FARM Insurance

Guide helps farmers discover potential opportunities, tax changes

2011-12-19T04:38:00.000-08:00

As 2011 draws to a close, so do opportunities for farmers to take advantage of certain provisions of the federal tax code, said OSU Extension-Ashtabula County educator David Marrison.

"The ability for bonus depreciation is changing, so if you're looking to make capital expenditures, this is the year to do it," Marrison said. "You can depreciate 100 percent now, it will go to 50 percent next year, and after that it could go away completely depending on what Congress does."

Marrison said during the past decade, Congress repeatedly has allowed faster depreciation of capital assets to stimulate business investment by providing a "bonus" depreciation allowance in the year the asset is bought.

The Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 extended the depreciation bonus for 2011 and 2012 to encourage new equipment purchasing. The additional first-year depreciation rules allow farmers to deduct on their 2011 income tax returns 100 percent of the cost of qualifying assets purchased in 2011 and 50 percent of the cost of qualifying assets in 2012.

The ability to write off capital purchases, however, isn't justification to make purchases just for the sake of limiting tax liabilities.

"Don't buy new paint or new steel without doing a comprehensive business analysis," Marrison advised. "Don't buy it just to buy it, but make sure it fits with your business plan and farm needs."

December is a key month for farmers as they finish harvest and consider last-minute strategies to manage potential tax liabilities. The Ohio Ag Manager newsletter is one resource to help understand potential opportunities, as well as impending changes to the tax code.

Farmers Tax Guides are available at Extension offices across the state. They give the latest information on what's new for 2011 and what might be new for 2012. Stop by and pick one up along with OSU Extension's 2011 Corn, Soybean and Forage Performance Trials booklet.

Mark Mechling is an extension educator, agriculture and natural resources, Muskingum County with The Ohio State University Extension Office and can be reached at (740) 454-0144 or mechling.1@osu.edu

What is farm insurance in India?

2011-11-30T00:40:00.001-08:00

Property home insurance has become a common term in India. They are getting home insurance quote and making regular efforts to get the best home insurance from leading companies in India. However, farm insurance has not been considered as seriously as it should by farmers and other individual around the country. They don't understand that the plan will definitely safeguard them from potential money loss due to varied types of problems including natural calamities. This is not all. The plan will also work towards reducing the number of unfortunate suicides happening in the country these days due to extra burden on farmers to work hard with many profits.

Farm insurance risks covered:

The farm insurance plans work towards offering ahighly comprehensive risk insurance plan to cover the yield losses that might occur to the agricultural production of small and marginal farmers as a result of unavoidable risks.

The farm insurancewill cover you for the risks stated below:

• Natural Fire
• Lightning
• Storm
• Hailstorm
• Cyclone
• Typhoon
• Tempest
• Hurricane
• Tornado
• Flood
• Inundation
• Landslide
• Drought
• Dry spells
• Pests
• Diseases

The crops insurance risks will not cover any losses that arise due out to war and nuclear risks, malicious damage and various other risks that are categorised under preventable risks.The sum insured under the farm insurance risks covered usually spreads to the overall value of the threshold production of the insured crop. The best thing about this kind of an insurance plan is that it will include farmers who have taken heavy loans for crops and other agricultural necessities.

The farm insurance in India is a boon to all farmers and those associate to the farming industry. Many companies offering property home insurance are now offeringfarm insurance plans. You must reach out to some of the home insurance quoteand farm insurance quote sites to get a plan that is tailor made for your requirements.

The farm insurance in India is a boon to all farmers and those associate to the farming industry. Many companies offering property home insuranceare now offeringfarm insurance plans. You must reach out to some of the home insurance quoteand farm insurance quote sites to get a plan that is tailor made for your requirements.

State Farm Insurance

2011-11-30T00:38:00.000-08:00

The Beginnings

State Farm insurance began in 1922, the invention of a man named George J. Mecherle. Mecherle thought that he could come up with a better insurance company than the rest, offering better coverage and great rates. So he did. Something about Mecherle's vision was right - more than eighty years later, State Farm Insurance is still going strong.

"In just over 80 years, State Farm Insurance Companies® has grown from a small farm mutual auto insurer to one of the world's largest financial institutions. But despite State Farm's growth, Mecherle's original philosophy of insurance coverage at a fair price coupled with fair claim settlement has remained."
State Farm web site, May 2006

State Farm, Today

With 25 operations centers in 13 zones, these days State Farm employs 79,200 people, including 16,700 plus agents. State Farm actively services 71.6 million insurance policies in the United States and Canada. Many awards have been received by State Farm for their equal opportunity employing methods, and for the number of jobs the company has created. State Farm strives to give back to the community, participating in many programs to further education and safety, including awarding grants and scholarships.

The Future of State Farm

"Our vision for the future is to be the customer's first and best choice in the products and services we provide. We will continue to be the leader in the insurance industry and we will become a leader in the financial services arena. Our customers' needs will determine our path. Our values will guide us."
- State Farm web site, May 2006

What State Farm Offers

State Farm can take care of all your insurance needs. They offer most types of insurance coverage. All the usual suspects of auto, home, life, renter's, and supplemental medical insurance are available through State Farm. Other insurance offerings include condo, long-term care, and Medicare supplement. The State Farm web site is very user-friendly and easy to use. Using the web site, consumers can obtain a quote on any type of policy named above, or find an agent, both within minutes. Answering a few quick questions will lead you to a free online quote, and a search feature makes finding an agent simple work.

You can also reach State Farm agents through online insurance quote web sites. This offers you the ability to compare rates from State Farm and from other independent agents or companies. Inquire with the site in question about the companies that will be providing a quote.

"State Farm's mission is to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected, and realize their dreams."
- State Farm web site, May 2006

Other Services

Not only does State Farm provide you with quality insurance, but the web site is a wealth of tools and information. A helpful learning center exists online for any who would like to learn more about retirement planning, college planning, savings strategies, prevention and safety, or life stages such as having a baby, marriage, or buying a home. There's even a "kid's stuff" section. Consumers can learn about reasons to have car insurance and what insurance policies do for you, and what they can mean in your life.

Trust

State Farm is truly one of the oldest names in insurance, and theirs is a name you can trust. If State Farm did not provide excellent customer service and satisfaction, there's no way there would still be going strong. Often, it's much cheaper to buy all your insurance plans through one carrier than through several different companies. State Farm can provide for all your insurance needs, without making you spend a fortune. Isn't it better to use a company you know you can depend on?

Home insurance companies set up for claims from wildfires

2011-09-12T01:32:00.001-07:00

Working from vans and temporary tents set up in parking lots, insurance agents spent Tuesday helping owners of fire-damaged homes file claims.

"We've been hearing of many total losses," said Jerry Davies, a spokesman with Farmers Insurance. "The first concern is helping customers find a place to live, food and clothing. Then we begin the process of the claims."

Farmers, State Farm, Allstate and other insurers have declared the Central Texas fires a catastrophe, which means they are sending in specialized claims workers and equipment to help customers through the process.

Although it's too soon to determine the total amount of insured property losses caused by Texas wildfires, 2011 will be the worst in state history, said Mark Hanna, a spokesman for the Insurance Council of Texas, a trade association of about 500 insurers.

The previous record was set in 2009, when fires caused more than $100 million in insured property damages statewide.

"This weekend, we just surpassed it by a long shot," Hanna said. "Unfortunately, conditions are right in the entire state for this to continue."

A dirt lot at St. Luke's on the Lake Episcopal Church on RM 620 served as a makeshift base for Farmers and State Farm adjusters, who worked with customers from nearby Steiner Ranch. Using laptops, satellite systems and Wi-Fi, they accessed policies, filled out forms and, in some cases, issued checks for emergency living expenses.

"Many in Steiner Ranch still don't know the extent of the damage because they haven't been able to see their homes yet," State Farm adjuster Shane Fordham said. "They're stopping by with questions about how to get started."

State Farm policyholders in Central Texas had filed 210 claims as of Tuesday afternoon, and that number was expected to continue to rise, said Patti Kelly, a spokeswoman for the state's largest insurer.

Brady Webster, a Farmers Insurance field claims supervisor who lives in Bastrop, said urban wildfires are different from many disasters.

"Typically our catastrophes are hail storms, hurricanes and wind storms," Webster said. "By the time we've reacted, the disaster has occurred. This event just keeps going."

On Tuesday, people showed up at an emergency claim center on Texas 71 in Bastrop to begin filing claims even as black-and-white smoke billowed over the city's horizon.

"Most of our walk-ups want to file their claim and tell their story," Webster said. "But many are working on assumptions and hearsay. They don't know if their house is gone or whether their animals are alive."

Many residents couldn't confirm the damage to their homes because Bastrop-area neighborhoods remained closed Tuesday as firefighters struggled to contain the fire.

Insurance officials have encouraged people who have been evacuated to make contact with their insurance agent whether they know if their home is damaged or not. Once an insurance company has received a claim, it has 15 days to say whether it has accepted or rejected the claim. Most policies allow for an appraisal process to settle claim disputes.

As the threat of wildfires continues, officials are urging all Central Texas homeowners to have insurance, banking and other paperwork in order and easy to access in case of sudden evacuation.

Farm insurance hard to understand

2011-09-12T01:31:00.001-07:00

What is the biggest difficulty facing the agriculture insurance pilot programme one month into its implementation?

The first difficulty is that premium rates and pay out schedules have yet to be established to attract farmers to purchase agricultural insurance. Second, the programme requires farmers to follow specific production guidelines.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) recently issued production process guidelines for cultivation and breeding. All farming households involved in the production process will be insured to minimise fragmented farming. We can not wait until farmers finish land aggregation to implement agriculture insurance.

Accordingly, it is possible to insure an entire production zone, meaning anyone in that area, regardless if they have one sao (equivalent to 360 sq.m) or one hectare of production area, is eligible for the insurance provided that they follow MARD production process guidelines as well as all local regulations.

Localities are still identifying production zones for the pilot programme.

What reactions have farmers had to agriculture insurance?

They feel inspired when taking part in the agriculture insurance programme. However, participating households have found it difficult to follow the production guidelines. Non-participating households might find the guidelines tough to follow but we will try our best to help them obey the proper processes.

The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs recently completed its surveys of poor households. By this I mean the number of poor households has been specified.

However, the life of a farmer is precarious and natural disasters could easily push them back into poverty. Therefore, the number of poor households will be adjusted every year, which will also provide a basis to determine how much support they will receive when taking part in the agriculture insurance programme.

What have the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, cities and provinces done to provide agriculture insurance?

We disseminated information about the program-me to farmers in targeted provinces immediately after a related Prime Minister decision came into effect on July 1.

The agriculture ministry also informed them about which natural calamities, epidemic diseases and production process they would be insured against. It invited all localities taking part in the pilot programme to contribute opinions to legal documents relevant to agriculture insurance.

It asked participating localities to set up steering committees for the implementation of agriculture insurance. It is relatively easy to implement insurance with cultivation and aquaculture but that is not the case with the husbandry sector. — VNS

Crop Insurance Deadline is March 15

2011-03-09T03:36:00.000-08:00

March 15 is the deadline to purchase crop insurance for the 2011 crop year.A good crop insurance program is a key part of a solid risk-management plan for a farm business. Farm operators are encouraged to discuss the new COMBO insurance options, as well as other 2011 crop insurance needs and options with their crop insurance agents before the March 15 deadline.

The new Common Crop Insurance Policy (COMBO) is in effect for the 2011 crop year. Following are the 2011 crop insurance options under the COMBO insurance policies:

Yield Protection (YP) – The new YP policy option will replace and be equivalent to the former actual yield production (APH) policies, or yield only insurance protection. The biggest difference in the YP policy option for 2011 from the AYP policies in 2010 will be the price determination for insurance coverage. Previously, the prices used for AYP insurance policies were pre-determined prior to the crop insurance sign-up period by RMA, and now under YP, prices are based on average Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) prices in the month of February, similar to revenue insurance products.

Revenue Protection (RP) – The new RP policy option in 2011 will function similarly to the way that crop revenue coverage (CRC) policies and revenue assurance with the harvest price option (RA-HPO) policies functioned in 2010 and earlier. Producers who choose RP options for 2011 are guaranteed minimum dollars of gross revenue per acre (yield x price) based on yield history (APH) and the average CBOT prices in February for spring crops. The revenue guarantee is increased for final insurance calculations if average CBOT prices in October are higher than the February prices.
Revenue Protection with Harvest Price Exclusion (RPE) – The new RPE insurance policy option in 2011 is equivalent to the basic revenue assurance (RA) policies, without the harvest price option, that existed in 2010 and before. The biggest difference between the RPE and RP options is that the minimum revenue guarantee (yield and price) is fixed, based on the February CBOT prices for spring crops, and can not be increased based later.

The 2011 crop prices for YP policies, as well as the base prices for RP and RPE policies, will be $6.01/bu. for corn and $13.49/bu. for soybeans.

Bottom line on crop insurance decisions:

View crop insurance decisions from a risk-management perspective. How much financial risk can you handle if there are greatly reduced crop yields due to weather problems and/or lower-than-expected crop prices ?

Take the time to verify yields and keep good yield records from year to year. You can greatly enhance your insurance protection with YP or RP and RPE options at little or no extra cost by doing a good job of maintaining the maximum APH on farm units.

There are a wide variety of crop insurance policies and coverage levels available. Make sure you are comparing apples to apples when comparing crop insurance premium costs for various options or types of crop insurance policies, and recognize the limitations of the various crop insurance products.

Take a good look at the 80% and 85% coverage levels, especially if you are using enterprise units with RP policies. You will be surprised how much additional protection can be added at these higher coverage levels for a modest increase in premium costs. Many producers will be able to guarantee over $800/acre for corn and over $500/acre for soybeans.

Be cautious when considering enterprise units,GRIP or GRIP-HP policies for 2011. Enterprise units and GRIP policies become quite attractive due to significantly lower premium costs compared to optional units on RP policies. However, enterprise units and GRIP policies are based on larger coverage areas, and do not necessarily cover losses from isolated storms or crop damage that affect individual farm units.
Investigate the potential of the BYE on eligible corn acres. There will be a significant premium savings with the BYE on corn acres in 2011. However, producers should find out all details of BYE prior to sign-up, and remember to follow the compliance regulations for the BYE.

Where to get more information on 2011 Crop Insurance alternatives. A reputable crop insurance agent is the best source of information to find out more details of the various coverage plans, to get premium quotes and to help finalize 2011 crop insurance decisions.

Noninsured crop disaster assistance deadline nears

2011-03-09T03:34:00.000-08:00

Farm Service Agency officials are reminding farmers the deadline is Tuesday to sign up for Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) coverage and crop insurance on most spring-seeded crops.

NAP is designed to cover losses due to damaging weather conditions.

The program covers losses of more than 50 percent of normal yields or the farm's yield calculated using actual production histories.

The cost per policy is $250 per crop per producer, with a $750 cap per county. NAP coverage begins 30 days after the application is filed and the $250 administrative fee has been paid.

Producers are encouraged to contact the Jefferson/Washington County FSA office to obtain NAP coverage or for additional information call (636) 789-2441 or visit the FSA Web site at www.fsa.usda.gov.

Punt Block Specialist Paul Slaughter at it Again, Wins Farm Bureau Insurance of Sullivan County Player of the Week Award

2010-11-04T05:47:00.000-07:00

Dobyns-Bennett’s Paul Slaughter became a marked man after blocking two punts against Sullivan South earlier this season. Despite the special attention, Slaughter was it again in the Tribe’s win over Volunteer.

Midway through the first quarter, Slaughter broke free and blocked a Falcon punt deep in Volunteer territory. Not content with just the block, Slaughter picked up the loose pigskin and scooted two yards to the end zone to give the Indians a 14-0 lead on their way to an easy 42-0 victory.

“Paul’s got a knack for finding his way to the punter,” said Dobyns-Bennett head coach Graham Clark. “Even when he doesn’t get there, he’s occupied one or two guys long enough they effectiveness is limited on punt coverage.”

The Farm Bureau Insurance of Sullivan County Dobyns-Bennett Special Teams Player of the Week Award is the second of the season for Slaughter.

Farm Bureau Insurance is offered through the Tennessee Farmers Insurance Companies, a group of affiliated companies working together to provide insurance services to Tennesseans. Farm Bureau is a leading writer of property insurance in Tennessee, the number one life insurance provider in the state and the number two provider of auto insurance. Farm Bureau offers its products through agents located in every county of Tennessee.

National Flood Insurance Program Receives Extension

2010-10-10T02:03:00.000-07:00

Acting Insurance Commissioner Robert L. Pratter today announced that the federal flood insurance program has been extended for one more year and reminded Pennsylvanians to consider buying flood insurance to protect their homes and businesses.

"After three lapses this year, it is finally official -- the National Flood Insurance Program has been extended for one more year," said Pratter. "This is welcome news to many people in our state who could be affected by flooding or who wished to buy or sell a home and were not able to do so, because the property was in a designated flood-plain and flood insurance was required."

Standard homeowner policies do not include coverage for flood damage. Also, there is a 30-day waiting period before a flood policy becomes effective.

Run-off water, inadequate drainage or dam failure can cause thousands of dollars in damage. Homeowners and business owners should discuss flood insurance with their insurance professional as soon as possible.

Information detailing coverage and how to obtain flood insurance can be found at www.floodsmart.gov, the official site of this federally-funded resource for flood victims.

The President recently signed the National Flood Insurance Program Re-extension Act of 2010, which extends the program until Sept. 30, 2011. Consumers who were seeking to renew their policies or purchase a new policy may now proceed.

West Virginia Tops Deer Hit List

2010-10-10T02:02:00.000-07:00

Car versus deer incidents in West Virginia are higher than any other state in the country.

WHEELING -- A new report by State Farm Insurance shows West Virginia with the highest risk of deer vs. car accidents of any state in the country.
State Farm reports the odds of hitting a deer in the state are 1 in 42.

This is the fourth year in a row that West Virginia tops the list.

State farm insurance agent lists 2BD condo in Moraga

2010-09-18T01:19:00.002-07:00

The 1,657-square-foot condo is one of the 45 units at Moraga Country Club, a development built in 1973 in Moraga West. It is located in the School Tree subdivision.

Dan Dahlen of Westfield Brokers is the listing agent for the home.

Mr. McSpadden is a State Farm insurance agent in Moraga, California.

According to BlockShopper.com, there has been one condo sale in Moraga during the past 12 months, with a median sales price of $480,000.

Govt okays modified farm insurance scheme

2010-09-18T01:19:00.001-07:00

New Delhi, Sept 16

The Government on Thursday approved the Modified National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (MNAIS).

Significantly, private sector insurers with adequate infrastructure and experience will also be allowed in the implementation of MNAIS.

“With the introduction of the modified scheme, it is expected that an increased number of farmers will be able to manage risk in agriculture production in a better way and will succeed in stabilising farm income particularly at times of crop failure on account of natural calamities,” an official statement said.

Central sector scheme

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs gave its approval for making budgetary provisions of Rs 358 crore for the MNAIS for 2010-11 and 2011-12.

The scheme will be implemented as a Central Sector Scheme on a pilot basis in 50 districts in last two years of 11th Five- Year Plan starting from the rabi season of 2010-11, the statement said.

Keeping in view the risks in agriculture production, the Agriculture Ministry has been implementing the National Agricultural Insurance Scheme (NAIS) as a Central Sector Scheme since rabi season 1999-2000 to insure the farming community against these risks.

It was reviewed after many deficiencies in the scheme were identified during its implementation.

The MNAIS has been formulated, incorporating the necessary modifications in consultation with States to remove the deficiencies and make it more comprehensive and farmer-friendly.

Terms of the scheme

In the MNAIS, actuarial premiums will be paid for insuring the crops and hence the claims liability would be on the insurer.

The unit area of insurance for major crops will be the village panchayat.

Besides, the indemnity amount shall be payable for prevented sowing/planting risk and for post-harvest losses due to cyclone.

According to MNAIS, ‘on account payment' up to 25 per cent of likely claims would be released as advance to provide immediate relief to farmers.

There will be uniform seasonality discipline for loanee and non-loanee farmers.

It also has a more proficient basis for calculation of threshold yield and minimum indemnity level of 70 per cent instead of 60 per cent.

MNAIS with improved features will have two components — compulsory and voluntary.

Loanee farmers will be insured under ‘compulsory category' while non-loanee farmers will be insured under ‘voluntary category.'

New flood maps could mean increases in home insurance

2010-08-14T21:09:00.000-07:00

NARRAGANSETT — The Federal Emergency Management Agency is in the process of updating Narragansett’s flood maps, as well as maps across the state as part of their national Flood Map Modernization Program and the new boundaries could cause some residents to see changes in their insurance needs when they go into effect on Oct. 19.

“FEMA recognized that in many areas of the country, the maps were more than 10 years old,” said Jason Parker, environmental planning specialist with the town.

“The most important thing is some people are going to be [affected] that weren’t before,” Parker said.

An exhaustive analysis of the new map hasn’t been done, though Parker estimates that the new boundaries will affect approximately 140 to 150 dwellings within Narragansett.

Residents who possess a federally backed mortgage are required to obtain flood insurance. If the dwelling is owned outright, then residents can purchase it on their own accord. Several weeks ago, Parker sent letters to those residents who may be affected by the change, explaining the situation and providing additional information.

Those who are now in the flood zone should look at purchasing insurance soon, said Parker. “If you purchase a policy before the maps go into effect, they will be grandfathered-in to a low-risk rate,” he said.

He added that those who choose not to purchase insurance before Oct. 19 could see a marked increase in insurance prices and premiums. To maintain the lower-rate premiums, flood insurance policies cannot lapse. Those who purchase insurance must maintain on-time payments or risk conversion to a high-risk premium. Also, if a resident wishes to sell their property in the future, the grandfathered-in flood insurance policy is transferable and the low-risk rate can be passed on to new homeowners provided there is no gap in coverage.

UK house insurance premiums to rise dramatically as climate change increases flood risk

2010-08-14T21:08:00.000-07:00

Climate change will increase the risk of flooding in the UK, which could lead to dramatic rises in insurance premiums for homeowners and businesses and make some areas of the country uninsurable, the Association of British Insurers has warned.

"Flood risk is the main catastrophic risk in the UK and we know that climate change will bring increased flood risk to the UK," said Nick Starling, director of general insurance and health at the ABI.

He said the pattern and nature of floods in recent years suggested that global warming was starting to have an impact: the severe floods in the summer of 2007 and the Cumbrian floods last year were caused by heavy downpours that did not dissipate.

"What our members are concerned about is the increase in areas of flood risk so that some areas may become impossible to insure," he added. He pointed to some "frankly daft planning decisions" where new homes were being built on flood plains.

The insurance industry has already warned that it may not insure new developments in flood plains if the properties were granted planning approval against Environment Agency advice.

The agency estimates that one in six homes in England and Wales are at risk of flooding. A spokesman said: "The latest UK climate change data shows this will increase in future due to rising sea levels and more frequent and heavy storms. Since the 2007 floods, the Environment Agency has completed 158 schemes and increased protection to 128,000 properties."

The ABI's forecast modelling shows that if temperatures rise by 2C, average annual insurance losses would go up by £47m and the risk of a once-in-a-century event would increase by £769m, which could push up the price of insurance by 16%. A temperature rise of 4C is estimated to increase annual losses by £80m and premiums could go up by 27%, while an increase of 6C would lead to additional annual insurance losses of £138m, pushing up prices by 47%.

Starling argues that while public spending is being squeezed, cutting back on investment in flood defences would be a false economy. "Damage done to schools and hospitals, not to mention homes and businesses, can cost billions to repair. For every £1 spent on protecting communities from the devastating impact of floods, £8 is saved to the economy," he will tell the Local Government Flood Forum on Thursday.

The 2007 floods, which hit Northern Ireland, Yorkshire, the Midlands, Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire and South Wales, cost the insurance industry £3bn while the Cumbrian floods last November led to property and motor insurance claims worth £200m.

"We all want flood insurance to continue to be widely available and competitively priced beyond 2013," says Starling. "But for this to happen we need the government to keep to its pledge, under our agreement, to deliver a long-term flood management strategy backed by the right level of investment. This must include robust planning decisions, so that new homes are not built in areas at high risk of flooding."

Flood insurance may be worth high cost

2010-08-14T21:06:00.000-07:00

It’s probably a case of closing the barn door after the horse escapes, but this week’s flooding in Ames has moved the idea of flood insurance to the fore.

State Farm Insurance Agent Pat Brown said most of her clients don’t carry flood insurance unless federal law requires it.

She said insurance companies act as brokers, selling coverage to the federal government, which then provides it for property owners.

Insurance companies typically offer additional “endorsements” to customers to cover damage for sewer backups or sump pump failures, but anything more than that requires flood insurance, Brown said.

“If water seeps through basement walls or breaks the basement windows, that’s flood damage, and it’s hard for people to get their arms around that,” Brown said.

In spite of the fact that flood insurance isn’t that popular, Brown said her agency was busy Wednesday.

