculture,” said Mary Kay Thatcher, director of the American Farm Bureau Federation’s agriculture policy team, who has worked on several farm bills over the years. “Farm Bu-reau supports efforts to reduce the budget deficit and is willing to do our share to make that happen. We just want to make sure we aren’t doing more than our fair share.”

SPENDING BASED ON BASELINE“The problem is that future spending

will be based on past spending baselines,” Thatcher explained. “The baseline for nu-trition programs has grown, but for some farm, conservation and energy programs, it will go away. If there is a baseline, there is no cost to continue. If there is no baseline, there is a cost to continue, and increasing the cost of the farm bill is not an option.”

The Supplemental Revenue disaster assis-tance program expires Oct. 1, and the Wet-lands Reserve Program and others will ex-pire next year. Congress will have to glean money from other programs if it wants to extend them.

“Just making a copy of the 2008 farm bill is not an option. The funding won’t be there,” Thatcher said. “The challenge will be identifying those programs that are most critical to providing a safety net for farm-ers and ranchers, and trying to preserve as much of that safety net as possible.”

FIVE THINGS TO KNOWHere are five things that farmers and

ranchers might like to know about the cur-rent budget debate and the effort to write the new farm bill next year.

1. For agriculture, there are really three different budget-related issues to follow: funding for this year, next year and be-yond.

First, Con-gress needs to pass a long-term “continu-ing resolution” to keep the government funded un-til the end of this fiscal year, through Sep-tember.

Second, the 2012 budget process has begun. Presi-dent Obama sent his budget proposal to Congress in mid-February. It would cut agriculture spending by $2.5 billion, but perhaps the most direct impact to farmers and ranch-ers would come from a proposal to lower payment limits and income limits that de-termine whether farmers can receive direct farm payments.

Third, with a record budget deficit (nearly $1.5 trillion in 2011, according to a Con-

gressional Budget Office forecast) and fierce competition for funds among different pro-grams, there will be tremendous pressure to reduce the size of farm programs when Congress writes a new farm bill to authorize farm, conservation, nutrition and agricultural research programs for the next few years.

2. Agriculture programs already represent a tiny portion of the fed-eral budget. They are pro-jected to be just 2 percent of total federal spending from 2011 through 2020. Take out spend-ing for food stamps, school meals and other nutrition programs, and the agriculture piece of the

pie shrinks to just about half of 1 percent (0.53 percent). Of the $924 billion in spend-ing authorized by the House Agriculture Committee under current baselines, $695 billion, or 75 percent, is for nutrition pro-grams, and that slice is getting bigger. The remainder pays for crop insurance ($83 billion, 9 percent), conservation programs ($65 billion, 7 percent), farm payments ($64 billion, 7 percent) and other programs ($17

billion, 2 percent).3. Of the $64 billion in commod-

ity program spending, most (77 per-cent) goes to direct farm payments. That makes them important to farmers, but it also makes them a big target for lawmak-ers looking for budget reductions.

4. Crop insurance has grown into the largest non-nutrition program in the farm bill, representing 36 percent of non-nutrition funding, compared to 28 per-cent for farm payments and marketing loans, 28 percent for conservation payments and 8 percent for other programs. The majority (69 percent) of crop insurance funding goes for farmer premium subsidies. If direct pay-ments are eliminated or reduced in the next farm bill, crop insurance will become even more important to some farmers, but there are regional “winners and losers” if this hap-pens because crop insurance works better for some crops than others.

5. Federal spending for countercy-clical farm payments and marketing loans (which provide support if prices fall below loan rates) has decreased under the current farm bill because commodity prices have been high. This has saved taxpayers money, but farm-ers won’t get many thanks for it. Instead, these programs, which are major support-ing pillars of the farm safety net, will lose baseline and, along with direct payments, could come under attack from those who want that funding for other programs and say that farm supports are not needed in a good farm economy.

Session Mid-PointThe legislature hit the mid-point of the

2011 90-day session on March 14. Speaker of the Legislature Sen. Mike Flood of Nor-folk, recently laid out a rough timeline for the remainder of the session. According to Flood’s plan, the legislature will spend March and April debating senator, committee and speaker priority bills. Senators and commit-tees had until March 10 to designate priority bills. In May, senators will turn their atten-tion to adopting a biennial budget, which Flood expects to consume the first two weeks of May. Redistricting will then take up senators’ time in late May. The session is expected to adjourn in June. Budget RecommendationsThe Appropriations Committee has

continued its work on final budget recom-mendations due in late April. The Nebraska Economic Forecasting Board met in mid-February to revise its revenue projections upon which the appropriations budget pro-posals are based. The board revised rev-enues projections upward slightly, resulting in a revised budget gap over the two-year biennium of $943 million, rather than $986 million. The Forecasting Board will meet again in mid-April to finalize its revenue pro-jections, and the final budget numbers will be based on these projections.

Senators have already passed, and Gov. Heineman has approved, LB 383 which eliminates state aid to counties, cities and Natural Resources Districts, saving the state $22 million annually. Another major piece in the budget balancing puzzle will be re-ductions in state aid to K-12 schools. The

legislature’s Education Committee, chaired by Sen. Greg Adams of York, continues its deliberations on the appropriate reduction and how best to reduce state aid without affecting schools disproportionately.

Nebraska Farm Bureau is working in sup-port of continued funding for the Property Tax Credit program which provides $110 million in direct credits to property taxpayers. Farm Bureau also is working to assure agen-cies key to agriculture are not cut dispropor-tionately and has expressed its support for the governor’s proposed $25 million in one-time funding for the university’s Innovation Campus. Road FundingLB 84, introduced and made a priority

bill by Sen. Deb Fischer of Valentine, would direct one-half cent of the state sales tax collected, roughly $125 million, toward road funding beginning in 2013. The bill would also increase the state’s authority to issue bonds for road construction. Under the bill, $85 million would go annually to the state highway system, $15 million would be directed towards finishing the four-lane expressway system, and up to $25 million would be used to pay off bonds. The Rev-enue Committee advanced the measure to General File with seven votes in support, and one abstention. The bill has yet to be debated on the legislature’s floor.

Nebraska Farm Bureau supports the bill, arguing good roads, highways and bridges are essential to farmers and ranchers who each year face more and more global com-petition. A key for agriculture’s competitive-ness will be to keep the costs of shipping commodities low.

Meat Inspec-tion Program

LB 305, intro-duced by Sen. Tyson Larson of O’Neill, has been advanced to the full leg-islature by the A g r i c u l t u r e Committee. The committee also has des-ignated the bill as one of its two priority bills for the session. The bill would direct the Nebraska Department of Agriculture to investigate and develop a meat inspection program. Nebraska Farm Bureau supports the bill in the belief that establishment of a state meat inspection program has the po-tential to open doors for farmers and ranch-ers who are interested in direct-marketing their meat and poultry products. Environmental Trust FundThe Natural Resources Committee has

advanced LB 229 to the floor on a 7-1 vote. The measure, introduced by Sen. Deb Fischer of Valentine and made a pri-ority bill by Sen. Tyson Larson of O’Neill , would direct $7 million a year for 11 years from the Environmental Trust Fund to the Department of Natural Resources, to be used for water management pro-grams in fully or over appropriated basins. It is anticipated most of the dollars will be used to fund activities in the Platte Basin to meet Nebraska’s obligations under the Platte River Recovery and Implementation Program and provide additional water and land habitat for endangered species. The

department estimates $53-$100 million will be needed in the Platte Basin through 2019. Funding will also go toward activi-ties to conserve water in the Republican Basin.

Nebraska Farm Bureau supports the measure. The use of Environmental Trust Funds as proposed fits within the spirit of the use of lottery funds for environmental purposes because most of the funds will go toward addressing endangered species is-sues in the Platte, and help conserve and protect the state’s most precious natural resource, water. Digger’s HotlineIt appears a bill to clarify state statute

in regard to soil sampling and the Digger’s Hotline will be held in committee for the remainder of the session. LB 484, brought by Sen. Galen Hadley of Kearney, would clarify an exemption in law for agriculture in regards to soil sampling and a requirement to contact the Digger's Hotline. The legisla-ture’s Transportation and Telecommunica-tions Committee has taken no action on the bill since the hearing, and it was not made a priority bill, so further action on the bill dur-ing this session is unlikely. Protecting the Right To Hunt, Fish and TrapA constitutional amendment to protect

the right to hunt, fish and trap in Nebraska was introduced by Sen. Pete Pirsch of Oma-ha. LR 40CA was heard by the Natural Re-sources Committee, and has advanced from committee and been designated by the com-mittee as a priority bill. Nebraska Farm Bu-reau supports the measure.


STATE NEWSLegislative Happenings

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Pesticide LegislationRecently, the House Committee on Ag-

riculture unanimously passed H.R. 872, the “Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act of 2011." The American Farm Bureau supports the bill, which was introduced by Reps. Bob Gibbs (R-Ohio), Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio) and Joe Baca (D-Calif.). It would reduce the regulatory burdens imposed by the case “National Cotton Council v. EPA” (6th Cir. 2009). The court ruling overturned a 2006 EPA decision which said Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Discharge Elimi-nation System (NPDES) permits were not required for pesticide applications into, over or “near” waters of the U.S. The move has now forced EPA to develop an NPDES per-mit system for such pesticide applications.

This one decision nearly doubles the num-ber of entities needing permits under CWA in the 38 years since the law was passed. The new permit will add recordkeeping and reporting requirements to an estimated 5.6 million pesticide applications per year and will affect everyone from farmers and ranchers to railroads and park managers. H.R. 872 would amend the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Clean Wa-ter Act to clarify that CWA permits are not needed when a pesticide is applied in accor-dance with a FIFRA-approved label.

