Meanwhile, a beef herd in Alcona County - one of four northeast counties making up the state's TB "High-Risk Area" - is the latest to test positive for TB, and state and federal officials are recommending the herd be depopulated. This represents Michigan's 16th cattle herd diagnosed with the contagious respiratory disease.

June 22 is significant because it marks a year since the U.S. Department of Agriculture lowered Michigan's TB status to non-modified accredited. That status change kicked in new animal movement restrictions and, per requirements of the federal Grade A Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO), forced all Michigan dairy farms to have an annual whole-herd TB test to continue marketing milk.

So far, 2,754 of Michigan's 3,198 dairy farms - 86 percent - have completed negative whole-herd TB tests, said Bridget Patrick, a spokeswoman for Michigan's Bovine TB Eradication Project.

Several farms comprising the remaining 14 percent have veterinarian visits pending, giving state officials confidence they will meet the deadline. Officials urge farmers who have yet to schedule a vet visit to do so by June 22 - even if the vet appointment cannot occur until after that date.

State officials say compliance with the deadline - either completing or scheduling a test - is critical because the goodwill could improve the state's chances of being granted special TB testing privileges that would help ease the costs and hassles of TB testing until the state regains its TB-free status.

One potential privilege would be USDA and the Food and Drug Administration agreeing to modify the state's PMO requirements so that only dairy herds in any "high-risk" TB area would be required to undergo annual whole-herd TB tests until the state's TB status is upgraded.

Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) spokeswoman Sara Linsmeier said MDA currently is negotiating this option with USDA and FDA officials but stressed producers should not assume negotiations guarantee a deal or circumvent existing requirements.

"Part of our negotiations with FDA and USDA to be able to focus our resources and not have to do these annual whole-herd tests across the state is contingent upon everyone being tested at least once, so these things all tie into together," she said.

The state also intends to apply to USDA by late June for split-state TB status and aggressively focus on testing beef herds for the disease, Patrick said.

If granted, split-state status would classify most of Michigan as modified-accredited advanced (one step below being TB-free), with the exception of any "high-risk" areas. Excluded areas would retain the state's current TB status as modified-accredited, Patrick said.

However, she emphasized that farmers should not put off complying with the June 22 deadline in hopes of the state being granted split-state status.

For one, she said it could take as long as six to eight months to get a status change approved. And she said compliance with USDA regulations up to this point could only favor the state's application.

Similarly, if compliance helped convince USDA and FDA to modify the PMO regulation, the state could concentrate its TB testing resources in other areas instead of having to focus on annually testing dairy herds in areas where the disease has not been found.

Despite these ongoing efforts, Linsmeier warned that come June 22 MDA could revoke the milk shipping license of a farmer who is non-compliant for not having a whole-herd test completed or one scheduled.

That's why Ernie Birchmeier, Michigan Farm Bureau livestock and dairy specialist, said it's imperative that dairy farmers complete or schedule TB tests by the June deadline.

"Having milk shipments restricted means dollars that are going into the bulk tank will not be going into a producer's pocket because no one is going to be picking up that milk," Birchmeier said.

"The only way the state of Michigan can assure that milk from herds that have not been tested is not going into the statewide supply is by not picking up milk from those herds. We want to make sure we continue to have consumer confidence and safety in mind when we're talking about our food and milk supply," he said.

"That's why the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance is the way it is. It's to protect the drinkers and consumers of our milk and dairy supply not only here but throughout the United States. It's written in law, and producers need to follow the law."

Producers having trouble scheduling a veterinarian or needing state assistance to make an appointment should call Kevin Kirk, MDA Animal Health Liaison, at (517) 241-4339.

Following intense negotiations with Michigan Sugar Beet Growers Inc., Texas-based Imperial Sugar Co., parent of Saginaw Township's Michigan Sugar, on Thursday mailed checks paying $2.50 per ton of sugar beets to all growers who contracted with Michigan Sugar last year, regardless of whether farmers planted sugar beets this year.

Last week's payment totaled $6 million. It was the first payment on an approximately $20 million balance (about $7 per ton of sugar beets) owed to growers who were waiting to be fully compensated for their crop when Imperial filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January.

Whether growers would receive their remaining sugar beet payments had been a sticking point in negotiations for Michigan Sugar Beet Growers, a new farmer-owned cooperative, to buy Imperial's sugar processing factories in Carrollton, Caro, Croswell and Sebewaing.

The deal originally guaranteed that farmers would be paid the balance on the 2000 crop as long as they contracted with the co-op to plant about the same number of acres this year as they did last year.