Tom Alger, spokesman for the Iowa Insurance Division, said most residential policies exclude flood damage. Broken or frozen pipes are covered, he said, but not flooding. Banks require property owners to buy flood insurance if their buildings are located in flood plains, Alger said.

The state agency encourages people to buy flood coverage every year, whether or not they live in a flood plain, he said.

“We remind people annually that one out of every four ‘flood events,’ as we call them, happens outside flood plains,” Alger said.

Alger and Brown said people can calculate what they might expect to pay by visiting the federal government website www.floodsmart.gov.

They said the site lets users type in their address to receive information about whether their property is in a high-risk area and what they might expect to pay for residential and commercial coverage on buildings and contents.

State Farm appeals $310 million fine

2010-03-20T21:32:00.001-07:00

In 2003, State Farm Lloyds (State Farm), a previously non-rate-regulated insurer in Texas that provided homeowners insurance to millions of Texas residents, became subject to a then-newly enacted temporary rate regulation regimen by the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) in 2003. State Farm filed its rates in June 2003, and TDI shortly thereafter found the rates excessive, and (1) ordered a 12% rate reduction and (2) ordered State Farm to refund policyholders who had been over-charged. State Farm appealed the order in the Texas district court, which found TDI’s ruling unconstitutionally “confiscatory,” as it essentially would have put State Farm at risk of insolvency (the refunds would have amounted to approximately $1 billion). TDI appealed, but the Texas appellate court affirmed.

Thereafter, in late 2008, TDI noticed a public rehearing on the matter. The re-hearing took place between March and May of 2009. On November 16, 2009, TDI issued its order after re-hearing. Its order reduced the amount of the previously ordered reduction, resulting in a reduction of the refund TDI ordered to approximately $310 million. On December 7, 2009, State Farm timely appealed the order, which also included a provision noting that State Farm’s refund obligations under the order are stayed until the matter is resolved in the courts.

Insurers losing money despite lack of storms

2010-03-20T21:31:00.000-07:00

After four hurricane-free years in central and South Florida, insurance companies should have been raking in the profits. All that premium money pouring in — and no big catastrophe claims checks going out.

Not so. Most of the state’s insurance companies report they are losing money. If the numbers are valid, the next big storm could not only destroy your home but also the company that insures it.

Based on insurers’ 2009 annual reports, 50 of out 70 Florida-based companies posted losses on their insurance business for the year; 31 of the companies reported a drop in reserves — the money insurers set aside to pay claims.

These Florida-based companies, many of them small, write about 52 percent of the residential homeowners insurance in the state. The rest is written by Citizens Property Insurance, the state-run company; State Farm Florida Insurance, the largest private carrier; and several dozen companies based outside of Florida.

The dreary financial reports coincide with a push in Tallahassee to pass legislation that would free up insurance companies to raise their rates at will — as much as 5 percent initially and as much as 15 percent in the future. Right now, any rate increase requires state approval.

Some are puzzled at how insurers can be doing so poorly during a time when hurricanes have bypassed Florida.

“Our insurance companies ought to be making good profits,” said Alex Sink, the state’s chief financial officer and a candidate for governor. Sink has asked Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty for a status report on the financial health of Florida-based insurers. It’s due Wednesday.

The companies aren’t alone in issuing dire warnings about the industry.

Demotech, a Columbus, Ohio-based rating agency, withdrew positive ratings on 10 Florida companies over the past year, including Magnolia Insurance, Edison Insurance and two insurers operated by Northern Capital Group.

A.M. Best, another rating agency, downgraded five Florida-based insurers — different ones — because they didn’t meet capitalization or other requirements.

And yet, in a move likely to fuel skepticism about insurance company losses, one company, Southern Oak, was just slapped by the state for overpaying a sister company to perform routine paperwork, pay agents and resolve claims.

It made Southern Oak’s bottom line look worse than it actually was.

If insurance companies are as bad off as they say they are, South Florida residents are especially at risk. In Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties, about 776,404 — nearly 55 percent of the 1.4 million insured homes — are covered by smaller firms that collect less than $200 million in annual premiums.

If a homeowner’s insurer goes belly up, the state’s guaranty fund will pay up to $500,000 — which might not cover all of the homeowner’s losses. Those payments could result in additional taxes for Floridians if the guaranty fund runs out of money to pay losses and needs to raise more.

Insurers say they have been left vulnerable by a combination of factors, including:

n The state’s determination to hit the brakes on rate increases. Numerous rate hike requests have been whittled down or rejected.

n The rise in the cost of “reinsurance” — backup insurance that companies buy to limit their exposure in the event of a disaster.

n The state’s schedule of wind mitigation discounts, which grants major rate cuts to homeowners who buy shutters and pay for other improvements to make their homes more hurricane-ready. Companies complain the discounts are overly generous.

n The reopening of Hurricane Wilma claims as policyholders put in for additional losses — often at the insistence of public adjusters, who represent homeowners.

n As in the case of Southern Oak, the payment of overly generous commissions to affiliated companies that drain revenue from the insurer and leave it with little income or sometimes even losses.

Regulators and lawmakers have started to focus on this last problem.

Last week, state Rep. Alan Hays, R-Umatilla, called for an investigation, noting some company executives are paid big bonuses, and generous commissions go to sister companies at the same time the insurer is agitating for higher rates.

Some remedies are emerging in Tallahassee. One is a massive insurance bill that would require each property insurer operating in Florida to boost its reserves to $15 million; the current requirement: just $4 million.

It would also allow insurers to increase rates to offset those mitigation credits. While good for insurance companies, that would cost homeowners big money.

Meanwhile, for the first time in three years, rate hikes are winning approval from the state. Over the past 10 months, regulators have OK’d 75 rate increases — some for more than 20 percent — for insurers selling home and windstorm coverage. Insurers say it’s not enough and that higher increases still are needed so companies can sock away revenue to pay future claims.

The state’s largest insurer, State Farm, which won a 14.9 percent rate increase last year, says it had an underwriting loss of $463.9 million in 2009. In conjunction with the rate hike, the company got permission to drop 125,000 Florida policies.

State Farm and other Florida insurers say they have been undermined by a 2007 law that required insurers to lower rates if they purchased reinsurance from the state’s catastrophe fund at lower than the going rate in the private market. Savings had to be passed on to customers.

The same 2007 law froze the rates charged by Citizens Property Insurance, the state-run insurer, through 2009 and freed the company to compete head-on with private carriers. Locking in the rates at Citizens put the private insurers at a disadvantage, those companies say.

There was a time when Citizens was mandated to have the highest rates in the state. No longer.

State Farm Sends Out Non Renewal Notices

2010-01-29T20:58:00.000-08:00

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- While the First Coast may not be as hard hit as State Farm customers in the Tampa area, the non-renewal notices are still getting mixed reaction.

Victoria Baer is a State Farm customer. "I've been a policyholder for 26 years," said Baer.

Even so Baer, an advertising business owner, said she understands the company's decision to drop 125,000 customers throughout the state.

"I know they don't want to let go of any policyholder; it is money for them, what's not money for them is the risk," said Baer.

The company's decision is part of a settlement reached with the Office of Insurance Regulation to leaving Florida completely.

The company was granted a 14.8 percent rate increase instead of the 47.1 percent it was requesting.

David Miller, president of Brightway Insurance, said the homeowner's insurance market is now competitive and State Farm customers will be able to find coverage.

"I think when they go to shop, some that are being forced, they're going to find that there are actually some tremendous savings and this could end up being a blessing in disguise for many people."

At least 13 companies, including American Integrity and Security First and United Property & Casualty have been approved by State Farm to work with its agents to provide coverage for the policies that are being dropped.

Homeowners will have 180 days from the non-renewal notice to find new coverage.

State Farm insures nearly 714,000 homeowners in Florida.

Top 5 Tips to Home Insurance Claims

2010-01-10T03:01:00.001-08:00

Homeowners can take steps to let the claim process run more smoothly, helping prevent their homeowners insurance claim from being denied, according to a recent article on InsuranceAgents.com.

In many parts of the country, homeowners are trying to pick up the pieces of their homes belongings, damaged from high winds and severe storms. Extreme weather has ripped off roofs, flooded homes, torn down walls. It would be best if homeowners included features to their homes including hurricane shutters, strong and sturdy roofing material, storm doors, impact-proof window glass, etc. But not all homeowners get around to installing these items. And once the damage is done, it's done. After disaster strikes and damage's one's home, homeowners end up praying that their homeowners insurance claims to their providers will not be denied.

If disaster strikes-say, a flood, for instance-it's important for homeowners not to waste any time. Filing the homeowners insurance claim immediately is the first step to making the claim process go smoothly. Homeowners should ask their insurance agent exactly what information regarding the disaster situation they need from them to file the claim.

The InsuranceAgents.com article, 'How to File a Homeowners Insurance Claim,' strongly encourages homeowners to assess the damage done and then document it. "It's always a good idea to document any damages that occur in your home. Take photographs or video (closer photos provide more details) of your furniture, any damaged rooms and walls, your own personal belongings, etc. Separate all of your personal belongings and home content-the damaged from the undamaged."

It is also not recommended for homeowners to throw away any damaged content, as the insurance claims adjuster will want to inspect it.

Now is the time for homeowners to educate themselves on how to disaster-proof their home; it's important for them to know the ins and outs of filing a homeowners insurance claim. Let's face it-these days, paying to repair home damages out-of-pocket isn't always money many homeowners have lying around. In fact, it can cause a serious strain on years' worth of savings. Obtaining a strong home insurance policy and also knowing how to file a homeowners insurance claim can mean the difference between severe debt and extreme savings if a natural disaster were to strike.

Halifax Home Insurance gives cold weather advice

2010-01-10T02:59:00.001-08:00

You might be tired of hearing about the big freeze and fed up with the icy conditions outside, but protecting your home against the cold should still be top of the checklist. Insurer Halifax is advising home owners to take the severe weather warnings seriously, as the Met Office is predicting more snow over the next 10 days.

One of the most important considerations when it comes to keeping your home warm and toasty is making sure the loft is properly insulated. Water pipes and the water tank also need to be insulated to avoid the horror of burst pipes and the huge financial impact it can have.

“The average cost to repair damage by a burst pipe is around £2000, so it is worth taking steps to prevent frozen pipes, making sure you have adequate insurance in place. It’s also worth knowing what to do to limit the damage if a pipe does actually burst.” Martyn Foulds of Halifax explained.

An unlucky 16% of all home insurance claims with halifax between the beginning of December and the beginning of January were down to this familiar scenario.

Pay less now or pay more later. Flood insurance rates to increase as of Sept. 11 when new maps go into effect

2009-08-20T19:55:00.000-07:00

Five Towns residents only have three weeks to take advantage of cheaper, grandfathered in rates on flood insurance which will only be available before the new flood map take effect on Sept. 11, said a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) official.

“Flood elevation is up by four feet,” said Richard Einhorn, of both FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security. “If you have a mortgage, the bank will require you to get flood insurance. Buy flood insurance before the new maps go in. If you wait too long, there's a possibility your bank will call you, and you'll be out of luck for grandfathering.”

Some 27,000 homes in Nassau County are being added to the flood plan when the new map goes into effect. Einhorn encouraged all residents to look up their flood risk online at www.floodsmart.gov, as well as check the new flood map to see whether their area is affected by the changes. He added that the Web site will give you the names of the closest flood insurance agents to your home.

“It's the difference between paying wholesale and resale,” said Monte Rosenzweig, an insurance agent with Gold Standard Agency Inc. in Woodmere. “If you purchase insurance now, you're going to save thousands of dollars.” He added that flood insurance is transferrable to a future owner of a property, so investing in insurance now can save someone money for years.

Residents should check whether the new flood map affects them, Rosenzweig said. “If the zone of your home changes, you're making a tremendous mistake by not buying flood insurance right now.”

Some manufactured home owners get bad news from State Farm

2009-08-20T19:53:00.000-07:00

Jack Spikes loves the view from the back porch of his manufactured home on the bank of the Chattahoochee River near Columbia.

The flow of the lazy river is peaceful, calm. He remembers seeing alligators in the river and coyotes near the home, as well as other wildlife. It’s why he made his vacation getaway a permanent residence several years ago.

“This was once the best kept secret in the Wiregrass,” Spikes said.

But Spikes can take a walk off his back porch and point to the watermark that still exists on a nearby structure almost 20 years after the Chattahoochee left its banks and flooded the area. He can point to another place where the water rose in 1995.

Spikes said he remembers filing insurance claims on the flood, included as a part of his regular homeowner’s policy.

“And they paid, right away,” he said.

Last month, however, Spikes received a letter from State Farm which said changes were being made to all manufactured home policies in the state. Flood insurance would no longer be included in the regular homeowner’s policy. Spikes said he was offered a separate flood insurance policy for $2,500 a year.

“That’s more than I can pay,” Spikes said.

Local State Farm agent Don Thompson said the changes were a simple matter of profit and loss. He said State Farm was one of the few agencies that had continued to offer the flood coverage at no extra cost, and could not afford to include it any longer.

“We had been paying thousands of flood claims without collecting the proper premiums,” Thompson said. “Just couldn’t give it away anymore.”

Thompson said the changes affected several of his clients around the Chattahoochee and Lake Eufaula.

“Most of them understood,” Thompson said.

But $2,500 is too steep for Spikes. He said he plans to take his chances.

“The Corps of Engineers has done a real good job of controlling the flow. It hasn’t flooded in a long time,” he said.

“But you never know.”

The insurance co-op is already in your neighborhood

2009-08-20T19:50:00.000-07:00

It's like a good neighbor -- and State Farm Insurance is probably American's most successful and best-known member-owned cooperative.

Whether the government could replicate its success by creating health care co-ops is far from certain -- and highly unlikely.

"When the Senate says we are going to have a co-op, what they are really saying is we are going to have a government-run program that will remain so until the government decides to turn it over to members," said Michael Cannon, a health care policy expert at the Cato Institute. "There is a lot of reason to doubt."

Barry Manilow reportedly wrote the schmaltzy jingle the insurance giant uses to this day. The company was founded in 1922 by a retired farmer and insurance salesman who started his own company with a couple of friends. Some modern advocates of creating a co-op system for health care have cited the State Farm example as a workable model. The company says it serves more than 75 million policies in North America, according to its Web site. At the end of each year, the company turns profits over to policy holders -- more than $1 billion in 2007.

Barry Manilow reportedly wrote the schmaltzy jingle the insurance giant uses to this day. The company was founded in 1922 by a retired farmer and insurance salesman who started his own company with a couple of friends. Some modern advocates of creating a co-op system for health care have cited the State Farm example as a workable model. The company says it serves more than 75 million policies in North America, according to its Web site. At the end of each year, the company turns profits over to policy holders -- more than $1 billion in 2007.

But the practical realities of creating a cooperative of any size are staggering and do not easily translate to the current health care debate.

A group health cooperative, as loosely envisioned by advocates in Congress and elsewhere, would comprise stakeholder members enrolling voluntarily who would pick policies, managers and more.

Shifting a group into a newly created health cooperative would take time, money, organization, assistance and significant government oversight. It's not even clear how long it would take for co-ops to get up and running, or if members would experience a gap in coverage in the meantime.

Lawmakers have said health co-ops could be eligible for a portion of about $6 billion that could be set aside as startup funds -- another significant departure from the private insurance company model.

Cannon said there would be significant disincentives for the government to cut ties with health co-ops and turn them over entirely to members.

"It would mean the politicians could keep handing out the goodies to constituents like doctors and other providers, and could wield more influence," Cannon said.

State Farm to raise homeowners insurance rates as much as 14 percent in Dallas area

2009-08-04T22:23:00.000-07:00

AUSTIN – State Farm Insurance filed notice with the state Wednesday that it will raise its homeowner policies as much as 14.4 percent in the Dallas area, becoming the third and largest insurer to hike rates in the past month.

State Farm officials blamed the boost on a slew of spring storms unleashing hail damage in North Texas, as well as the rising price of building materials. Statewide, the rate increase averages about 8.5 percent, with the new rates hitting existing customers when they renew policies after Oct. 1. New customers will pay the higher rates starting Sept. 1.

The spike in premium costs also follows the devastation wreaked by Hurricanes Dolly and Ike last year.

Mark Hanna of the Insurance Council of Texas, an industry group, said Ike in particular was devastating, causing $10 billion in insurance losses.

"It was the costliest storm in state history," Hanna said. Rates had been stable for about six years, he said, but "then Ike kicked us over the edge."

Consumer groups said the jumps follow years of fat profits for insurance companies in Texas.

"The reality is that the rates homeowners have been paying have already been deemed to be too high and the coverage has been significantly less. So in truth, homeowners are paying more for their insurance and getting less," said Alex Winslow, executive director of Texas Watch.

He said he wasn't surprised by State Farm's decision after seeing Farmers Insurance recently announce an average statewide hike in its rates of 10 percent to 12.6 percent, followed by Allstate's 6.2 percent increase last week. They are the state's three largest insurers; State Farm alone has 1.2 million homeowners and rental insurance companies.

"I was waiting to see State Farm fill out the trifecta," Winslow said.

He said he believes insurance companies were "emboldened" after the Legislature adjourned this year without tackling insurance regulations.

Insurers can file their rate increases with the Texas Department of Insurance and immediately apply them to policies. The department then studies the rates to ensure they can be justified by actuarial data. If not, the agency can order refunds and rate rollbacks.

But State Farm has been legally challenging a rebate ordered six years ago, saying its rates always have been fair and competitive and they do not owe consumers a rebate. The case, which is awaiting a ruling from Insurance Commissioner Mike Geeslin, could cost the company as much as $1 billion. And it's one of the reasons lawmakers debated changing the system to require prior state approval of insurance rates.

The spate of premium increases is spilling into the political arena, especially in the Republican governor's race.

Landlord rules 101: Get the right insurance policy

2009-08-04T22:19:00.000-07:00

If you are having trouble selling your home, maybe it's time to think landlord.

A growing number of homeowners who need to relocate for a job or other reason are renting out their homes instead of selling them so they can wait until the market improves. At the same time, investors are taking advantage of low prices to buy rental properties.

Allstate has seen a 27 percent increase in the number of homeowners who switched their insurance policies to landlord policies, compared with year-ago figures. Travelers also said they're seeing a similar increase. So is State Farm Insurance, but less so.

"When you become a landlord, your property goes from a residence to a place of business," says Julie Parsons, vice president of consumer household at Allstate.

That requires a landlord insurance policy, which covers the property and your exposure if anyone gets hurt in it.

These typically cover the building in case it's damaged or destroyed by fire, lightning, wind, hail, cars or collapse from ice, snow or sleet. It also covers the landlord's personal property used by the tenant or used to maintain the house. This could include appliances and landscaping machinery like snow blowers and lawnmowers.

Landlord policies don't include any protection against flooding or offer compensation for damage to renter property. And depending on the how extensive the coverage is, it might also exclude damage from sewer backup, earthquake, vandalism and theft.

Allstate's average annual premium for a basic landlord policy package is $650, but costs can vary widely depending on the state, the amount of insurance and the deductible. Insurance companies also take into account building costs, neighborhood crime, square footage, as well as features like pools and fireplaces, and credit history.

To get a discounted price, some insurers offer an umbrella policy that combines other insurance, like car and homeowner's insurance, with the landlord policy.

More important, the coverage helps protect you from liability if someone gets hurt on your property. Some policies also pay for some or all of your legal expenses. It also will pay for some or all the medical expenses for people injured on the property if the landlord is found responsible.

Unlike a homeowner's policy, the landlord policy also will compensate for lost rent if the building is uninhabitable because of damage that is covered by the insurance. This is a big deal for a landlord who relies solely on that income, especially if a building is under repairs for a long time.

"What if you need to rebuild the building? What about that income?" says Ed Charlebois, vice president of personal lines at Travelers.

Landlords can add on other options, for a price, to either increase how much money an insurance company will pay out or to expand coverage to certain events.

For example, a landlord may want protection from burglary or vandalism. Or, he may want to insure against building code violations and fire department charges. Some companies allow you to insure specific property like satellite dishes.

Like homeowner's insurance, landlord policies don't include any protection against flooding. That coverage is available through the National Flood Insurance Program. It includes building coverage with personal property coverage as an option.

While flood coverage can be expensive in high flood zones, it could help offset a huge hit to your finances if your property is flooded. The average flood claim totaled more than $33,000 over the past 10 years, according to the government, and just a few inches of water can cause damage costing thousands of dollars. And most mortgage lenders require flood protection if you live in a high flood zone.

Renters also can get their own flood insurance from the National Flood Insurance Program to protect their personal belongings. Landlords may want to recommend tenants to buy that and their own renter's insurance since landlord policies don't cover a renter's property. Some of the large national apartment owners require their tenants to buy renter's insurance.

To head off any disputes with your insurance company if you need to file a claim, have dated photos of your property, both inside and out, to show its condition before any damage.

Also, make your property safer by regularly inspecting it for any hazards like cracked or uneven sidewalks, broken handrails and burned out light bulbs, State Farm recommends. Make repairs quickly and make sure your renters have the numbers for repair and service companies to address any maintenance problems if you're not around. If you're an out-of-town landlord, you may want to hire a property manager to deal with these problems promptly.

Farm insurance may help poor confront climate risk

2009-07-14T23:57:00.000-07:00

OSLO(Reuters) - A new form of insurance that covers risks such as droughts or floods could help small farmers in developing countries cope with worsening impacts of global warming, a U.N. backed report said on Wednesday.

Under "index insurance", payouts are linked to a yardstick such as a shortfall of rains in the maize growing season in Malawi or the height of the Mekong River near rice paddies in Vietnam that risk flooding.

In theory, such a system is simpler and so cheaper than normal farm insurance, which pays compensation for crop failures only after insurance companies document losses at each farm.

"Index insurance offers new opportunities for managing climate risk in developing countries," according to the report by the International Research Institute for Climate and Society at Columbia University in New York.

Greenhouse gases, mainly from burning fossil fuels, are stoking global warming that will disrupt food and water supplies with heatwaves, floods, desertification and rising sea levels, the U.N. Climate Panel says.

Up to 250 million people in Africa alone could face greater stress on water supplies by 2050.

"If farms are small it's often not possible to get insurance," said Daniel Osgood of Columbia University who was among editors of the report also backed by U.N. agencies, reinsurer Swiss Re and aid group Oxfam.

"The challenge is to get the formula connected to the loss. if a lack of March rainfall causes the problem then it doesn't help to insure against April rains," he said.

Other problems were ensuring that rain gauges were accurate and tamperproof for instance, and close enough to farms to be relevant.

"Index insurance is a very new tool; it's exploding in popularity," said Mirey Atallah of the U.N. Development Programme and an editor of the report. "There are a lot of challenges but also a lot of opportunities."

Storm Insurance Claims

2009-07-10T00:54:00.000-07:00

Homeowners are also trying to get back to normal in Dickinson, but it`s going to take some time for residents in the south part of the city.

High winds damaged numerous homes and businesses, tearing off roofs, and knocking down walls.

Upturned trees also landed on a few homes, causing even more damage.

While it`s too early for insurance agents to put a number on how much damage last night`s storm caused, they say claims have already been pouring in.

And while adjusters are getting out as fast as they can, agents say, homeowners should start doing what they can now.

"You know you`re going to need a contractor if your roof is off, so start lining up contractors," says Scott Karsky, a State Farm Insurance agent. "Make the calls, get them lined up. They`re going to be very busy. Water damage, tear up your carpet, get somebody over to extract the water if possible. Get a hold of the local water removal."

He says homeowners who start making temporary repairs should save all of their receipts, because those repair costs are reimbursable.

And he says not to take any chances with safety.

If your home or garage looks unstable, don`t go inside to try to get something out.

Overturn Governor's Veto of Bill Against State Farm Insurance

2009-07-01T02:01:00.000-07:00

I, for one, hope we can get the governor's HB 1171 veto overturned. I have had State Farm Insurance since we moved to Lakeland in 1974. Whenever I had to file a claim, it was right there making sure either our house was repaired or our cars were done correctly.

Sandra Grier Bennett has been our agent since Quince Cannon retired. She has always been there for us. Never made me feel she was too busy.

When the hurricanes came through four years ago, we had three of our neighbor's trees come through our roof. She took care of us right away, and made sure I understood everything that needed to be done on our side and hers.

We can't afford to lose her or State Farm - let's fight for it.

Since when do we need a governor who can tell us what we can afford and can't? We are able to make that decision on our own.

Hopefully our state legislators can get this overturned and let the people decide.

SANDRA FREEMAN

Home insurance to cover business equipment

2009-06-25T08:05:00.000-07:00

Insurance provider Aviva is extending its home contents policy to cover business equipment as standard.

The company made the decision following the release of statistics from the Future Foundation, which showed that a quarter of the working population will be based at home by 2020.

Contents insurance will provide cover for loss or damage to office equipment and furniture up to the value of £5,000.

Julie Fromant, home lifestyle manager at Aviva UK, said: "We recognise the growing trend in home working and that for many, working from home requires additional investments that need to be protected.