In a related matter, EPA has requested that the court grant a further delay, until Oct. 31,

2011, the implementation date for CWA per-mitting. Unless the court grants the further stay, regulated pesticide discharges will require permit coverage by April 9, when the Sixth Circuit’s ruling goes into effect. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is expected to mark-up the legislation soon. Trucking Agreement ReachedPresident Obama and President Calderon

of Mexico announced a path to resolving the cross-border long-haul trucking dispute on March 3. It will allow for establishment of a re-ciprocal, phased-in program that will authorize both Mexican and U.S. long-haul carriers to engage in cross-border operations under the North American Free Trade Agreement. The new program will require all haulers to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and will include a path to full and permanent authority for cross-border operations.

The announcement will ultimately result in lifting of retaliatory tariffs imposed by Mexico on more than $2 billion of U.S. goods ex-ported to Mexico, including more than $800 million of U.S. agricultural products. Mexico will commit to suspending 50 percent of the retaliatory tariffs at the time a final agreement for a new program is signed by both coun-tries. The remaining 50 percent of the retal-iatory tariffs will be suspended at the time the first Mexican carrier receives authoriza-tion under the new program. A proposed agreement is expected to be available for

Congressional briefings and public notice and comment by late March or early April. The U.S. Department of Transpor-tation will r e s p o n d to public comments and then work with Mexico to reach a final agreement. Current Highway Bill ExtendedA few weeks ago, the House and Senate

passed H.R. 662, a seven-month extension of the “Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU). The legislation was signed by Obama on March 4. This is the seventh extension of SAFETEA-LU since its expiration on Sept. 30, 2009.

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair John Mica (R-Fla.) and the Obama Administration have voiced support for passing new multi-year highway legis-lation in 2011. However, there has been no agreement on funding for such a bill. SAFETEA-LU authorized $244.1 billion for highways, highway safety and public trans-portation. Funding a new bill will be greatly affected by current budget constraints. Extending SAFETEA-LU will continue cur-rent highway programs, including the Fed-

eral Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, until Sept. 30, 2011. House Passes 1099 Repeal BillThe House recently passed H.R. 4, the

“Small Business Paperwork Mandate Elimi-nation Act of 2011,” 314-112, with 238 Republicans and 76 Democrats voting for the bill. Farm Bureau supported passage of the legislation. The rule under which the legislation came to the floor combined H.R. 4 with an offset that pays for the legisla-tion by reducing improper overpayments

of health exchange subsidies established under health reform legislation. The Senate previously passed Form 1099 repeal as an amendment to the Federal Aviation Admin-istration reauthorization, using unobligated funds to pay for the loss of 1099 revenue.

While there is overwhelming support for repealing Form 1099 reporting requirements in both the House and Senate, disagree-ment about replacement revenue must be resolved before the repeal legislation can be-come law. The president has said he oppos-es both the House and Senate replacement revenue plans. If the legislation fails to move forward, beginning in 2012, farmers, ranch-ers and other businesses will be required to complete an IRS Form 1099 for ALL pay-ments, including goods and services, aggre-gating $600 or more in a calendar year to a single non-employee payee. Payments made to corporations will no longer be excluded from the reporting requirement.


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Congressional HappeningsNATIONAL NEWS

By Steve CenskyAmerican Soybean Association CEO

Agriculture is entering a new era as the patents on first generation biotech-enhanced seed traits begin to expire. With the patent on "Roundup Ready® One" (RR1) trait due to expire in 2014, and patents on other traits expiring in future years, the American Soy-bean Association has been working to devel-op pathways that will facilitate the continued availability of traits to soybean farmers after they become “generic.”

Patents are granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office for new, use-ful and non-obvious inventions for a period of 20 years from the filing date of a patent application.They provide the right to exclude others from exploiting the invention during that period. In the U.S. soybean seed industry today, the unique set of germplasm within a seed variety often is patented by the devel-opers of the germplasm, while the biotech trait(s) incorporated into seed are patented under other patents by trait developers. The RR1 trait patent expires in 2014, meaning that beginning with the 2015 growing season, seed companies can market, and farmers can purchase, soybean varieties with the RR1 trait without having to pay a royalty amount to the developer of the RR1 trait (Monsanto).

KEEPING TRAITS AVAILABLEASA has been working to facilitate how

traits can be available to farmers who con-tinue to desire them as these traits go from "patented" to "generic" status. ASA also has been working with biotech developers and other industry members to develop a pro-cess to maintain regulatory approvals for biotech traits in export markets after patents expire, in order to protect U.S. soybean ex-ports from being disrupted because of the presence of the trait remaining in the com-modity system or in new seed that is market-ed. A number of countries require that the regulatory approvals for biotech traits must be periodically renewed if commodity ship-ments, food and feed containing the biotech trait is to be allowed to enter their countries.

It is not known at this time how many seed companies or university breeding programs will choose to market top-yielding soybean varieties that contain the generic RR1 bio-tech trait beginning in 2015. However, ASA has worked with Monsanto and others in the seed industry to take steps so that seed companies have the option of offering the generic RR1 trait to farmers in top-yielding varieties in 2015 and beyond. ASA is pleased that, since December 2009, Monsanto has taken steps that enhance the opportunity for the development and availability in 2015 and beyond of soybean varieties with the generic RR1 trait. These steps include:

• Revising the terms of licensing agree-ments with more than 150 seed companies and 16 universities to allow these entities to continue to work with and offer the RR1 technology up to and following patent ex-piry. If they so choose, seed companies may continue to offer soybean varieties contain-ing the RR1 trait after the license and royalty obligations have expired.

• Committing to maintain full regulatory support for RR1 in export markets through at least 2021. Some countries require peri-odic renewal of regulatory approvals for bio-tech traits imported for food or feed. So this commitment ensures that U.S. soy exports won’t be disrupted because of the presence of the RR1 trait, and provides the industry with more than a decade to develop other mechanisms to provide regulatory support for the generic RR1 trait in export markets.

• Supporting development of a long-term framework for continued regulatory sup-port of biotech traits as they come off pat-ent in the years ahead through the Biotech-nology Industry Organization (BIO). ASA is collaborating with BIO to ensure a viable post-patent regulatory support process.

• Stating that it will not enforce variety pat-ents on Monsanto-developed varieties con-

taining the RR1 trait when farmers plant saved seed containing the RR1 trait on their own farm after 2014. However, if farmers wish to save and plant on their own farm seed variet-ies containing the RR1 trait after 2014, they will need to check with their seed company to

ensure the variety containing the RR1 trait is not patent-protected. The germplasm in many elite soybean varieties is patent-protected un-der a “variety” patent that is separate from any patents on biotech “traits” like RR1 that may be incorporated into the seed.

ASA is hopeful that interested seed com-panies and university seed breeders will continue to offer soybean varieties contain-ing the RR1 trait after the license and roy-alty obligations for RR1 have expired. They will not need any additional patent rights, access to regulatory data or new regulatory approvals in order to offer the RR1 trait as a single trait in a variety.

FARMERS WILL CHOOSEClearly soybean farmers will continue to

choose the soybean varieties that make the most sense for their farm. Farmers will eval-uate yields, trait and disease packages, pro-tein and oil content, and cost when making seed purchase decisions. Seed companies and universities will offer soybean varieties and traits that farmers demand.

While it is not yet clear how many seed companies and universities may choose to offer soybean varieties with the generic RR1 trait in 2015, ASA is proud of its work to help enable this potential offering and choice for farmers. If you believe you may be interested in planting soybean varieties in 2015 with the generic RR1 trait – or at least having this as an option – ASA suggests that you contact your seed company and/or university soybean breeders so that they know of your interest and can begin to plan accordingly.


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ASA Works To Provide Clear Path for Soybeans with Royalty-Free Generic Roundup Ready Trait in 2015

Photo Courtesy of ASA – Bob CallananThe American Soybean Association has worked with Monsanto and others in the seed industry to take steps so that seed companies have the option of offering the generic Roundup Ready One trait to farmers in top-yielding varieties in 2015 and beyond.


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Deanna Karmazin Named Ag in the Classroom Coordinator

Deanna K. Karmazin of Lincoln is the new coordinator for the Nebraska Agriculture in the Classroom program.

Agriculture in the Classroom is a nation-wide educational program to help students understand that agriculture is the source of food, clothing, shelter and other essentials of life. In Nebraska, it is managed and funded by the Nebraska Foundation for Agricultural Awareness, which has its headquarters at the Ne-braska Farm Bureau office in Lincoln.

Karmazin’s appointment was announced March 10 in Lincoln at the annual meet-ing of the foundation by Eric Brown, foundation president and general manager of KRVN Radio in Lexington.

“Deanna brings a wealth of educational and agricultural experiences to this critical position, and the leadership skills to move it forward,” Brown said. “She has given doz-ens of presentations that help children and adults understand agriculture and its impor-tance to them and to our state.

Karmazin has been an extension associate with UNL Extension in Lancaster County since 1996. In that position she designed, taught and evaluated 4-H programs in many areas and developed educational curricula to supplement 4-H activities.

Karmazin earned a B.S. degree in agricultural edu-cation from UNL in 1996 and an M.S. degree in agri-cultural leadership, educa-tion and communications in 2000. She is a Nebraska certified teacher and is a certified grant writer. She is a graduate of the Nebraska LEAD program and serves on the boards of the Ne-braska AgRelations Council and the Nebraska Coopera-tive Extension Association. From 2002 to 2005, she

was an elected member of the Lancaster County Agricultural Society (Lancaster County fair board).

Karmazin will assume her new responsi-bilities on April 11. She succeeds Ellen Hel-lerich of Valparaiso, who is retiring at the end of March.

Deanna KarmazinNebraska Agriculture in the Classroom State Coordinator

Arnold Teacher One of Seven Educators Honored for Promoting Agricultural Literacy

Washington, D.C. — Bernie Crow, a fourth grade teacher at Arnold Public School, is one of seven teachers recognized by the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture for their outstanding ef-forts to promote agricultural literacy. The teachers each received $1,500 scholarships to attend the Na-tional Agriculture in the Classroom Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in June. The Foundation, through the White-Reinhardt Fund for Education, sponsored the scholarships in cooperation with the AFB Women’s Leadership Committee. Crow is one of five teachers from Nebraska who have won this honor in the past 10 years.