To date, growers have planted all of the 115,000 acres contracted this year. Last year, farmers contracted 127,000 acres with Michigan Sugar.

"After Imperial filed bankruptcy, it asked the court for permission to pay its critical vendors, and growers were among those," explained Dick Leach, who heads the Great Lakes Sugar Beet Growers Association and is helping lead the co-op effort.

"The growers had obviously lost faith in Imperial, so the company told the court that in order to keep its value in the four plants, it has to have beets this year," Leach said. "So the court granted them their petition that they pay critical vendors at their discretion. That's when Imperial told growers that they won't pay the balance on their 2000 crop unless they plant the same acres they planted last year."

Most growers took Imperial's word and planted their same beet acreage, but some like Bob Caister, a Marlette sugar beet grower who retired following last year's harvest, argued the money was duly owed regardless of planting decisions this year and sought legel counsel.

"We are pleased this payment has finally been released to all 2000 contract holders," said Richard Maurer, chairman of the Michigan Sugar Beet Growers co-op and a Huron County Farm Bureau member. "When we began discussions with Imperial after the bankruptcy filing, we were concerned that we may not receive any further payments. Ensuring full payment of the 2000 crop, as well as maintaining the sugar beet industry in the state of Michigan have been the board of directors' top priorities."

Another payment of $2.50 per ton should be released in June to all 2000 contract holders, Leach said.

He said a final payment should be released in October. However he said it's too early to estimate the value since that payment is based on the crop's total revenue generated - an unknown at this time.

Meanwhile, co-op organizers are in the thick of their first membership drive. Informational meetings for potential co-op members kicked off Monday and were to continue this week and next at sites around the Thumb.

Joining the co-op requires a $50-per-acre subscription fee by June 15, and another $150-per-acre commitment by the first of August for a total of $200 per acre, Leach said.

"We've had very good receptions at the meetings," said Leach. "Growers have come to the conclusion that if they're going to have sugar beets in their rotations in the future, it's going to have to be through the co-op if they're growing for Michigan Sugar because there's no provisions for Michigan Sugar to operate after this next crop has been processed.

"The sticker is that we know of no plans to run Michigan Sugar in 2002 if the co-op is not a success. So if you don't grow this year, it might be a permanent decision. To change 127,000 acres of beets to corn and dry beans doesn't make sense with prices the way they are, so we want growers to take this seriously."

Michigan Sugar Beet Growers hopes to finalize the reported $55 million purchase of Imperial's Michigan plants once Imperial's bankruptcy gets court approval, expected in early fall. In the meantime, the co-op has signed its name in place of Imperial's on 2001 grower contracts.

First on the roster is next week's Agriculture Town Hall meeting sponsored by U.S. Rep. Dave Camp (R-Midland).

The event will take place at 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 30 at the Clinton County Regional Education Service Agency in St. Johns. It is open to the public and is being geared toward farmers and agricultural leaders in Clinton, Gratiot and Shiawassee counties.

The Town Hall meeting will be an open discussion of ag issues, but organizers expect most of the discussion will center on Congress adopting farm policy to replace the current Farm Bill which expires next year.

"Town hall meetings are a great opportunity for the community to come together and discuss the issues that are important to them," Camp said. "Having a meeting focused specifically on agriculture will allow local producers and processors to meet and talk about matters that are relevant just to them, such as a flexible and predictable farm policy, energy supply and demand in rural America, and the elimination of the estate tax.

"I look forward to taking the conversations I have with the agriculture community in St. Johns back to Washington to represent their views in the upcoming Farm Bill and other agriculture endeavors."

U.S. Rep. Nick Smith (R-Addison) intends to do much the same on June 11 when he holds a Farm Bill hearing at the state Capitol. The hearing is scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon in Rooms 402-403.

Keith Brown, Smith's district director based in Jackson, said the rest of the Michigan Congressional delegation has been invited to attend.

Brown said the hearing is open to all farmers and agricultural organizations. Hearing participants will be given two to three minutes for oral remarks. Written testimony can also be submitted.

Brown said Smith, who is a senior member of the House Agriculture Committee and a member of the General Farm Commodities and Risk Management Subcommittee, would like input specifically on crop insurance, re-balancing crop loan rates, and updating crop acreage and yield history for calculation of market transition payments.

A little further down the road, Michigan Farm Bureau (MFB) will hold eight Farm Bill Forums across the state from July 30 to Aug. 10.

At the forums, MFB and different commodity and agricultural organizations will give short synopses of their Farm Bill needs, and ag industry experts will provide an analysis of issues and perspectives to be considered in Farm Bill debate.