"We felt it was right that this should be covered as standard, as part of the home contents policy, and hope this provides extra security for home workers in the UK."

The cover is available to all new and existing customers when they renew their home insurance policy.

Figures released by the Trades Union Congress in May of this year showed that 3.5 million people in the UK work from home.

Subsidence home insurance claims 'to rise'

2009-06-25T08:01:00.000-07:00

Homeowners have been warned that subsidence may be more of a problem this summer than in the past few years.

Subsidence, the gradual sinking of an area of land, is expected to increase because of the hot summer forecast this year, Halifax Home Insurance explained.

Incidences of subsidence increase in dry, sunny weather, as vegetation in the garden grows more quickly and requires more moisture.

In the past four years, the problem has cost the insurance industry £823m, spread across 144,000 claims.

"Signs that a property might be suffering from subsidence include cracks in walls, particularly if they start from the corners of windows or doors which themselves may become difficult to open or close," advised Neil Curling, Halifax Home Insurance senior structural claims manager.

"The good news is there are... several measures homeowners can take if they are worried, which can go a long way towards avoiding a problem."

Tall trees located close to the property should be removed as they use up more water from the soil, while a drainage survey can help identify any potential problems, Halifax explained.

Excess Flood Insurance: Do we need it?

2009-06-18T01:46:00.000-07:00

We live between two rivers, in a coastal area that annually is threatened with hurricanes. So having basic flood insurance is a no brainer. After all, if your house is flooded, your homeowner’s policy isn’t worth a lick. Your homeowner’s policy is terrific if there’s damage
Severe weather, including this water spout that developed in the Charleston harbor on Saturday (Daniel Island is in the backround), as well as thunderstorms, like the one that hit this palm tree on Daniel Island, are not uncommon for Daniel Island. Add to that the threat of hurricanes and one wonders, “Should we seriously consider purchasing excess flood insurance?”
from wind, or destruction by fire. But flooding? That’s where FEMA-backed flood insurance policies kick in, and that’s why mortgage companies require area residents to take out separate flood insurance policies.

But FEMA’s flood policies max out at $250,000 for structures and $100,000 for contents (legislative sidenote: bills are pending in Congress to raise those limits). So what happens if a flood takes out the entire house? Do we, as residents, need to seriously explore "excess" flood insurance?

Now I’m not into fear mongering, and I’d heartily recommend that you don’t run off and immediately purchase excess flood insurance. After all, what are the chances that:

1. They’ll be a flood that overtakes Daniel Island and surrounding areas; and

2. That the flooding will be the central cause of the damage; and

3. That the damage will exceed the FEMA limits?

After all, wind-induced damage (which IS covered in your basic homeowner’s policy) is often the chief culprit in major storms. But the topic bears study. So we began an exploration, first asking five insurance agents, plus the folks at FEMA, one simple question: what are the chances that flood damage will exceed FEMA’s $250,000 limit?

Surprisingly, no one has been able to deliver the definitive analysis (we promise to keep asking). It’s safe to assume that insurance companies which offer "excess flood" (among them, Lloyds of London, Lexington, Bankers Trust and PURE) are relying on some form of data. After all, how would they set their rates from year to year? So we’ll keep searching for the holy cost/benefit grail.

In the meantime, we thought it instructive to pose a second question: how many residents typically take out policies for excess flood insurance? You’ll be shocked by the answers.

Few Seek Bids, Even Fewer Take Policies

Rick Iriart, with State Farm, whose company doesn’t even offer excess flood insurance, said that of the roughly 1,500 homeowners policies that he’s written, only 1 percent (or about 15) even requested a quote for excess flood, and of that group, Iriart recalled, roughly three decided to take it. Two other agents – Hill Shaw of Atlantic Shield Insurance Group and Danny Haberman of Palmetto Insurance, agreed that Iriart’s anecdotal numbers matched their experience. Few homeowners request a bid on excess flood, and only a fraction of those take the policy. Why?

From all appearances, it’s strictly about money. Excess flood is expensive, and quite volatile, year to year. Shaw said that, recently, he bound an excess flood policy for $1,450,000. The price tag? $4,000/year (equivalent to $2.76/1000). Another report found an excess flood insurance policy for $190,000 at a cost of $380/year (or $2/1000). So rates vary, and the factors are too numerous to name, but include: the type of flood zone that the house is located in, type of structure, type of foundation, current elevation and age of construction.

What to do?

Certainly, it’s worth a call to your insurance agent, to at least price out "excess flood." In that way, you’ll know the options. And if you have an extra moment, it’s probably worth a second, or third, quote, to compare. (On a personal note, for our underlying homeowner’s policy, we were quoted two different rates by the same company; so rates do vary). And keep in mind that you can’t simply buy excess flood when a hurricane approaches – there’s a 30-day waiting period (naturally).

Atlantic Shield’s Shaw said that if your home is worth $650,000 or less, "you’re probably not an excess flood customer." And Allstate’s Iriart points out that he knows of no cases in the Charleston area, in recent years, where excess flood has kicked in. Said Iriart, "Obviously homes right on the water, where they potentially get completely washed off their pilings in a storm, would certainly need the excess, assuming $250,000 would not rebuild it."

He added, "I am sure there were numerous incidents . . . during Katrina, since a number of homes were washed away from the slab, and I’m sure some were more than $250,000 to rebuild – although a major issue down there was that many didn’t even have the basic flood coverage. There was one case that was relatively famous there, where Sen. Trent Lott’s home was damaged by flood, and only had the $250,000, but needed upwards of $1M."

So, it’s worth considering. And here are some questions to ask:

1. Contents loss – does your basic flood insurance policy cover contents? And if you do have contents coverage through FEMA, up to $100,000, will an excess flood policy cover additional content damage?

2. Loss of use/living expenses – which of your existing policies, if any, cover loss of use and living expenses? (in other words, if there’s damage to the house, and you have to move out for a period of time, does one of your policies pick up those costs?);

3. Garage – which of your existing policies, if any, cover flood damage to the garage?

4. Insurance carrier – is your insurance carrier "admitted or non-admitted"? ("Admitted" means that the State of South Carolina will guarantee the policy if your insurance carrier goes belly-up); and

5. Waiting period – what’s the waiting period for excess policy insurance?

Consumers urged to check home insurance cover

2009-06-18T01:44:00.000-07:00

Consumers should check that their home insurance includes protection for lost or stolen personal belongings, one financial services provider has urged.

According to Cheshire Building Society, it is important for people to check the details of their home insurance cover before they go on holiday this summer.

Many Britons automatically assume that their items are protected when they take a policy out but this is not always the case.

The building society's home insurance product offers consumers the option of cover for personal belongings in the event of accidental loss or damage, at an extra cost.

Karen Torson, product manager at Cheshire Building Society, said: "While personal belongings cover away from the home is an additional cost to your home insurance policy, the upside is that you don't need baggage cover when taking out travel insurance, giving you that little bit extra to spend while you're away."

Previously, the insurer advised people to take out cover for items which are left outside overnight including garden tools and furniture.

Sunflower growers get insurance against low prices

2009-06-10T02:15:00.000-07:00

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The federal government is expanding an insurance program for sunflower farmers — two years after almost killing it — in a move that could help protect growers against fluctuating prices and low crop yields.

The protection could be especially important this year as sunflower seed prices continue to fall, and some farmers contemplate planting fewer flowers. The U.S. Department of Agriculture projects an 18 percent decrease in the number of sunflower acres planted nationwide.

A small sunflower crop could mean higher prices at the grocery store for cooking oil, snacks and other items made with sunflower seeds.

The program, which guarantees farmers a minimum price for their crop, could encourage some farmers to plant more sunflowers, said John Sandbakken, international marketing director for the Bismarck-based National Sunflower Association.

"Having something like that helps you sleep at night," Sandbakken said.

Sunflower seed prices, like those for other crops, have dropped during the recession. Farmers have lobbied for years to get protection from low prices as well as low yields. This year, the federal Risk Management Agency is expanding a program known as "revenue assurance" to most areas where sunflowers are grown in significant quantities.

U.S. farmers grew about 2.4 million acres of sunflowers worth just under $670 million last year, most in North Dakota, the nation's largest sunflower producer.

While traditional crop insurance protects farmers from production problems, revenue assurance policies also provide coverage for price drops, although profits still vary with production costs.

Revenue assurance allows farmers to lock in the springtime market price and pay extra on their premium to have the option of taking the harvest price if it's higher. If the harvest price is lower, they still get the spring price.

Mike Clemens, 52, who farms near Wimbledon in southeastern North Dakota, participated in the program last year, when sunflower prices in North Dakota dropped about 17 percent from the spring to fall. Since then, prices have dropped another 32 percent to $16 per hundred pounds.

"For our crop to be competitive, we need to have an RA formula that works," Clemens said. "I carry RA on my farm on all my crops. The important thing is you're protecting revenue — not only yield loss but also the price component."

The federal government offers revenue assurance for eight major crops, including corn and soybeans. Clemens testified before Congress in 2006 to persuade the government to keep and improve the sunflower program instead of eliminating it.

Because there is no sunflower oil futures market, the revenue assurance policies for sunflowers were based on the Chicago Board of Trade soybean futures market. But both the National Sunflower Association and the federal Risk Management Agency said that formula was not in line with what the sunflower crop was actually worth.

The agency was going to eliminate what it said was a dysfunctional program, but sunflower growers persuaded it to change the formula instead. That's when Clemens signed up.

Be prepared for next bushfire

2009-06-05T00:15:00.000-07:00

Being ready is the key to coping with the threat of future bushfires, writes KEVIN BUTLER.

This article explores strategies to prepare for the next inferno. The strategies are ranked in priority order.

1 Reduce the fuel load. When I was as high as my Dad's knees, I remember sheep grazing out paddocks around the shearing shed and house, especially on the north side. I remember Dad creating fire breaks in the late spring by cutting the grass on the roadside and burning it once it had dried off a week later.
The lessons I learned when I was young led me to have 20ha of nil fuel load over three paddocks for my sheep to safely go to each summer over the past several years, in case of fire.
Creating these bare areas of impossible combustion status is a yearly insurance. You may prepare them each year for a whole lifetime, but a fire will incinerate you the year you don't.
Similarly, many farmers had large dams, which cattle simply walked into while the fire roared around them.

2 Install galvanised-pipe sprinkler systems around, and even inside, your home and sheds before the 2010 fire season.
Install a bore and a new dam to store two megalitres of water, to fight a fire for up to two days. It is wise to have up to four sources of water supply, with pumps: bore; dams; water tanks collecting from the roof, and mains water.
This is where my preparation could have been better - I should have had a saturation system for all garden beds and roofing installed beforehand. Properties which did this and were in the path of the fireball, or a lesser-intensity grass fire, survived.
When trying to save your home and sheds with a fire bearing down all around you, with all its embers as well, you will not have the time to be everywhere at once.
So automatic saturation, all around and over the buildings, is a splendid strategy.
All poly pipes and fittings from dams and bores should be buried a minimum of 300 mm underground or else they will simply melt from the heat, as many did on Black Saturday.
As I write, the tractor and grader blade are deep-burying the 50mm poly pipe from my bore and dam complex to the farmhouse and shearing shed.
Also, I should have taught my wife and daughters how to start the diesel-powered bore well before the fire season started, rather than teaching them on my mobile phone while I was fighting to save a neighbour's home.
Preparation is the key.

3 Move farm animals to safe places by 9am on a day of total fire ban.
This strategy proved to be an absolute winner, as on Black Saturday I had moved my 1200 ewes to safe ground an hour before the fire broke out.
The fire leapt up to 11km in one minute, meaning if you had not moved stock before the fire had started, and they were in the fire's path, you faced horrible losses.

4 Beware of falling into a false sense of security just because you have paid your insurance premium.
Your insurance will never recompense you for the loss and suffering resulting from a mega fire. Can you find insurance to adequately replace beautiful 150-year-old oaks? It is far better to insure well and have the contract checked by your legal advisor annually, and then lock it away in an off-the-property safe and pretend you have no insurance at all. This will cause you to be far more fire vigilant during summer.

5 Be outside your home watching for smoke signals between 10am and 8pm on a day of total fire ban.
The act of closing blinds, switching the air conditioner on and watching TV on a day of total fire ban proved to be a disastrous one for many people.
Furthermore, I am of the firm resolve that the Kilmore East fire started at 11.18am on that day - 29 minutes before the first call to 000 and 45 minutes before the first of the two Kilmore tankers arrived on the scene. Had a vigilant neighbour spotted the fire earlier, before it moved out of heavily grazed paddocks into the forest, there is a great possibility the tankers would have been there on time to stop the inferno developing.

6 Only grow trees around your home which will not explode into a wall of flame.
Cut down all gum trees and replace with oak trees or fire-resistant natives. These trees will not make the fire worse. A gum tree, cypress or pine is similar to the fire itself - a great friend in one season but a terrifying foe in another.

7 Switch your radio to the ABC emergency channel all day and have battery back-up.
Consistently monitor the CFA website - every minute. We all have a communal responsibility to not only take care of others, but not to be a burden on our welfare system as a result of not taking due vigilance on a day of total fire ban.

8 In heavily forested country, have the car well fuelled up and be prepared to leave your home at the first instance of fire.
In fact, if your only experience of a fire is of blowing candles out on your birthday, you are best to leave. You cannot prepare thoroughly enough beforehand, survive, or help others and property survive in a fire unless you have had several experiences beforehand that have frightened the life out of you.
The fact that I have fought several fires during my life, including one I accidentally started on a tractor, has been a great teacher to me.
Be of the mindset that in mega fires you are on your own and that the fire front will move far more quickly than the official updates that come to you.
It was painful and pitiful for me to watch the impotent CFA first response to the Kilmore East outbreak at noon on Black Saturday. It was even more painful watching and realising in the next 90 minutes that the communities of Wandong and beyond, which were in the path of the fire, had no warning from the media or from any authority until I phoned and spoke to 774 ABC radio at 1.35pm.
And finally, the Black Saturday fire-recovery program has been a bigger disaster than the fire itself. We could not stop the fire, but we could have started and completed the rebuilding well before the cold weather and wet months.
Nothing lifts bushfire survivors' spirits faster than a quick clean-up of the ruins, followed by overwhelming and prolonged community support until the job is done to their satisfaction.

After four months, many thousands of kilometres of fencing, gardens and hundreds of homes and buildings still lie in ruins. Furthermore, the names of thousands of people who have offered volunteer rebuilding work have been lost in government databases, with few practical conduits to tap into volunteers' time and energy.
History will judge the preparation before the Black Saturday fires and recovery after the fire as being largely uninformed, disorganised and reactive - from property owners to all levels of government and their authorities.
Since Ash Wednesday we have, indeed, reaped what we have sown.

State Farm sets up shop

2009-06-05T00:11:00.000-07:00

FISHERS, Ind. (WISH) - Insurance companies are already handing out money for damaged caused by Tuesday's hail storm. State Farm Thursday set up mobile claims centers in the Home Depot Parking lot near 96th Street and I-69.

Nearly 50 cars got checked out then the car owners got their checks.

"We inspect them, we figure out how much damage is done and then we write them a check. Then they leave here and they can go to a body shop and get their car fixed," said State Farm Spokesperson Missy Lundberg. "We've seen everything from pings, where there's just little dents in the car, to I've seen whole back windows smashed out. So we're seeing a huge range of damages."

State Farm plans to be at the site for at least a week.

There are stations for both car and home damage.

Lender lost

2009-05-11T04:07:00.000-07:00

LONGMONT — The collapse of New Frontier Bank in April has added to the woes of area farmers and ranchers already hammered by recession and falling commodity prices.

Greeley-based New Frontier, which had a branch in Longmont and was one of the largest ag lenders in the state, became the second Colorado bank this year to fail after the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. shut it down for “unsound banking practices and violations of laws and regulations.”

That left New Frontier clients scrambling to find a new bank at a time of year when getting an operating loan is critical for many farmers and ranchers.

Jim Docheff Jr., a dairy farmer near Mead, decided last year to start processing and selling his milk under his own Diamond D brand and move away from selling raw milk in bulk to a co-op, which he’d been doing since starting his farm in 1987.

That was his plan, and New Frontier was his bank.

Docheff said he got wind of the bank’s troubles long before the FDIC stepped in. He started shopping for a new bank months ago.

“We probably talked to nine banks, and five of them just said up front they weren’t making any new loans no matter what,” Docheff said.

He finally found a bank sympathetic to the cyclical nature of agriculture, and he will transfer his account there once the FDIC allows him to.

Many banks are hesitant to take on the risks inherent to farming and ranching, Docheff said. In his case, for example, his books don’t look good right now because of the price of milk.

And a ripple effect would spread beyond the agricultural community, said Mike Flesher, senior vice president of Mountain Plains Farm Credit, a government-sponsored entity that operates much like a credit union.

A large number of farms shutting down would hurt everyone from equipment suppliers to car dealerships, Flesher said. And other businesses that had accounts with New Frontier also are being affected, he said.

“It’s not just about agricultural loans,” Flesher said. “It’s about all those other small businesses out there in northern Colorado who are trying to find a new lender.”

Tips for getting catastrophe insurance

2009-04-23T03:10:00.000-07:00

The 10 most expensive natural disasters in U.S. history all have occurred in the last decade. These catastrophes have resulted in insurance companies having to cover losses averaging $10 billion each year since 1989, compared with just $2 billion yearly from 1980 to 1988.

With the potential catastrophe payouts insurers face far exceeding their reserves, it's no surprise that major companies, including Allstate and State Farm, are raising catastrophe-policy premiums and deductibles.

"The insurance industry is saying to the homeowner, If you choose to live here, that's great, but you have to take on more of the risk," says Jayna Neagle, of the Washington, D.C.-based Insurance Information Institute. "It's all about sharing the risk."

If you live where tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, and earthquakes are a regular occurrence, catastrophe insurance is an important consideration. Ask these questions to avoid paying too much or choosing a company that a disaster could drive out of business:

Do you have proper coverage?

Amazingly, most people don't. For instance, only 20 percent of homeowners in floodplain areas carry flood insurance, even though their flood risk is 26 times their fire risk.

Similar figures hold in many earthquake- and storm-prone areas. Find out if you need catastrophe coverage by calling your agent or state insurance board.

Obtain information on flood, storm or quake risks in your region and compare it to risks posed by the "normal" hazards your homeowner's policy covers; if catastrophe risk exceeds normal risk, buy expanded coverage. This Old House: Beef up your insurance

Is the insurer financially stable?

A huge catastrophe can shake the stability of weaker insurance companies, putting them at risk of a default that could leave policyholders uncovered. A.M. Best and Standard & Poor's now rate insurance companies to reflect their ability to withstand such catastrophes.

Check an insurer's rating with A.M. Best, S&P, or Consumer Reports magazine. Look for an A rating or better (such as AAA or A++). Avoid lower-rated companies (those with a B or lower rating).

Are the premiums and deductibles reasonable?

Double-digit increases in catastrophe premiums are common in high-risk storm and earthquake areas. These increases vary widely by company and region, so if your premium jumps up, shop around for an insurer that's not as exposed to catastrophe-related payouts. This Old House: Insure yourself against storms

Also be aware of the change to "percentage deductibles" that require homeowners to cover a percentage of the damages rather than a set figure. For example, if the deductible is 5 percent and losses are $100,000, the policyholder covers the first $5,000.

According to J. Robert Hunter, insurance director for the Consumer Foundation of America, homeowners are not always clearly notified of the change. "A lot of people have been misled," Hunter says. "The disclosure is really vague, buried in a lot of fine print." This Old House: Do you have enough insurance?

When you're ready to buy, try these shopping tips:

1. Purchase all your insurance (homeowner's, auto, life) from an insurer that offers a multiple-policy discount. Also check if your insurer gives a "loyalty" discount for staying with them for three to five or more years.

2. Go with a high deductible; this can save up to 20 percent in premiums if you have savings to do it.

3. Install smoke detectors, a burglar alarm, storm shutters, dead bolts, and a fire-sprinkler system to reduce the premium on your homeowner's policy. The same goes for using storm- or earthquake-resistant construction methods or materials.

Evergreen air museum plans lodge, water park

2009-04-22T02:41:00.000-07:00

Plans are in motion for an 80- to 90-room resort lodge and separate indoor water park at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum near McMinnville.

Brian Bauer, a museum board member and president of Evergreen International Aviation, said the lodge and 50,000-square-foot water park will follow the museum's aviation theme, which already attracts 425,000 visitors annually.

A Boeing 747 jetliner mounted on the water park's roof could become a significant landmark. "Visitors will be able to slide out of a real 747 aircraft into the pool," Bauer said. "Other than that, it will be similar to other large water parks across the country."

Located just east of McMinnville on Oregon 18, the museum campus already includes twin 120,000-square-foot display facilities and a mirror-image 55,000-square-foot IMAXÂ® Theater.

Negotiations with local land-conservation groups has cleared the way for a 30-acre land swap that would allow the site to be brought into McMinnville's urban growth boundary, while removing other Evergreen property from development. Voters still have to approve the swap in a May election.

Nestled amid Yamhill County's signature vineyards -- producers of Evergreen's own Spruce Goose label -- the museum's modified A-frame structures are airy confections of glass, concrete and stone aggregate. Bauer said the planned lodge and water park will differ in design because of functional differences, but will feature the same quality construction.

Because the museum is a destination location, the lodge will offer higher-end accommodations, Bauer said. The interior will feature a rustic lobby with a lodge-type feel. Compared to most overnight offerings in the area, rates will be higher priced, but specific rates haven't been calculated, he said.

One exception will be the nearly completed 85-room Allison Inn & Spa, being built about 15 miles to the east near Newberg and also conceived as a destination resort. The Allison, however, will cater specifically to wine-country tourists. Rooms there will start at $295 a night.

"A place to stay is one of the top requests we get from visitors," Bauer said. "The lodge will fill a niche. The museum isn't the only attraction that makes Yamhill County a destination location.

"Vineyards, wineries and local events are also a draw. The water park will add to that appeal. Local tourism in general will benefit from this expansion," Bauer said.

Even during the current economic recession, Yamhill County continues to become better known as a destination location, said McMinnville Mayor Rick Olson. The proposed lodge would provide higher-end accommodations, he said. something the city currently lacks.

"Lodges bring a different perception," Olson said. "When I think of lodges, I think of wood beams, stone fireplaces, overstuffed furniture and an exterior that esthetically fits the area.

"When you factor in visitors to Linfield College, sometimes it's very difficult to book a room in McMinnville," he said. "We don't have enough hotel rooms to support what we have to offer."

Lifestyle Habits - Start Small!

2009-03-30T07:29:00.000-07:00

By June M. Lay, M.S. - Lifestyle Columnist - HealthNewsDigest.com

(HealthNewsDigest.com) - Yes, let's start small with small changes in our lifestyle habits, that is! Success starts with small changes and perhaps we can think of them as small steps. This is true whether we want to accomplish something new, or change something old. I like to compare our taking small steps to an infant learning to walk. An infant starts with small steps, takes a few falls and eventually he or she becomes stronger and the running toddler we can hardly catch.

I think that we like infants, can accomplish what we set out to do, because it's never too late to start by taking a few small steps. I'd also like to share two great websites, www.smallstep.gov and www.50millionpounds.com:80/ , both about helping us to take small steps toward a healthy weight and a healthy lifestyle (there's a separate link for our children too, at small step.gov). Both sites offer free, credible information, along with activity trackers. The 50 Million Pound Challenge, an initiative started by Dr. Ian Smith and State Farm Insurance, offers an online community, so vital for support during any change process. It has other tools too, such as journal keeping, and weight tracking. Let's reach out to take the steps, and now with credible websites we can start in our own home.

Okay, here is my philosophy about the change process, and why starting small can help us,

"Small Changes Lead to large Successes" is particularly true for making lifestyle changes. Whether we are looking to improve our fitness level, eat healthier, lose weight, or reduce our stress, " Start small". In fact, we can apply this to any project that seems overwhelming and to those we have been putting off. Why just last week, I suggested this very concept to a client about how to increase the amount of sleep he gets.

Let's consider,

We are creatures of habit. In fact, our brain has a center called the Limbic Center, which is the center for our emotions, reinforcements and habits. Have a bad habit? Well, the brain doesn't want us to change it, even if it is a negative behavior and even if it hurts us. How can we start? Start small!

Habits are hard to change. Whatever habit we are trying to make, change or stop, it is hard work. When we start with a small change, one which we know we can do, we set ourselves up for success. And most of us know that one success usually leads to another. When we break down a project into its simple components and start with one component at a time, we usually feel less overwhelmed and this can lead to more motivation and inspiration. I told my client to increase his sleep by starting with only an extra 1/2 hour. Start small.

Motivation grows! As we achieve each small success, we feel empowered to continue. Finally, success is not perfection. Experience a slip, mistake or setback? Let's stop and ask ourselves, what can we learn from it and change? Want to become motivated? Start small and succeed!