“The National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference provides a valuable experience for educators,” said Terry Gilbert, a Kentucky farmer, chair of the AFB Women’s Leadership Committee and a foundation board member, on March 9.

Several hundred teachers are expected to attend the conference, where they will explore incorporating real-life agricultural applications into language arts, math, nutrition, science and social studies lessons. Scholarship recipients were judged on past use of innovative programs to edu-cate students about agriculture as well as future plans to implement information gained at the AITC conference in their own classrooms and share the information with other teachers.

Berni Crowfourth grade teacher

in the Arnold Public Schools

Mark McHargue, Nebraska Farm Bureau second vice president, talks with U.S. Sen. Mike Johanns at a Farm Bill Listening Session in Norfolk Feb. 17.

By Tina HendersonNebraska drivers are paying an average of

$3.58 for a gallon of regular unleaded gaso-line. That's higher than the national average of $3.52, according to AAA. The pain at the pump affects everyone.

People involved in producing the food we eat experience the increase in larger amounts because they use more energy in their businesses and they pay those same high pump prices, Kevin Peterson, a farmer from Osceola, said March 11.

Peterson raises non-irrigated crops and hogs just outside of Osceola. He has seen a sharp increase in the cost of the propane he uses to heat his hog barns. He paid $15,000 for propane for all of 2010, com-pared to $19,000 for the first three months of 2011. He had budgeted $30,000 total for 2011.

The price of propane is about 40 to 50 cents a gallon higher than last year at this time. Because farmers do not set the price for what they grow, Peterson has no way to pass on this increase. He has to absorb it into his business.

“I have to make sure my hogs are in com-fortable surroundings. They are warm in the winter, cool in the summer, and they always have food and water available when they need to eat. Agriculture is not immune to the energy increases we’ve seen. It takes en-ergy to produce food, to move it, to pack-age it and to do everything with it before it even enters the grocery store,” he said. Peterson is an NEFB Board member and belongs to the Polk County Farm Bureau.

While rising commodity prices are good news for farmers and ranchers, it doesn’t

mean all of them are making money.

AG PROFIT MISNOMER“Higher commodity prices may mean a

few extra dollars initially, but most farm-ers try to market their grain throughout the year -- which doesn’t mean they sold at the higher prices you see right now. You can’t market too far ahead because you don’t know if there will be a drought. If that happens, you might not have a crop and you won’t be able to follow through on your contract. Also many farmers are using that extra income to invest in their farms or ranches and are paying down their debt. It is a bit of a misnomer that

farmers are making tons of money,” Pe-terson said.

The rising price of oil isn’t only affecting on-farm costs. The Consumer Price Index shows energy prices have increased by more than 7 percent in the past year. As a result, the cost of food has risen nearly 2 percent. When it comes to food, non-al-coholic beverages have increased the most in the month of January, rising as much as 5 percent at one point. That means a few more cents for your Coke or caramel latte, according to the CPI.

HIGHER FOOD COSTS“Higher fuel prices affect the cost of just

about everything in this country from jeans to coffee to food,” said Kathy Siefken, ex-

ecutive director for the Nebraska Grocery Industry Association.

Grocers do their best to keep prices level, but it has been a challenge lately.

“Our industry has a history of leveling out the highs and the lows in the cost of goods. We try to keep the cost of food at a constant level that consumers expect. That has been difficult. We contain the cost of food as much as we can but as prices continue to increase, we must increase the price to consumers to keep our businesses going. If a grocer doesn’t make a profit, he can’t survive and the store will close. People depend on retailers not only as a place to purchase food, but for jobs and community support. It’s a delicate balance between staying competitive and making a living,” she said.

Relief at the gas pump is not expected anytime soon. Many people believe that if you don’t fill your vehicle up at the pump today, you could pay more tomorrow.

When asked what's driving up prices in Nebraska, Gail Weinholzer, director of public affairs for AAA Minnesota/Iowa, said there's no clear answer.

“Since Nebraska fuel taxes are about 1.7 cents lower than the national average, we can only assume the higher average price has something to do with the supply sources and/or distribution mechanisms in place particular to Nebraska,” Weinholzer said. AAA predicts gas prices to rise to an average of $3.60 or higher in the near future.

The bright spot in the whole crude oil crisis is that those national averages don't include ethanol blends, which are about 10 cents cheaper than unleaded prices.


Higher Oil Prices Drive Up Farm and Food CostsAAA Average Fuel Prices for March 15, 2011

Gas Prices

Nebraska Farm Bureau board members who lobbied in Washington, D.C., March 9-7, said the federal government shouldn’t try to balance the federal budget on the backs of farmers and ranchers.

“We’re willing to work with Congress to try to get our financial house in order – including cuts to programs farmers and ranchers rely on – but agriculture shouldn’t be targeted disproportionately,” Nebraska Farm Bureau President Keith Olsen said March 10. Olsen is a farmer from Grant, Neb.

H.R. 1, the Republican-passed budget plan, would cut 22.4 percent ($5.21 billion) from agriculture-related programs, which is more than double the 10.3 percent cut pro-posed for overall non-defense discretionary spending. That includes cuts to Coopera-tive Extension and Perkins program funding, which helps to support vocational agricul-ture training and FFA – programs agriculture consider vital, Olsen said.

“Agriculture is being viewed as the low-hanging fruit – an easy cut because many fewer Americans are directly affected by farm-related programs compared to other programs,” Olsen said.

REIN IN EPA TO SAVE MONEYThe government can save money, the

farm leaders said, by not funding projects in which the Environmental Protection Agency is seeking to overreach its legal authority. EPA wants to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act and require farm-ers to obtain federal permits to apply pesti-cides the government has already approved for use, Olsen said as examples.

In visits with the state’s Congressional del-egation, the farm leaders emphasized prin-ciples Farm Bureau members want included in the 2012 Farm Bill: a strong and effective safety net that doesn’t necessarily guarantee

a profit but which protects crop and livestock farmers from catastrophe; a strong risk man-agement program, including crop insurance; and funding for conservation programs.

“Congress needs to look at all possible cuts and agriculture shouldn’t be immune, but it shouldn’t unduly burden farmers and ranchers in writing the Farm Bill. Farm pro-grams have already seen big cuts compared with the nutrition programs that are also part of the Farm Bill,” Olsen said.

PASS FREE TRADE AGREEMENTSWhile in Washington, the Farm Bureau

board members met with the Embassy of Panama to discuss the pending U.S.-Panama Free Trade Agreement. During the past two years, Nebraska Farm Bureau delegations

also have met with the embassies of South Korea and Columbia– two other countries with which the U.S. has pending Free Trade Agreements.

“Every single one of these embassies begged us to talk to our U.S. representatives and the administration to bring their FTAs to a vote. We have three customers who want to give us more than $3 billion in business for ag-riculture alone and we’ve done nothing. They very much want to trade with our country and politics is getting in the way,” Olsen said.

The three countries have good relation-ships with the U.S. and “this is not a good way to treat our friends. The world is pay-ing attention to these pending agreements more than people in this country, who don’t seem to understand how important they are,” he said.

INDUSTRY MEETINGSFarm Bureau delegations visiting Washing-

ton always make it a point to meet with an organization with which Farm Bureau might not always see eye to eye, Olsen said. Dur-ing this week’s visit, the farm leaders met with the Environmental Working Group which has a long history of opposition to farm program payments. The two groups discussed modern agriculture, livestock sys-tems and waste management. “It’s good to see their perspective, even if we disagree with many of their positions,” Olsen said.

The Farm Bureau group also met with representatives of the National Restaurant Association and found the two groups have a lot in common. “They (restaurant asso-ciation) are dealing with the same issues as agriculture, including pressures from animal rights and environmental groups that are concerned with modern food production. Like farmers, restaurateurs want to continue in business and make a profit.”

Farm Bureau leaders visiting Washington in addition to Olsen were Steve Nelson of Axtell, first vice president; Mark McHargue of Central City, second vice president; Jason Kvols, board member from Laurel; Andy DeVries, board member from Ogallala; and Jordan Dux, Nebraska Farm Bureau national affairs coordinator.


Chris Garza of the American Farm Bureau (right) gives Keith Olsen, Nebraska Farm Bureau president, and other Nebraska Farm Bureau leaders a national issues update during a meeting on March 7.

Sen. Ben Nelson and Steve Nelson, first vice president of Nebraska Farm Bureau, discuss Free Trade Agreements March 9 during the National Affairs visit.

Sen. Mike Johanns (right) thanks Keith Olsen, Nebraska Farm Bureau president, for his service to agriculture. Olsen announced last month that he would not seek another term as Farm Bureau president.

Mark McHargue (right), second vice president, listens as Carmen Mora and Jonattan Del Rosaio with the Embassy of Panama discuss Free Trade Agreements with the Farm Bureau group on March 7.

Members of Nebraska Farm Bureau’s Board of Directors participated in the Washing-ton, D.C., National Affairs Visit, March 7-9. Pictured in front of the Capitol are Keith Olsen, president; Steve Nelson, first vice president; Andy DeVries, board member rep-resenting District 8; Jason Kvols board member representing District 3; and Mark McH-argue, second vice president.

David DeGennaro of the Environmental Working Group (left) and Board member Jason Kvols of Cedar County listen as staff from the Environ-mental Working Group share their agenda with the Farm Bureau group on March 8.

NEFB Leaders in D.C.: Don’t Balance Federal Budget on the Backs of Farmers and Ranchers

Photos by Jordan Dux


YALESVILLE, CT – A new fishingtechnology that set a record for catch-

ing bass in Mexico isnow showing its stuffin the U. S. It has out-fished shrimp bait inWashington State andbeat top-selling U. S.lures three to one inFlorida. The new tech-nology is so effectiveone state, Wyoming, has

banned its use. The breakthrough is a tiny, battery-

powered electrical system that flashesa blood-red light down a lure’s tailwhen its moved in water. Fish think it’san injured prey and strike. Some fish-ing authorities, like those in Wyoming,think that gives fishermen too much ofan advantage.

