WEEKLY AGRICULTURAL REPORT

USDA BLOG: In Conversation with #WomeninAg: Valerie Earley
BLOG POSTING ON 8/ 24/ 17

Every month, USDA shares the story of a woman in agriculture who is leading the industry and helping other women succeed along the way. This month, we hear from Valerie Earley, 2016-2017 National FFA Central Region Vice President. In April 2017, Valerie was invited by President Donald Trump and USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue to participate in a “Farmers Roundtable” at the White House to address issues facing the American agriculture community, as the president signed an Executive Order establishing an Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity.

Earley is from Wykoff, MN where she was a part of the Spring Valley-Wykoff Chapter of the National FFA Organization. She is currently majoring in Agricultural Communication and Marketing at the University of Minnesota and she hopes to one day share the story of agriculture through media.

How has FFA impacted your life?

FFA has given me opportunities to grow into who I am today. When I was a freshman, I was shy and unsure of what I wanted to do with my future, but through FFA, I have gained confidence, direction and character. FFA has also given me many connections to agriculturalists, members and leaders in Minnesota and across the nation.

What has your experience as a National FFA Officer been like?

This year has been an incredible experience. From meeting fellow FFA members across the country— from Puerto Rico to Georgia to Montana— to visiting sponsors in Texas and Michigan, to participating in the farmer roundtable discussion with Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and 14 farmers from across the nation, this year has been an incredible blessing. I have been inspired by fellow members and the impact they are having in their communities and in the world. At the FFA Alumni Breakfast in D.C., I had the chance to speak about a young Iowa FFA member, Hannah, who uses her knowledge of chickens to travel to Ethiopia to help a community start chicken production. Members like Hannah have inspired me this year.

What’s been your favorite accomplishment during your year of service with FFA?

My favorite achievement as a National Officer was visiting New Hampshire for FFA Week because I got to meet almost all of their members and travel across the state conducting workshops and giving speeches. I have absolutely loved traveling to conventions and conferences in over 30 states, but New Hampshire was one of my favorite destinations because of the diversity of agriculture, size of programs and type of programs in agricultural education. I made maple syrup candies, bowled, and ate popular local New Hampshire foods with the chapters. I was inspired by the work that high school students in New Hampshire are doing to contribute to strengthening agriculture.

What are your future career goals?

After completing this year’s National Convention, I plan to begin working in agricultural communications. Through my career, I hope to tell the story of agriculturalists and help consumers understand where their food comes from.

Why do you believe that Rural America is so important to agricultural production in our country?

Rural America is where the people behind the hard work and dedication to raising and producing the food we eat and products we use live and make their impact. Rural America is the foundation of our industry.

What excites you most when you think about what life in rural places will be like in 20 years?

With increasing internet access, technology and efficiency, Rural America is an exciting place to be. While people historically believed it was necessary to move to a more highly populated area to work with technology or to make an impact, today we have an opportunity to shape the future of agriculture and make Rural America to be a place of prosperity and opportunity.

Who are your role models or what inspires you?

My biggest role models are my family members and Leah Addington, a former Minnesota FFA State Staff member. My parents work with dedication and integrity every day on my family’s farm and have always set an example for my future. Leah Addington is a role model who inspires me to grow in my faith and set goals for my future. These people have helped encourage me along my journey and I would not be who I am today without their support and guidance.

What is your advice for your fellow women in agriculture?

Be engaged, be passionate and be dedicated. As women, we have the opportunity to be an instrumental part about shaping the future of agriculture. When we are engaged, passionate and dedicated to doing our part, we will strengthen American agriculture.

To learn more and connect with other women leaders in agriculture across the country, we encourage you to visit https://newfarmers.usda.gov/women-in-ag. If there is a leading woman in agriculture you’d like to see featured on this blog, please send your suggestions to AgWomenLead@osec.usda.gov.


UN NEWS CENTER: Climate change threatens agricultural trade in Pacific Rim economies, UN agency warns
LINK SOURCE

25 August 2017 – With global warming expected to significantly impact future yields in countries located closer to the equator, the United Nations agriculture agency is calling on Asia-Pacific economies to take a leading role in adaptation and mitigation.

“Many APEC [Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation] economies have already felt the full force of agricultural losses from natural disasters in recent years, with the vast majority of these being climate related,” said Kundhavi Kadiresan, Assistant Director-General and FAO Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific.