Think Positive. Research shows that when we believe in ourselves, when we believe we can do something, we are more likely to do it. When we don't think something is possible, research shows that even when it is, we are much less likely to achieve success. Make it small to achieve a positive outcome!

So, is there something we would like to achieve? Is there one small step we can take to get started which we know we can accomplish? An example of something small would be something concrete such as, "I will replace the butter on my bagel with fresh fruit jam". Notice, I'm not giving up the bagel too at the same time!

So, let's not wait another day to get one small change going at a time. Here's to thinking about what we can do, rather than what we haven't done or should!

June M Lay M.S.
www.junefit.com
One place to start on the weight loss healthy trail, is to find your BMI http://www.bmc.org/medicine/medicine/nutrition/images/BMI-Chart.png and go then go here to read more about the significance of BMI on our health risk http://www.consumer.gov/weightloss/bmi.htm

Also read more about losing fat weight safely here at http://www.junefit.com/tips_weightlosshp.htm

Click here to Google "Fitness Tips" , and find that Junefit ranks in the top ten at Google's search out of million results!

Junefit is included in Google's top ranked women's health resources, scroll midway; http://directory.google.com/Top/Health/Women's_Health/Resources/

June is Lifestyle Columnist at www.healthnewsdigest.com/

copyright 2009, junefit. All rights reserved.

www.HealthNewsDigest.com

Organic farm on tourism map

2009-02-21T20:41:00.000-08:00

By: WALAILAK KEERATIPIPATPONG
Published: 21/02/2009 at 12:00 AM

Newspaper section: BusinessThe 60-rai Rai Pluk Rak organic farm has become a new eco-tourism destination in Ratchaburi province and a learning centre for organic producers. Owners Anotai Gongvatana and her husband Kaan Ritkhachorn aim to use the farm to help visitors gain experience in running a farm, and to appreciate its value in helping the environment.

The farm has attracted visitors in the past but now the Tourism Authority of Thailand has put the site on its list of day trips to the province, alongside other must-visit places such as the world-famous Damnoen Saduak floating market and the outlet store of Pasaya, a producer of high-quality textiles.

Mrs Anotai said that Rai Pluk Rak since late 2007 had arranged a total of 40 day trips for staff and customers of Bankok Insurance under the insurer's energy-conservation programme.

Participants, especially families with children, have enjoyed learning about organic farming and activities such as making salted eggs, salad dressing, and ice-cream from organic ingredients.

She said the same activities would be offered for any interested visitors who might come in groups or as individuals.

''Due to our limited capacity, we could accept a maximum of 80 people per day and it has to be on weekends, and only from December to March,'' she said.

The farm charges 650 baht for adults, 350 baht for children under 12, and free admission for those under 3.

''It's a fun time for children to start learning about the nature around them, about helpful and harmful insects. They can even pick eggs from the hatchery and salt them,'' Mrs Anotai said.

Rai Pluk Rak farm has been growing more than 30 types of vegetables for nearly 10 years with accreditation from the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM). It supplies its produce to about 60 leading supermarkets in Bangkok.

Mr Kaan said that the farm used many herbal plants to reduce insects, as well as bat manure to promote the growth of vegetables. ''We also feed ducks and fish on the farm in an organic way. Ducks are very useful for getting rid of vegetables when we want to prepare the plot for the next crop,'' he said.

Organic producers, he said, could not only preserve the environment and promote good health, but in the long run they can enjoy more sustainable growth and lower costs, especially since they don't have to buy chemical fertilisers and insecticides.

He’s done what he enjoys for 30 years

2009-02-14T01:21:00.000-08:00

Insurance agent is also local sportscaster

By Tony Kindelspire
Longmont Times-Call

LONGMONT — Jeff Pfeiffer is in a good mood most of the time. And why not? Both professionally and on his own time, he’s a man who spends much of his time getting to do what he enjoys.

After college, the Illinois native started down a career path in law enforcement, first with the FBI and then the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office. But after a few years, he completely switched gears.

“I wanted to be more in control of my own life, and I started looking into the insurance business,” said Pfeiffer, 59. “My State Farm agent turned me on to this company.”

Pfeiffer hired a secretary and started his own State Farm agency in 1979, and on Feb. 1 he entered his 31st year in the business.

“It was just the two of us,” he said. “I had one file when I started, and it was mine.”

It was five years before he made a profit, he said, and along the way he borrowed money and cashed out his savings and his retirement fund. But he kept at it, and now he has four employees.

“I was a detective under the sheriff’s department, so I was used to talking to people,” he said of his career transition.

Pfeiffer may be a familiar face even for those who aren’t his clients. A few years ago, he became a sportscaster.

He approached Channel 3, Longmont’s public access station, received training, and soon was a sideline reporter for local prep football and basketball games. It didn’t take long before he was the color commentator for the games.

He’s been doing that regularly for seven years now, and he also has hosted a non-sports talk show on Channel 3 called “Up Front,” for which won a national cable award, he said.

Pfeiffer also serves on the Longmont Council for the Arts, has served on the OUR Center board and has held fundraisers for the Foundation Fighting Blindness.

An avid golfer, Pfeiffer said he loves how Longmont has retained its small-town feel from the days when he first hung his shingle out.

He said he has no plans to retire anytime soon, and he hopes to keep selling insurance and calling games for many years to come.

“Both of them are harder than I ever thought they would be,” Pfeiffer said. “I just like the challenge of it all.”

Tony Kindelspire can be reached at 303-684-5291 or tkindelspire@times-call.com.

Farm Service Agency welcomes proposed funds for IT upgrade

2009-01-24T00:20:00.000-08:00

By Gautham Nagesh 01/23/2009

The $245 million the House set aside for maintenance and modernization of the Farm Service Agency's information technology systems in its version of the economic stimulus bill is long overdue, agency officials said on Thursday.

"The technologies we're running are built on 1980s vintage technology," said Dennis Taitano, chief financial officer and acting associate administrator for operations and management at FSA. "That's the problem we're having."

The funds -- only a small chunk of the $45 billion in IT spending outlined in the House stimulus bill -- will not cover the full cost of upgrading the agency's systems, but will go a long way toward doing so, Taitano said.

The Farm Service Agency administers myriad programs, including initiatives to help farmers determine what to plant, subsidies to grow (or not grow) specific crops and loans to help with upfront costs. The agency operates more than 2,300 county offices that certify farmers for programs and pay-out subsidies.

The agency's computer network has been unable to keep up with its payment processing needs. In January 2007, FSA experienced network outages, resulting in a 30-day period when payments were sent out late or not at all.

"FSA is helping farmers by advising them on what the current commodity prices are, helping with crop insurance, loan and subsidy programs," said Ray Bjorklund, chief knowledge officer and senior vice president of the McLean, Va., market analysis firm FedSources. "There is so much timing sensitivity and complexity...[farmers] need information to the nearest day so they can make a good business decision about whether to sell your product or farm a commodity for the next year."

Taitano said funding constraints have prevented FSA from upgrading its IT infrastructure. He noted that Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, has been a strong advocate for IT modernization funding.

The Senate still is piecing together its version of the stimulus package.

According to FSA Chief Information Officer Jim Guinn, the agency relies on dated IBM mainframe servers that use the COBOL programming language. Peterson recently said it was time for the agency to abandon COBOL.

"The problem is well-recognized and [is] getting the proper level of attention," Guinn said. "We are running the oldest technology in the U.S. Department of Agriculture."

The outdated green screen technology at FSA makes it difficult to leverage innovations such as remote sensing and satellite imaging, which can be used to track what crops are being grown and where, according to Bjorklund.

Guinn is aiming to streamline FSA's architecture to allow it to build on newer, faster and more secure technologies. Applications for farm loans and subsidies involve numerous forms, which are processed as paper and then manually added to the electronic system.

"Everything is so form-driven and paper heavy out in our county offices," Taitano said. "The vision is that we would provide a self-service [Web] portal so a farmer doesn't have to come into the county office."

Patrick Hanley, project manager for the program to modernize the farm benefits system, said the agency is working closely with the Office of Management and Budget to make sure the new systems would comply with the federal enterprise architecture, to ensure FSA's systems can share information with other federal agencies. Hanley said the $245 million in the House stimulus bill would allow FSA to stabilize the current infrastructure and initiate modernization efforts. The money would satisfy estimates for the first two years of implementation, Taitano said.

Agency officials also are looking into commercial off-the-shelf software solutions that could help with payment processing, according to Hanley. But the initial focus will be on infrastructure and making sure the back-end servers and network are capable of handling the volume of transactions at FSA, he said.

He added that improving customer service for farmers and ranchers will remain a "major goal."

US client cancels contract with fraud-hit Satyam

2009-01-19T03:58:00.000-08:00

BANGALORE (Reuters) - Fraud-hit Satyam Computer Services Ltd (SATY.BO) said on Monday a U.S.-based client had canceled its contract, dealing a blow to the embattled Indian outsourcer caught in the country's biggest corporate scandal.

State Farm Insurance Co has terminated its contract, a Satyam spokeswoman said, confirming a report in India's Mint newspaper on Monday, but she declined to give details of the contract.

"While we are disappointed in State Farm's decision to discontinue services, our executives are reaching out to clients around the world, and at this point, well over 90 percent of our clients have committed to continuing with Satyam," she said.

The Mint newspaper said State Farm Insurance was among Satyam's biggest clients.

Satyam, India's No. 4 software services exporter, was plunged into crisis after Ramalinga Raju resigned as chairman earlier this month, revealing profits had been falsified for years and $1 billion of cash on the books did not exist.

A government bailout is seen as key to ensuring the company has enough cash in the short term and to restore flagging investor confidence, analysts said.

Some of Satyam's clients might cancel orders, wary of business risks in the fraud-hit company, analysts said.

"Any customer dealing with Satyam at this point in time will be concerned with what is happening at the company now," said R.K. Gupta, managing director at Taurus Asset Management in New Delhi.

A government-appointed board at Satyam said on Saturday it was looking for a new chief executive and chief financial officer for the outsourcing firm at the center of a scandal dubbed as "India's Enron".

The board, which also discussed scheduling of vendor payments, said it had received expressions of support from clients including Nestle (NESN.VX) and General Electric (GE.N).

Shares in Satyam, which have tumbled about 85 percent since the scandal broke, were up 5.7 percent at 25.85 rupees by 0605 GMT in a weak broader market.

The Economic Times newspaper said on Monday Satyam's new board was looking to appoint up to three investment banks to explore the possibility of finding a buyer for the outsourcer.

On Sunday, a metropolitan court ordered the former chairman, managing director and chief financial officer of Satyam to be taken into police custody for four days from Sunday, after spending nearly a week in jail.

Under police custody, accused are held in a police lock-up to help the investigators in interrogation.

(Reporting by Sumeet Chatterjee; Editing by Ranjit Gangadharan and Anshuman Daga)

Zurich and Farmers Insurance Spread Holiday Cheer across the Country

2008-12-26T03:28:00.000-08:00

Employees donate time and money to help people in need

SCHAUMBURG, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Zurich in North America, a leading property and casualty insurance provider and its U.S. subsidiary Farmers Insurance Group are making this holiday season brighter for people who need a helping hand. Employees from both companies are volunteering their time across the country to help children, the elderly, the homeless and members of the armed forces.

“I am proud of the many ways our Zurich offices from coast to coast have volunteered and given back to the communities where we work and live,” said Mike Foley, CEO of Zurich North America Commercial. “Economically challenging times have not deterred our employees from serving as a Zurich HelpPoint, by helping replenish food pantries, granting children's wishes, and providing warm clothing for veterans, seniors and families in need. It's the true spirit of the holiday season.”

A few examples of how Zurich and Farmers employees are giving back include:

Donating gifts at giving trees in twenty-one locations across the country benefiting various charitable organizations including the Salvation Army Baskets for Elderly program, New York Cares Winter Wishes and Chicago Public Schools;
Organizing food drives that help the needy in Los Angeles, Charlotte, N.C. and Indianapolis;
Ensuring children have toys this holiday by working with Toys for Tots in Pittsburgh, a teddy bear drive to benefit the Hollywood (Calif.) Boys & Girls Club, and donating gifts cards to underprivileged kids in New Orleans through the Fore!Kids Foundation.
Making a $35,000 donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York and helping to sponsor wishes for two children; and
Adopting military families to support those who have loved ones serving overseas this holiday.
“Our employees are a shining example of the true nature of this season by giving their time and money,” said Robert Woudstra, President of Farmers Group Inc. “Farmers and Zurich are fortunate to have dedicated people who are willing to help others who may be less fortunate in life. It’s the selfless giving that makes me proud to be a part of the Zurich family.”

About Zurich

Zurich's North America Commercial and Global Corporate in North America business divisions are part of Zurich Financial Services Group (Zurich), an insurance-based financial services provider with a global network of subsidiaries and offices in North America and Europe as well as in Asia Pacific, Latin America and other markets. Founded in 1872, the Group is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. It employs approximately 60,000 people serving customers in more than 170 countries. In North America, Zurich (www.zurichna.com) is a leading commercial property-casualty insurance provider serving the global corporate, large corporate, middle market, specialties and programs sectors.

About Farmers Insurance Group

Farmers Group, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Zurich Financial Services, an insurance-based financial services provider with a global network of subsidiaries and offices in North America and Europe as well as in Asia Pacific, Latin America and other markets. Farmers® is the nation's third-largest Personal Lines Property & Casualty insurance group. Property and casualty products are underwritten and issued by the Farmers Exchanges and their subsidiaries, which Farmers Group, Inc. manages but does not own. Headquartered in Los Angeles, Farmers insurers provide Homeowners, Auto, Business, Life insurance and financial services to more than 10 million households. For more information about Farmers, visit our Web site at www.farmers.com.

Friday's updated ice storm blog

2008-12-20T06:13:00.000-08:00

DERRY, 5:02 p.m. Officials are warning residents who anticipate the need for shelter that they should seek it before the storm intensifies. Travel will be extremely hazardous tonight in areas where power lines are still in the roadways. The public works department will not be plowing those areas due to that hazard, according to information released by the emergency operations center. For more information, call 845-5522.

EPPING, 4:55 p.m. Power has been restored to most of the town, with only isolated areas still in the dark, according to Fire Chief Skip Galvin.

Power that had been restored to the Prescott Road area was knocked out for a time again today, but Galvin said he believes the power is back on.

Fire officials are keeping a close eye on the weather forecast for Sunday’s snowstorm and hoping they won’t be facing a repeat of last week’s ice storm. “We may be back into what we were before,” Galvin said.

Galvin praised the emergency workers and volunteer firefighters who worked long hours to helping people in the ice storm recovery effort. Many had no power at their own homes. “I’ve got to give them credit for doing what they did,” he said.

DANVILLE, 4:27 p.m. Residents of Cotton Farm Village mobile home park won’t be getting their power back on until Sunday, local officials said this afternoon.

While Unitil expects to have power back on for almost all of its customers by tonight, PSNH is continuing to work on its lines and it appears that Cotton Farm Village, which has about 140 residences, will have to wait longer than others, Police Chief Wade Parsons said.

Parsons said he hopes the tree trimming that’s been done over the last few days will be enough to spare the area more outages from snowstorms this weekend.

Police have reported no break-ins of darkened homes, Parsons said.

A shelter remains open at the Danville Fire Association Hall. It is expected to be open until power has been fully restored.

Because Cotton Farm Village will spend the weekend in the dark, officials expect the shelter will see more people seeking assistance.

MERRIMACK, 4:12 p.m. About 1,400 of the 11,600 PSNH customers in town were still without power as of this morning, according to town officials.

This afternoon, Town Manager Keith Hickey said there is no timeframe as to when the entire community will have power restored.

"PSNH is still out there, doing their thing," he said. "The areas (without power) are shrinking and the ability to fix a couple of poles and to get several hundred people on at one time...those opportunities have been exhausted, I think.

"Now, we are down to some of the more remote (areas) or repairs needing to be made that impact one or a few houses at the most. It's unfortunate, but I'm sure Public Service is doing the best they can and, as frustrating as it is, I think people have to remember that and do the best they can," added Hickey.

While Whittier Place and Spruce Street were some of the roads re-energized late Thursday night, the Camp Sargent and Peaslee roads section of town is just one example of where homes remain in the dark.

The town plans to file for disaster aid through FEMA and, if its application is approved, Merrimack could be eligible for a reimbursement of up to 75 percent of emergency costs associated with wages, gasoline, fuel, and supplies, according to Hickey.

Meanwhile, the school district released students prior to completion of a full school day Friday due to the storm that was expected to drop about 3-to-5 inches of snow. The state has said it may not require students to attend 180 days of school to accommodate districts hardest hit by last week's ice storm that have had days, if not a few weeks, of cancelations

Community helps man pull through

2008-12-12T20:23:00.000-08:00

Friday, December 12, 2008
By Clint Confehr, Senior Staff Writer

CHAPEL HILL -- When Charles Mobley reflects on how well his team placed during the Southern Nationals 2008 Antique Tractor Pull in Tunica, Miss. last weekend, he doesn't count trophies. He's satisfied that from 25-30 "hooks" in a couple of classes, his tractor was among the top half -- finishing at about 12-14th -- during stiff competition between very strong machines.
It's a philosophy on life -- the glass is half full, not half empty -- for this man who, just a few years ago, enjoyed solitary fishing trips, the variety and intermingling of people as he worked one plumbing repair job after another, an hunting deer in the wilds of south central Tennessee counties. Those manly pursuits stem from an independent mind, a strong back, tradesman's talent, and two legs.

So, maybe it's ironic that practically all those pursuits are little more than memories now.

A deer crossed his path while driving on a dry, cold road at about 5:45 a.m. on Jan. 31, 2001. He was driving his 1995 Ford F-150 pickup truck.

"I swerved to avoid hitting the deer, over-corrected and just flipped it a couple of times -- rolled the vehicle," Mobley said. "It was in a slight curve ... on Arno Road in Williamson County."

An ambulance from Williamson County Medical Center and a Vanderbilt LifeFlight helicopter got him to Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

During what recovery was possible from a broken neck, pelvis and related injuries, there was a fundraising benefit at Chapel Hill Elementary School, and he's resumed a growing interest in antique tractors and competition during tractor pulls.

"Before I got hurt, we were getting out of the business of showing horses," Mobley said. "I was looking for a tractor to start pulling, but it got put on hold up until about two years ago."

Charles is a quadriplegic, so he doesn't drive, but he's participating.

"I'm instrumental mentally," he said of his role in a tractor pulling team that includes his wife, Terie, their son, Will, 22, and daughter, Audra, 19.

Terie does most of the tractor driving. Will and Audra drive, too.

"I try to tell them where to put the weights and what area of the track to try to pull on," Charles said. "You can get a bad spot on the track and it will be over before you get started.

"I'd always liked large-scale tractor pulling, but financially, the average person can't afford that," he said.

With antique tractors, "it's less expensive...You don't have the $40,000 engines. It's a whole different ball game with the big ones.

"It's a good family atmosphere with the small farm tractors.

"A lot of them are real farm tractors," Charles continued. "There is a farm stock (class) that comes from the field.

"Antique- and open-class tractors are a little modified," he said of changes allowed on motors and tires. "You can run different tire pressure to get a better bite (on the track, and) some tread designs just won't grab."

Audra says, with quiet understatement and love, that tractor pulls are her husband's passion, and it seems clear that she enjoys controlling something powerful.

Charles agrees: He's not debilitated by his disability. But this family that lives east of the Farmers Co-op at Chapel Hill is well-aware of the help from others, the friendships and interdependence of community.

They drove toward Tunica last weekend to meet up with a convoy that left early to avoid bad weather on the road.

The barbecue supper and auction at the elementary school was significant financially. It was also a reflection of support.

"Insurance did great," Charles said. "They took care of most of my bills and the auction included a lot of friends and amily."

With those factors, the difference between insurance coverage and actual bills, there were no debts from hospitalization, he said.

There have been changes to the house on secluded property. There's a ramp, handicap access throughout and there's the used short bus, bought for the handicap accessibility.

"I already had God," Charles said. "I'm a member of the Church of Christ. I know my Lord and I know he carries me through. I know I don't make it alone.

"It was a difficult change, a total life turn around from being totally active to being inactive."

He suffered a C-6 spinal chord injury and his pelvic bone was broken in five places. Attention to his pelvis delayed neck surgery where there was "complete severance of the spinal chord," Charles explained. "My neck shifted and was separated."

Swelling at the injury, effectively, finished off the wound, ending use of limbs and so many other parts of his body.

"There are some people who had the same injury I had and they had surgery within the first few hours and were capable of carrying on with their life," he said.

"They had me under sedation for 14 days at Vanderbilt," Charles said.

He was transferred to a recovery center where he was discharged in mid April of that year, nearly two and a half months after the crash.

The benefit barbecue was nearly nine years ago.

Last year, daughter Audra graduated from Forrest High School. She's now working in Cool Springs selling ice cream

The Mobleys' son, Will, works for an ambulance service in Nashville and is a volunteer firefighter at the Chapel Hill Fire Department, and he's a medic for the United Cheerleaders Association.

Charles, 52, and Terie, 45, have been married 27 years. They both work for Don Wood Plumbing Co. in Franklin. She provides a wide-variety of secretarial services.

"I price our plumbing stock," Charles said.

He's constantly looking for the best deals for the business. The price of metals and petroleum products, like PVC pipe, are monitored for deals.

They commute to the Franklin business in a van.

Their life is quite different from their individual origins. She was born in California. Cook County, Chicago, is where he's from. She went to Page High School in Williamson County. His high school is in College Grove.

Now, they're a family that counts blessings, travels for hours to compete in a tractor pull, and views the world through a glass that carries a refreshing beverage.

Athletes Awarded for Academics

2008-12-07T06:03:00.000-08:00

Wheeling -- The Super Six brings an exciting weekend for High School Football in West Virginia, but that doesn’t mean academic achievement is overlooked.

The showroom at Wheeling Island Hotel, Casino and Racetrack played host to an awards brunch Saturday.

The event is held by the West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission and sponsored by State Farm Insurance.

Individual awards are based on grade point average.

In case of a tie, attendance, citizenship and sports participation are considered.

Bridge Street Middle School received team awards for football, girls track, band and cheerleading.

Wheeling Park High School won team awards in girls’ soccer, girls’ track and band.

Wilson’s natural genius for deception almost led to the perfect murder

2008-12-01T02:52:00.000-08:00

It could so easily have been the perfect murder. Never had Robert Wilson needed his genius for deception more than when he dialled 999 at 6.15pm on December 1 last year.

For eight-and-a-half minutes, his voice trembling with emotion, Wilson struggled to describe the horrific scene before him in the barn at Kirkandrews-on-Eden:

Operator: Ambulance, emergency.

Wilson: I’ve run over my wife.

Operator: What’s the problem there? Tell me exactly what’s happened.

Wilson: I’ve run over my wife. We’ve been feeding the cows. One of the cows must have knocked her and I’ve run over her.

Operator: You’ve run over your wife yes? In a tractor?

Wilson: On a tractor

Operator: Are you with the patient?

Wilson: Yes. Can I please drag her out of the way of the cows because they are going to stand on her?

Operator: Yes you can you do that.

Wilson: She’s all squashed.

Operator: Is she conscious?

Wilson: You can’t even see her – she’s squashed.

Operator: Did you see what happened?

Wilson: I was on the tractor. She’s not moving.

Operator: She’s not moving?

Wilson: Not at all. I dragged her out of the way of the cows.

Operator: Where is she now?

Wilson: I grabbed her and pulled her out of the way of the cattle.

Operator: You think your wife is beyond help?

Wilson: There’s nothing moving at all.

(To hear the 999 call in full, go to this story)

Throughout his trial, that was the story Wilson told the prosecution as they battled to prove that what happened in that barn was no accident.

Their theory was simple: Wilson was leading a double life, that of the ideal husband and that of a cheating husband, who was planning a new life with his secret lover.

But detectives investigating the case had to do without the one piece of evidence that is usually central to any murder inquiry: a body.

On the night of his wife’s death, Wilson created the perfect cover for his crime.

Even for the experienced 999 crews, and police officers who went to The Croft that stormy December night, it must have been appalling scene.

Sprawled on the manure covered barn floor was the body of Jane Wilson, her head crushed so horribly she was beyond recognition.

She was being cradled by Wilson, her “ loving” husband, his world shattered by his own inattention as he drove the tractor into the barn.

Neighbours saw Bob and Jane as “the perfect couple,” in love and planning a happy retirement in France.

On the night, Wilson played his part perfectly: the role of a broken man, a bereft husband, beyond consolation.

Detective sergeant Peter Proud, an officer with 24 years experience who has investigated numerous murders, saw no grounds for suspicion.

“The circumstances seemed to fit the information I had been given,” he said later.

Thus it was that the barn, though photographed, was never treated as a crime scene, and so never subjected to the kind of forensic detailed examination that entails.

Wilson’s luck continued to hold as he got permission to have his wife cremated, a mere five days later after a routine post mortem at Carlisle’s Cumberland Infirmary.