They may be right. Three fishermenusing a flashing lure in Mexico caught650 large-mouth bass in just 25 hours.That’s a bass every seven minutes foreach person, and a record for the lakethey were fishing. They said the bassstruck with such ferocity they hardlylost a strike.

In Florida two professionals fishedfor four hours from the same boat. Oneused a flashing-red lure; the other usedsome top-selling U. S. lures. The new,“bleeding” lure caught three times asmany fish.

Works when others don’tThree fishermen in Washington

State used a popular lure baited withshrimp and caught nothing after fish-ing three hours in cold wea ther. One ofthem tried a flashing lure he was askedto test and 30 minutes later caught athirty-pound steelhead.

A Tournament fisherman on a lake inFlorida tried everything in his tacklebox and had no bites. He switched to aflashing lure and caught a bass on hisfirst cast, and had his limit in 45 min-utes.

Before reporting this, I asked a vet-eran fisherman in my office for hisopinion. Monday morning he chargedinto my office yelling “I caught sixmonster fish in an hour with this thing!

Where did you get it?” Then I phoned an ichthyologist (fish

expert) for his opinion. “Predators - lions, sharks,” he said,

“will always go for the most vulnera-ble prey. Fish are predators, so if a

fish sees a smaller fish bleeding, itknows it’s weakened and will strike.There’s a survival program built intopredators that says ‘Grab a mealwhen you can. It may be a whilebefore the next one.’

“If a lure could appear to be a live,bleeding fish, a few fishermen couldprobably empty a lake with it.”

I told him three almost did.

Different presentationsBecause the technology reacts to move-

ment, every retrieval generates a differentkind of flash; so if a fish passes on yourfirst cast, it sees a new presentation onyour next one, and so on.

The technology is so new I could findonly one distributor in the U. S. that offersa finished product. It’s called Bite Light®and has several international patentspending. It comes in a kit of three.

There is a U.S. company that offers akit of three blinking lures (one each forshallow, middle and deep water) calledthe Bite Light® Each lure is a differentcolor. They work in fresh or salt water,contain rattle attractants inside and last300 hours in the water.

I suggest you cast one near some struc-ture. If there’s a largemouth dozing there,based on what I’ve seen and heard, it’s asure catch.

One kit of three Bite Lights® costs$29.95, two or more kits cost $25.00each. Each kit has the same three models,but in different colors: S/h is only $7.00no matter how many kits you buy.

To order, go to www.fishingtechtoday.com or call 1-800-873-4415 anytime orday and ask for the Bite Light® lure (Item# kbl). Or send your name, address and acheck (or cc and exp. date) to NGC Sports(Dept. BL-278), 60 Church Street,Yalesville, CT 06492.

The company gives your money back,if you don’t catch more fish and returnyour purchase within 30-days.

NEW SPORTS TECHNOLOGY

Blinks blood red tomimic an injured prey.

A bass every seven minutes in test.

New electronic lure may catch toomany fish; one state bans it .

New technology uses a blinking red light to create appearance of a live, bleed-ing prey. Triggers a genetic strike response in fish.

by Mike Butler

Blinks blood red

U.S. and internationalpatents pending

New lure flashes blood red to attractfish. Blinks a different presentationeach cast.

BL-14 © NGC Worldwide, Inc. 2011 Dept. BL-278

BL-14 7.5x10.5 1/28/11 7:25 PM Page 1

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Global Water for Food Conference in Lincoln May 1-4Lincoln — International experts will ex-

plore potential solutions for growing more food with limited water to feed the world's rapidly growing population at the third an-nual global Water for Food Conference May 1-4.

"Paths to Solutions" is the theme of this year's conference at Lincoln's Cornhusker Marriott Hotel, hosted by the Robert B. Daugherty Water for Food Institute at the University of Nebraska and the Bill & Me-linda Gates Foundation.

INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVESThe conference fosters international dia-

logue on key issues related to the use of water for agriculture. It provides opportuni-ties to learn from speakers with extensive experience and perspectives from diverse cultures.

Registration is $250, which includes all conference events, materials and meals. Online registration, schedule and the latest information on speakers are available at the conference website: http://waterforfood.ne-braska.edu/wff2011.

"This conference attracts experts from

across Nebraska and around the world who are com-mitted to develop-ing solutions to one of mankind's great challenges: how to feed a rapidly grow-ing global popu-lation with finite amounts of land and water," said James B. Milliken, University of Nebraska presi-dent. "The Univer-sity of Nebraska's Water for Food In-stitute, which builds on the university's long history in water research and policy analysis, is taking a leadership role in this important international issue."

Featured speakers will include Jeff Raikes, CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Founda-tion; Anil Jain, managing director, Jain Irriga-tion Ltd. of India; Anders Berntell, executive director, Stockholm International Water

Institute; Pasquale Steduto, principal officer, United Na-tions/FAO Water; Andras Szollosi-Na-gy, rector, UNES-CO-IHE Institute for Water Education; and others.

GROWING MORE WITH

LESSMore than 30

speakers and pan-elists will discuss diverse approaches to meeting the chal-

lenge of producing enough food with limited water supplies. Sessions will include panel discussions featuring agricultural producers from several countries; a CEO panel offer-ing industry perspectives on water for food challenges; technical sessions on "Quantita-tive Food Security: Yield Gaps, Water and Nitrogen Productivity," "Maximizing Water Use Efficiency in Agriculture," and "Evalua-

tion of Aquifer Resources in Sub-Saharan Africa" and a case study on "Securing Wa-ter for Agriculture: California's High-Stakes Challenge."

The 2010 conference drew more than 300 representatives from universities, agri-culture, industry, government and nongov-ernmental organizations worldwide and more are expected this year. The confer-ence is the preeminent event of the univer-sity's Water for Food Institute, a research, policy and education institute established in 2010 and committed to efficiently using the world's limited freshwater to ensure a reliable food supply. Participants in the 2011 Water for Food Conference will help in-form the institute's work.

"The University of Nebraska is proud to join with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to host what is surely becoming the leading conference in the world focused on the stra-tegic use of water for food," Milliken said.

WHEN:Sunday-Wednesday,

May 1-4WHERE:

Cornhusker Marriott Hotel

333 S. 13th Street (map at

http://go.unl.edu/ccx)

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• Consider planting flowers which may be dried for winter arrangements. Some of the best are strawflow-er, statice, celosia and globe amaranth.

• Don’t restrict yourself to buying plants in bloom. Petunias that bloom in the pack are often rootbound or overgrown and, after planting, will actually be set back and cease to bloom for about a month. Plants without blossoms will actually bloom sooner and will grow better as well.

• To extend the blooming period of gladiolus, plant early, middle and late season selections each week until the middle of June. Choose a sunny location and plant the corms four to six inches deep and six to eight inches apart.

• Scatter annual poppy seeds in flower borders. The fine seeds need no covering. The plants grow rapidly and provide colorful flowers in early summer.

• In a sunny location with poor soil, plant nasturtiums for a colorful show. They require warm soil to sprout and start blooming in about 50 days. Too much water and fertilizer produces excess leaves and few flowers.

• When chrysanthemums show signs of life, dig up and divide large plants. Discard woody portions and replant divisions 12 to 15 inches apart.

• Cut flower stalks back to the ground on daffodils, hya-

cinths and other spring-flowering bulbs as the flowers fade. Do not cut the foliage until it dies naturally. The leaves are necessary to produce strong bulbs capable of reflowering.

• Don't add organic matter to the soil when plant-ing trees. It does not help the plant become estab-lished and it may create conditions that encourage the roots to stay inside the planting hole instead of spreading to surrounding soil. Do dig a large planting hole and fill it with the original soil removed from it.

• The last Friday in April is National Arbor Day. Plant a tree or support an organization which does.

• Prune spring-blooming shrubs such as forsythia and spirea after they have completed flowering.

• Remove sticks, rocks and other debris from your lawn to prevent damaging your lawnmower or injur-ing yourself when mowing. Check your lawnmower and other lawn care equipment in preparation for the coming season.

• Put a birdhouse in the garden to attract insect-eating friends.

• Measure the rainfall with a rain gauge posted near the garden so you can tell when to water. The garden needs about one inch of rain per week from April to September.

Courtesy of University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension http://lancaster.unl.edu

April Gardening Tips

your soybean checkoff is here. Growing demand for soy by working to develop the U.S. biodiesel industry.

Thanks in part to the efforts of your soybean checkoff, biodiesel continues to be a fast growing renewable fuel in the United States – increasing production from 25 million gallons in 2004 to an estimated 475 million gallons in 2009.

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Apply Now for Scholarships and Education LoansNebraska Farm Bureau is accepting appli-

cations for education loans and scholarships through the Charles Marshall Loan Fund and two scholarship programs, Cathy Day, director of special programs, said March 14.

“We want to make our members aware of the availability of these programs and en-courage them to apply,” she said.

CHARLES MARSHALL LOANSThe Charles Marshall Loan Fund uses

funds contributed voluntarily by Farm Bu-reau members. These funds are available to worthy individuals enrolled for training in accredited institutions. The Farm Bureau Ag Promotion Committee sponsors the loan fund program as a part of its overall pro-gram of work. Applicants are able to apply

more than once, but new applications are required each year.

“There were two major changes to the loan application this year: the financial state-ment and County Farm Bureau Board form are no longer required. However, the ap-plicant’s answer to the question ‘to what extent is your training dependent upon this loan’ will be weighed heavily,” Day said.

Applications are due May 1, 2011. The program is open to all Farm Bureau mem-bers.

KENNETH SCHWARTZ SCHOLARSHIP

The scholarship fund was established by the family of the late Kenneth E. Schwartz, who was executive vice president of Farm

Bureau Insurance Company of Nebraska at the time of his death in 1987.

The Schwartz family has established these qualifications: Applicants must be juniors or seniors at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln who are majoring in an agricultural or agricultural-related program, including agribusiness. Applications may be made during the sophomore or junior year. Applicants must have demonstrated satis-factory academic performance during their freshman and sophomore years at UNL. They must be members of a currently paid Farm Bureau family in Nebraska. Neither gender nor rural or urban status is a factor in selection. Applications are due May 31, 2011.

