Farm bill on the move as Senate hearings set
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NAWG
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The agriculture community took a number of important steps toward a 2012 Farm Bill, with commodity groups meeting in Washington to discuss the issues and the Senate Agriculture Committee announcing a hearing schedule.
<div class="og_rss_groups"></div><p><a href="http://westernfarmpress.com/government/farm-bill-move-senate-hearings-set" target="_blank">read more</a></p>DOL re-proposing part of child labor rule
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NCC
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In response to requests from congressional members and the public, including comments submitted by the NCC and other agricultural interest organizations, the Department of Labor (DOL) is ?re-proposing? the portion of their proposed child labor rule regarding the agricultural parental exemption.
<div class="og_rss_groups"></div><p><a href="http://westernfarmpress.com/government/dol-re-proposing-part-child-labor-rule" target="_blank">read more</a></p>Cotton flow strides conveyed to USDA
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NCC
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During a Washington, D.C., meeting, cotton industry representatives briefed USDA officials on industry efforts to improve cotton flow and sought the agency?s cooperation with future industry initiatives.
<div class="og_rss_groups"></div><p><a href="http://westernfarmpress.com/government/cotton-flow-strides-conveyed-usda" target="_blank">read more</a></p>Farm groups discuss next farm bill
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NCC
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In a statement issued by 13 farm and commodity groups, the organizations stated they are committed to work together to come up with a viable farm policy. Also confirmed is their common belief that Congress should pass and the President should sign a strong new farm bill into law this year. The law expires at year?s end and producers ? like all job creators ? need certainty from Washington.
<div class="og_rss_groups"></div><p><a href="http://westernfarmpress.com/government/farm-groups-discuss-next-farm-bill" target="_blank">read more</a></p>Super Bowl goes organic
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Shayla Mae Bailey, AMS Public Affairs
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The push to bring organic and locally-grown options to the concession stand came from a partnership between non-profits that support family farms, celebrities and Centerplate, the NFL?s largest concession provider.
<div class="og_rss_groups"></div><p><a href="http://westernfarmpress.com/management/super-bowl-goes-organic" target="_blank">read more</a></p>Skin in the game may help dairy industry
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Phil Durst, Michigan State University Extension
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One of the complaints that dairy owners often have about employees is they don?t seem to care or that they don?t take ownership in the operation. Yet, should we be surprised when employees don?t take ownership in a business in which they have no ownership?
<div class="og_rss_groups"></div><p><a href="http://westernfarmpress.com/management/skin-game-may-help-dairy-industry" target="_blank">read more</a></p>California Crop Weather: rain, warm temps spur field crops
Pre-emergent spraying, irrigation, orchard removal, planting, and pruning continued in California nut orchards. Growers also applied some fertilizers, herbicides, and soil amendments. Walnut orchards were pruned.
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Rabobank
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Solid market growth, supply constraints and a structural shift in the costs of producing milk may sustain high milk and dairy commodity prices over the medium term. But this won't translate to increased profits for all. The unprecedented leap in farm gate milk prices in recent years has caused the position of dairy farmers to generally improve, but less than many outsiders might imagine.
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<div class="og_rss_groups"></div><p><a href="http://westernfarmpress.com/markets/attractive-unbalanced-dairy-growth-creating-challenges" target="_blank">read more</a></p>Wine production gives blueberry producers a market for extra berries
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Robert H. Wells, University of Florida
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Wine production offers blueberry producers a market for extra berries they might not be able to sell due to slight imperfections or late ripening.
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<div class="og_rss_groups"></div><p><a href="http://westernfarmpress.com/grapes/wine-production-gives-blueberry-producers-market-extra-berries" target="_blank">read more</a></p>Child labor controversy grows like grassfire
Following uproar in the agriculture sector and pushback from Congress, the Department of Labor has decided to revisit the language of a proposed rule regarding children who work their family?s farm.
<div class="og_rss_groups"></div><p><a href="http://westernfarmpress.com/government/child-labor-controversy-grows-grassfire" target="_blank">read more</a></p>
bring prices down there anyway'.
But there is a warning that the lower priced end of the market could be hit more than the top end.
Bargain Properties
'There has been a significant increase in second home ownership in the last decade', say Tribune. 'Gone are the days when it was just the wealthy who owned an overseas property. Developers in Spain, Greece and Cyprus have built apartment blocks with units of two and three bedrooms that are affordable for a lot of middle income families. Given that mortgages are readily available and it's often just twenty per cent of the asking price that needs to be found an overseas home has become reality for millions of Europeans. But if air fares increase significantly and the holiday makers who rent the owners apartments and villas declines, quite a few will need to sell as the rental income pays the mortgage. There could be a glut of properties come to the market which will send prices downwards.'
Exceptions to the rule could be in the two European tax havens of Monaco and Andorra , where there is no income tax for residents.
'Historically tax havens have been popular no matter how the economy is. When someone buys a property in Monaco it often doesn't matter to them if it's a few million Euros as they're going to save more than that in tax during the time they stay there. Andorra is slightly different as it's a tax haven but also people buy ski apartments there, adding to demand'.
Andorra property prices have risen an average of ten per cent a year in the last decade, and some predictions are for that figure to be closer to fifteen per cent for 2006.
If governments do start introducing new air fare taxes to slow and possibly reverse the rise in air travel there could be good news for some property buyers though.
'In some areas the second home market has increased prices significantly, with many of the younger local population being forced to move away from their towns and villages', say Tribune Properties.
'The UK and US populations are quite mobile, but in some countries popular with holiday home buyers there are three or four generations of the same family in a village or town. But as overseas property buyers have moved in and pushed prices up, the younger generations ahave been forced to look away from these popular areas because they cannot afford a property in their home town anymore, and a lot of the local employment has become seasonal. If real estate prices come down they might be able to afford to live in the villages where they were brought up if they choose to do so. Some will still move away but at least they will have a choice.'
Conversely, far from changing traditional towns and villages into holiday resorts, overseas property buyers can sometimes have a positive affect on preserving traditional village life.
'In France for example, many of the rural villages were dying a slow death as the younger generations moved away to the bigger towns and cities to find work. British second home buyers have revived the villages by buying run down properties and renovated them, breathing new life into the communities. The property market is nothing if it isn't adaptable,' conclude Tribune, 'And while there will be regions that will suffer as a result of a declining market, there will be winners too.'
Tribune Properties offer Menorca property for sale and Andorra property via andorraproperty.info
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