From that moment, detectives were robbed of the physical evidence they needed to show what had really happened to Jane Wilson.

It was 18 days after the funeral service, on Christmas Eve, that Robert Wilson’s luck began to change.

He would probably never have come to trial had it not been for a chance discovery by his stepchildren Sharon and Lee Kennedy, Jane’s adult children from a previous marriage.

They’d gone to The Croft to pick up a vase and a jumper, presents their mother had bought for their gran.

By a stroke of luck, Wilson was away at the time.

A farm worker gave them a key to the farm, and told them to help themselves.

Inside, memories of their dead mother flooded back as they looked at sympathy cards sent to the farm.

They went upstairs to get the presents from Bob and Jane’s bedroom.

It was a split-second decision, nothing more than a glance across the room, when Sharon spotted the card by the bed, assuming it was yet another sympathy card.

Looking closer, she realised it was a Christmas card.

Inside it, Sharon read the six simply hand-written words that were to change everything: Merry Christmas, all my love Kathy.”

Some people might have shrugged it off, but Sharon and Lee sensed something terrible may have happened.

Their suspicions aroused, they checked out the room and found more affectionate cards – including a Valentine’s card, all to Bob and all from the mysterious Kathy.

Sharon had the presence of mind to scan the cards into a computer so they could take copies away – documents they later took to retired detective inspector Bob Lindsay. He told them to contact the police immediately.

Through their actions at the farm, Jane Wilson’s children triggered a chain of events that put Wilson in the dock at Carlisle Crown Court.

Even so, detectives faced a huge mountain of work as they searched for evidence.

First, in painstaking detail, they built up a picture of his two lives, one with the wife who adored him, the other with his mistress.

As they spoke to Kathy McNeil, the 48-year-old barmaid he met on the Costa del Sol, they discovered the true Robert Wilson, a pathological liar whose lies were on a monumental scale.

Like so many people, Mrs McNeil was taken in by her lover’s lies. After all, what man would tell you his wife had died of cancer when she was alive and well at the family home?

What man would invent the story of a childhood sweetheart whose life was cut short by a brain tumour?

What man would fob you off by dreaming up the gruesome death of an aunt and uncle, and claim falsely that he’d been asked to dig the graves?

Robert Wilson told all of these lies to Kathy McNeil, the court was told.

But his deception went far beyond his need to cover up his sexual adventures: Wilson lied easily to his colleagues at Story Rail, claiming he had lung cancer.

But the detectives knew that they needed more to show that Wilson was lying about how his wife died.

They needed to prove he had a motive for murder.

During the trial, prosecutor Brian Cummings worked with witnesses to build up a detailed picture of just how Wilson would benefit from the sudden death of Jane.

First, police had to prove that Wilson’s relationship with Kathy McNeil was not what he had claimed: a casual fling all about sex.

Wilson fought hard to give that impression, saying in one police interview: “Kathy was good in a physical way. But as to being a couple, we had nothing in common.

“I was down to earth, and liked my animals and the farm and she liked her expensive clothes and going out to posh places. We hardly had a thing in common. The only thing we had in common was the physical thing.

“She wouldn’t be happy on a farm in the middle of nowhere, with horses, and old togs. “Everything had to be designer clothes. I was referred to as a bit of rough.”

But the evidence strongly suggested that Wilson was more serious about the new woman in his life.

He spent a fortune on her, phoning her every day, treating her to expensive meals in posh restaurants, even helping to pay for her divorce.

More tellingly, Wilson borrowed £15,000 so he could take her on a tropical holiday to the Maldives a few months before his wife died.

Incredibly, in court, he claimed that Jane had refused the trip – costing about the same as her annual salary as a post-woman – because she had wanted to compete in a horse show in Langholm.

Yet more lies, the jury was later to decide.

Equally compelling was Kathy McNeil’s evidence.

“Sometimes it was flattery, sometimes I felt there was a little bit of control there.”

Police also had to show Wilson was not the adoring husband he claimed to be.

Prosecuting QC Brian Cummings made the point powerfully as he confronted Wilson over his behaviour in the four weeks after Jane died.

Twice in that month, the farmer slept with other women in his marital bed, just feed from where his late wife’s wedding dress hung in the bedroom wardrobe.

The first time, on December 12, he was with Kathy McNeil during a visit to The Croft.

The second time, on New Year’s Eve, it was with farm hand Michelle Dodd.

Mr Cummings asked: “How does this square with having true feelings for your wife – having sex with another woman in her bed, less than two weeks after you killed her?” As ever, Wilson had an answer. “That was how I got my comfort,” he said.

Police also found strong evidence that Wilson was motivated by greed.

With mounting debts, approaching £300,000 he had developed a taste for exotic living – foreign travel, post restaurants, a costly race horse, Mr Cummings told the murder jury.

His estate would have been worth just £190,000 if he had divorced Jane Wilson.

With her dead, he was able to claim life insurance policies – including one taken out just two months before his wife died – making his estate worth around £910,000.

The final, and biggest hurdle for the prosecution, was the lack of direct physical evidence they had to prove what happened to Jane Wilson on the night she died.

There ample evidence to prove him a liar and a sexual predator, but as his defence QC Joanna Greenberg pointed out neither of those things made him a murderer.

It was this aspect of the case that needed the mind of a forensic pathologist.

In Home Office pathologist Alison Armour, police found the perfect ally: a woman whose expertise, gleaned over a career spanning 21 years, who personally took part in a reconstruction of the tractor “accident” to test Wilson’s story.

From her came the opinion that may have dealt a fatal blow to Wilson’s case.

Noticing the lack of blood in the barn, Dr Armour said she believed Jane Wilson was already dead when her body and head were crushed by her husband’s tractor.

The prosecution expert witness, Dr Charles Wilson, challenged that opinion.

There was a suggestion that much of Jane Wilson’s spilt blood may have been hidden in the photos of the scene, hidden beneath manure and straw.

For the jury of six men and six women, it was Dr Armour’s evidence that won the day. After nearly four weeks, they gave their solemn decision: Wilson had murdered his wife.

Only Wilson knows what really happened that night. Jane Wilson’s sister and children can only speculate about how Jane died.

After weeks of interviews and investigation, detectives felt sure they knew why Jane Wilson had died.

It was the timing of Kathy McNeil’s first planned visit to The Croft that gave them an explanation of why he killed her over that weekend.

For 14 months, he’d successfully kept separate his two lives: that with Jane and that with Kathy McNeil.

But his lover was becoming increasingly persistent: she was determined to see his home in Cumbria.

In the words of prosecuting QC Brian Cummings: “The two halves of his life were on an imminent collision course at that time.

“Jane Wilson died just when the defendant [Robert Wilson] needed her to.”

As he contemplates his inevitable life sentence, his wife’s family can take comfort in the knowledge that for him this turned out not to be the perfect murder.

Farm Subsidies: Do They Sustain Dependancy?

2008-11-28T05:03:00.000-08:00

FRANKLIN COUNTY- It's a debate that's been going on for years.
Farm Subsidies and whether they sustain dependency. Are subsidies helping or harming American Agriculture?

Here in Southern Illinois, three generations of farmers we talked to Wednesday say without assistance everyone suffers.

Down Long Prairie Road You'll find it. This farm in Franklin County actually dates back to 1856.

There are three generations farming this land. Darren Drew from Drew Farms says, " Even with this boy here to keep him on the farm one mess up sends him off the farm."

And that's a mess up the Drew Family admits wanting to avoid instead opting to be part of the government's farm program.

Paul Drew says, " They need to take care of food producing family farms to sustain our food supply and our quality of life. "

Subsidies and crop insurance help to keep operations like this up and running.

In addition to the Drew Family there are thousands of others receiving farm payments the Government argues some people shouldn't be. Paul admits," We still live in a free country if it's legal you can do it."

They are doing it taking into account all losses and gains.
Drew says," The good Lord has sustained us and I hope he will continue doing it. "

By: Angie Wyatt
awyatt@wsiltv.com

Apache, Oklahoma farmer grows new winter crop

2008-11-10T18:53:00.000-08:00

By Vic Schoonover
Nov 10, 2008

A unique crop with great potential has been planted in the Southern Plains states this fall.

The crop is called winter canola and Oklahoma farmer Alan Mindemann is optimistic about its future; optimistic enough to have committed 820 acres to the crop.

Mindemann, certified by the American Society of Agonomists as a crop advisor, says there are several advantages to growing canola in this state and other states on the southern end of the Great Plains.

"Winter canola gives us another cool season grain crop to grow, just like wheat," Mindemann said. "You plant it in the same months and harvest it about the same time as winter wheat. You can use the same equipment to plant it and to harvest it. We plant it with notill grain drills and harvest it with combines."

Another agronomic advantage to growing canola, Mindemann said, is planting the crop in rotation with winter wheat enables farmers to clean up weeds that have become a serious problem with longterm wheat production.

"Rotating canola with wheat will stop the growth of wintergrass, rye grass, rescue grass, wild oats and cheatgrass, all weeds that cause serious management problems for plains farmers." he said. "Planting canola will help farmers get away from spraying these weeds with expensive herbicides and suffering reduced prices when marketing weed-infested grain."

Farmers interested in planting the crop will be glad to know there is a consortium of agricultural cooperatives and companies assisting farmers to get started. The push to start growing the crop started a few years back when the idea to develop a winter variety of canola, traditionally a spring crop grown in the northern part of the U.S., came about.

Agricultural companies like Monsanto and Dekalb developed new canola varieties that would grow in a cool season. The new varieties are also Roundup Ready, being tolerant of using the herbicide after planting to prevent any weed competition.

Federal grants to help develop the crop and managemnt techniques were obtained from the USDA by the Oklahoma Farmers and Merchants Insurance Co., earlier known as the Farmers Union. A cooperative known as the Plains Oilseed Products Cooperative became a reality with farmers, lending institutions and Land Grant university scientists all climbing on board to make growing the new varieties a reality.

A new crop, winter canola, surrounds Alan Mindemann, Apache, Oklahoma farmer who has planted 820 acres. There are many unique aspects about the crop such as the round, bright green leaves in its first stage of growth. Developed as another winter crop to rotate with winter wheat, after harvest the seed will be processed into oil products at the Producers Cooperative Oil Mill at Oklahoma City. (eventerprise1 photo)

Last year, a physical location to process canola came about when the Plains Oilseed cooperative joined up with the Producers Cooperative Oil Mill in Oklahoma City. Farmers interested in growing the crop in 2009 can learn more about growing contracts by contacting staff at the oil mill, Mindemann said.

Canola is not only unique in its development, but it is very different in appearance, growth habits, management needs and uses for its end products, Mindemann said.

"This year," Mindemann said. "I planted five pounds of seed per foot and used a 15-inch row spacing with the drill."

A field of young canola in the early fall might make you think it should be located in a valley in southern Arizona or California, The young plant is a rich green with round, flat leaves that give it an uncanny appearance of a new crop of lettuce or other truck garden crop.
As the crop matures, it goes through several distinctive stages, Mindemann says.

"Perhaps the most unusual stage is when it is flowering prior to seed development," he said. "At full bloom, all of the plants have bright yellow flowers that is a real attention getter for someone driving by a field."

At crop maturity, the plants develop their seed in pods that, when dried out, are ready for harvest.

"Growing winter canola is a serious, hands-on, full-time job," Mindemann said. "From the time you plant it until you successfully harvest it, you must be aware of several important factors to get the job done right."

Since developing winter canola varieties is in its infancy, growing the crop is still very much a learning experience, he said.

"This year, before planting in the latter part of September, I put down 34 pounds of nitrogen fertilizer per acre on my fields," he said. "

Twenty days after planting, we sprayed Roundup over the fields to stop any weed competiton for the crop."

In January, 2009, Mindemann said, he will topdress the crop with 60 pounds of nitrogen per acre.

Harvesting winter canola makes up the most of the learning portion of growing it, Mindemann said.

"Last spring, late rains caused the canola to start new growth when we were near harvest," he said.

Farmers successfully applied to the EPA for permission to use chemicals to control the new growth.

When the crop was harvested, dry weather caused the pods to shatter, spilling some of the seed on the ground before combines could succesfully harvest it.Mindemann harvested it like wheat last year, using a conventional combine.

Some farmers found putting the mature crop into windrows, like hay, gave them a better chance to keep all of the seed in the machine where it was supposed to be in the first place. But successfully windrowing the crop is a practice still in development, Mindemann said.

Now farmers are looking at a completely new method to prepare the crop for harvest, Mindemann said.

"Farmers in the northern plains states who have more experience growing canola use a "pusher" to place the mature crop in a windrow," Mindemann said. "This is a bar with the same length as a regular combine header that has an oval surface with sickles at each end of the bar. The sickles mark off a typical 36 foot swath and the oval bar presses the stalks down, forming a windrow.

"'Applying the bar requires some finesse becauses if it is too high, the plants straighten back up, too low and they break over, making it even more difficult to harvest with the combine."

The bar is mounted on the front of a conventional tractor with a three point hitch, MIndemann said. When using the bar to push down the canola plants, it is important to be able to continually adjust the height of the "pusher" to accomodate plant height and ground levels.

At the right time of seed maturity, combines can then be used to harvest the grain which consists of small, round shiny seeds.
Canola seed is used primarily to make high-quality cooking oil, Mindemann said.

According to Dr. Sharon Robinson, an Extension nutrition specilalist, "Canola has the lowest levels of saturated fat among cooking oils and no transfat. It is rich in Vitamin E and essential fatty acids, nutrients needed to help maintain human health. It has more Vitamin E than peanut, corn or olive oils."

The oil has other uses and the meal can be used for livestock feed.
Mindemann said there are approximately 3,000 acres of winter canola planted in the immediate area.

Farther south, a cousin of Mindemann, Jimmy Kinder, Walters, Ok., has planted 1,000 acres to winter canola. KInder and his brother, Kevin, farm in Cotton County, close to the Red River.

Another portion of the incentives to get farmers to get on board growing winter canola is particularly attractive to Kinder, a longtime supporter of the Future Farmers of America.

"Buyers of Monsanto-Dekalb canola seed are offering farmers incentives to help their local FFA chapters," Kinder said. "When harvest comes in the spring, farmers with top canola yields will receive prize monies that will be presented to local FFA chapters."
Producing winter canola fits in with the notill management practices followed by both Mndemann and Kinder. Mindemann has been a notill farmer for 13 years.

"All of our cropland is farmed notill," Kinder said. "My brother and I are starting our 10th year of notill farming. Not only does it give a crop a seedbed that is resistant to wind and water erosion, retains more moisture at the surface and subsurface, but it helps us by reducing these erosion and moisture management problems for us. That way, we can concentrate on other management needs while growing the crop."

There are other Oklahoma farmers growing canola this winter. It will be interesting to follow the development of the crop as it grows from a small, wide-leafed, green plant into a tall yellow-flowered crop nearing the important day of harvest.

Fatalities on the rise in vehicle-animal crashes

2008-11-01T02:55:00.000-07:00

By FREDERIC J. FROMMER
The Associated Press
Thursday, October 30, 2008; 1:28 AM

WASHINGTON -- Fatalities from vehicle crashes with deer and other animals have more than doubled over the last 15 years, according to a new study by an auto insurance-funded highway safety group that cites urban sprawl overlapping into deer habitat.

The report by the Highway Loss Data Institute found that 223 people died in animal-vehicle crashes last year, up from 150 in 2000 and 101 in 1993.

Since 1993, Texas had the most deaths from such crashes, with 227, followed by Wisconsin with 123 and Pennsylvania with 112.

The Highway Loss Data Institute and its sister organization, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, looked at both insurance claims and federal crash data. According to the report, most accidents involving animals are with deer.

"Urban sprawl means suburbia and deer habitat intersect in many parts of the country," said Kim Hazelbaker, the Highway Loss Data Institute's senior vice president. "If you're driving in areas where deer are prevalent, the caution flag is out, especially in November."

The study found that insurance claims for crashes with animals is three times higher in November than it is from January to September.

"The months with the most crash deaths coincide with fall breeding season," said Anne McCartt, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's senior vice president for research.

The Governors Highway Safety Association cautioned that the numbers need to be looked at in context, citing the more than 12,000 drunk driving deaths each year.

"Deer crashes are a small highway safety problem in terms of total deaths," said the group's spokesman, Jonathan Adkins. "This problem is perceived to be a lot more common than the reality."

Adkins said there are no proven countermeasures, other than fencing, "which is extremely expensive and not practical. Our message to motorists is to slow down, particularly at dusk and on rural roads."

In 2004 study, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that fencing, combined with underpasses and overpasses, can be an effective way to prevent deer-vehicles crashes.

As to the size of the problem, McCartt said, "I agree that the number doesn't compare to the number of people killed in alcohol-related crashes, but it is going up. We're not suggesting it's of the same magnitude, but they do result in injuries and death."

The overall number of animal-vehicle crashes is also on the rise. The report says that State Farm Insurance Co., the nation's largest car insurer, has estimated 1.2 million claims industrywide for crashes with animals over a 12-month period ending June 30 of this year. State Farm says that claims for those types of crashes have increased nearly 15 percent over the last five years.

Keep one eye out for deer on the road (and the other peeled for the IRS)

2008-10-13T17:59:00.000-07:00

Driving in Minnesota is much more risky: the state ranks 12th in the nation for vehicle-deer collisions.

Star Tribune
Minnesota motorists are more likely to get audited by the IRS than they are to hit a deer while driving, according to a study by State Farm Insurance.

The company analyzed claims involving deer and drivers over the last six months of 2007 and the first half of this year, and data from the Federal Highway Administration; it found that Minnesota is the 12th most-likely place for such a collision.

That dropped the state two notches in the annual survey, but still left it in the "high risk" category, with the likelihood of such an accident at one for every 139 vehicles on the road. That's lower than the odds of getting audited by the IRS, which is roughly one in 100 for 2009, the insurance company said.

For the second year in a row, drivers in West Virginia had the highest odds of hitting a deer, at one in 45. Michigan came in No. 2. The least likely place for a motorist to hit a deer is Hawaii, with the probability at one in 10,962.

AVMA weighs in on California livestock housing referendum

2008-09-23T05:38:00.000-07:00

An upcoming California referendum on mandatory changes to livestock confinement practices has the AVMA concerned the proposal could compromise animal welfare by requiring producers to adopt systems that don't account for all aspects of humane treatment.

Although reluctant to involve the AVMA in state politics, preferring instead to address veterinary and animal-related issues at the national level, Association leaders believe the referendum, sponsored by national organizations such as the Humane Society of the United States, warranted a response because it is part of a larger, state-by-state campaign targeting food animal production.

The referendum, known as the Standards for Confining Farm Animals, or Proposition 2, has roiled the nation's largest state veterinary association. The California VMA's support for Proposition 2 caused small numbers of CVMA members—including the chair of the CVMA agriculture committee—and unaffiliated large animal veterinarians to form an organization opposed to the proposal. This new group, the Association of California Veterinarians, intends on speaking for veterinarians on matters pertaining to California's animal agriculture industry.

In April, a coalition of humane organizations gathered more than the necessary 433,971 signatures to put Proposition 2 on the California ballot this November. The measure would require that, effective 2015, egg-laying hens, veal calves, and pregnant sows have enough room to lie down, stand, turn around, and fully extend their limbs (see JAVMA, May, 1, 2008, page 1279).

Referendums are a way of bringing legislation directly to the public for a vote. Many states allow such forms of "direct democracy" as do a number of city governments. So far, referendums on livestock housing have been successful in at least two states. Sow gestation stalls were banned in Florida by voters in 2002 (effective 2008); four years later, veal calf and gestation stalls were prohibited in Arizona (effective 2012).
Notably, California is not a major veal producer. Moreover, gestation stalls are already being phased out by the state's largest pork producer. The state's poultry industry would feel the effects of Proposition 2 most, as California is home to more than 19 million egg-laying hens and is the fifth largest egg-producing state in the country.

After nearly yearlong deliberations over Proposition 2, the California VMA board of governors passed a resolution supporting the proposal, finding it consistent with the association's "Eight Principles of Animal Care and Use," which describe veterinarians' commitment to animals. For instance, Principle 5 states: "Animals should be provided with water, nutrition, and an environment appropriate to their care and use, with consideration for their safety, health, and species-specific biological needs and behavioral natures."

The CVMA did temper its endorsement of Proposition 2 with a few caveats. "While the CVMA supports the concept that animals should be allowed to turn around, lie down, stand up and fully extend their limbs when confined," the statement reads, "we also believe that issues such as public health, biosecurity, and good farming practices must be considered.

"The CVMA firmly believes that any modifications of the current system should be made in consultation with California's food animal veterinarians, the leading authorities on the health and well being of production animals," the statement concluded.

Still, the association's endorsement of Proposition 2 "angered, frustrated, and disappointed" some CVMA members, who say the decision is neither science-based nor recommended by food animal veterinarians within the CVMA nor supported by groups such as the American Association of Avian Pathologists, explained Dr. Michael S. Karle, chair of the CVMA agriculture committee. As a result, they have established the Association of California Veterinarians, with Dr. Karle as president, to express their opposition to the referendum.

The ACV promotes itself as backing science-based standards, practices, and policies that enable state livestock and poultry producers to provide "a wholesome, safe, nutritious, and affordable food supply." The group's goal is to become the principal veterinary organization on issues affecting California's animal agriculture industry. Dr. Karle estimates the number of ACV members at around 20 and "growing every day."

The CVMA agriculture committee recommended nonsupport of Proposition 2 while the CVMA House of Delegates voted in favor of the association, taking a neutral position on the measure.

"It was a complete shock when the board of governors came out in support of Prop 2," said Dr. Karle, a bovine practitioner working primarily with dairy cattle. "We have to answer to our clients every day on these kinds of issues, and for CVMA to take a support position on this is basically like us abandoning our clients."

Despite the dispute, CVMA President William A. Grant believes the association is acting in the best interests of the animals and in accordance with its Eight Principles. "I feel good about the decision we made, and we have until 2015 to have this implemented," Dr. Grant said. He pointed out that advances in food animal housing are already leading some producers to switch to more open housing systems.

"People are concerned about the slippery slope," Dr. Grant said about fears that Proposition 2 is just the beginning of a legislative assault on food animal production in California. "I don't see a slippery slope at this point," he said.

A small animal practitioner, Dr. Grant regrets the discord within the CVMA but said he respects the dissenting members' opinion. In fact, Dr. Grant has "a lot of faith" in Dr. Karle, who he reappointed chair of the agriculture committee when he took office. "If this is something they want to do, that's fine," Dr. Grant said. "I do think that anytime we fragment our members, it's a mistake. Our strength is in our unity." The San Diego County VMA has also endorsed Proposition 2, he added.

Dr. Karle and the other CVMA members recognize there are advantages of retaining their affiliation with the association, such as insurance benefits, and have no plans of renouncing their memberships.

Seeing the Proposition 2 debate as a California matter, Dr. Grant formally requested in a letter sent to the AVMA that the organization not comment on the proposal. But in a statement issued Aug. 26, the AVMA said it welcomed the effort to improve animal welfare but worried Proposition 2 "ignored critical aspects of animal welfare" and, if enacted, could threaten the well-being of the very animals it means to protect. (Read the AVMA statement in its entirety on this page. For more information, visit www.avma.org/issues/animal_welfare/california_proposition2.asp).

"Proposition 2 would clearly provide greater freedom of movement, but would likely compromise several of the other factors necessary to ensure the overall welfare of the animals, especially with regard to protection from disease and injury," the statement reads.

The AVMA Executive Board approved the comments during a special teleconference convened Aug. 18. While reluctant to involve the Association in state politics, AVMA leaders believed they needed to air their concerns over parts of Proposition 2. Namely, they think the proposal fails to account for all aspects of animal welfare, according to Dr. Ron DeHaven, AVMA CEO and executive vice president.

Additionally, the measure's wording is vague, they say, so that when regulations implementing the law are written, they may preclude certain housing systems with the potential to enhance animal welfare. "Legally, the language may be clear," Dr. DeHaven said. "Scientifically, it is not."

"We are not taking a position on Proposition 2," Dr. DeHaven explained. "But we are concerned that there could be unintended consequences that will negatively impact the welfare of affected animals. We want our members in California and the public to consider these potential consequences when they make their decision on how to vote."

Dr. Karle was "elated" by the AVMA's response. "I was very pleased, and we came to the same conclusions for the same reasons," he said.

Portions of the AVMA statement agree with what the CVMA has said about Proposition 2, according to Dr. Grant. But he does take issue with the charge that the association is ignoring animal welfare. Moreover, the AVMA, Dr. Grant said, is contradicting itself, considering how the AVMA House of Delegates just recently passed a resolution calling on the veal calf industry to adopt less-confining housing systems (see JAVMA, Sept. 1, 2008, page 689).

Dr. Grant is confident the state veterinary association can weather the controversy through professional unity. "My feeling ... is we're veterinarians: we can analyze these issues and, hopefully, we can come to terms in agreement within our organization," he said. "That's what we have done before, and we're hoping to do again."

