june 2009 — vol. 17 no. 6 farm bureau news · 2017-12-18 · h1n1 panic. reporting the facts...

Farm Bureau NewsJune 2009 — Vol. 17 No. 6

2 JUNE West Virginia Farm Bureau News

bytes

Morgan County Farm Bureau picnic planned for July

Most accolades come in the form of flimsy ribbons or cheap pieces of plastic… but the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Young Farmer and Rancher competitions give you the chance to win a legendary Dodge truck. Show off your agricultural know-how at the National Conven-tion in Seattle, WA, January 10-13, 2010, and you could win a brand new Dodge Ram. The contest is open to all Young Farmer & Rancher mem-bers, so contact Farm Bureau for all entry details, or see our website at www.wvfarm.org. For more informa-tion about Dodge Ram trucks, visit dodge.com or call 800-4ADODGE.

Win a new Dodge Ram at the Young Farmer and Rancher competitions

Summertime is picnic time! The Morgan County Farm Bureau will be hosting a picnic on July 18th at the Mt. Olivet Church Grove, at 6:30 p.m.

Bring a covered dish and be pre-pared to feast on delicious samplings made by your fellow FB members. Meat, drinks and table service will be furnished.

Marshall County Farm Bureau hosting ice cream social

The Marshall County Farm

Bureau is hosting an old-fashioned ice cream social on

Monday, June 29 at 6 p.m.

Bring your family to the Marshall County Courthouse and enjoy an ar-ray of delicious ice cream and a vari-ety of yummy toppings while you so-cialize with your neighbors and enjoy live entertainment.

The event is open to the public.

Upshur County FB holds “Ag Day” at Buckhannon Academy school

The Upshur County Farm Bu-reau held “Ag Day” at the Buckhan-non Academy school in May.

The students learned facts about a typical farmer’s day, and also learned about snakes, forestry, safe handwashing techniques and saw a

demonstration on spinning wool. Because of inclement weather,

the petting zoo and sheep shearing demonstration were cancelled, but the children thoroughly enjoyed the day in spite of the weather.

Lois Armstrong shares farm facts with the students

Snake petting was very popular!

4 pResiDeNtiAl pARADigMs

7 Young Farmer & Rancher update

8 greener living

9 lewis County farm tour

10 Meet John pitsenbarger

12 simple steps tackle chemical concerns

14 United steaks of America

15 planning ahead

WestVirginiaFarm Bureau NewsThe voice of Agriculture in

the Mountain State

June 2009 Volume 17 Number 6

West Virginia Farm BureauOne Red Rock Road

Buckhannon, WV 26201

pResiDeNtCharles Wilfong

ViCe pResiDeNtDenzil Huff

ADMiNistRAtoR/seCRetARY-tReAsUReRSteve Butler

eDitoRJoan Harman

West Virginia Farm Bureau News is published monthly by the West Virginia Farm Bureau, Inc. Annual subscription rates: $3.32 (included in annual dues). Advertising rates and circulation information furnished upon request. Periodicals postage paid at Buckhannon, WV and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: return all forms 3579 to West Virginia Farm Bureau, One Red Rock Road, Buckhannon, WV 26201.

(ISSN 1076-8556) (USPS 011-537)Printed by Herald Printing Company,

New Washington, OH.

web site: www.wvfarm.orgemail: [email protected]

OnthecoverCalf face

Megan McGee

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West Virginia Farm Bureau News JUNE 3


By Charles Wilfong, President, West Virginia Farm Bureau

pResiDeNtiAl pARADigMs

By Bob Stallman, President, American Farm Bureau FederationI am a firm

believer in f reedom of the press as a vital part of our de-mocracy. But with that f ree-dom comes responsibility. R o u n d - t h e -

clock news services competing for ratings and, in the end, money, has turned press coverage into a blitz of shock and awe reporting. It seems like you can’t turn on the TV any-more that major network news seg-ments don’t look like a clip taken from “Night of the Living Dead.”

Last month’s H1N1 virus scare is a prime example. While the agricultural media got the story right, mainstream news outlets did a huge disservice to the public and especially hog producers by sensa-tionalizing what otherwise should have been a fairly benign issue in the U.S.