GREATER HORIZONThe Greater Horizon Scholarship is

awarded to a student aged 18 to 35 who is from a Farm Bureau member family, plans to study an agriculture-related field full-time at a college or university, and plans to return to production agriculture. The applicant must demonstrate leader-ship potential through extracurricular ac-tivities and work experience. The dead-line for the application is March 31, 2011. Up to two $1,000 scholarships may be awarded.

To apply for any of these programs, use the forms available on the Nebraska Farm Bureau website at www.nefb.org, or contact Cathy Day at 800/742-4016 ext. 4750.

County Farm Bureau Education ScholarshipsAdams County: 3 scholarships awarded for ag-related field; $500 each; For seniors in Adams and Webster counties, prefer-ably Farm Bureau members; Contact Kristi Weeks: 402/469-5275.

Antelope County: 2 scholarships award-ed; $250 each; Contact county office: 402/887-4842.

Blaine County: 2 $200 scholarships awarded; For Farm Bureau members; Con-tact Margie Lloyd: 308/547-0420

Boone County: 1 scholarship awarded; $300; Applications due April 1; For Farm Bureau members in Boone County; Contact Sharon Ketteler: 402/678-2574.

Buffalo County: 4 scholarships awarded; $500 each; Ag-related field preferred and must live in Buffalo County; Applications due April 1; Contact Sara Everett: 308/234-2222.

Burt County: Up to 6 scholarships award-ed; $500 each; For Farm Bureau members in Burt County; Contact: Larry or Kathy Mussack: 402/374-2588.

Clay County: 2 scholarships awarded; Ag-related field; $250 each; Contact Clay County Farm Bureau: 402/469-5033.

Cuming County: 3 scholarships award-ed; For Farm Bureau members in Cuming County; Contact Dennis Schultz : 402/529-6433.

Custer County: Up to 5 $300 scholar-ships awarded; Ag or Ag-related field; Ap-plications due April 1; Contact Ken Byam: 308/935-1820.

Dawson County: 3 scholarships award with preference for ag-related field; $500 each; Farm Bureau members only; Contact Dawson County Farm Bureau: 308/324-4000.

Dixon County: 2 scholarships awarded; $500 each; For Farm Bureau members in Dixon County; Contact Martey Stewart: 402/584-2252. Dodge County: 1 scholarship awarded; $500; Ag-related field; Applications due May 1; Contact Vo-Ag Instructor/Guid-ance office or Dodge County Farm Bureau: 402/721-7133.

Douglas County: 4 scholarships awarded; $2,000 each; Due date is April 1; Ag-related field; Must be a Douglas County member; Contact Douglas County Farm Bureau: 402/493-5900.

Dundy County: 2 scholarships awarded to Farm Bureau members only; $250 each; Given to students in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th year;

Contact Dundy County Farm Bureau: 308/423-2223.

Frontier County: 2 scholarships awarded for ag-related field; 1 @$250 and 1 @$500; Residents of Frontier County only; Contact Frontier County Farm Bureau: 308/367-4350.

Hayes County: 2 scholarships award-ed to Farm Bureau members only; $100 each; Contact Hayes County Farm Bureau: 308/286-3431.

Howard County: 1 scholarship awarded; $500; Ag-related field and preference to Howard County members; Applications due April 13; Contact Margie Townsend: 308/754-5481.

Kearney/Franklin County: One to each high school for a total of 4; $200; Ag-related field has priority; Contact Kearney/Franklin County Farm Bureau: 308/832-2290.

Keith County: 3 scholarships awarded @ $150 each; Must be a Keith County mem-ber; Contact Sherry Gies: 308/239-4497.

Kimball/Banner County: 2 scholarships awarded for ag-related field; $250 each; Ap-plications due April 15; Contact Beverly At-kins: 308/682-5647.

Knox County: 6 scholarships awarded; $250 each; For Farm Bureau members in Knox County; Contact Knox County Office: 402/373-4600.

Lancaster County: Scholarship program changes pending; Contact Cortney Potter: 402/217-4659, please leave message.

Lincoln County: Kent Boyer Memorial Scholarship to graduating senior majoring in

agriculture; Applicants must demonstrate fi-nancial need; Contact Lincoln County Farm Bureau: 308/534-9694.

Madison County: 2 scholarships awarded; $250 each; For Farm Bureau members in Madison County; Contact the Madison County Office: 402/371-1520.

Merrick County: Up to 3 scholarships awarded; Available to Farm Bureau mem-bers; Contact the Merrick County office: 308/946-3893.

Nance County: 1 scholarship awarded; $200; Ag-related field; Applications due April 1; Contact Bob McNeff: 308/536-2836.

Perkins County: $1,000 total each year: this year 2 scholarships of $300 and 1 of $400; Must be Farm Bureau member; Ag-related field; Contact Perkins County Farm Bureau: 308/352-4320.

Pierce County: 1 scholarship awarded; $250; For Farm Bureau members in Pierce County; Contact Pierce County Office: 402/329-6284.

Platte County: 2 scholarships awarded; $500 each; Ag-related field with prefer-ence to Platte County members; Applica-tions due April 15; Contact Stan Rosendahl: 402/285-0469.

Polk County: 2 scholarships award-ed; $300 each; Contact Abbie Peterson: 402/747-2186.

Rock County: 1 scholarship awarded; 1 $100 Nursing Scholarship; Contact Loren Ammon: 402/244-5304.

Saline County: 2 scholarships awarded;

$250 each; Ag-related field; Must be a Saline County member; Contact Debbie Lorenz: 402/826-4028.

Scotts Bluff County: 3 scholarships awarded; $500 each; Applications due April 14; Contact Sandra Burkey: 308/635-7376.

Sarpy County: 1 or more scholarships awarded; $500; Applications due July 1; Ag-related field; Must be a Sarpy County member; Can reapply and extend for 4 years; Contact Sarpy County office: 402/339-8778.

Saunders County: 1 or more scholar-ships awarded; $250; Applications due April 1; Ag-related field; Must be a Saunders County member; Contact Sharon Verme-line: 402/443-3205.

Thayer County: 1 scholarship awarded; $500; For Thayer County resident with plans to study in ag or ag-related field; Due date is March 1; Contact the Thayer Coun-ty office: 402/768-6218.

Thurston County: 2 scholarships award-ed; $250 each; For Farm Bureau members in Thurston County; Contact Joel Lamplot: 402/385-2452.

Washington County: 4 scholarships awarded; $1,000 each; Must be a Washing-ton County member for a minimum of 2 years; Due date is March 15; Contact Judy Geisler: 402/654-3685.

Wayne County: 1 scholarship awarded; $1,000; Contact Donald Liedman: 402/585-4725.

York County: 1 scholarship awarded; $500; Contact York County Farm Bureau: 402/362-3606.

Nebraska Farm Bureau is accepting applications for scholarships for students needing assistance in paying for college.


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The Nebraska Farm Bureau Ag Promo-tion Committee has selected the two recipi-ents of the 2011 FFA Chapter Advisors of the Year Award: Dave Barnard of the Supe-rior FFA Chapter and Greg Nollette of the Valentine FFA Chapter.

The teachers were selected based on their accomplishments with their FFA chap-ter and community and school involvement. Each was nominated by an FFA chapter of-ficer.

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reau, said March 10.The advisors will be recognized at the

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“This year we had outstanding applica-tions and the selection committee had a very difficult time choosing the two winners. All of the advisors nominated are outstand-ing agriculture leaders in their community,” Day said.

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Washington, D.C. — The House passed a bill the second week in March that would help increase the number of veteri-narians working in livestock and food animal practices and in key public health fields. The American Farm Bu-reau Federation is urging the Senate to follow suit.

“Many recent studies have shown dramatic shortfalls of veterinarians in food animal prac-tice in rural areas and in key public health practice ar-eas, including food systems, veteri-nary medicine and at several federal government agencies protecting the na-tion’s food supply and keeping a watchful eye out for bioterrorism and foreign animal diseases,” AFBF President Bob Stallman said March 11. “The national pool of 2,500 new veterinarian graduates a year is not enough to meet the demand.”

AFBF applauded the House’s passage of H.R. 525, the Veterinary Public Health

Workforce Amendments Act of 2011, sponsored by Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.).

The bill would amend the Public Health Service Act and add veterinary public health

as one of the pro-fessional groups eligible for grants to train the public health veterinarian workforce. The leg-islation also makes veterinarians study-ing public health eligible for student loan repayment.

Stallman said the shortage of large animal veterinarians needs to be ad-dressed to ensure

the health and welfare of animals and to ensure a safe food supply.

“From dairies in Maine to sheep flocks in Montana, fewer veterinarians are available to help farmers and ranchers care for their animals in both routine and emergency situ-ations,” Stallman said. “National efforts such as this legislation are needed to address these critical deficits.”

The national pool of 2,500 new veterinarian graduates a year is not enough to meet the demand. — BOB STALLMAN, American

Farm Bureau Federation president“

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HEALTHIER TIMESSurvey Finds Too Much Technology and Caffeine, Too Little Sleep Plague Teens and Adults

By Kathleen DohenyWebMD Health News

Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

Devices meant to make life easier and more entertaining often make us sleepier, according to the latest poll by the National Sleep Foundation released March 7.

Sleep and technology don't mix, sug-gest the results of the “2011 Sleep in America” poll. Using cell phones, com-puters and video games just before bed-time – and in the middle of the night, as teens and young adults say they often do – is robbing many of much-needed shut-eye. That’s according to Russell Rosenberg, PhD, chair of the Sleep in America 2011 task force and director of the Atlanta School of Sleep Medicine and Technology.

''This year's poll really does focus on the technology and electronic devices people are using, devices that have become ever-present in our society," he tells WebMD.

Besides the focus on our sleep-squashing love affair with technology, the poll found that many Americans are not happy with the quality of their sleep.