– R. Scott Nolen

A Brand Built by Quality

2008-09-16T05:33:00.000-07:00

A Brand Built by Quality
Kentucky’s equine economic cluster has multibillion-dollar annual impact
By Kara Keeton

Kentucky is known as the horse capital of the world, it might be argued, because it is home to “the greatest two minutes in sports,” the Kentucky Derby. It might also be argued that Kentucky is on the map when it comes to horses because the Bluegrass is where champions such as Man O’ War and Secretariat were bred and born.

Being home to the Kentucky Derby and birthplace of famous four-legged athletes no doubt has laid the foundation for the state’s worldwide horse fame, but as the equine industry has grown in the commonwealth it is much more than the steeds in the field that have cemented Kentucky’s role as horse capital of the world.

It is a rich infrastructure of tops-in-their-field businesses supporting the horse farms and racing industry that makes Kentucky, specifically the Bluegrass region, known worldwide. Beyond the bragging rights, there are big bucks involved – multiple billions of dollars a year spilling into virtually every aspect of the state economy.

An equine cluster
The focal point of the equine industry may be the beautiful Thoroughbreds, Saddlebreds, Quarter Horses and many other equine breeds found in Kentucky’s fields and barns. Yet horses are only the beginning when looking at the total impact of the state’s equine industry.

“There is no question that the horse industry in the state spins off other businesses. You have equine feed, hay, tack shops, transportation, and that is just a few of the many businesses that support the industry,” said Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear.

Dr. Lori Garkovich, of the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, has been studying the far-reaching impact of Kentucky’s equine industry. Her research shows that industry has developed into an equine economic cluster as it evolved.

“A cluster occurs when there is a geographic concentration of firms and institutions whose activities are interconnected and interdependent within a sector,” Garkovich explained. “That is what has happened in the equine industry in Kentucky, especially in Lexington and the surrounding area.”

Garkovich’s research justifies the existence of an equine economic cluster in the Bluegrass. It’s a concept many have long recognized as they watched the industry over the years.

“What we have seen over time is that as the number of horses and farms grew, so did the infrastructure in the industry to support the growth,” explained Nicole Pieratt, owner of Sallee Horse Vans Inc. based in Lexington. “At Sallee, we provide transportation for horses to tracks and farms across the country and into Canada, but Kentucky is the hub of our industry.”

The equine infrastructure
As the commonwealth’s unique equine infrastructure has grown, so has its recognition beyond the state’s borders. Today, Kentucky is home to equine world leaders ranging from specialty feeds and equipment suppliers to distinctive providers of veterinary, legal, financial, insurance and other services.

“We are very unique within the feed industry, as we are an ultra-premium manufacturer of horse feeds,” said Lee Hall, vice president of Hallway Feeds, based in Lexington. “We are making products that are fueling and feeding what is arguably the best Thoroughbred breeding stock in the world and very many of the best racing horses in the world. Would this be possible if we were located anywhere else in the world? I don’t think so.”

What makes the infrastructure around Kentucky’s equine industry unique and known worldwide, Hall went on to explain, is its quality. The horse owners demand quality products and care for their animals and farms, and businesses that provide the quality that is demanded have flourished.

Dr. Andy Clark, CEO of Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, echoed Hall’s statements. Horse owners want the highest quality care for their animals, he said, and equine veterinarians in the state have responded to their needs.

“There is nowhere else in the world where you can find the level of equine veterinary care you will find in Lexington and the surrounding area,” said Dr. Clark. “There are two equine MRI machines within seven miles of each other and dozens of digital X-ray machines, but this level of quality care should be here since we are the center of the horse business.”

That quality level has propelled some of those businesses that began by providing services locally to now reach far beyond Kentucky and the United States to the international equine industry.

Gustav slams into shore as Category 2 hurricane

2008-09-03T05:26:00.000-07:00

A weakened tropical storm Gustav is starting to fade as it moves through Louisiana.

Gustav, with maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometres per hour, was downgraded to a tropical storm late Tuesday evening, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. At 11 p.m. ET, it was 30 kilometres southwest of Alexandria, Louisiana.

With its current movement, Gustav is expected to move across Louisiana and reach into eastern Texas by Tuesday.

According to reports from ABC News, water was splashing over the Industrial Canal floodwall in New Orleans, creating ankle-deep flood areas. But city officials were optimistic the main levees would hold and major flooding would be averted.

"We are seeing some overtopping waves," said Col. Jeff Bedey, commander of the Army Corps of Engineers' hurricane protection office.

"We are cautiously optimistic and confident that we won't see catastrophic wall failure."

Despite the downgrade, Gustav had still packed gusting winds of more than 175 km/h when it struck shore in Cocodrie, southwest of New Orleans.

"It has been downgraded but that does not mean we are out of the woods. This is still a storm to be reckoned with," said CTV's Marcia MacMillan, reporting from New Orleans.

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal echoed that sentiment at a news conference Monday afternoon. He warned that the worst is not over with the possibility of more rain, tornadoes, tidal surges and additional flooding in the forecast.

Earlier, forecasters had feared the storm could make landfall as a devastating Category 4 system.

MacMillan said forecasters were expecting the storm to dump about 50 centimetres of rain on the region. Three years ago the devastating Hurricane Katrina hit east of New Orleans, leaving over 1,600 dead and thousands homeless.

Gustav has only been linked to one death in the U.S., when a woman was killed in a collision driving from Baton Rouge to New Orleans. But before making landfall, the hurricane had already been blamed for at least 94 deaths in the Caribbean.

Much of southern Louisiana was deserted ahead of the storm. New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin issued a mandatory evacuation, and according to officials roughly 2 million residents had fled the city and other at-risk areas by Monday morning.

About 10,000 people decided to ride out the storm in New Orleans while about 100,000 remained in their homes along the coast.

MacMillan said some damage could already be seen Monday morning as strong winds knocked down signs and electricity was temporarily cut off in the city's French Quarter. However, she said officials were mainly concerned about flooding.

"After Katrina they did want to learn a lot of lessons and they have in terms of the evacuation and in terms of the organization and preparedness, but those levees are still vulnerable," she said.

"The levees can only take a storm surge of eight feet. We're looking at a potential storm surge of 20 feet with this storm so that's the real concern, that they're still vulnerable, they're not fortified, they're not strong enough."

New Orleans Police Superintendent Warren Riley spoke to MacMillan in the French Quarter on Monday afternoon and told her that, from what he has seen, the damage in the city was limited to downed trees and debris, with no serious damage to houses.

"Compared to Katrina, this is absolutely a great day for us," he said.

U.S. president George Bush on Monday said he was satisfied with officials' efforts to prepare for Gustav.

"All in all what I look for is to determine whether assets are in place to help, whether or not there is coordination and whether or not there is preparation for recovery, and to that end I feel good about this event," Bush said, speaking in Texas where many of the evacuees have been taken.

Bush also congratulated those who have followed the evacuation orders and left their homes, and thanked the states that have welcomed the evacuees.

Ghost town

MacMillan said New Orleans was a virtual ghost town Monday, that is, until the eye passed over the city.

"For the last 24 hours we have not seen anyone in the French Quarter, but now we're seeing more than just police and National Guard on the streets," said MacMillan.

"(Officials) still want people to stay inside; the death, damage and destruction come after the storms. It's not always the wind, it's the aftermath. They want people to stay tight."

In New Orleans proper, about 50 per cent of the city, an estimated 100,000 customers, are without power. MacMillan said officials are not sure when the power will be restored as they are waiting for the other half of the storm to come in.

About 400 km to the west, the Texas town of Beaumont was battening down in advance of Gustav's arrival.

Capt. Brad Penisson of the Beaumont Fire Department told CTV Newsnet that evacuation efforts prior to Gustav were much smoother when compared to when Hurricane Rita hit them in 2005.

"We were better organized this time, we learned some lessons the hard way during Hurricane Rita and we were better prepared, better organized with our evacuation efforts," Penisson said.

RenaissanceRe launches StormStruck at Epcot

2008-08-27T16:14:00.000-07:00

Bermuda-based reinsurer RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. has helped to create a new exhibition at Walt Disney World which will enable visitors to experience the power of a hurricane.

"StormStruck: A Tale of Two Homes" officially opened at the Epcot Centre's Innoventions pavilion in Lake Buena Vista, Florida yesterday.

The exhibit features spectacular special effects depicting a combination of different weather hazards into one "storm". After guests have experienced the storm, they learn about cutting-edge scientific research and new construction technologies that can protect their homes.

RenRe and its US affiliate WeatherPredict Consulting teamed up with partners the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH), Simpson Strong-Tie and insurance giant State Farm to create the new exhibit.

The StormStruck project has been seven years in the making. Joe Tankersley, of the Walt Disney Imagineering team was the creative designer.

One of the reasons the reinsurer got involved in a new Disney exhibition is to raise awareness of "storm-proofing" techniques that can dramatically reduce the damage suustained by homes in a hurricane.

RenRe president and chief executive officer Neill Currie told The Royal Gazette yesterday that 130 people or so had attended the opening, including Florida legislators and scientists from the National Hurricane Centre.
"It was important to have the right balance," Mr. Currie said. "We want it to be fun and entertaining, but we also want it to show how serious a hurricane can be - without giving five-year-olds nightmares." Mr. Currie said the special effects, enhanced by wearing 3-D spectacles, made it seem as though debris was flying around and a tree appeared to be falling through the window at one point.

The benefit of hazard mitigation is the message that RenRe wants to get across.

"The name of the exhibit goes back to a story of two houses in Florida, one across the street from the other," Mr. Currie said. "One family took the proper precautions to protect their home and kept their house. The other family lost everything.

"It's not just about dollars and cents. It's about making people safer and maybe even saving lives. Losses for insurers can be lower and that causes a reduction in premiums. Several thousand people may come out of this exhibit and go home and change things. I like a situation where everyone wins."

Simpson Strong-Tie is a construction company specialising in techniques used to make homes more storm resistant. "With the large number of windstorms that we've seen this year, there's no better time than now to make sure homes are built right," said the company's president, Terry Kingsfather.

"For most people their homes are the largest investment they will ever make, so it's important they protect them. This exhibit will help home-owners understand how high winds affect their homes and how to make sure their homes are storm ready by installing such products as wind-resistant windows and garage doors, and using metal connectors to secure their roofs, walls and foundations."

The exhibit is designed for families, although its creators have warned that the main show, which features hi-tech audio and visual special effects showing hail, lightning and high winds, may be too realistic for young children. From pre-show to post-show, the experience lasts between 12 and 20 minutes.

Visitors will learn tips on protecting their homes, such as that doors that open outward have added strength from the door frame and why hip-shaped roofs are more dynamic and therefore more wind-resistant.

RenRe has been proactive in researching and developing risk mitigation techniques. The RenaissanceRe Wall of Wind is a state-of-the-art testing facility that simulates the effects of hurricanes on full-scale buildings to improve housing construction practices. In addition, RenRe has staged the Hurricane Risk Mitigation Leadership Forum series, which brought together experts from different fields to advance hurricane risk mitigation efforts and awareness.

The StormStruck exhibit is scheduled to remain at Epcot for three years. More information is available on the Internet at www.stormstruck.org

New Milford Makes a Statement: Farming Is Staying

2008-08-23T04:19:00.000-07:00

NOT all that long ago, this was a dairy town, with cows nibbling on the grass along the town’s sleepy spine, Route 7, and barns and silos rising as majestic as castles across the landscape.

Those days are gone, and by some estimates there may be only a handful of dairy farms left out of a peak of 200 in the mid-20th century. Route 7, progressively widened and manicured, now sports a Staples, Home Depot and Wal-Mart because developers have swallowed up the farms and turned them into hundreds of houses and apartments whose occupants need places to shop.

But the town has not abandoned its agrarian spirit, and in late July it made a bold statement that farming still matters. With about 40 farms left that mostly grow hay and vegetables, the town passed what it calls a right-to-farm ordinance. It cautioned all those home-owning arrivistes that this is farm country, son, though it put it a little more formally.

“Agriculture is a significant part of the town of New Milford’s heritage and a vital part of the town’s future,” the preamble read.

The ordinance essentially told newcomers to think twice before complaining about the fragrance of manure wafting into their backyards at planting time or the growl of tractors, the bellowing of cattle, or the crowing of roosters at dawn. It urged the newcomers not to object to the dust kicked up by plows or the pumping of sprinklers when farms have to be irrigated at night. Grumblers would have to take their beefs to a mediation panel.

A half-dozen farmers interviewed could not recall receiving any nuisance complaints themselves. But they see the ordinance as a pre-emptive strike, one that Bonnie Weed, a farmer, describes as “an insurance policy.” When neighbors do complain, farmers will have the law to back them up.

“New Milford is making a statement that they support agriculture, that they support the farming industry, which is not a position a lot of communities take,” said Jeremy Schulz, who farms 200 acres of corn, tomatoes, pumpkins and other vegetables that he and his wife, Willow, sell from a stand on Route 7.

The farmers are clearly conscious of how their work affects neighbors. Bill Weed, 50, a farmer’s son who with Bonnie, his wife, grows hay and feed corn on 240 acres, is aware that when he runs a 14-foot wide hay mower down a country lane at 12 miles an hour, impatient drivers behind him seethe in frustration. He knows he upsets neighbors when he and his crew are harvesting hay at 11 at night to get it baled and in the barn before a thunderstorm ruins it. Not everyone may be in love with his eight Belted Galloway cattle, even if they bear such cute names as Oreo, Doo-wop and Pebbles. But that is the price of having farms in your midst.

The paradox is that many professionals who move to New Milford and commute to jobs in Stamford or New Haven chose the town because of its rural character. When they get there they want that rural character to be sort of like a painting — silent and inanimate in the background. But it can’t be.

“They want to move to the country so they’re surprised that farming can mean a nuisance,” is the way Ms. Weed puts it.

While Litchfield County continues losing farms, farmers here see a flicker of hope in the growing interest, by those alarmed by reports of tainted food, in having their produce locally grown so they can have a more secure sense of what went into the growing. There are at least four farm stands in New Milford. Mr. Schulz, 34, a first generation farmer who fell in love with farming as a teenage helper, recently opened a market that will use his farm’s produce in dishes that his wife and others will cook, including eggplant parmigiana made with the eggplants they grew.

Private efforts to preserve farms in New Milford go back at least three decades. For 15 years, the Weeds have leased their land under an agreement with the Nature Conservancy, the nonprofit land group that bought the land to preserve it as a farm. But as development has consumed thousands of acres, transforming New Milford from village to exurb, farmers have become an endangered species, and the town decided it needed to step in. It formed a farm preservation commission, one of whose members, Daniel Readyoff, a lawyer who is the son of a Bridgewater farmer, drafted the ordinance.

A handful of Connecticut towns have passed similar measures protecting farmers, and the state already has such a measure, but it applies only to farms in place for at least a year. The town’s ordinance also set up a five-person panel to mediate disputes that arise.

The farmers were pleasantly surprised that when the town council put the ordinance up for a vote, 75 people showed up, but not one to protest.

“When it was finally done, it was the best of democracy,” Mr. Weed said. “Everybody came out a winner.”

St John's Hopes to Save Lives with Carseat Inspections

2008-08-18T03:59:00.000-07:00

Is the car seat in your vehicle up to safety standards? Parent who weren't sure, checked into it Saturday morning.

State Farm Insurance and "Safe Kids Springfield" made free inspections at the Kohl's department store on east Independence.

Parents were able to ask questions and see car seat demonstrations. Organizers say car seat straps are what give parents the most problems.

Pam Holt, St. John's Trauma Prevention Coordinator says, "A lot of times the car seat isn't strapped into the vehicle the right way of the child isn't strapped in the right way. If the harness straps aren't tight enough, if the seat-belt or latch isn't used right then that can result in a misuse and result in injury and fatality."

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among kids 14 and younger. St. John's says it's also the leading cause of trauma admission at its hospitals.

Puterbaugh halts Gaines' three-race win streak

2008-08-12T05:02:00.000-07:00

By CAREY FOX
Times Sports Editor

PUTNAMVILLE -- For three weeks, sprint car drivers had attempted to find a winning combination to end Dickie Gaines' domination at Lincoln Park Speedway.
On Saturday night, Billy Puterbaugh finally came across the right formula, adding equal parts lead foot with a lack of brakes to edge Gaines for a victory.

Puterbaugh was able to overtake Gaines in traffic late in the race and was able to hold off the veteran over the final laps despite losing his brakes down the stretch.

The win extends his points' lead to 48 over Shane Hollingsworth, who was not at LPS on Saturday night.

One driver who did have the fans buzzing with his arrival was Cory 'the Kruser' Kruseman, who brought his team with him to the Putnamville oval. The Ventura, Calif. native and multiple Indiana Sprint Week champion was making his first 2008 trip to Lincoln Park Speedway.

It did not begin well.

Gaines and Tyler Reddick won the first two heat races setting up the final nine-car heat race, which included Kruseman.

Just one lap into the race Kruseman was collected in a crash with Derek Williams and flipped his No. 71k machine.

Luckily, Kruseman was able to get his car prepared for the B-Main, where he blasted through the field to take the runner-up spot behind Bret Tripplett.

Twenty-nine sprinters were whittled down to the final 20 for the A-Main with Blake Fitzpatrick holding the pole alongside Jesse Cramer.

As the green flag waved, Cramer pulled a huge wheel stand that nearly put him on his head down the front stretch, though he was able to save the car in traffic.

Gaines assumed his familiar spot at the front of the field with Puterbaugh in hot pursuit. The two grabbed a comfortable lead, leaving an exciting fight for the third spot between Fitzpatrick, Mark Perry, Kenny Carmichael Sr., Henry Clarke and Stephanie Tuttle.

The group put on a side-by-side show for the fans, hungry to gain that third spot and with it, a good look at the leaders.

Up front, Gaines and Puterbaugh were taking advantage of a nice cushion that had formed at the top. The pair entered traffic and Puterbaugh got the opening he needed, slipping past a slower car that held up Gaines.

Puterbaugh nabbed the point after several laps of side-by-side action. Behind them, Carmichael Sr. made the pass of Fitzpatrick to take the third spot where he would stay.

As the white flag flew, Puterbaugh had the Creative Design Embroidery sponsored sprinter on top, but with no brakes remaining and Gaines just behind him. Coming off turn four, Puterbaugh was a little too hot for the corner and jumped the cushion. However, he had just enough of a lead to hop back over the berm and blast to the finish line for the victory. Gaines was followed by Carmichael and Fitzpatrick with Beauchamp, Mark Perry III, Kenny Carmichael Jr., Kruseman, Henry Clarke and Tuttle in the top-10.

The points chase in the UMP Modified division is just as hot as the A-Main action was on Saturday night.

Only eight points separate leader Paul Bumgardner and Saturday's winner, Kenny Carmichael Jr.

Carmichael and Travis Shoulders were never more than a couple of car lengths apart for the entire feature and spent much of the final laps leaning heavily on each other in a dogfight to the checkered flag.

Carmichael led early and Shoulders led late before a caution with three laps remaining set the stage for the final charge.

On the restart, Carmichael got a good jump off turn four and pulled even with Shoulders, sponsored by Ottawa Trailer Parks, Cardinal Contracting, Durabuilt Racing, Eubank & Sons, Pizza Den and Still Here Liquors.

The last two circuits weren't kind to either cars' sheet metal with plenty of contact, but Carmichael was able to edge ahead with one lap left and held on for the win.

Bumgardner battled Brad Robinson during the early stages of the event before a spin sent Robinson to the tail and an eventual 13th-place. Bumgardner stayed close to the leaders and managed to beat Shoulders to the line by a hair for second-place. Mark Auler took fourth ahead of Chris Brewer, Dan Lewellen, Wayne Cooper, Phil VanSant, Carlos Bumgardner and Doug Bryant Jr.

Carmichael's win came in the Carmichael's Exhaust, Wellum Chiropractic and Bud & Sons Auto car.

Slick Griffin was able to top the field in the UMP Super Stock A-Main, besting Kris Starks and David Bumgardner to the line.

Terry Arthur had the early lead upon the start, but Griffin and Chris Hillman were in the thick of the battle along with Greg Amick and Starks.

Hillman challenged Griffin early in the race and stayed alongside him for several laps before a spin by Joe Whisler brought out a caution. Hillman's fight for another LPS victory was derailed on the restart by mechanical problems.

That left the Griffin Auto Salvage, Hoosier Towing, GT Collision and Joe's Tire machine to cruise to the win ahead of Starks, who couldn't quite reel the Brazil native in down the stretch.

David Bumgardner stayed in third-place ahead of Tami Lawson and Greencastle's Curt Leonard, sponsored by Theresa Cunningham, State Farm Insurance, Black Diamond Contracting and Don's Garage. Kenny Carmichael Jr. was followed in seventh by Doug McCullough, Tony Erdly, Mike Wright Jr. and Joe Whisler.

In the bomber main event, Terre Haute's C.J. Bryan claimed his third feature of the season, holding off Dustin Shoulders for the feature win that pushes his points' lead to 32 over Lloyd Walls, who ran third on Saturday night. Bob Farris came home fourth ahead of last week's winner, Ben Williams. Chad Nolte was sixth ahead of Kevin Kemp, Ron Smith, Arvis Shepherd and Michael Thompson.

Bryan is sponsored by Perfection Auto Glass, Pott's Tax Service, Joe's Hobby Barn, Red Hot Vending and Durabuilt Racing.

Next week will be a regular schedule with sprints, UMP Modifieds, UMP Super Stocks bombers as well as the Heartland Automotive school bus race.

McCain vows to beef up US global trade at Iowa fair

2008-08-10T04:22:00.000-07:00

DES MOINES, Iowa (AFP) — Republican White House hopeful John McCain came face to face with a 1,259-pound pig named Freight Train Friday and vowed to further open up world markets to US products.

McCain also reiterated his desire for greater energy independence through offshore oil drilling and nuclear power as he addressed hundreds of people attending the 13-day Iowa State Fair.

"This is the heartland of America. This is what America is all about. This is the people I want to know and meet," McCain said, devoting most of his speech to foreign trade, an issue critical to the livelihoods of many Iowa families.

If the United States approved of a free trade agreement with South Korea, for example, Iowa, which is the country's leading corn and soybean producing state, would greatly benefit, he said.

"My mission and my job as president of the United States, one of them will be to make sure that every market in the world is open to your products," McCain said.

He again lambasted Democratic hopeful Barack Obama for calling on Americans to properly inflate their tires to get the best gas mileage.

"I'm all in favor of inflating our tires, don't get me wrong. But that's a public service announcement. It's not an energy policy," McCain said.

Accompanied by his wife Cindy, McCain also visited a life-sized sculpture of a cow made of butter and ate a pork chop on a stick.

But fairgoers expressed mixed reactions to McCain's visit to this key midwestern swing state won in 2004 by President George W. Bush.

"He talked about energy independence yet he voted against ethanol subsidies and he is opposed to the farm bill," said Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Scott Brennan.

"He talks about things that he doesn't back up, that he's never backed up in his time in Congress."

Democrat Nancy Brown said however she planned to vote for McCain, won over by his plans for a healthcare insurance problem that she and her family face.

"The more I hear Obama, the more I think he can speak well, but can't act," Brown said.

Fertile ground: The price of pork

2008-07-29T05:14:00.000-07:00

The 11 one-day-old piglets suck hungrily, their pink skin almost transparent, as the sow grunts rhythmically.

The porkers will be weaned at three weeks and grow to 125 kilos, heftier than a heavyweight boxer, by the time their short lives end at five months.

"It's very fast," producer Jean-Paul Roulin says of the journey from birth to butcher block.

He raises 2,500 pigs and 250 breeding sows on his 80-hectare farm in St. Urbain-Premier, 40 kilometres southwest of Montreal.

Three times a day, premixed feed falls from a chute. Pigs promptly convert it to meat.

"It takes 2.5 kilos of food to produce one kilo of pork," explains Roulin, 50. "Chicken takes even less. Beef takes much more."

In the controlled environment of Roulin's hog barn, every detail is precisely worked out, from the minimum number of teats on a sow (16) to the size of the sows' 24-inch by 90-inch pens.

But despite his meticulous calculations, Roulin's numbers are not adding up to a profit.

This year, Quebec's 1,800 pig producers expect to lose $47 for each of the 7.5 million hogs they sell.

Criticized for polluting waterways, spewing odours and raising animals in factory-like conditions, beleaguered hog farms are also hemorrhaging money.

Last year, farm-income insurance doled out $361 million to hog producers and payments are expected to top $500 million this year.

A global pork glut has depressed prices, while the cost of feed and fuel has soared.

"If you're the nervous type," notes Roulin, "it's keeping you up at night."

Jean-Guy Vincent, president of the federation of Quebec pork producers, likens the problems facing his members to a perfect storm.

In the past two years, swine viruses decimated herds. The strong Canadian dollar made exports less competitive. And cheap U.S. pork has undercut Quebec producers.