What’s Real Anymore?Adlai Stevenson once said, “An

editor is one who separates the wheat f rom the chaff and then prints the chaff.” Nowadays, news media tend to separate what is real f rom the hype and then print the hype.

Consumers need real, straight-forward information, not hyped up sensationalism.

By refusing to even use the prop-er terminology of “H1N1,” instead of “swine flu,” major networks and even smaller stations and papers around the nation only fueled an already inflamed situation.

For hog producers, the im-pact was devastating. The first two weeks of the H1N1 scare cost America’s hog farmers more than $39 million in reduced sales. This came at a time when hog producers were already losing money. Analysts say hog farmers, since September 2007, have lost half of the profits they accumulated over the previous

17 years. Lenders are reassessing whether to continue financing some operations and many producers will face tough decisions about whether or not to close shop following the H1N1 panic.Reporting the Facts

I’m not trying to diminish the H1N1 virus. Many people in Mexico perished, as well as several people in the U.S. But, we need to look at the facts. Seasonal flu kills on average 36,000 Americans per year, yet you don’t hear the media reporting that. Further, most media outlets were reporting gloom and doom scenarios about H1N1 before the facts were even known. When repeatedly asked to stop referring to the virus as swine flu because of the unnecessary harm it was inflict-ing upon the industry, most news outlets declined.

Also, did I mention it was a tele-vision “sweeps week?”

Whatever happened to responsible journalism? inquiring minds want to know

see Stallman, page 15

protecting the integrity of the U.s. census

I am sure that you are aware that the preparations for the 2010 census are well under-way. The census is the official count of the

country’s population, and takes place every ten years, as mandated by the U.S. Constitution. The census is very impor-tant because the population numbers developed by the census determine the apportionment of the 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, as well as the distribution of large chunks of taxpayer money through grants and appropriations. Every U.S. household

unit must be counted, including house-holds occupied by non-citizens and il-legal immigrants. An accurate count is vital so that we can all feel assured that we are properly represented. The census numbers are also used to draw the individual House of Representative district lines within each state.

The census is usually done under the supervision of the Commerce Depart-ment, but it seems that this time, it will be supervised directly by the White House. The Census Bureau is partner-ing with several groups to hire work-ers to conduct the census. One of these groups which causes much concern is ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now). As you may remember, ACORN had a

terrible record during the last election. They are under criminal investigation in 14 states for voter registration fraud, admitting to approximately 400,000 fraudulent voter registrations.

Representative Steve King, of Iowa, is calling for simultaneous FBI and con-gressional investigations of ACORN. What makes tracing ACORN’s activi-ties difficult, however, is that they are also affiliated with 250+ other groups, passing funds back and forth between them. These 250+ non-profit groups all list ACORN’s New Orleans head-quarters as their address. One of these groups, Citizen’s Services Inc., received over $800,000 from the Obama ad-ministration in return for a “get out the see Wilfong, page 15


Ablastfromthepast...As WVFB celebrates 90 years, here’s a look at a 1926 newsletter cover

This February 1926 West Virginia Farm Bureau News cover features Green-brier County’s livestock team, from left to right: R.H. Tuckwiller, coach; Frank T. Wilson; M.S. Lightner; and Edgr H. McLaughlin. The following caption ap-peared beneath:

“Thirteen county Farm Bureaus competed in the fourth annual livestock judging contest held at Farmer’s Week in January under the auspices of the W.Va. Livestock Association. Green-brier County’s team shown above took the lead with 1215 points, followed by Ritchie County with 1138. The high-est individual honor went to Edgar H. McLaughlin with a score of 433 points, and second highest individual honor went to Frank T. Wilson with 421 points. Look ‘em over, they know livestock.”


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WV equine Association offering large Animal rescue training in July

The West Virginia Equine Asso-ciation is sponsoring Large Animal Rescue Training, July 11 and 12, at the West Virginia State Fire Acad-emy at Jackson’s Mill. Conducted by Days End Farm of Woodbine, MD, the program is a two-day workshop for emergency responders as well as horse owners, barn managers and the general public. Days End Farm is a nationally recognized leader in the rescue, recovery, care and treatment of horses. Their instructors have exten-sive knowledge and expertise in help-ing large animals.

