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ASA worked diligently
to educate the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and policymakers to
correct flaws in the original Renewable Fuel Standard Program (RFS2)
Proposed Rule issued in 2009, which would have done unnecessary harm to
the competitive position of the U.S. soy biodiesel industry. ASA
accomplished one of its top priorities by achieving a Final Rule that
provides a positive outcome for biodiesel and soy biodiesel, and
demonstrates that soy biodiesel can achieve significant reductions in
Greenhouse Gas emissions relative to petroleum diesel.
ASA testified in
support of agricultural trade with Cuba before the House Committee on
Agriculture. ASA opposes restrictions on exports of U.S. agricultural
commodities for national security or foreign policy reasons that are not
supported by all other major world producers and exporters, and favors a
normal trading relationship with Cuba including direct banking and
elimination of the cash in advance rule. ASA also supports the country’s
eligibility for the Foreign Market Development and Market Access
Programs and unrestricted travel to Cuba by U.S. citizens to facilitate
new agriculture sales.
To help promote
American food and agricultural products overseas, the U.S. Department of
Agriculture awarded ASA a total of $11,997,264 in new funding including
$5,171,415 from the MAP, and $6,825,849 from the FMD program, which was
the highest amount allocated to any FMD program participant. ASA invests
these funds with the U.S. Soybean Export Council, which implements
program activities to expand U.S. soybean and product exports that have
reached record-breaking levels in recent years.
ASA closely
monitored the progress of offshore aquaculture legislation and ASA
leaders met with Congressional staff in support of offshore aquaculture
legislation. Meetings focused on the need for strong research authority
and funding for alternative feeds like soy. ASA strongly supports
passage of offshore aquaculture legislation and will be an active
participant in the legislative process.
Total
registrations were 4,330 at the 2010 Commodity Classic at the Anaheim
Convention Center March 4-6, in Anaheim, Calif. The trade show featured
816 booths representing 202 companies. Media registrations were 132.
Grower registrations were 1,369. Total average acres, and average acres
for soybean and corn, continued to trend upward, increasing over 2009
and previous years. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack delivered
the keynote address.
A record number of
431 people registered for the 2010 ASA Soy Social and a record amount of
$73,021 was raised at the event including $17,950 from registrations,
$3,680 in donations and $51,391 from the auction. The proceeds are used
to benefit SoyPAC, ASA’s political action committee.
ASA geared up for
debate on a new Farm Bill with establishment of a 2012 Farm Bill Working
Group to develop policies key to the future of all U.S. soybean growers.
ASA is looking for ways to make farm programs more efficient, effective,
and defensible. Farm programs play an important role in underpinning the
strength of the farm economy which, in turn, has supported the overall
U.S. economy during the current recession. The importance of an
effective safety net for farm income has grown as the rising cost of
farm inputs has increasingly pressured farm profitability.
ASA provided
comments on May 3, to the National Research Council Committee on
Economic and Environmental Impacts of Increasing Biofuels Production.
ASA told the Committee that biodiesel made from soybean oil can play a
vital role in fulfilling the Renewable Fuel Standard without any adverse
impacts to the food or feed markets.
ASA testified on
June 22, about the importance of the China export market to U.S. soybean
growers at a hearing of the U.S. International Trade Commission. In
2009, the value of U.S. soybean exports to China reached a record $9.2
billion. Prospects for continued growth in Chinese soybean imports are
excellent.
ASA went live with
the iMIS Association Management Software System in early July. In
addition to membership processing, some of the other functions of the
system are data/contact management, committee management, event/meeting
registration and management, member communication tools and production
of reports. On May 27, ASA began using Informz to distribute the
Weekly Leader Letter. The Informz system is a module that works in
tandem with the iMIS system. Coupled together, Informz and iMIS will
help ASA better serve the needs of its members through more efficient
processes and data maintenance.
U.S. soy exports
had a total value of more than $21 billion for the 2009-10 marketing
year ending Aug. 31, 2010. The 1.9 billion bushel equivalents of
soybeans, soy meal and soy oil exported during the marketing year set a
record for the fourth consecutive year. Whole soybean exports for the
year were 1.45 billion bushels, up from the 08-09 total of 1.24 billion
bushels.
Record-setting
exports were in part achieved due to ASA’s policy successes that
advanced soybean production and exports through market driven Farm Bill
legislation, trade agreements that brought down trade barriers, and new
biotech soybean seed introductions that did not disrupt soybean exports.
Record exports also are a tribute to the years of successful market
development efforts carried out by ASA International Marketing offices
through USDA and soybean checkoff investments.
ASA moved a giant
step closer to its goal of achieving ratification of a long overdue
United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) that would create
landmark opportunities for U.S. soybeans for crushing, food-grade beans,
soybean meal and eventually soybean oil. For a number of years, ASA has
provided input to the U.S. Trade Representative and USDA regarding the
benefits of the FTA with Korea.
The KORUS FTA is
one of three that are pending approval by Congress. Agreements with
Colombia and Panama also have been awaiting action for more than three
years. ASA is calling for action on all three FTAs, pointing out the
enormous cost of letting other countries move forward first.
ASA successfully
lobbied USDA to eliminate the rural area and domestic ownership
requirements in the Bioenergy Program rule that excluded participation
of several significant soy biodiesel plants. As a result, these
producers will receive much-needed payments at a time when the biodiesel
tax credit is not available. Thanks to ASA’s efforts during the last
Farm Bill, there will be a total of $300 million made available to
biodiesel and other advanced biofuels producers over four years
(FY2009-12).
ASA expressed
appreciation after USDA announced it will provide up to $550 million of
assistance to producers of soybeans and other crops who suffered losses
due to high moisture conditions in 2009. ASA strongly supported efforts
to compensate soybean farmers for severe quality and yield losses after
the mid-South received record rainfall in August 2009.
ASA officially
withdrew from the Leonardo Academy’s initiative to develop a sustainable
agriculture standard for the American National Standards Institute in
October. While ASA supports the goal of a sustainable agriculture
standard, it had become clear that the Leonardo Academy process is
biased against a balanced and open analysis of modern agriculture.
Fifty-four other commodity and farm organizations representing U.S.
production agriculture interests joined ASA in withdrawing from the
process that is dominated by environmental groups, certification
consultants, agro-ecology and organic farming proponents.
On Dec. 17, ASA
celebrated final passage of legislation that includes a retroactive
extension of the Biodiesel Tax Incentive and ASA-supported Estate Tax
provisions. Retroactive extension of the biodiesel tax credit through
Dec. 31, 2011, represents a significant legislative achievement on a key
ASA priority. In addition, the legislation includes provisions that will
raise the exclusion level to $5 million per spouse and lower the tax
rate on estates exceeding the exclusion to 35 percent. Passage of this
legislation will strengthen the business climate for farm and ranch
families and help to ensure that agricultural businesses can be passed
to future generations. |