But critics say the crisis is a symptom of a deeper malaise, one that spotlights the failings of industrial-style agriculture.

"Hog farms are symbolic in many ways," says Guy Debailleul, a professor of agricultural economy at Université Laval.

Inspired by assembly-line industries, modern hog operations are producing meat faster and more efficiently than ever before. But some say the cost to the environment, rural communities and animal welfare is too high.

Once barnyard animals that rolled in the muck and feasted on leftovers, pigs have become indoor creatures, raised in antiseptic barns where they never see direct sunlight.

Visitors to Roulin's hog barn must shower and don fresh clothes before entering.

Pigs are intelligent creatures that like to rootle - dig up earth and roots with their snouts, says Susan Heller, an artist who lives on a farm in St. Bernard de Lacolle, where she raises five pigs.

"I think it's cruel for an animal that's so bright never to go outside," adds Heller, who sells the pigs for slaughter even though she's a vegetarian.

"You can't organize agriculture like an assembly line in the automobile industry," says Debailleul.

For example, raising animals in close proximity increases the risk of illnesses like porcine circovirus, which ravaged Quebec herds in 2006-07.

This week, a Montreal supermarket displayed a package of four pork chops for $3.85 - a bargain by any measure.

But the price at the checkout only tells part of the story, says Debailleul.

"You're benefiting from a cheap price at the grocery store, but as a taxpayer, you're compensating the pork producer," he says.

"More and more, it's up to the state to subsidize the industry."

In the U.S., concentration in the pork industry has led to hog operations with as many as 2,000 sows and 15,000 pigs - almost 10 times the size of the average Quebec hog farm.

"Pig farms are a caricature of everything that's wrong with agriculture," says Denise Proulx, co-author of a book on pig farms, Porcheries! La porciculture intempestive au Québec (Pig Farms! The Untimely Pig Industry in Quebec, published in French by Écosociété, 2007).

"We've made the error of looking at agriculture only from an economic angle," she says.

"We've forgotten that agriculture is also about our relationship with nature. There is a direct connection with public health and with protecting ecosystems," says Proulx.

In the 1960s and '70s, Proulx and co-author Lucie Sauvé recount in the book, agricultural experts preached the benefits of specialization.

Federal and provincial incentives encouraged farmers to modernize. Cattle disappeared from pastures to be fattened in feedlots. Specialized hog operations replaced subsistence farms.

In the 1980s and '90s, as free trade agreements opened the door to farm exports, Quebec pork producers set out to conquer foreign markets.

Pig production grew from 2 million to 4 million from 1974 to 1981, and stabilized at 7.5 million in 2003.

Quebec producers will raise 7.5 million pigs in 2008 - matching the human population. Quebec exports about 45 per cent of its pork; the U.S. and Japan lead the list of 70 countries that buy it.

Quebec's pigs generate $840 million in farm income and $2.4 billion in sales of meat, cold cuts and other products.

The producers pay $8.74 per hog for farm-income insurance and the provincial and federal governments contribute the same amount. However, in bad years, like 2006, 2007 and 2008, the government share is greater.

This year, the federal government announced a buyout program to reduce herds across Canada by 10 per cent. Some of the pork slaughtered under the program will supply Quebec food banks.

While the outlook for this year is grim, pork producers are banking on a growing appetite for meat in newly industrialized countries. "International demand is growing," Roulin says hopefully.

sss

Johanne Dion has been lobbying for protection of the Richelieu River since 1985.

"It was the main treasure of my childhood," said the retired receptionist in Richelieu, a village of 5,500, 35 kilometres south of Montreal.

"I swam in that river when I was little and I was hoping to do it again before I died."

In the 1980s, towns and industries along the Richelieu were dumping untreated industrial and human waste.

By 2000, Dion's campaign to clean up the waterway had largely succeeded.

Then, pig farms started moving in.

In 2005, Quebec lifted a three-year moratorium on new hog operations.

"We found out in the fall of 2005 that a pig farm was planned," recalls Dion.

"The whole population was in a hullabaloo."

Stormy public consultations made national newscasts and local voters elected a new mayor who vowed to fight the hog barn. But the farm opened anyway last year.

"The people of Richelieu are very bitter because democracy did not work," says Dion.

"Everything is stacked up against us."

Despite a provincial law calling for public consultation on new pig farms, opponents say local residents have little power to prevent them.

For farmer Roulin, much of the opposition to hog barns is irrational.

"A lot of outsiders came in to stir up fear. It's always the fear of destroying the environment."

On Roulin's farm, pig stalls have a slatted metal floor where excrement falls through the gaps.

Waste is flushed out and piped outside to a huge cement lagoon, like an above-ground pool the size of two Olympic-size basins. A brown crust floats on the surface.

Twice a year, the liquid is sprayed on nearby fields.

Roulin, who has planted fruit trees around his lagoon, points out the cement enclosure ensures liquid manure does not leak into groundwater.

Under provincial law, farmers must monitor soil content before spreading manure, which is high in phosphorus and nitrogen. But Debailleul notes that runoff from farmers' fields can leach into waterways, especially when it rains or if the ground is frozen.

"The issue of pollution of waterways by hog production is far from solved in Quebec," says Debailleul. "In some areas, waterways are continuing to become degraded."

Liquid manure is also a significant source of methane emissions.

Pig farms contribute to blue-green algae, says Daniel Green, a scientific advisor to the Sierra Club of Canada.

Microscopic organisms created a green bloom on many of Quebec's lakes and rivers last summer. The problem is caused by high levels of phosphorus in the water. Quebec has launched a 10-year, $200-million action plan to combat the plague.

Researchers at the University of Guelph have come up with a novel solution for phosphorus pollution from pigs. They created a genetically engineered a pig, the Enviropig, whose manure contains 50- to 75-per-cent less phosphorus than a regular pig.

But Ann Clark, an associate professor of agriculture also at the University of Guelph, charged the Enviropig focuses attention on the symptom rather than the real problem.

"The problem is not the animals," says Clark. "It is the concentration of animals which transforms manure from a valued resource to a major waste problem."

North Carolina, which has the largest hog farms in the U.S., recently passed a law banning new hog lagoons, although existing ones are grandfathered. New and expanded farms will be required to install equipment to treat manure and recycle it as compost.

"We have developed innovative technologies that eliminate ammonia, odour, pathogens, discharge to streams and heavy metal soil contamination," says Joe Rudek, a senior scientist with the North Carolina office of Environmental Defence, a non-profit organization that worked with producers and legislators on the reform.

Not unlike the process at a municipal water treatment plant, the technology separates liquid from solid waste and composts solids.

Environmentalists have raised concerns about contamination of soil and water by antibiotics and heavy metals from hog waste.

Livestock accounts for half of antibiotic use in the U.S., according to a 2006 report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.

Low doses of antibiotics have been found to promote growth in livestock.

However, Quebec producers say non-therapeutic use of antibiotics and growth hormones is banned here.

The FAO report, Livestock's Long Shadow, said farm animals are the world's leading source of water pollutants. Animal wastes, antibiotics, hormones, chemicals from tanneries, fertilizers and pesticides used for feed crops lead the list of contaminants.

The report said farm animals are also responsible for 18 per cent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions and almost two-thirds of ammonia - a cause of acid rain - from human activity.

Feed crops use one-third of the world's arable land. Livestock also accounts for more than eight per cent of the world's water use - mainly to irrigate feed crops.

When you drive along Highway 20 east of Montreal, you might not connect the vast fields of corn and soybeans with pigs.

But those crops are grown to feed livestock, points out Clark.

"The livestock industry is the tail that wags the dog of agriculture."

Overproduction of industrial corn has driven up meat production and consumption, Clark notes.

"It was a direct result of the great excess of grain that we have."

Spiraling energy and grain prices are eroding the assumptions on which intensive meat production is based, says Clark.

"It worked fine as long as energy was cheap, but the energy is not cheap any more," she says.

"When grain costs $7 a bushel instead of $2.50, your cost as a pig producer goes through the roof."

sss

On the Rheintal farm in Ste. Monique de Nicolet, 150 kilometres northeast of Montreal, a big sow lowers herself up to her ears in a mud bath. Grunting with pleasure, she luxuriates, then emerges covered in black muck except for two pink circles around the eyes.

"Here, they do what comes naturally," says farmer Guylaine Buecheli as the sow saunters off to snack on alfalfa growing under the wide blue sky.

Buecheli and husband Sebastien Angers recently took over the 84-hectare organic farm started in 1984 by Buecheli's father, Hans, a pioneer in Quebec's organic-farming movement. They raise beef cattle and pigs.

"People acted like he was from outer space," says Buecheli, 29, said of her father, who immigrated to Quebec from Switzerland, where he also practised organic farming. But interest in organic meat and produce is growing, she adds.

The couple raise 40 sows and 300 pigs and plan to increase production. They also have 60 head of beef cattle. They sell the meat to individuals and health-food stores.

Angers, 28, whose father runs a maple sugar bush, studied organic farming at Laval University.

"It just clicked with me," he says. "It reflects my values: health, the animals' welfare, the environment - just common sense, really."

The pigs on the Rheintal farm (the name means valley of the Rhine) nest in straw. Their manure is composted and used on fields where the couple cultivate organic corn, oats, wheat and flax to feed their livestock.

Angers views manure as a valuable resource.

"You're nourishing the soil. If we got rid of the manure, it would be like exporting the farm's organic matter."

Free-range pigs grow more slowly than penned pigs and reach slaughter weight between six and eight months.

"We don't cut the piglets' tails. We don't cut their teeth," says Angers, as sows flake out in the straw on a hot summer day. Some conventional hog producers do so to prevent crowded animals from hurting each other.

As Angers chats, veterinarian François Cardinal drops by to check up on the herd.

The farm is unlike any other in his practice, says Cardinal, whose client list includes 150 hog operations across Quebec.

"There is less density. The fact that the animals are loose, for sure, it improves their well-being," he says.

Many hog farmers would switch to more humane methods if they could afford it, Cardinal adds.

"Most of them are barely managing to meet their costs. It's really a question of economics."

Those economics could change if the government revised farm-support programs, argues Denis Boutin, an agricultural economist with the province's Department of Sustainable Development, the Environment and Parks.

Farm-income insurance, which ties payments to production, encourages higher output and even overproduction, Boutin wrote in a 2004 report.

"Support that varies directly with production volumes is considered amongst the most environmentally harmful, since it couples maximum support to maximum output," he noted. This means large, industrial farms benefit most.

In 2003, a committee that held public hearings on Quebec's pig farms reached a similar conclusion. It proposed that farm-income insurance be phased out and replaced by a new scheme not tied to output or to a specific agricultural product. Instead, all farmers would be guaranteed a certain level of revenue, regardless of volume, type or cost of production.

Laval's Debailleul envisions a future where pork producers could develop niches like organic meat and gourmet products.

He draws inspiration from Wisconsin, a dairy state where small producers have developed hundreds of specialty cheeses and ice cream.

In recent years, the state offered incentives to farmers to transfer cattle from feedlots to pastures. "It's a tourist state, so it's important to see cows in the fields."

Pork producers, take note.

"I think in the future we should envisage producing less (pork), and not only for environmental reasons," adds Debailleul. "We should bank on quality, not quantity."

mascot@thegazette.canwest.com

Driver crashes into Comstock Park insurance office

2008-07-20T06:06:00.000-07:00

Posted by The Grand Rapids Press July 19, 2008 19:03PM

COMSTOCK PARK -- The driver who crashed into an insurance office Saturday likely was experiencing a medical problem, the Kent County Sheriff's Department said.
Benjamin Hoogerhyde, 30, of Comstock Park, was driving his 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo south on West River Drive NE and stopped at the traffic light at Lamoreaux Drive about 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

He accelerated from the light, crossed the center line, jumped the curb and drove into the wall of the Brian Huffman State Farm Insurance office, 3938 West River Drive NE.

The sheriff's department said the inside of the building was heavily damaged.

Police say alcohol was not a factor in the crash and that Hoogerhyde appeared to be in pain, although police did not see significant injuries. Hoogerhyde was taken to Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital by ambulance.

Crop insurance adjusters working overtime

2008-07-18T16:46:00.000-07:00

Crop insurance adjusters say the bad weather this summer is keeping them working overtime.

There are about 50 adjusters working in Southern Alberta and they're all busy.

On Thursday, adjuster Arnold Johnson was in a wheat field north of Vulcan that was hit hard by hail. "Every year's different but I would say we're probably double the claims we would normally expect."

Roy Newman, who farms north of Blackie, has to make an insurance claim after a storm ripped through his farm on Wednesday night. "You only got so much money to go around, with input costs going up so much and fuel prices going up, it's tough to say how much am I going to put on this crop now but you gotta cover your costs or you're taking a really big gamble," says Newman.

Newman says crops are above average this year and they're worth far more then what farmers can insure them for. At this point all he can hope for is no more hail storms. But that's not likely to happen with hail season typically lasting until the end of August.

Wind storms smash up Utica farm

2008-07-12T01:14:00.000-07:00

UTICA, Minn. — Jim Pelowski is used to life on the breezy side at his 120-acre hilltop farm.

But a gusting wind storm Monday that brought thunder, lightening and a concentrated blast of up to 1¼ inches of rain caught the 71-year-old and his wife Shirley by surprise.

The metal roof on Pelowski’s tractor shed ripped off and landed in pieces 400 feet away in the front of his yard. Roof debris smashed and knocked over Pelowski’s more than 50-foot steel windmill down to the ground. One long wooden board from the roof lodged two feet into the ground like an arrow.

The windows were blown out in an adjacent grain barn. Several elm trees surrounding Pelowski’s property snapped and littered his lawn. Shirley’s clothesline was a goner. Four tractors inside the shed and a blue 1960 Ford truck were scuffed up a bit in the roof fracas. The waist-high, wind-blown corn looked like slicked back hair on a Jolly Green Giant.

The Pelowskis returned from shopping in Rochester, Minn., around 5 p.m. Monday, and couldn’t believe the mess.

“We were thankful we weren’t here, but it sure was a surprise when we pulled into the drive,” Pelowski said.

It was a blessing the house escaped with minor damage to the siding and TV tower, he said. Their insurance assessed the damage at $50,000.

Northeastern straight-lined winds ran across the Iowa-Minnesota border around 3:30 p.m., came into La Crosse, Wis., and tailed off in central and southwest Wisconsin, National Weather Service hydro-meteorologist Tom Strangeland said.

The NWS clocked 70 mph winds, he said, but a Grand Meadow, Minn., wind farm reported 105 mph winds at 300 feet and the La Crosse Airport reported 35 mph winds.

The worst of the damage was in the south side of La Crosse, but there were sporadic pockets of damage throughout the storm’s path that brought thunder, lightning and pea-sized hail. Concentrated rainfall rates flooded streets and brought down power lines and trees along the way, Strangeland said.

“When these storms came in they were very turbulent,” he said. “I could see why some people thought there was a tornado here. There was a lot of swirling going on.”

Contact Amber Dulek at (507) 453-3513 or amber.dulek@lee.net.

Flood-Ravaged Farmers Weigh Risks of Replanting

2008-07-02T06:09:00.000-07:00

By ILAN BRAT
July 2, 2008;

OAKVILLE, Iowa -- Farmer Keith Ball is taking a gamble.

Mr. Ball, 53 years old, said he will try to replant 80 acres that were flooded in mid-June when the Iowa River breached a levee.

So much of the growing season has passed that any soybean seed he puts in the ground won't generate the big yields he normally sees. But he can't pass up the chance to cash in on the price of soybeans, which broke the $16-a-bushel level this week for the first time at the Chicago Board of Trade. (See related article.)
"I don't care if you get 10, 20 bushels an acre; at today's prices, it's worth it," he said. An ordinary soybean harvest would be 50 bushels an acre.

All across the Midwest, where millions of acres of land were battered by record rainfall in June, farmers are trying to decide whether to replant or give up on this growing season in favor of collecting federally subsidized crop insurance. What they decide will have ripple effects from the main streets of farm towns to big-city grocery stores.

If enough acres are planted and the weather turns favorable, Midwest farmers could produce enough to help ease inflationary pressure hitting the food sector. On the other hand, more bad weather could further undermine many growers' financial viability, sending a shiver through their suppliers and lenders.

Crops planted this late run a risk of an early frost killing them before maturity. Insurers dramatically reduce their coverage of corn planted in southeast Iowa after June 25 and soybeans planted after July 10.

Meanwhile, prices of fertilizer, pesticide, and diesel have skyrocketed, raising the financial stakes for any farmers willing to go back into their fields.

Still, "at the present high prices, even half the yield of corn is tempting," said Jim Jensen, an Iowa State University extension specialist who addressed worried farmers Monday.

Most farmers in this part of Iowa have crop insurance. Still, it would not completely compensate them for the money they could potentially make on a healthy crop this year. A farmer here can purchase insurance that covers as much as 85% of average production over the past several years. With corn and soybean prices at twice their year-ago levels, however, many farmers could reap revenue far above normal if the weather cooperates.

Kenneth Meeker, 65, owns 1,200 acres of corn and soybean fields between a hill and the Mississippi River. Since mid-June, almost all the fields he planted have been under water.

"This is Meeker Island right here," he says of the one acre of corn that has survived. The rest of the land within view is covered with rotted vegetation or murky water. "I got zero for income this year."

Mr. Meeker figures his land won't be dry enough to replant this season. He hopes insurance will allow him to recover the $500,000 he spent on planting.

With the stakes so high, federal officials are struggling to gauge how much land Midwest farmers will be able to put back into production in time.

The Agriculture Department said this week its surveys of thousands of farmers into late June found that they had managed to plant more corn than forecast in March. Monday, the USDA said growers planted 87.3 million acres of corn, up from the 86 million acres in its earlier report. The corn shift, which is expected to help compensate for fields that were later washed out by flooding, ignited a steep drop in corn prices this week.

Soybean prices, meanwhile, have soared this week because many farmers made room for more corn by planting fewer soybeans than expected.

If there is an silver lining, it is that soybeans is the one crop that still has a chance of producing.

"I hate to make a home run while the other guys have struck out," Mr. Ball said. "We're feeling like we're pretty fortunate, but also feel guilty that we're going to benefit from the markets and these other guys are not."

Write to Ilan Brat at ilan.brat@wsj.com

Input costs increase

2008-06-30T16:38:00.000-07:00

AGRICULTURE
MOHSIN ABBAS
The Prince Albert Daily Herald

Despite Mother Nature's best efforts, worker shortage, rising input and machinery costs are big challenges for Northern Saskatchewan farmers this year.

Bruce and Nadia Stevenson manage a lower acreage farm in the RM of Birch Hills. The Stevensons are happy about the recent rainfall but concerned about the rising input costs.

"We needed this rain to keep the crop coming along with a few days of the dryness affecting the crop, and now we've got moisture yield. I think at this very moment the crop is good and excellent," Bruce said.

Bruce paid $500 for a ton of phosphate fertilizer last year and $1,300 for the same amount this year. He predicts the price will rise to $2,000 per ton by this fall.

The price of fertilizer has doubled within one year.

"The input cost for an acre of canola crop was $140 - in the last year it has gone up to $200-$225 and the output is $420, while labor costs are on top of that. Everything is going sky high. We've got risk of frost, drought (and) hail, and the government-provided crop insurance is not enough," Bruce said.

He said the government insurance covers two thirds and if he loses his crop he still loses one third of his expense.

"The government program for the insurance plan had slowly slipped, and it is a big concern," he said adding an average farmer with 500 acres of land is risking well over $1.5 million just for the input, and has to derive an income out of the crop.

With the shortage, some farmers are paying their workers up to $25 per hour, compared to $8-$10 a few years ago.

Bruce said that the high oil prices have been affecting food prices around the world and farmers are struggling.

"Rising machinery costs, the equipment going up as much 25 per cent due to rising steel costs. We are always running, trying to cover our input cost."

mabbas@paherald.sk.ca

‘Government ready to set aside Rs. 500 cr. for buying fertilizers’

2008-06-25T02:20:00.000-07:00

Bangalore: Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa on Tuesday gave a categorical assurance to the farming community that his Government was ready to suspend development works in order to allocate the needed funds to take care of their interests.

Referring to farmer suicides, the Chief Minister said the Government was in the process of working out certain long-term measures, including remunerative prices for farm produce, timely availability of farm loans and extending farm insurance across the State and to all agricultural crops. From March till now, 85 farmers have committed suicide in the State owing to various factors including poor remunerative prices for their produce.

In a detailed reply in the Legislative Assembly to the two-day discussion on the serious shortage of chemical fertilizers in the State, Mr. Yeddyurappa refrained from directly blaming the Union Government for the shortage. He said that fertilizer shortage was being reported across the country. In Maharashtra, chemical fertilizers were sold in certain places “under the watchful eyes of the police at police stations. Fertilizer shortage has also been reported from Andhra Pradesh. Karnataka is not the only State facing the problem”.

Soliciting the support of the Opposition parties in finding a lasting solution to the problems faced by farmers, Mr. Yeddyurappa said, “I have taken oath in the name of farmers and there is no question of sacrificing the interests of farmers who provide food to the people. If need be, the Government is ready to set apart Rs. 500 crore straightway to purchase fertilizers. But where are the fertilizers available?”

He said that when the BJP Government took charge in the State on May 30, the fertilizer stocks in the State were already low. As on April 1, 2007, the stock of fertilizers in the State was 31,000 tonnes of DAP, 78,131 tonnes of complex fertilizers and 37,270 tonnes of MOP. The stock as on April 1, 2008 (during President’s rule) was 3,782 tonnes of DAP, 9031 tonnes of complex fertilisers and 12,107 tonnes of MOP. This should explain the precarious situation on the fertilizer front when the new Government took charge, he said.

Mr. Yeddyurappa said there had been no response from the Union Government to the letters regarding the fertilizer crisis written by Governor Rameshwar Thakur and by the new Government. He said, “I am ready to take an all party delegation to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and impress upon the Centre that Karnataka requires an adequate supply of chemical fertilizers. I will also hold a meeting with farmer representatives, experts and others and seek a solution to the problem. Within a day after the new Government took charge this crisis started, and I consider it an acid test. I am confident of finding a solution.”

The Chief Minister said that farmer suicides had been going on for over a decade and neither the package announced by the Centre nor by the State Government had helped. In 2006, 4,453 farmers committed suicide in Maharashtra, 2,858 in Chhattisgarh, 2,607 in Andhra Pradesh and in 839 in Karnataka. “We have to work together and find a solution. Society also has a role to play in restoring the self-confidence of the farmers,” he added.

Clarification sought

Leader of the Opposition M. Mallikarjun Kharge, who sought clarifications from Mr. Yeddyurappa after his reply to the debate on the fertilizer shortage and suicide by farmers, wanted the judicial inquiry ordered into the police firing in Haveri to also find out why the firing had taken place in violation of the police manual. Compensation should be paid to the families of farmers who committed suicide, he said.

Conceding the demand to withdraw cases filed against farmers during the agitation demanding fertilizers, Mr. Yeddyurappa rejected the other demands.

The Congress members, led by Mr. Kharge, immediately rushed to the well of the House and staged a dharna, raising slogans against the Government.

When requests by Mr. Yeddyurappa and Speaker Jagadish Shettar to allow the House to function failed, the latter adjourned the House till Wednesday.

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Brazil Boosts Investment in Agriculture by 12% to US$ 40 Billion

2008-06-23T05:25:00.000-07:00

In the next few days Brazil is expected to announce the country's annual investment plan in support for agriculture and livestock. which is estimated to increase 12% totaling in the region of US$ 40 billion, said Brazilian Agriculture Minister, Reinhold Stephanes.

The figure was decided last week following a final meeting with Brazilian President, Luiz Lula da Silva, and will be applicable to the 2008/09 harvest season.

Stephanes underlined that in the 40 years he's been linked or working for the Brazilian federal government he had never come across such a "consensus" among all government offices and agencies as to the promotion of investments in agriculture.

"In the past we would have a lot of conflicts with different federal offices pulling or lobbying for their interests, not this time," he said.

The official announcement should take place next July 2 when the agriculture and livestock plan for 2008/09 is officially announced.

Among the different projects included is one for the recovery of pastures and degraded soils to be addressed with soft loans, bearing an interest rate no higher than the inflation.

The annual package extends from actual production to marketing, ample credits for small farmers and an insurance system to reduce the risks of climate change.

Brazil is one of the world's leading agriculture powers and agribusiness represents the equivalent of 25% of the country's GDP, which in 2007 was approximately US$ 390 billion. Brazil is a leading exporter of soybeans, beef, poultry, hogs, coffee, tropical fruit, orange juice, sugar and ethanol from sugar cane.

Farm exports in the first five months of the year have reached the record sum of US$ 27 billion in spite of the constant appreciation of the Brazilian currency against the American dollar, which has an impact in domestic costs.