Geographically, the negative impact of climate change on agricultural output could result in lower yields of rice, wheat, corn and soybeans in countries with tropical climates, compared with the impacts experienced by those in higher latitudes. Fisheries could also be affected by changes to water temperature, warned the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today.

“The annual tally runs into the billions and billions of dollars in losses. So, the time to act is now. Policy makers need to prepare for changes in supply, shifting trade patterns and a need for greater investment in agriculture, fisheries, land and water management, that will benefit smallholder farmers and others that produce our food,” Mr. Kadiresan added.

Many vital agricultural regions in Asia are at risk of crossing key climate thresholds that would cause plant and animal productivity to decline, according to a meeting in Viet Nam of Agriculture Ministers of APEC member economies.

Based on the findings of the global research community, the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) anticipates that these trends are expected to worsen in the future with the projected impacts of anthropogenic climate change.

Much can be done to increase the efficiency of agriculture and land-use activities in Asia, according to Mr. Kadiresan.

UN NEWS CENTER: Time for action to support and protect small-scale fisheries – UN agriculture agency
LINK SOURCE

24 August 2017 – Small-scale fisheries, which catch two-thirds of the fish consumed by humans, often struggle with regulatory frameworks tailored to large commercial fleets, according to a new UN agriculture agency book urging policy coherence.

“[It's] time for policymakers to take concrete action – ranging from legislation, technical capacity development and especially engagement with the fishing communities themselves – to make sure the guidelines are implemented,” said Nicole Franz, Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) lead officer on sustainable small-scale fishery issues.

Ms. Franz maintains that policy coherence – pursued through inter-ministerial collaboration on trade, environment, tourism as well as social and economic development issues – must be the keystone for protecting the rights and livelihoods of the often poor and marginalized people engaged in the world's small-scale fisheries.

The Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines : Global Implementation offers more than 30 case studies ranging from Greenland to Zanzibar, and addressing diverse issues including gender and sustainable resource use.

While many small-scale fisheries use canoes carved from logs or stationary beach seine nets, such as the “rampani” that dot India's eastern coast, their practices are far from being relics of a bygone age. Indeed, they are usually well adapted to the ecological and social circumstances within which they operate.

The Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines serves as an initial progress report on implementing the 2015-published Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines ). Endorsed in 2014, it aims to bolster the livelihoods of the more than 100 million people working in the sector and increase their contribution to global food security and nutrition.

“It's going to be a long and windy path, but there are many entry points, so yes, we can do it,” stressed Ms. Franz.


UN NEWS CENTER: Emigration and food insecurity in Central American 'dry corridor' focus of new UN-backed study
SOURCE LINK

23 August 2017 – A new inter-agency study released today found a correlation between prolonged droughts in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras – exacerbated by El Niño phenomenon from 2014 to 2016 – and the increase in irregular migration from these countries to the United States, the United Nations food relief agency reported.

“The study provides an important insight into why people flee and the impact on the family members staying behind,” said World Food Programme (WFP) Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Miguel Barreto.

“It is perhaps this second aspect which makes this study stand out from much of the analysis conducted on migration from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras to date,” he added.

Food Security and Emigration shows the need to invest in long-term programmes to discourage people in the Dry Corridor from emigrating, and to reduce the risks for emigrants and the impact on the families left behind.

The study indicates that a trend of younger and more vulnerable people are leaving food-insecure areas – especially in the Dry Corridor, a drought-prone area that crosses these countries.

Family members left behind face the burden of paying the debts of those who have migrated. If the emigration is unsuccessful, the family faces the problem of growing debt and of how to meet their food needs, the report said.

The document also pointed out that 47 per cent of the families interviewed were food- insecure, noting that these levels have never been previously recorded in the region even in assessments carried out over the past three years in the Dry Corridor.




NEWS FROM OLYMPIA

INLEE'S OPEN LETTER TO SEN. PAUL RYAN
Posted on the Governor's webpage 8. 23. 17

Dear Speaker Ryan,

Welcome to Washington state, home to 7 million people and the best economy in the nation. As you flew in, I’m sure you noticed the unparalleled natural beauty that greets our visitors, from vast fields of abundant agriculture and the majestic Cascade mountain range to the shimmering waters of our Puget Sound and the busy waterways of our world-class ports.