Topics will include: Introduction and history; horse characteristics and behavior; emergency halter and lead line; scene management and opera-tions; trailers and trailer operations; lift systems and techniques; basic emergency kit; specialized equipment (ropes, slings, etc.); and tips for spe-cific situations (mud, ice, etc.).

The goals of the program are to provide information; improve under-standing of horses; promote safe prac-tices; offer tips on effective interven-tion and management; teach the use of specialized tools and equipment; en-sure quality care and treatment of animals and increase the corps of people trained in large ani-mal rescue.

Certification par-ticipants are strongly urged to pre-register as soon as possible; available spots will be filled on a first come first serve ba-sis with a maximum of 25 participants. All pre-registration mail-in entries must be completed and postmarked by July 1st. Please make sure to include the signed release. You may also enter on-line by visiting www.wvequineassoc.org and clicking on the Large Animal Res-

cue Training link.Auditors are strongly urged to

pre-register; available seats will be re-served on a first come first serve ba-sis. A limited number of seats may be available the day of the clinic. All pre-registration mail-in reservations must be completed and postmarked by July 1st. Note: Group rates apply to groups of 10 or more only. You may also make reservations online by visiting www.wvequineassoc.org and clicking on the Large Animal Rescue Training link.

Costs: Certification: $50 for two days. Auditors: Adults, $15 one day or $25 weekend; Youth 8-17, $10 one day or $15 weekend; Youth 8 and un-der, free; Groups (10 or more), $10 per day. WVEA members: $5 discount.

Please visit our Website: www.wvequineassoc.org for updated information, or email info@wvequin eassoc.org or phone Laura Riddle at 304-464-5655.


By Susan Wilkins, YF&R Vice-chair

YoungFarmerandRancherupdate

Financing available for:

Land and homes•

Property •improvements

Vehicles and •equipment

Timber tracts•

And more!•

Offices located throughout West Virginia

800-919-(FARM)3276www.farmcreditofvirginias.com

Grow your own goodness.

By the time you are read-ing this article the H1N1 Flu will hopefully

be behind us. But even so, I think the excitement caused by this so called “Swine Flu” should serve as a lesson to us all, especially farmers, of how important getting our story about agriculture out there to the public really is. I cannot count the number of people I’ve heard say, “Don’t eat bacon! Don’t eat pork chops! You’ll get the flu!” Hearing this infuriated me.

H1N1 is a respiratory disease of pigs and can cause illness and even death in pigs. Pigs can infect

a human, but humans cannot catch it by eating pork or pork products, if prepared properly. We have all heard the importance of cooking meats to the proper temperature to kill salmonella and bacteria. This flu strain is no different. Cooking pork to an internal temperature of 160 degrees kills the H1N1 flu virus as well as other bacteria and viruses. According to Dr. William Schaff-ner, a flu expert at Vanderbilt Uni-versity, “There’s no evidence that any influenza virus, and in particu-lar this one, has ever been transmit-ted by the food-borne route or by handling food products.” It is im-portant to remember that H1N1 is a respiratory illness, not a food-

borne illness. It is also important to remember that sick pigs do not en-ter the United States food supply. USDA food safety officials inspect meat before it goes to market to ensure that sick animals are not be-ing slaughtered for consumption.

It is very disheartening to think of the number of people who will actually quit eating pork products in fear that they will catch H1N1 from it. We have to do more to edu-cate the public and support our hog farmers. Please speak up when you hear someone discouraging a pork purchase. I may not be a hog farmer myself, but in the world of agricul-ture, we are all in this together.

Happy Spring!


FAMILY FEATURES Whether it’s out of concern for the

environment or for a desire to live a more natural lifestyle, more people are making green decisions for their homes. In Gallup’s annual Environmental Poll (2008), 28 percent of Americans said they’ve made major changes to their lives to protect the environment, while 55 percent said they have made minor changes. The most common changes involve recycling, conserv ing fuel, us-ing less electricity and making homes more energy efficient.