FSA Encourages Producers to Report Farmland Damage Soon

2008-06-20T01:23:00.000-07:00

Crop producers are advised to file an application for emergency conservation assistance before repairing farmland damage due to wind, water erosion, and floods. According to the Wisconsin Farm Service Agency, submitting an application does not guarantee assistance, but keeps a producer eligible should assistance become available in the future.

"To be eligible for possible emergency conservation assistance, producers must file an application and have an FSA employee visit the site before starting repairs," says State FSA Director Ben Brancel. "If you have farmland with flood, wind, or water erosion damage, report it to your local FSA office as soon as possible."

Brancel said FSA's Emergency Conservation Program provides cost-share assistance to agricultural producers who have suffered severe damage to their farmland as a result of a natural disaster, including wind, water erosion, and floods. The assistance is provided to producers that have suffered damage of such magnitude that it would be too costly for the producer to rehabilitate without federal assistance.

Some types of damage that may be covered by ECP include removing debris from farmland; grading, shaping and leveling land that has been damaged; restoring certain permanent fences; and restoring conservation structures such as grassed waterways, diversions, terraces.

Meanwhile, the agency also notes that the reporting of failed acreage to FSA is optional, but may help document crop losses and determine possible eligibility for future disaster programs.

"It is very important that farmers report failed acreage not brought to harvest to their FSA county office prior to destruction," Brancel says. "This simple act of insuring that failed acres are documented could be the determining factor in whether or not a farmer is eligible for future crop disaster program payments."

Form CCC-576, Notice of Loss, is used to report failed acreage and may be completed by any producer with an interest in the crop. For crop losses on crops covered by the Non-insured Assistance Program (NAP), producers must contact their local FSA office within 15 days of the occurrence of the disaster or when losses become apparent. Producers with crop insurance should contact their local agent when losses occur and before destroying the crop.

If a producer switches from corn for grain to corn for silage, a CCC-576 for failed acreage does not need to be filed with FSA. Producers are encouraged to keep good production records on acreage with a low crop yield to document crop losses.

For more information, contact your local USDA Service Center or FSA county office.

The Winchester Star

2008-06-16T06:23:00.000-07:00

Hedgebrook welcomes 1,000 guests

By Stephanie Mangino
The Winchester Star

Kernstown — The Frederick County Farm Bureau’s second annual Farm Fun Day lived up to its name Saturday at Hedgebrook Farm.

Families wandered all over the 75-acre dairy farm and agri-tourism destination off Shady Elm Road, petting animals, taking hayrides, riding ponies, and checking out the atmosphere of a working farm.

Mary Connelly, 31, of Winchester, attended with her friend, 32-year-old Erika Francis, and Francis’ children, Pierce, 3, and Tyson, 6.

"The kids love animals, and we thought we’d come out and pet some animals," Connelly said as Pierce fed a goat a piece of greenery.

Francis said Tyson, who had previously visited the farm with his class at Redbud Run Elementary School, was particularly taken with the pony he rode on Saturday.

"He loves Toby the horse," she said.

Francis said the group made its way through most of the farm’s attractions, which varied greatly.

She noted the peacocks that frequently appeared, said Mary got a kick out of the potbellied pigs — a mud pit was made for them on the humid morning — and mentioned that aside from riding the horse, her elder son had another experience with one of the farm’s denizens.

"Tyson held a baby chick," she said.

His mission: Helping Afghans be all they can be

2008-06-09T05:36:00.000-07:00

By FELICIA KITZMILLER/Index-Journal staff writer

On May 8, Capt. Brian Pinson, of the South Carolina 218th Infantry Unit, arrived home in Greenwood after a yearlong deployment in Afghanistan.

“It’s exciting to have him home. It’s almost like he never left, it feels so natural now,” said his mother, Carol Pinson.

“It’s still weird,” Brian Pinson said of being back in South Carolina.

Even after a month of being home, simple things still seem foreign to him.
Trees and grass are strange to see after a year of nothing but sand, rocks and mountains, he said.

A lot of things people do automatically have taken some adjusting for Pinson as well. He remembered feeling strange “the first time I got in a car, and I didn’t have to worry about an IED or suicide bomber.”

But there are traffic laws here to worry about, something else that is very different from traveling in Afghanistan.

“I think while I was there I saw one stop sign,” Pinson said.

Pinson joined the National Guard after high school because he knew he wanted to go to college, but not yet, he said. He did his basic training at Fort Benning, Ga., and since then has been to officer school, became Airborne Ranger certified, attended The Citadel and served in Bosnia for seven months in 2003.

While he was in Afghanistan, Pinson was an embedded tactical trainer on the border with Pakistan. He spent most of his time training the Afghan border patrol in marksmanship and logistics.

“We are trying to get them like us,” Pinson said.

The Afghan army is extremely unorganized and inefficient, he said. His unit worked to put in place a system by which the army could operate effectively.

Often their men lack simple supplies such as uniforms, trucks and machine guns. But it isn’t because the materials aren’t out there; it’s because the supply line gets clogged, Pinson said. His unit tried to teach the Afghans record keeping so they would know what they asked for, what they received and what they still needed.

To Pinson, the teaching function of his mission was perhaps the most important.

“If we’re over there and we’re just worried about killing Taliban, we’ve done nothing for the longevity of the province,” he said. “The more resources they have, the more confident they’re going to be. � We want to leave there one day.”

The U.S. Army also helped the Afghan economy by paying local contractors to reinforce lookout posts along the border with updated materials. It helped relations between the Afghan army and the people to have money coming into the local economy, Pinson said.

The 218th went on missions with the border patrol, mostly medical-related, and did some aid drops as well, said Pinson. Soldiers would go into a town and set up security, and the whole day U.S. Army doctors would take care of the people of that town because they don’t have any doctors.

“I saw our taxpayer dollars go to some really good things,” he said. “They loved having us around.”

Of course, not every moment was touching and heartfelt. While Pinson was in Afghanistan, three members of his unit were killed.

His mother said she was always anxious when she saw Afghanistan in the news.

“Whenever I saw Afghanistan on the TV, I got that knot in my stomach,” she said.

“It’s hard. You try not to think about it. Soldiers are still over there fighting for their country,” Pinson said.

Pinson was the only National Guard member of his unit, and though he is home, the rest of the 218th remains in Afghanistan until December.

“I worry about them from time to time,” he said.

Since coming home, Pinson has been spending time with family and friends, and enjoying simple pleasures such as going to the beach and junk food. He’s back working at Farm Bureau as an insurance agent and will continue with the Guard one weekend a month.

Japan Stops UK Poultry Imports On Bird Flu Report

2008-06-04T06:18:00.000-07:00

The measure was put in place on Wednesday, Japan´s Ministry of Agriculture said in a statement.

Japan has temporarily suspended imports of all poultry and poultry meat from Britain as a preventive measure after Britain's farm ministry confirmed an outbreak of a strain of bird flu.
The measure was put in place on Wednesday, Japan's Ministry of Agriculture said in a statement.

Japan imported 38,677 live chicks from Britain last year, sharply down from 161,530 in 2006, according to trade data by the Ministry of Finance.

On Tuesday, Britain confirmed an outbreak of bird flu at a poultry farm in southern England although tests indicated it was not the virulent H5N1 strain.

The H5N1 strain has killed more than 230 people worldwide since 2003 and millions of birds have either died from it or been killed to prevent its spread.

Irene Cleans Up After Tornado Damage

2008-06-01T06:51:00.000-07:00

By Robert Wilson

The National Weather Service confirms an e-f1 tornado roared through the town of Irene Thursday night. An ef-1 has winds of 86 to 110 miles an hour. Irene is about 35 miles northeast of Yankton.

The city was also pelted with hail stones, some as big as a golf ball. Some resident have started cleaning up, while others have to wait awhile.

On Mark Peterson's farm south of Irene the storm ripped the roof off a machine shed. It did about $100,000 of damage. But this isn't the damage he's most concerned about.

About the same time this storm was churning west of Irene, Mark Peterson was on a golf course. As the sky's turned ominous and hail pelted the area, Mark rode out the nasty weather in a clubhouse. "I got a phone call from a storm spotter that i got a lot of damage to my farm."

As soon as the storm passed he tried to get home. But getting through Irene took a while as others were checking out storm damage as well. One of those was Hans Zink. He was inside a shed at a grain elevator, trying to protect his pick-up. "I'd say it was blowing maybe 70 miles an hour. And all of a sudden I saw the roof of one of the sheds come down."

By the time Mark got though town and back to his farm, others were already there offering to help. "Today we're just having insurance people and contractors deciding our next step."

The frustrating part is it's so wet in these fields, collecting the sheet metal right now would damage the crops.

Mark says thinking about all this...he didn't get a lot of sleep last night. but now he knows with the help of friends he'll be able to clean up and he'll be fine.

5 other buildings on the farm were also damaged in Thursday night's storms.

Wash. farmers hit hard by floods return to markets

2008-05-21T02:36:00.001-07:00

By Associated Press CURTIS, Wash. (AP) - Flats of broccoli, cabbage and onions are ready for planting at Boistfort Valley Farm, where just five months ago, much of Mike Peroni's farm was buried under a foot of mud.

Plenty of mud remains, but hardy plants that were thought lost, like irises and lilies, have started to reclaim the land. Peroni and volunteers are digging trenches by hand for strawberries that are just starting to sprout.

Peroni, like dozens of farmers affected by the massive floods that swept through southwestern Washington in December, is back in business and readying his land so that he can return to farmers markets in the region by next month.

More than 150 southwest Washington producers reported about $12.5 million in damage ranging from loss of feed and dead animals to fence damage and debris, according to a flood update given to Gov. Chris Gregoire this month.

Livestock losses alone numbered about 1,600. About $152,000 in official aid has been given to farms so far, and just over $1.8 million is pending.

The Lewis County Conservation District is using $1.4 million in state money allocated this year to reimburse farmers who've had to re-fence, reseed, cultivate and remove soil from their land. The state Department of Natural Resources has been working for months to clear debris and mud from farmers' land.

But many farmers say customers' donations - in both money and volunteer time - kept them afloat.

"Without them we would have folded. There's just no doubt in my mind," Peroni said. "I gained such a clearer sense of the impact we made on people who buy food from us."

The Washington Farm Bureau donated more than $250,000 to damaged farms. The state Dairy Federation donated about 150 cows worth more than $200,000, as well as feed.

Charlie Haney, general manager of Olympia Farmer's Market, said the market raised close to $70,000 for about a dozen vendors.

Haney said she sent money to farmers who sent her receipts for things they needed that weren't covered by insurance or federal aid, including seeds and planting equipment. The market reopened on April 3, and all the farmers have already returned, or soon will, she said.

"I'm glad they're all coming back," she said. "I don't know where they pull that from. If that happened to me, I probably would have walked away. But farmers are tough."

Peroni's farm is one of 17 organic farms that were hit by the floods. In March, the state Department of Agriculture said all continue to meet organic standards.

Peroni said his ability to get back up and running was hampered by a cold, wet spring. Deliveries of his direct orders of 20-30 pound boxes of fruit and vegetables to customers will be delayed a few weeks because he wanted to wait until the ground was in the best condition possible for planting.

"Normally in our business we take a lot of risks in spring for the sake of being early," he said. "It's a year we're going to take less risks."

Peroni said much of his loss was covered by insurance, and that tens of thousands of dollars in donations helped cover things that weren't, like his irrigation system and greenhouses.

The owners of Twin Oaks Creamery in Chehalis weren't so fortunate. Their lack of flood insurance forced them to dip into federal assistance they received for their damaged home to cover farm expenses.

"It's pretty bad when you have to take your house money to feed your animals," said Heather Howell. "There was just not that immediate assistance for us."

The Howells used donations to buy a new herd of goats, many of which recently had kids, and a trailer where Heather Howell makes cheese.

The couple returned to the Olympia farmers market in April.

"My goals aren't to make money anymore, my goals are to break even," Gary Howell said. "If we can just pay the bills, we're happy."

Storm Damage: Who Pays for It?

2008-05-19T05:19:00.000-07:00

Four days after the storms that blew through Central Georgia, people continue to clean up and assess the damage to their homes.Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John Oxendine now estimates the storm caused $125 million of damage across Georgia.People are now finding out how much damage insurance companies will cover, and how much they'll have to pay out of pocket.Linda Newberry spent the last three days clearing trees from her yard."We have a tree down on the garage and it's actually left a hole in the garage," she said.She has State Farm Insurance, and it'll pay to remove the tree from the garage and to make repairs, but not to remove any of the other three trees that fell in her yard."It's already taken me away from my job and I've already lost three days of work," she said.According to John Oxendine, homeowner's insurance will pay to remove a tree from your roof, but not a fallen tree in your yard.Oxendine spent Thursday traveling through the area, assessing damage. He says people in older homes may have expenses they didn't know about."On your homeowner's insurance, you have to get a separate writer to cover building code changes. And because of the age, I suspect a lot of those homes are not up to the modern code and they might run into problems with the insurance when trying to repair the house."Horace Graham still didn't have power Thursday morning. He also didn't have any idea what Allstate would pay to repair damages around his Bloomfield area home. "Immediately, I called them as soon as I could get through on Monday morning, and right now to date I have not talked with my adjuster with reference to the damages."He says he knows agents are busy, but he feels like his wallet and his peace of mind are at their mercy."I feel like I am in a position I need to just wait and see what happens," he said.Newberry says she wishes she could forget how much she'll have to pay out of pocket to repair her yard."I'm sure that by the time we put it back the way it was, it's going to be several thousand dollars," she said.But she says she learned from this experience, and plans to know her insurance policy for next time. "It'll cause me now to take a real close look at my policy and also compare companies."John Oxendine says his office has set up a hotline for people to call if they have questions about their insurance. For more information about homeowners or any other insurance you can call 1-800-656-2298.

Check insurance, farmers say

2008-05-10T05:19:00.000-07:00

A Taranaki couple have been left high and dry after finding out a farm bridge destroyed by recent floods was not insured.
Brian and Mary Gilberd thought they had done everything right when they took out a farm insurance package a number of years ago.
On April 30, the couple woke to find torrential rain had ripped out their main farm bridge, a vital connection to 100 acres (40.4ha) of farmland on the other side of the Okahu Stream.
The pair believed they were well covered with an extensive AMP insurance package that included $100,000 natural disaster cover, an additional $30,000 natural disaster cover and a $20,000 bridge cover.
That package cost $6400 a year.
"When we first bought the farm 23 years ago, we insured everything fully. The following year we put the bridge in. We told the agent we had put the bridge in for $20,000. We wanted cover for it," Mr Gilberd said. However, the couple have been told the policy does not cover the loss of the bridge.
Insurance adviser Gary Dunlop, of Hawera, took over the couple's insurance portfolio three weeks ago and was sympathetic to their plight.
"What that (the bridge cover) is saying is a sum of up to $20,000 would be paid out for a bridge that was worth no more than that. If it is over that, it has to be itemised."
"They genuinely thought they were covered. They had no idea.
"Like most business contracts, the important thing is to have a serious review of the policy every year. Look at the values, look at the options, look at the scope of the cover. Ask questions."
Because the bridge's replacement cost was over $20,000, and it was not separately itemised the Gilberds were not covered.
Mr Gilberd has been told it will take three months before a replacement bridge can be built and it will cost about $40,000.
Mr Dunlop says it would cost $175-$200 a year to insure a $40,000 bridge, but it would have to fit certain criteria, including an engineer's report, before it was accepted by any insurance company.
The sum is certainly something Mr Gilberd could have afforded, if he had been aware.
"My advice to others who have bridges and think they are covered, go and make sure it is itemised and what you are covered against. We are let down and annoyed," Mr Gilberd says.
"I am very naive and typical of other guys. I thought I had done everything right, but my cover was nowhere near satisfactory. I hope from our misfortune, we might save somebody else. I'm grumpy at myself."
The Gilberds' bridge was 16 metres long and sat 5.5m above the Okahu Stream.
Most of the bridge has disappeared. What remains is unusable because it has been damaged.
Three other farmers' bridges were also washed away on Ngariki Rd and another two were damaged, while an Ihaia Rd farmer lost one bridge and had a second damaged during the flooding.
"It was a valuable part of my farm. I struggled to pay for it," Mr Gilberd says.
He is now carving out a ford so that stock can cross, while he waits for the bridge to be rebuilt. He is receiving insurance for his fences and other items damaged in the flooding.

Frost damage losses mount across state

2008-05-07T04:34:00.000-07:00

By Kate CampbellAssistant Editor
Several crops suffered damage from the mid-April freeze. It will be several weeks before the extent of loss can be determined.
Although an official tally of crop losses due to freezing temperatures in mid-April is still being compiled, the economic impact will undoubtedly be in the multi-million-dollar range. The losses, primarily in Northern California, cut across a number of crops--winegrapes, walnuts, pears, peaches, prunes and wheat.
As farmers continue to assess the impact of the unseasonable cold snap and hard freeze that hit April 18 to 22, they're dismayed at the mounting signs of damage. Chardonnay grapes in Mendocino and Lake counties were hammered by the cold, while walnuts in Tehama County suffered hit-and-miss damage.
In Yuba and Sutter counties, peaches suffered freeze burn to the core of tender, young fruit. The same is being reported for pears in Lake County and prunes in Glenn County. Hopscotching across wheat fields in various northern counties, the freezing temperatures may cause considerable blanking as the crop progresses. In the San Joaquin Valley, plum growers near Exeter and Porterville report losses. Cherry orchards in San Joaquin County also apparently avoided damage, but farmers will continue to inspect orchards as the season progresses.
Mark Quisenberry, Sutter County agricultural commissioner, said freezing temperatures caused losses of more than 25 percent in many orchards and some farmers may have lost their entire crop. Other prune-growing areas also report losses.
During the worst of the freeze, overnight temperatures dropped into the mid-teens in many areas and stayed well below freezing for many hours through Monday morning, April 21. These subfreezing temperatures hit at a time when vineyards and fruit and nut trees were putting forth new growth, flowering buds and developing "nutlets."
In Mendocino County, records indicate that April's freeze was the worst growers there have seen in nearly half a century, with a very rough, preliminary estimate of crop loss at more than 40 percent countywide. The county's total agricultural production is valued at about $140 million.
"This has been a huge weather event for us," said Dave Bengston, county agricultural commissioner. "And in a lot of ways it's different than past events. We had a lot of walnuts and prunes back then. Those crops have disappeared and now the whole winegrape industry has built up. We didn't have many grape acres 50 years ago.

Roof collapses on building in Northwest Bakersfield

2008-05-04T02:36:00.001-07:00

Firefighters are searching for anyone that may have been trapped when the roof collapsed on an office building in northwest Bakersfield. The broken wood and twisted nails show just how bad it could have been. Barbara Natalia, Witness, "This is incredible. Who could possibly believe the roof would fall in on a two year old building?"The building on Meaney Ave in northwest Bakersfield that houses State Farm Insurance and other businesses, was full of people working, when without warning, the overhang on one side of the building came crashing down.The crash was so loud and so violent people working next door say they felt the ground shake and came running outside to see what happened.Matt Brady, Witness, "You can see the pipes. They had to shut off the water. There was water squirting out all over on both ends."A woman who was standing outside suffered some minor scratches on her leg.According to employees, everyone else was accounted for.Even so, firefighters spend more than an hour searching the rubble for anyone that may have been trapped. The cause of the collapse is still unknown.

Insurance adjusters, homeowners survey storm damage

2008-05-04T02:34:00.001-07:00

ALLEN – Armed with a clipboard, empathy and years of insurance experience, Chris Jessen resembled a crime scene detective Friday afternoon as he stepped carefully into the Phillips home to survey the storm damage.

Violent winds blew off a large chunk of the roof, launching it into the pool. Insulation covered the back yard like snow.
Mr. Jessen said some of the insulation still inside the house will have to be replaced. So will the saturated drywall and soggy carpets.
Wood flooring is warped. Baseboards are ruined. And glass – from giant chunks to dust-like particles – litters the house, meaning that blankets and bedding need to be trashed.
"It's better to err on the side of caution," Mr. Jessen told Scotti Phillips.
Insurance adjusters have been fanning across North Texas this week after the area was rocked by severe storms and tornadoes. Adjusters have been surveying damage, answering customers' questions and cutting checks.
Preliminary damage estimates were around $20 million, a number that officials say will undoubtedly rise.
State Farm received 5,200 homeowner claims through Thursday, and an additional 2,400 automobile claims across North Texas. Farmers Insurance had received more than 2,800 Texas claims through Friday morning and deployed a so-called mobile claims center bus to help process claims.
Back in Allen, Mr. Jessen, a State Farm claim representative, walked through the palatial home, drawing diagrams of various rooms, jotting down notes about the damage and pointing out problem spots. Dehumidifiers and fans buzzed in the background as workers cleaned up the mess.
Mr. Jessen offered a matter-of-fact diagnosis: The home has suffered moderate damage, but he hasn't discovered structural issues.
Soon, he'll crunch the numbers to determine the extent of the damage. But it's reached into the tens of thousands of dollars, Mr. Jessen said.
Mr. Jessen has spent 18 years as an insurance adjuster, surveying damage caused by tornadoes, hurricanes, hail and straight-line winds. He feels good that he can help people in times of need.
Although storms can be devastating, Mr. Jessen says, they also bring neighbors together.
As he arrived at a Westminster home ravaged by a tornado a couple of years ago, only a slab on the ground remained. He was surrounded by piles of rubble. He talked on the phone with the homeowner, who was recovering in a hospital.
"I'm glad to be talking to you," the homeowner told Mr. Jessen.
In Allen, the Phillipses are grateful that they're OK. Greg Phillips woke 8-year-old Skylar shortly before 4 a.m. Thursday, fleeing to the master bedroom closet. As they escaped, windows exploded, spraying glass across the entire length of the house. Ms. Phillips was out of town on a business trip.
On Friday, she stared at the guest room, which had no ceiling. A temporary roof was in place.
"It's a skylight," Ms. Phillips joked. "It's a nice little added feature. Mother Nature did a little decorating."
Despite the damage, the Phillipses remained light-hearted. They're safe.
But, as Mr. Phillips said, "We've got a long way to go."

Proposed shopping center in Flintstone draws opponents

2008-05-04T02:31:00.000-07:00

A purposed shopping complex in Flintstone is drawing mixed reaction from area residents.
The center, which would be at the corner of Ga. 341 and Ga.193, across the street from Ronnie Holden State Farm Insurance, has many residents concerned with safety issues.
A meeting was held with Walker County Commissioner Bebe Heiskell on March 27 to discuss the matter. The property, which is zoned as residential, must be rezoned to commercial for the shopping center to be constructed.
Dave Walker, Flintstone resident, said during the meeting, “There are some serious safety issues that have been developing in the community for years. Traffic is extremely heavy because of the major subdivisions that have been built. A traffic light is needed at the intersection. It is almost impossible for my wife to get into traffic at the State Farm office now.”
The purposed shopping complex will sit on a five-acre lot along a curve on Ga. 341.
Other residents from the area voiced simi
Clearing of the development site in Flintstone is almost completed. (Messenger photo/Larry Brooks)lar concerns at the meeting.
Chris Godfrey said that he lives directly across from the proposed second entrance to the complex in the Eagle Landing subdivision. Godfrey said he was concerned with traffic coming in and out of the complex because of the bad curve where the complex will be located.
“I have small children who play in my yard,” said Godfrey at the meeting. “I worry about their safety.”
Aileen Musco also lives at Eagle Landing and agreed that traffic will become a greater problem for those entering and leaving the subdivision. She also voiced concerns of the quality of life decreasing in her neighborhood due to the increased traffic.
“I can’t see that it is going to serve the neighborhood. I can drive a mile and a half and get anything I need,” Musco said.
Residents at the commissioner’s meeting said they were afraid that the complex would also cause a depreciation of their property values.
Robert Swartz owner of Southern Retail Development and who was not present at the public meeting before the commissioner, purchased the property in January. Mike Price, the engineer of the project, represented the owner’s interests.
In a written statement, Swartz explained his intention of developing the area.
“We are currently going through the rezoning process. Once that is accomplished we plan to start the development and hope to finish it by spring 2009. We are currently looking for tenants and trying to attract business to this location. Our hope is to have a grocery chain like Save-A-Lot come to this location, as well as doctors offices, restaurants, and other retailers.”
There are residents who support the idea of attracting more businesses to the area and believe that such a project could help boost the area’s economy.
Some support proposed center
As of late last week, a new petition of support for the complex was circulating that had many residents welcoming the new development. The petition had 27 names listed showing support.
John Raines, a resident of the area and circulator of the petition, said, “There is a lot of support for this project. The valley needs something. It will help our economy.”
Commissioner Heiskell said she would decide on rezoning of the property on May 8. She said she hoped that all the parties, including the developer, would be present at that meeting so that everyone understood the intentions of everyone involved.
Heiskell said, “I think the community is more interested in the purposed businesses at the location than they are with the traffic concerns.”
The commissioner said that she would go ahead and makes requests of the Department of Transportation to install new traffic lights at the area to help with traffic concerns.
The May 8 meeting will be held at the commissioner’s office in LaFayette to resolve the issue.