The new sleep poll follows studies re-leased by the CDC finding a third of adults in the U.S. get less than seven hours of sleep a day, thus putting themselves at risk for se-rious health problems.

The survey has been taken annually by the National Sleep Foundation since 1991. This year's survey included 1,508 responses,

about half done by telephone and half on-line.

Respondents' ages ranged from 13 to 64, and they were categorized as:

• Generation Z: aged 13-18• Generation Y: aged 19-29• Generation X: aged 30-45• Baby boomers: aged 46-64The findings focused on:SleepinessTeens are most likely to report sleepiness,

the poll shows. About 22 percent of the teens got a ''sleepy'' rating when a standard assessment tool was used, as did 16 percent of the 19- to 29-year-olds. With age, the sleepy rating went down, but didn't disap-pear: 11 percent for people aged 30 to 45; and 9 percent for baby boomers.

Many said they never or rarely get a good

night's sleep on weekdays -- ranging from 38 percent of boomers to 51 percent of people aged 19 to 29.

The average hours slept hovered around 7 hours for adults and a little more for teens. Teens averaged 7 hours, 26 minutes on a typical workday or school day; 19- to 29-year-olds got about 7 hours; 30- to 45-year-olds and boomers averaged a bit under 7 hours.

Sleep and TechnologyUsing electronic devices before bed-

time was common, with 60 percent on average overall watching TV, 39 percent using cell phones, 36 percent laptops or other computers, 21 percent phone, 8 percent video games, and 29 percent mu-sic devices.

Sleep experts discourage screen time

before bed, Rosenberg says. ''There are really two reasons for that," he says. "One has to do with the light exposures that people get with the computer screen [and other screens]. The light suppresses a hormone that is supposed to tell the brain it's time to sleep. And that hormone is melatonin."

The other reason? "Your sleep can be delayed because of the excitement of be-ing involved with the computer [and other devices]," he says.

About one-fourth of those polled said they leave their cell phone ringers on at bedtime, and about 10 percent say they are awakened at least a few times a week in the middle of the night by phone calls, texts or emails. That was reported more by younger respondents, including 18 percent of teens and 20 percent of people aged 19 to 29.

Coping MethodsExcessive caffeine and naps were often

reported as coping mechanisms for lack of sleep.

The average person on a weekday re-ported drinking about three 12-oz caffein-ated beverages, with little variation among age groups.

''This is a reflection of coping with ei-ther sleep deprivation or a sleep disorder," Rosenberg tells WebMD.

Naps are another way the survey respon-dents said they try to combat lack of sleep. More than half of the generation Y and Z respondents reported at least one nap dur-ing the work week.

Results of the "2011 Sleep in America" poll say that 60 percent on average overall watch TV before bed. Sleep experts discourage screen time before bed.

Photo Courtesy of www.webmd.com

Adams 462-29201902 W. 2nd Street, HastingsRodney Hunt, LUTCF, ChFC, AEPAdams 463-2111813 W. 2nd, HastingsMarty DemuthAntelope 887-4842104 W. 11th, NelighAl Stelling, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF Keith Zuhlke, CLU, ChFC, LUTCFBoone 395-6363124 N. 4th, AlbionRon Erickson, LUTCFBox Butte 762-4505407 E 3rd, AllianceRhonda BaseggioBrown-Rock- Keya Paha 387-1809312 N. Main St., AinsworthAngie DavisBuffalo 234-2222 3915 Ave. N, Ste. A, KearneyDon Snyder, LUTCFRick Smith, LUTCFBuffalo 234-4922 5810 2nd Ave., KearneyMatt MyersRich PetersBuffalo 452-3653 211 Grand Ave., RavennaDon SnyderBuffalo 238-5010 12 East Railroad Street, KearneyJohn RoschewskiBurt 374-1880 1316 L. St., TekamahTroy PerchalButler 367-3306319 “E” St., David CityRalph Carleo, LUTCFCass 296-4999 2302 W. 8th #1, PlattsmouthLon WidlerLori BakerCedar 254-6945109 N. Broadway, HartingtonAllen WaltonChase 882-4232 512 Broadway, ImperialDustin WeissCherry 376-3328264 N. Main, ValentineJay HollenbeckCheyenne 254-4193 940 9th Ave., Sidney Brett KratzerRachael MotzkusClay 773-4272 209 N. Saunders, SuttonLoren Huber, LUTCFColfax 352-3146 West Hwy. 30, SchuylerBruce Dinslage Cuming 648-7513305 Main St., BancroftStan McAfee, LUTCFCuming 529-22281012 Ave. “E”, WisnerJason SchweersCuming 372-1901121 East Sherman St., West PointStan McAfee, LUTCFCuster-Blaine-Loup 872-6433 616 South C, Broken BowEd DuryeaTravis DuryeaDakota 494-3972 901 W. 21st, Ste. 2, So. Sioux CityColin RossChris BuchholzDawes 432-3540224 Main St., ChadronKaren DomingoDawes 432-5062319 Main St., ChadronAmy HalversonDawson 411 East Pacific, LexingtonChase Wolf 324-4000Rick Trampe 324-6355Dawson 537-2257408 10th St., GothenburgJay Engel

Dawson 784-3700410 E Hwy 30, CozadSteve GriffisDeuel-Garden 874-2404 252 Vincent Ave., ChappellSteve FischerDixon 287-2784212 10th St., WakefieldStan McAfee, LUTCFDodge 721-2644 1900 E. Military, Ste. 248B, FremontSherry Leriger, LUTCFDodge 727-4323 224 Sheryl Ave., FremontMike ZvacekDouglas 758-6633920 N 204th Street, Ste. 160, ElkhornTroy PerchalDouglas 829-54228410 S. 73rd Pz #108, PapillionBrandon KounovskyNicole CarterDouglas/Omaha 493-59002065 N. 120th, OmahaDon ChristensenDon ArantDouglas/Omaha 339-63487733 “L” St., Omaha Celeste BundeDouglas/Omaha 390-10765726 S. 144th St., OmahaRon Randall, LUTCFJon ChristensenDouglas/Omaha 884-441016944 Audrey St., Ste. 5, OmahaDavid Burke, LUTCFDouglas/Omaha 614-07077114 N. 102 Cr., OmahaMatt GuzinskiTodd Noecker, LUTCF, CLTCKevin McTaggartDouglas/Omaha 896-190817670 Welch Plaza, Ste. 103, OmahaMark OlsenPhil GuenetteDouglas/Omaha 991-8200 3614 N. 163rd Plaza, OmahaMichael BaberDouglas/Omaha 614-3187 6834 S. 143rd Plaza, OmahaBrandon AveryDennis GoltzDouglas/Omaha 895-8763 18111 Q St. Ste 107, OmahaTim OrtonMichael JenkinsDoug IsaacJason WickhamDouglas/Omaha 502-6959 15728 West Center Rd., OmahaJason SmithDouglas/Omaha 342 N. 76th, OmahaScott Girvan

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Kearney-Franklin 832-2290640 N. Minden Ave., MindenRandy MyersKeith-Arthur 284-3930 116 W. 6th St., OgallalaDustin Weiss Kimball-Banner 235-3085 213 S. Chestnut, KimballKnox 373-4600 120 N. Broadway, BloomfieldAllen WaltonLancaster/Lincoln 420-74537945 S. 15th, Suite D, LincolnSonny Lane Michael KastensJason SchluckebierLancaster/Lincoln 477-6262127 S. 37th, Ste. A, LincolnTom BanderasDJ KisslerDon LieskeRyan SchmeitsLancaster/Lincoln 421-91005550 S. 59th St., Ste. 24, LincolnJack RussellMike JuradoLancaster/Lincoln 421-28885445 Red Rock Lane, Ste. 200, LincolnChuck SeverinLancaster/Lincoln 421-44005225 S. 16th St., LincolnCindy ClearyAkil DavisDavid DuffMatt KauffmanClint LilienthalDustin LottmanNate NoeckerBrock RothSteph ShoemakerLancaster/Waverly 786-046513220 Callum Dr., Ste. 3, WaverlyRusty Wellman Lincoln-Logan Thomas-McPherson 532-4998410 E. Francis, Ste. 3, North PlatteJay EngelMadison 454-9091116 W 3rd Street, MadisonBrad BoshMadison-Stanton 379-3237 504 N. 13th, NorfolkBrad BoshRick KuehnerMadison-Stanton 371-1520 401 E. Norfolk Ave., NorfolkJoe Herian, CPCU, LUTCFMerrick 946-3893 1105 S. 16th St., Central CityDick Evers, LUTCFAnn Heinen, LUTCFMorrill 262-1740905 Main St., BridgeportMark BolesNance 536-3323330 Broadway St., FullertonJJ RotherNemaha-Richardson 274-3189 1919 “J”, AuburnLavell ClarkNuckolls 879-3377449 N. Central Ave., SuperiorNate CaseyOtoe 269-2541 429 5th St., SyracuseRyan RohlOtoe 873-9032 104 S. 12th, Nebraska CityRyan RohlPawnee-Richardson 852-2125624 “G” St. Pawnee CityLinda HinrichsenPerkins 352-4320228 Central Avenue, GrantDustin WeissPhelps 995-4041 411 Grant, HoldregePhil HinrichsPierce 329-6284 115 West Main, PierceScott Race

