Plant-a-row to feed the hungry

I just had to post a link to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture's blog which provides information on a program being organized by organizations interested in helping feed the hungry in the Triangle.

CHECK IT OUT!

Presidents & Legislative Directors

I came across this quote & I thought I'd share it with you. I encourage you all to take the advice to be an effective leader!

"Surround yourself with the best people you can find, delegate authority, and don't interfere as long as the policy you've decided upon is being carried out." - Ronald Reagan

The Flu

Governor Perdue's newsletter contained the following information/tips.

As thousands of students in North Carolina prepare to return to school, many will be armed with notebooks and pencils, but they also should be armed with tips to fight the spread of seasonal and H1N1 flu.

Everyone is advised to get a seasonal Flu Vaccine. H1N1 vaccines are expected by late fall. High risk groups, including school-aged children, are advised to get a double dose H1N1 vaccination.

Prevention is critical. Here are some simple steps:

1. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. If you don't have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your sleeve.
2. Wash your hands often with soap and water. Alcohol-based hand cleaners also are effective.
3. Avoid close contact with sick people.
4. If you are sick, stay home to limit the chances of infecting others.
   

Meeting with Etheridge

Last night Congressman Etheridge held a meeting of interested parties to talk about agriculture. He gave some insight and updates into what's going on in DC. He also opened up the discussion for questions that anyone may have had concerning agriculture. It was a lively debate and discussion and the Grange is grateful to have had a seat the table!

Membership Cooperatives

Two electric cooperatives in North Carolina have been awarded more than $23 million in federal loans to help repair infrastructure in rural areas. The USDA said Wednesday that Central Electric Membership Corp. in Sanford and Rutherford Electric Membership Corp. in Forest City were awarded the loans. Central will receive $7.5 million and Rutherford will receive $16 million. US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the money is part of more than $1 billion awarded to utilities and cooperatives in 30 states. The money will be used to build and repair more than 11,200 miles of distribution and transmission lines in rural communities. (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, 8/19/09)

NCDA Food Safety Forum

Yesterday was the 5th Annual Commissioner's Food Safety Forum. Congressman Etheridge, Congressman Coble and Congressman Miller were present to make a few comments. The agenda was as follows:
Stronger Partnerships for Safer Food: Building an Integrated, National Food Safety System: Michael R. Taylor, J.D. Senior Advisor to FDA Commissioner
The Changing Science of Peanut Butter: Dr. Donald Zink, FDA Senior Scientist, CFSAN, leading authority on low moisture foods
Collaboration Between Industry and Federal/State Regulators and Legislative Directions: Dr. Ken Falci, Sr. Director Scientific Regulatory Operations, Kelloggs
North Carolina's Response to the Peanut Butter Incident: Joe Reardon, NCDA&CS Director-Food & Drug Protection Division
Food Safety in North Carolina: Commissioner Steve Troxler
Seafood - Marketing and Food Safety: Dr. David Green & Barry Nash, NCSU Seafood Technology & Marketing
Seeing Things: Perspectives on teh Past, Present and Future of Foodborne Disease: David Bergmire-Sweat, NC Division of Public Health, Foodborne Disease Epidemiologist

USDA Listening Tour

US Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Senator Richard Burr and Congressman Larry Kissell were in Hamlet, NC (Richmond County) to talk with interested people in the community. I attended this meeting and it was great to hear what these folks had to say about agriculture, rural America, education and the future of our nation.

Here is a snapshot of what was talked about on Tuesday:

- The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) brings in $1.84 for every $1 expended
- Know Your Farmer Know Your Food program - looking at purchasing more local goods and offering more than just farmer's markets to keep wealth in the community in which it was produced
- Farm to School program - asked for $1 billion for breakfast and lunch programs, important to link the producer to the customer, free or reduced breakfast and lunches must be easier to access so that students don't feel stigmatized, grants funded by stimulus money helped remodel kitchens to help accommodate this program
- The budget for forestry should be split into two so that fighting forest fires doesn't take up so much of the budget, should be split into maintenance & fire fighting


- North Carolina is an education leader and many ideas used in the state will be models for federal programs
- Community colleges are a hidden treasure and there must be more focus on this area of education
- Green jobs must be part of the next generation of jobs and community colleges can prepare folks for these jobs
- it's important to reform education delivery because one size fits all doesn't work (hand-held devices which held all textbook information could be in our future)


- Opportunities for Regional Economic Development - USDA is looking at improving rural areas through regional efforts v. individual grants, if a coalition of interested parties envisioned a way in which to fundamentally improve an area they want to know