While Washington is often thought of as a “blue state,” the reality is that our state is made up of people from all walks of life and myriad political orientations. Our legislature is divided, and with that comes robust, passionate — and sometimes strained — debate. Compromise is a necessity and progress is often incremental.
But our state is a place where leaders are often able to set aside ideology for the sake of the greater good. Here, bipartisanship has yielded tremendous results: passage of our state Dream Act, Medicaid expansion, a historic transportation investment package, clean energy innovation, unprecedented investments in education from early learning through college, and a best in the nation paid family leave program.
I’ve worked in politics a long time, Mr. Speaker, and I know it isn’t always pleasant or easy. There’s a certain level of cynicism that is par for the course. Yet what we’re witnessing in D.C. right now is beyond the norm. The Administration’s nativist rhetoric and political kowtowing to radicals is fueling an alarming level of divisiveness that extends far beyond the marble walls of Congress, into the dining rooms of our homes.
Elected leaders in Washington, D.C. have left the American people frustrated and anxious at best, and violently angry at worst.
Something has to change. You have the power to help bring about that change.
For more of the story see the Governor's blog page


Op-ed: American dreams of young people will be cruelly ripped away
From the Governor's webpage posting dated 8/ 24/ 17

Washington is home to 17,000 “Dreamers” — young people brought to America during their youth who have lived the bulk of their lives in the United States, despite arriving undocumented.

In 2012, President Obama introduced the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA. The program ensured that these young people who are studying, working, and living their lives as productive members of society are protected from deportation.

Today, nearly 750,000 young people have obtained DACA status. But a group of 10 Republican state attorneys general are challenging DACA. They’ve told President Trump that if he doesn’t repeal the program by Sept. 5, they’ll take this to court.

In his op-ed published today at CNN.com, Gov. Inslee says now is the time for Congress and the Trump administration to stand up for these inspiring Dreamers:

The American dream has always been about chasing opportunity and pursuing a brighter future for ourselves and our children.
Unfortunately, if certain national leaders have their way and repeal the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, the American dreams of hundreds of thousands of young people will be cruelly ripped away. These are dreams that are as lofty and aspirational as the dreams of those who helped build our country more than 240 years ago.
We must ask ourselves: Are we a confident, forward-looking nation that builds monuments — like DACA — to hope and determination? Or are we a nation that is turned inward, lauding monuments to intolerance and division?

AG FERGUSON STATEMENT ON NATIONAL MONUMENT REPORT
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 8/ 24/ 17

OLYMPIA — Attorney General Bob Ferguson released the following statement in response to today’s report from Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on his review of national monuments:

“In May, I sent a letter to the Trump Administration promising legal action if President Trump attempted to harm Washington’s national monuments. While I’m glad to see Washington’s national monuments appear to be safe from this attack, I’m troubled that Secretary Zinke and President Trump appear ready to overstep their authority in an unprecedented way.

“The Trump administration believes President Trump has the legal authority to unilaterally alter the borders of a national monument. They are wrong.

“If this Administration proceeds to unlawfully strip monuments of their protections, I intend to help our neighbors in defending their national monuments, and protect the right of Washingtonians to visit these important pieces of our national heritage.”

 Protecting the environment has been one of Ferguson’s top priorities. In 2016, he created the Counsel for Environmental Protection, a new legal unit led by Assistant Attorney General Bill Sherman, to protect our environment and the safety and health of all Washingtonians.



WSDOT: Plan ahead now for Labor Day travel
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 8/ 23/ 17

Travelers on I-90 should plan for significant congestion Friday and Monday

OLYMPIA – Heading out for one last summer holiday weekend? Planning ahead could be the key to smooth sailing whether on land or sea.

Travelers can use the Washington State Department of Transportation’s traffic volume charts this holiday weekend to “know before they go” and help time their travel on key routes. In particular, this year, holiday congestion is expected on Interstate 90 near Snoqualmie Pass – especially westbound traffic.

I-90/Snoqualmie Pass

Bridge deck repairs in the westbound lanes of I-90 between the summit of Snoqualmie Pass (milepost 52) and North Bend (milepost 34) will not be complete by Labor Day as initially hoped. This means only two of three lanes will be open for drivers heading westbound. The lane closures are needed because portions of the bridge decks have been removed and traffic can’t be shifted back on those decks until new concrete is placed and cured. Drivers will also encounter lane closures and traffic shifts through the Cle Elum area (milepost 86) due to work to replace old pavement with new concrete lanes.