Platte 562-77772921 23rd St., ColumbusDon SterupPlatte 564-05583309 31st St. #8, ColumbusEric StuthmanPlatte 923-0292301 S. Main, HumphreyCarol WemhoffPolk 747-2351 540 Nebraska, OsceolaSteve DeyRed Willow 345-6720 505 W. B St., McCookChad MeyerRed Willow 345-2234 521 Norris Street, Suite 1. McCookAl GuntherSaline 826-5111 915 Main Ave., Ste. 8, CreteTodd BohlmeyerSaline 243-2233 201 State Hwy. 74, TobiasDoug FrancisSarpy 339-0049 1256 Golden Gate Dr., Ste. 1, PapillionMike HolversonSarpy 332-2683 101 Enterprise Dr., Gretna Clay HeavicanSaunders 443-3704 113 East 5th, WahooKyle CooperSaunders 944-31311408 Silver St., AshlandSandy MilesScottsbluff-Sioux 635-80051517 Broadway, Ste. 112 ScottsbluffRichard BretthauerScottsbluff-Sioux 635-0900101 E. 22nd, ScottsbluffTim Jordening, LUTCFScottsbluff 633-1684222 W 27th St., Ste 200, ScottsblurrMark BolesSeward 420-7453Jason SchluckebierSheridan 638-4566 109 N. Main, Hay SpringsRhonda BaseggioSheridan 282-1000 113 N. Main, GordonRhonda BaseggioThayer 768-6218 440 Lincoln Ave., Hebron Nate Casey, LUTCFThurston 385-2208 306 Main, PenderMatt BuchholzValley-Sherman- Garfield-Wheeler 728-3216 1516 L Street, OrdHelen Ohme, LUTCFHarold BentonValley-Sherman- Garfield-Wheeler 728-3400 220 S. 14th St., OrdGreg DuryeaWashington 426-34401565 Washington St., BlairTroy PerchalWayne 375-3144 318 Main St., WayneLynette Krie, LUTCFYork 362-3606 828 Lincoln Ave., YorkBradley Stelling, LUTCF

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Washington, D.C. — The latest survey of participants in the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Young Farmers & Ranchers pro-gram shows that America’s young farmers and ranchers are optimistic. Results of the 2011 YF&R survey reveal that 87 percent of those surveyed are more optimistic about farming and ranching than they were five years ago.

This is the highest optimism level ever in AFBF’s annual YF&R survey, which was be-gun in 1993. Last year, 80 percent of those surveyed said they were more optimistic about farming than they were five years ago. The previous high was in 2008, when 82 percent said they were more optimistic.

“Farming and ranching is a tough but re-warding way of life. One trait all farmers and ranchers share is optimism and hope for the future, and that’s what this survey shows,” said Ben LaCross, YF&R chairman and a Ce-dar, Mich., cherry, plum and apple producer. “Whether you produce tree fruit or beef cattle, you have to be an optimist to suc-ceed in farming and ranching these days.”

90% ARE BETTER OFF NOWThe 2011 survey also shows nearly 90 per-

cent of the nation’s young farmers and ranch-ers say they are better off than they were five years ago, compared to 82 percent last year.

Nearly 94 percent considered themselves lifetime farmers, while 96 percent would like to see their children follow in their foot-steps. The informal survey reveals that 87 percent believe their children will be able to follow in their footsteps.

Despite the high level of optimism, the young farm and ranch leaders express con-cerns. The Number 1 concern is economic challenges, with 22 percent ranking profit-ability as their top concern. Government regulations were also a top concern of many of those surveyed, with 17 percent ranking that as their top concern. Nearly 10 percent ranked tax burdens as their No. 1 concern.

When asked what top three steps the federal government should take to help young farmers and ranchers, cutting govern-

ment spending was the top response, with 17 percent listing that as the most important step. Thirteen percent said the government should provide financial help to beginning farmers, while 12 percent said reforming environmental regulations was the top step.

“Almost all young farmers and ranchers want to stay on the farm for the rest of their lives, and just about all of us would like our children and grandchildren to follow in our footsteps,” LaCross said. “However, we are still concerned that massive government debt and burdensome government regulations will make it tougher for future generations to stay on the farm. The top priority for government policymakers is to cut spending, reduce the debt and lessen the grip of ever-burdensome regulations. This will be good for agriculture and good for America.”

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSThe survey shows that America’s young

farmers and ranchers are committed envi-ronmental stewards, with 72 percent saying

that balancing environmental and economic concerns is important in their operations. The survey shows 58 percent use conserva-tion tillage on their farms.

In addition, computers and the Internet are vital tools for the nation’s young farmers and ranchers; 92 percent reported using a computer in their farming operation. Nearly all of those surveyed, 98 percent, have ac-cess to the Internet. High-speed Internet is used by 74 percent of those surveyed, with 24 percent relying on a satellite connection and 2 percent turning to dialup.

The popular social media site, Facebook, is used by 76 percent of those surveyed who use the Internet. The most popular use of the Internet in the survey is to gather news and agricultural information, with 81 percent turning to it for that use.

FOCUS ON CONSUMERSFinally, the survey points out that 74 per-

cent of YF&R members consider communi-cating with consumers a formal part of their jobs.

“More and more young farmers and ranchers know that we must reach out to our customers, and we are using social me-dia and other 21st Century tools to tell our story and teach consumers,” LaCross said. “This is a trend that has staying power.”

AFBF President Bob Stallman said the an-nual YF&R survey points out that the future of U.S. agriculture is in good hands.

“I know our young farmers and ranchers have the know-how and tenacity to ensure that the best days are ahead for our country and agriculture.” Stallman said. “They give us all hope for the future.”

The informal survey of young farmers and ranchers, ages 18-35, was conducted at AFBF’s 2011 YF&R Leadership Conference in Orlando, Fla., in February. The purpose of Farm Bureau’s YF&R program is to help younger Farm Bureau members learn more about agriculture, network with other farm-ers, and become future leaders in agricul-ture and Farm Bureau.


SEE US TODAY! OFFER ENDS MARCH 31, 2011.

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Apply Now for Communications Boot

Camp for Women

Applications are being accepted now for the fifth annual Farm Bu-reau Women’s Communications Boot Camp, to be held July 26-29 in Washington, D.C. All women Farm Bureau members are encouraged to apply.

The intensive training session will provide participants with the skills to communicate on behalf of agriculture and Farm Bureau. Session topics will include working with the media, public speaking, testifying before lawmakers and seeking elected office.

“Communicating agriculture’s story remains critically important for America’s farmers and ranchers. To be able to do that, you must have the right tools and training, which is what this program provides. In addition to speaker presentations, attendees will benefit from individual coaching ses-sions tailored to the agricultural issues of their choice,” said Terry Gilbert, chair of the American Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee, which sponsors Women’s Communi-cations Boot Camp.

A $200 registration fee is charged for the program; however, participants who complete boot camp and use their enhanced skills in the local com-munity to speak out for agriculture will receive a 50-percent refund.

The deadline for submitting an ap-plication to attend is May 2. All ap-plicants will be notified of their ap-plication status via e-mail by June 3, 2011. To apply, contact Cathy Day at 402/421-4750 or [email protected]. You may also contact Marsha Pur-cell ([email protected]) with questions about the program.


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AFBF Backs Bills To Preempt EPA Greenhouse Gas RegsWASHINGTON, D.C. — The Amer-

ican Farm Bureau Federation supports leg-islation in both the House and the Senate that would preempt regulation of green-house gases by the Environmental Protec-tion Agency based on climate change con-siderations.

The Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011 was introduced today in the House by En-ergy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.). In the Senate, Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), ranking member of the Environment & Public Works Committee, introduced a companion bill.

PREVENT GREENHOUSE GASESIn separate letters sent March 3 to

Upton and Inhofe, AFBF President Bob Stallman commended the lawmakers for introducing the legislation and pledged to work with them in achieving passage. Stallman said the legislation is important because it would prevent EPA from regu-lating GHGs without prior congressional approval.

“The regulation of GHG does not fit within the current framework of the Clean Air Act. Unlike other regulated pollutants, where Clean Air Act thresholds are suffi-

cient to regulate the largest emitters, GHG regulation at statutorily required thresh-olds holds the prospect of costly and bur-densome permit requirements on farms, ranches, schools, hospitals and some large residences,” Stallman wrote.

REGULATORY SCHEMEFarmers and ranchers will be particu-

larly disadvantaged under such a regulatory scheme, according to Stallman.

“The costs incurred by utilities, refiners and manufacturers to comply with GHG regulations will be passed along to their customers, including farmers and ranch-

ers, increasing their fuel, fertilizer and en-ergy costs,” Stallman said. “Unlike other types of businesses, farmers and ranchers have much less ability to pass along such costs.”

“Additionally, many farmers and ranch-ers may eventually be required to obtain costly and burdensome Title V operating permits and other permits pursuant to the thresholds set by the Clean Air Act. EPA itself estimates that more than 37,000 farms will be subject to Title V permits, at a cost of more than $866 million,” Stall-man said.

AFBF: Drop in Wheat Exports Biggest News in Crop ReportWashington, D.C. — The biggest

news in the Agriculture Department’s crop report released March 10 is the drop in pro-jected U.S. wheat exports and the subse-quent bump in stocks, according to Dr. Bob Young, chief economist for the American Farm Bureau Federation.

“Most traders expected little change in today’s report and that’s pretty much what happened,” Young said. “The big report to look at will be USDA’s planting inten-tions report that will be released March 31. USDA still sees very tight global grain stocks, and we are going to need to see big U.S. and world grain crops to make up the bal-ance.”

USDA’s March World Agricultural Sup-ply and Demand Estimates report showed

no changes in corn or soybean stocks, but USDA did lower projections for U.S. wheat exports for the 2010-2011 marketing year by 25 million bushels from the February es-timates. USDA forecasts increased global supplies of wheat, particularly in Australia, and a slower-than-expected pace of ship-ments into the final quarter of the wheat marketing year that ends May 31.

“Wheat was the big news in the report,” Young said. “I found the fact that USDA did not change China’s wheat production numbers at all to be very interesting. Many were suspecting at least some reduction.” China is the world’s largest wheat producer. USDA forecasts China’s wheat production at 114.50 million metric tons in the March estimate unchanged from the February re-

port.USDA forecasts global ending wheat

stocks at 182 million metric tons, up nearly 3 percent from February estimates. U.S. wheat stocks are forecast at 843 million bushels, up from 818 million bushels in the February estimate, according to USDA.

Young expects USDA’s March 31 plant-ing intentions report to show increases in several crops as U.S. farmers respond to tight supplies and strong demand.

“Throughout history, America’s farmers and ranchers have responded when the world needed more grain, and I have ev-ery expectation they will respond again this year,” Young said. “Then the weather needs to cooperate so we can achieve strong yields, but I know U.S. crop producers will do their part.”