A budget compromise

Public Education

• $225 million cut for grades 4-12 with local officials deciding how to cut without changing the average class size for grades K-3
• $48 million cut by delaying math textbook purchases in grades 6-12. Next year: moratorium on all new textbooks expected (will save $115.4 million)
• $38.3 million cut by eliminating funding to help students who perform poorly on certain statewide tests
• $12 million cut by eliminating 200 literacy coaches

Community colleges/higher education

• $14 million cut, but does not affect programs involving retraining unemployed workers
• $72.9 million cut for universities by targeting senior & middle management, centers and institutes, low-enrollment degree programs, faculty workload, speaker series and institutional trust fund
• In-state & out-of-state tuition increased by either $200 or 8%, whichever is the lower amount, at all UNC institutions (will raise $34.8 million)
• Reduce funding to university centers & institutes by $13.7 million for specific campuses

Health and human services

• $12.9 million cut - eliminated 350 positions within the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services
• Reduced funding for local mental health, substance abuse and physical disability service providers by $40 million
• Reduce funding to help counties administer public assistance programs by $5.5 million

Natural and economic resources

• Eliminate 70 vacant positions in the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources (will save $3.4 million)
• Clean Water Management Trust Fund will be cut by $50 million each year for 2 years
• Dept. of Commerce must sell the state's King Air plane and reduce all costs associated with operating it, including a pilot position, to save $148,000 this year and $296,000 next year

Justice and public safety

• Eliminate 187 Department of Correction positions by cutting $8.1 million
• Close 7 small prisons (will save $8.4 million this year and $22.3 million next year)
• Increase SBI Crime Lab fee assessed on convicted criminals from $300 to $600. Impaired-driving cases make up the bulk of the money generated by the fee. (will raise $195,000 year this year)
• Cut $4.8 million by eliminating 27 work crews that provided free labor to state and local governments

Taxes

• Individual income surcharge of 2% on married couples whose taxable income is between $100,000 and $250,000 and 3% on married couples with a taxable income of $250,000. (will raise $172.8 million)
• 3% surcharge on the profit tax paid by corporations (will raise $23.1 million)
• 1 cent sales tax increase (will raise $803.5 million)
• Sales tax on digital downloads and Internet purchases (will raise $11.8 million)
• 10 cents tax for cigarettes, 2.8% tax increase for other tobacco products, 5 cents tax increase for a six-pack of beer, 4 cents tax for a bottle of wine and 5% more per bottle of liquor (will raise $68.8 million)

Fees

• Marriage license fee increase from $50 to $60
• Bail bondsmen license increase from $100 to $200
• Fees paid by HMOs to operate increase from $250 to $500
• Child care licensing fees increase from $35 to $52 for small operations and from $400 to $600 for the largest facilities
• Convicted criminals who have a court-appointed lawyer will be charged a $50 appointment fee
• Defendants who fail to appear at court will pay $200 instead of $100
• Convicted criminals whose cases included SBI Lab testing would have to pay $600

News & Observer

Interesting Fact!

As I'm researching North Carolina Grange history for the National Grange, I came across this interesting piece of information.

"More than 90% of the organization's objectives were attained during the session of the 1941 General Assembly. 'The Grange was the only registered lobbyist for farmers, and someone from our Order was there every day,' remarked [Harry] Caldwell."

Tax Free Weekend

August 7 - 9 marks North Carolina's tax free weekend.
For a list of all items which are tax free this weekend, please visit the NC Dept of Revenue's website - found here.

Happy shopping this weekend!

Astroturf

If you've been watching the news, you've seen commentators and news reporters talking about allegations from the Obama administration that opposition to the health care reform bill backed by liberal Democrats is a product of manufacturing. The term "astroturf" was used. If you have heard my presentation on the Grange legislative program, you're familiar with this term. I contrast astroturf with grassroots. Astroturf movements are artificial or manufactured with no roots. Grassroots are rooted in people and grow naturally.

I'm very proud that our organization prides itself on its grassroots nature. Our policy positions are truly a product of our members - beginnnig on the local level. While I disseminate information to our members, it is far from manufacturing any type of movement. As you listen to the news about this issue, keep the Grange in mind. If you talk with people in your community about this, talk about the Grange. Let them know that you're a member of an organization which is truly grassroots... and that they're welcome to join too! It seems as though everyone's political senses are heightened a little bit more these days and our legislative involvement and activities can be used as a membership tool for your Grange.

State Fair

Advance tickets are now available for the NC State Fair.
Check out the special prices here.
Check out Deep Fried @ the State Fair: the official blog of the NC State Fair