LOCAL MEETINGS AGENDA HIGHLIGHT ITEMS



CLALLAM COUNTY COMMISSION MEETINGS

CLALLAM WORK SESSION AGENDA HIGHLIGHT ITEMS
1) Agreement with Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe to conduct Olympia Oyster Surveys as part of the Marine Resources Committee Restoration project

2) Briefing and call for hearing on proposed ordinance amendments to Title 33, Zoning, Chapter 33.52, Recreational Marijuana

3) Letter of support for the Marine Discovery Center Partners’ First Federal Community Foundation grant proposal

See full agenda



CLALLAM COUNTY REGULAR SESSION

1) Resolution adopting the following Supplemental Appropriations:
Health and Human Services – Administration – Olympic Medical Center has partnered with Clallam County Health and Human Services to pay for the 2017 Community Health Assessment.  They have provided funding to assist in paying for the epidemiology services received from Kitsap County/$10,500
Health and Human Services – General Funds – Environmental Health – Department of Health consolidated contract #15 adds supplemental funding for EH Onsite Implementation Grant and Shellfish programs.  These funds are for July-December, 2017/$31,750
Sheriff – Operations – Receipt of State funding from FY2017-2018 Registered Sex Offender Address and Residency Verification Program that will be spent in FY2017/$16,045

2) Resolution adopting the following Budget Reduction:
Department of Community Development – Environmental Quality – Reduce Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife contract #17-08466 (County #332.17.007) agreement for Advancing Western Strait Fish Passage Barrier Removal project use in the 2017 budget and add it to the 2018 budget/($60,000)

3) Consideration of resolution adopting the following Debatable Emergencies:
Treasurer’s O&M – The cost of foreclosure title reports is significantly higher this year than last year/$20,000
Human Resources – Unemployment Compensation – Increase compensation budget expenditure due to restructuring and employee separations/$40,000
See full agenda



PORT OF PORT ANGELES COMMISSION MEETING

AGENDA HIGHLIGHT ITEMS
Contract Acceptance - Glacier Environmental Services, Inc.
The bid documents to complete the Marine Terminal Stormwater Conveyance Improvements were completed under a Professional Service Agreement with Kennedy / Jenks and advertised for bids in the Peninsula Daily News and the Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce on two separate dates: June 17 and June 24, 2016.
The project was awarded to low bid Contractor Glacier Environmental Services, Inc. for $1,441,808.65. There has been one increase to the contract by Change Order for $77,327.95 for a final contract amount of $1,519,136.60.
See full agenda for more details


IN OTHER LOCAL AND REGIONAL MEETINGS....

CITY OF FORKS AGENDA HIGHLIGHT ITEM: MAYOR WILL GIVE A VERBAL REPORT

JEFFERSON COUNTY COMMISSION AGENDA HIGHLIGHT ITEMS
Payment of Jefferson County Vouchers/Warrants Dated August 18, 2017 Totaling $783856.06 (Records of all claims submitted for payment along with vouchers approved and signed by the Board of Jefferson County Commissioners are retained by the Jefferson County Auditor and Public Works Department.)
SEE FULL AGENDA

WORLD AND NATIONAL NEWS BRIEFS

UN NEWS CENTER:
Afghanistan: UN mission condemns deadly attack on Shi'a mosque in Kabul
26 August 2017 – The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has condemned the attack during Friday prayer at Imam Zaman mosque in Kabul that killed at least 20 civilians – including seven women and one child – and injured more than 30 others.

Syria: UNICEF cites conflict's 'staggering' impact on children; calls for urgent protection
25 August 2017 – Six and a half years of war in Syria has inflicted untold suffering on the country's children, a senior United Nations official said today, urging parties to the conflict to stop the violence and live up to their legal obligations to children.

NATIONAL

PJ MEDIA: Bill de Blasio and Baltimore Vandals Follow KKK Example in Targeting Christopher Columbus Monuments
This week, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and vandals in Baltimore, Md., targeted statues of Christopher Columbus. By doing so, they joined horrible company, however. Among historic foes of Columbus statues is the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), the National Christopher Columbus Association (NCCA) noted.

CNSNEWS: President Trump Grants Full Pardon to ‘American Patriot, Sheriff Joe Arapio’
(CNSNews.com) - With cable news shows focused on the arrival of Hurricane Harvey Friday night, the White House announced that President Trump had pardoned former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, a Trump supporter who became a target of the Obama Justice Department shortly after Barack Obama took office.



Daily Bible Verse: For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.
Romans 12:4-5 NKJV


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