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New 2010 Law Helps Promote Economic Development in Rural NebraskaThe Nebraska Renaissance Project is

working with West Corporation of Omaha to increase the hiring of rural Nebraskans to work from home, Tom Jordison, execu-tive director of the Nebraska Renaissance Project, said March 9. LB1081, adopted into law during the 2010 Legislature, has helped make the program.

“For the Nebraska Renaissance Project to be partnering with the West Corporation, the Department of Economic Development and the Department of Labor to provide in-novative economic development solutions in rural Nebraska, has been a natural fit. We want to spread the word about this tremen-dous program being offered to residents of

rural areas,” Jordison said.If you are interested, visit www.wes-

tathomenebraska.com to learn more about working from home and a day in the life of a West-At-Home agent. The website will help you determine if such a job may be a good fit for you and help educate people about the program, he said.

Qualifications for employment are:• be 18 years of age or older; • have a high school diploma or GED; • good communication skills (clear, dis-

tinct voice) • a minimum of one year customer ser-

vice (This doesn’t have to be exactly customer service work. For exam-

ple, teachers, coaches, community volunteers

and many other types of experiences that bring people into interaction with the public qualify as customer service. The key is hav-ing experience interacting with the public and the ability to be composed while working);

• pass a background investigation and drug screening;

• complete and pass a screening relating to particular skills assessments (Applicants will be tested online within West’s pro-grams, to determining qualifications in pro-grams and tasks similar to those on the job. These determine if an applicant is qualified

and also help to show where an applicant might be most well-suited.

“Officials with the Nebraska Renaissance Project have worked with its members and supporters across the state to promote this opportunity and inform Nebraskans about the legitimacy and benefits of working from home in rural Nebraska. Our members and supporters have been our greatest asset in our work, especially in this project. It is their trusted voice and experience in communi-ties that helps us reach Nebraskans with this hiring initiative,” Jordison said.

Visit www.nefb.org

PETSFOR SALE: matched pair of bay Morgan horses, 3 yr old gelding, 5 yr old mare, make a great team of driving horses, one started under saddle. Call Syra-cuse, 402/269-7019.

FOR SALE: loud-colored registered paint colts, Doc Bar breeding, make good using hors-es, 2002 gray registered quar-ter horse mare. Call Wauneta, 308/394-5150.

FOR SALE: UKC registered performance black and tan Coon Hound pups, champion bloodlines, also Jack Russell ter-riers. Call Marquette, 308/383-0195.

FARM EQUIPMENTFOR SALE: 3 pt red and white, 2 row Ford lister, shed-ded, $195 OBO, three roof vents, 5 ft x 3 ft x 2 ft, fits pole sheds, new in box, $45 each, old JD 3 bottom plow. Call Uti-ca, 402/534-2109.

FOR SALE: 4600 Hess-ton inline small square baler, completely rebuilt, hydraulic tightener, field-ready, $5,500. Call Bayard, 308/631-1479 or 308/783-1866.

WANTED: 20 or 22 foot grain box with or without hoist. Call Lindsay, 402/923-1037.

FOR SALE: JD 566 Mega-Tooth baler, works excellent,

$12,000, Buffalo 6 row nar-row cultivator. Call Loup City, 308/745-0249.

FOR SALE: live hydraulic sys-tem off of 54 Super H, $450, rear wheel weights for H or M, $80 a pair. Call Burchard, 402/248-6595 or 402/248-6257.

WANTED: New Hol-land Ford tractor, 8600, with mounted farmhand, #3226. Call North Platte, 308/532-0544.

FOR SALE: 3 Smedley cattle feeders, 2 10 ft, 1 7 ft, have your pick at $750 or take all 3 for $500. Call Nehawka, 402/227-3325.

FOR SALE: New Holland side rakes, models 260 and 258 with dolly wheels and good tires, hydraulic driven, $1,000, Kewanee 16’ chisel with hard surface points and 24” sweeps, $650. Call Stapleton, 308/636-2469.

FOR SALE: JD tractor, die-sel, 40-10. Call North Platte, 308/532-0544.

FOR SALE: Stormor Ezee-Dry system for 30 ft diameter bin, batch capacity 1,500 bush-els, excellent condition. Call Ulysses, 402/881-9690.

FOR SALE: 2 605-M Ver-meer hay balers, one with new net wrap, excellent con-

dition, dealer used only, 1 new BP-8000 Vermeer bale processor. Call Loup City, 308/745-0293 or 308/750-2138.

FOR SALE: Cat 951 track loader, bucket, blade, ripper, ROPS, farmer owned, very good condition, $17,500. Call Lincoln, 402/560-0106.

FOR SALE: PK 60’ spray-boom, X-fold, 3 pt, 3 shutoffs, Raven 440 controller, $2,400 OBO. Call Beatrice, 402/239-8087.

FOR SALE: 1964 Chevy C60, shorthood, 13.5’ box/hoist, 396, 4x2, $2,000 OBO, 1963 Chevy C60, 13.5’ box/hoist, 292, 4x2, $600 OBO. Call Beatrice, 402/862-5230.

VEHICLESFOR SALE: 1971 Camero RS, 350/300, auto trans, silver with black racing stripes, per-fect condition, show or cruis-ing with only 38,000 and al-ways garaged, never driven in snow. Call Omaha, 402/670-8671.

FOR SALE: 1949 Chevy se-dan, delivery, 350 hp, 350 tur-bo, 4x4, pwr windows, cruise, air, digital dash, lots more, needs paint interior, 24k invest-ed, asking 15k. Call Holdrege, 308/991-2785.

FOR SALE: 2005 red Dodge Crew Cab Dually, 5.9 Cum-

mins, 6 speed, 4x4, 89k, clean. Call Newport, 402/244-5208.

MISCELLANEOUSFOR SALE: third seat for 1995-1999 Suburban, taupe leather, just like new, $100. Call Central City, 308/624-2177.

FOR SALE: 2 wheel Jeep box trailer, step side, $150. Call Au-burn, 402/274-3308.

FOR SALE: 1985 Honda Big Red 250, 2, 1 runs, 1 for parts, $800. Call Keystone, 308/726-3044.

FOR SALE: console pia-no, dark walnut, $200 OBO, American Harvest corn and pellet multifuel stove with 3” pipe, $450 OBO. Call Fairbury, 402/446-7273.

FOR SALE: 2 tires, 18.4x34, good condition, Gillett pow-er bars. Call Alvo, 402/781-2542.

FOR SALE: 4 17 inch Wran-gler tires, ATS with 4 new weld chrome wheels, 8 bolt pattern, like new condition, $900. Call Kearney, 308/440-5264.

FOR SALE: slide trombone in Haro case, like new, Yanda’s appraisal $250, will sell for $175, trumpet in hard case, excellent condition, Yanda’s ap-praisal $150, will sell for $100. Call Kearney, 308/234-1730.

FOR SALE: AMT 42” band

saw, floor model, extra blade, $125. Call Omaha, 402/891-8325.

FOR SALE: table saw with motor and stand, aluminum lad-der, picnic table and chairs. Call Lincoln, 402/488-1687.

FOR SALE: wooden high chair, 1940s, “Bear Decal.” Call Oma-ha, 402/238-2691 mornings only.

FOR SALE: 2001 JD LT155 riding lawn mower, 15hp, Kohler engine, 456 hrs, 38in deck, bag-ger system, front bumper, front thatcher, chrome hubcaps, $1,200. Call Albion, 402/395-6391.

FOR SALE: 2001 Wilderness 5th wheel, fiberglass exterior, always shedded, non-smoker, super large slide-out, loaded with options, $11,500. Call Grand Is-land, 308/382-1426 or 308/391-1496.

WANTED: Donald Duck bicy-cle, 20 or 24 inch. Call Blue Hill, 402/771-2401.

FOR SALE: meat process-ing equipment, large band saw, grinder and slicer. Call Kimball, 308/235-2507.

WANTED: single axle util-ity trailer. Call Council Bluffs, 402/490-2168.

FOR SALE: oak roll top com-puter desk, great shape, $500. Call Belden, 402/985-2276.

WANT ADS

Free Want Ads for Farm Bureau MembersFarm Bureau members may submit one free Want Ad per month. If there is more than one category mentioned with the Want Ad we will split it into multiple categories, but it must be a combined total of 30 words or less. Ads are used on a space-available basis, subject to approval. Ads exclude real property (permanent structures) such as homes, farms, ranches and businesses. Selling crops or herds of livestock also is excluded. Send typed or printed ads to Want Ads c/o Natalie Friesen, Nebraska Farm Bureau News, P.O. Box 80299, Lincoln, NE 68501 or email [email protected]. If you would like to rerun your ad you must resubmit the typed or printed ad. Previously submitted ads will not be kept on file. Deadline is the 1st of each month. (No issue in July.)


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A u t o | H o m e | F a r m / R a n c h | L I F E B u s i n e s s | C o l l e g e | R e t i r e m e n t

Visit www.fbfs.com and click on the “Ratings & Reviews” banner to get started.

Take a minute to check out “Ratings & Reviews” on FBFS.com u See what other customers are saying u Rate the claims process and share your experience u Write a review about your Farm Bureau Member’s Choice policy

1The guarantees expressed here are based on the claims-paying ability of Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company. Securities & services offered through EquiTrust Marketing Services, LLC+, 5400 University Ave., West Des Moines, IA 50266, 877/860-2904, Member SIPC. Farm Bureau Property & Casualty Insurance Company+*, Western Agricultural Insurance Company+*, Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company+*/ West Des Moines, IA. +Affiliates *Company providers of Farm Bureau Financial Services © 2011 FBL Financial Group, Inc. A130-ML (1-11)

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To learn more about our fixed annuity options and see how simple it can be to plan for your future, contact your Farm Bureau agent today.

NE-Annuity(1-11).indd 1 2/8/11 2:05:06 PM

Nebraska Farm Bureau News - March 2011

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