Each forum also will provide time for questions and group discussions so that attendees are better prepared to consider how the Farm Bill impacts their operations.

For more information about the events call:

• Jon DeWitte, of U.S. Rep. Dave Camp's Washington, D.C. office, (202) 225-3561
• Keith Brown, of U.S. Rep. Nick Smith's Jackson office, (517) 783-4486
• Bob Boehm, Michigan Farm Bureau Commodity & Marketing Dept., (800) 292-2680, ext. 2023

The USDA study showed that in 1999 increased pork production levels, enhanced by antibiotic use, resulted in reducing the average price of hogs for the whole industry from $34.80 to $34.02 per hundred pounds. But individual growers who used the antibiotics saw a higher return because the hogs they marketed were heavier.

The AP reported on May 15 that the study said producers who used the antibiotic collectively lost $45.5 million. But according to the study, $45.5 million is how much the producers would have lost had they not been allowed to use the drugs.

Contact: Ernie Birchmeier, (800) 292-2680, ext. 2024

Harkin and Smith's Conservation Security Act would make payments to farmers based on the level and extent of farmers' conservation efforts, income lost in maintaining or instituting the practices, the benefit provided to wildlife and watersheds, and other costs. Payments would range from $20,000 to $50,000 per farm.

Harkin said the conservation bill would be applicable to all farmers, not just midwestern row crop producers who primarily benefit from the current program.

According to the measure's supporters, funding for the bill would come from the $74 billion set aside for farm spending over the next 10 years. Harkin said including the conservation program in the next farm bill would have "no impact on the commodity programs."

Contact: Sarah Black, (800) 292-2680, ext. 2025

"It is our understanding that the task force has conducted a number of meetings...and some, if not all, of these meetings have included exclusive groups of non-governmental participants-including political contributors-to discuss specific policies, rules, regulations and legislation," Reps. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) and Dingell wrote to the General Accounting Office requesting an inquiry.

Waxman and Dingell asked for similar information from the Department of Energy's Andrew Lundquist, the energy panel's staff director.

The letter said the task force's decision to meet behind closed doors and exclude "certain parties from participation in its discussions may violate the Federal Advisory Committee Act," which prohibits holding public policy discussions in private.

David Addington, counsel to Vice President Dick Cheney, head of the energy panel, said the act is not applicable to the task force because it "does not apply to a group composed wholly of full-time, or permanent part-time, officers or employees of the federal government."

GAO is requesting information from the panel, said Bob Robinson, GAO's managing director of Natural Resources and Environment. Robinson said GAO would write a report and submit it to the congressmen.

Contact: Sarah Black, (800) 292-2680, ext. 2025

"Killing the death tax has been a top Farm Bureau tax goal for more than a decade, and after a lot of hard work by our members, it now appears there is a good chance to mark the passing of this devastating tax on or before Memorial Day," Stallman said.

Stallman said AFBF was now urging the House-Senate conference committee appointed to iron out differences in their versions of the bill to "keep intact the degree of tax relief proposed by the Bush administration." In addition to repeal of the death tax, Farm Bureau is pleased that both versions of the bill call for the retention and indexing of stepped-up basis for capital gains taxes. By retaining stepped-up basis, according to Stallman, "farm and ranch families will be protected from the possible imposition of new and potentially huge capital gains taxes."

"Farm Bureau is pleased to have been a vocal supporter of this tax relief measure," Stallman said. "We look forward to the conference committee sending President Bush a final tax relief bill that kills the death tax, retains stepped-up basis and provides additional relief to bolster the future of America's farm and ranch families."

After hours of debate, the Senate passed the tax bill late Wednesday afternoon on a 62-38 vote. It remains possible that the conference committee will finish in time for Congress to pass the conference report prior to the Memorial Day recess.

Contact: Sarah Black, (800) 292-2680, ext. 2025

It has served many purposes since the early 1600s, including medicinal uses and a component for making cement, furniture polish and varnish, preserving fruits and preparing food and beverages. What is this versatile substance? Honey!

Grapes are one of the oldest cultivated fruits. They have been around for more than 8,000 years.

Ramen - those dried corkscrew noodles popular with college students needing a cheap, quick meal - were invented by Momofuku Ando in 1948. Ramen noodles are now widely consumed in more than 80 countries. The Japanese eat about 45 portions of ramen per capita yearly. Americans, introduced to ramen in 1970, eat four to five servings per year.

Heart valves from hogs can be used to replace damaged or diseased human heart valves.

About 1.5 million tons of ground cocoa beans from the tropical tree are used each year to make chocolate and cocoa products. That's greater than the weight of more than 300,000 elephants!