Another step people are taking is to buy eco-friendly or more natural prod-ucts for their homes. A recent Yahoo green living survey found that 57 per-cent of respondents have made green purchases within the last six months.

There are simple and affordable steps you can take around the house that will help improve the environment of your home as well as the earth.Step One: Understanding Natural

A growing number of companies have come out with “green” or “natural” products. But because these terms do not have regulated definitions or stan-

dards, it’s important to know what la-bel claims mean when making buying decisions.

For example, when The Clorox Company introduced its line of Green Works natural cleaners, it listed all in-gredients on the label and defined what it means by natural: ingredients that are plant-based, biodegradable and not tested on animals.

Check a company’s Web site and look for product reviews for more in-formation about the products you want to buy to see if they live up to their claims.Step Two: Take Simple Steps

You don’t have to give your home a top-to-bottom instant makeover. Take small steps to make your home more energy efficient and natural. Each one you take makes the next one easier.

Here are some simple steps to get you started:

No running on empty. Load the dishwasher after every meal, but only turn it on when it’s totally full. Run-ning several smaller loads instead of a full load wastes both water and energy.

Foil spills. Line the oven, broiler

and burners with aluminum foil for easier (and less harsh) clean up.

Green cleaning. Use natural clean-ing products made from plant-based ingredients. Josh Dorfman is a green lifestyle expert and author of “The Lazy Environmentalist.” He places several Green Works natural cleaners on his “50 Best Green Products” list. “I like the Green Works Natural Bath-room Cleaner and Natural All Purpose Cleaner,” he says, “because they’re nat-ural cleaners that are also effective in getting the job done.”

Think reuse! Recycling is great, but it still consumes a lot of energy. Before you toss, ask yourself: “Is there anything else I can use this for?” (Storing toys, sorting change, craft projects, etc.)

Buy recycled. For paper product must-haves, purchase recycled, un-bleached paper towels or napkins. Kitchen trash bags made from recycled materials are becoming more widely available as well.

Car smarts. Save water by cutting the number of times you wash the car each month, and make sure to turn off the faucet between rinses. And think twice before hopping in the car for a ride to the store. Try shopping once ev-ery one or two weeks instead of mak-ing multiple trips for just a few items. Limiting the number of trips helps save gas and money. Step Three: Get the Family Involved

It’s easier to make changes in the household routines if everyone is on board. Talk about why you want to make these changes. Get feedback from the kids on what steps you can take together to make your home healthier and greener. Everyone can pitch in: have the kids help with on-line research and decisions about new products. Even the littlest ones can help sort the recycling.

Making your home a little greener will not just make you feel better about your home, it will make your home a better place to live.

For more tips on greener living, visit greenworkscleaners.com.


Getting out to see other farming operations can be eye-opening and fun for other farmers. Young farm-ers can also gain a lot of knowledge through these experiences. For these reasons, the Young Farmer Commit-tee recently sponsored the first YF Farm Tour. Although it was a rainy day, the event was a success, hosting more than 20 farmers from Lewis, Marion, Harrison and Cabell coun-ties. Bruce Loyd, Lewis County Extension Agent, worked with area farmers to set up a day of events that concluded with a cookout.

C.D. Cole’s vegetable operation was the first stop. Mr. Cole showed the group his ever-expanding vegeta-ble and flower operation. The scale of his operation and modern methods he uses to produce are rare to central West Virginia. Like many large scale vegetable farms, he uses mechanical tilling, planting and spraying meth-ods but still relies on manual labor for a large amount of the harvesting. He sells produce from his greenhouse in Jane Lew and will be using farm

stands in Lewis and Harrison Coun-ties this year. Seeing a diversified op-eration like this was very enlighting for all the attendees.

From Jane Lew, the group trav-eled on to Spiker’s farm. John Spiker and his wife, Sue Ann, showed every-one around his beautiful operation, nestled between rolling green hills. Mr. and Mrs. Spiker, along with their sons, have sheep and cattle and also run a guest house; however, the group was focusing on cattle the Spikers have recently in-tegrated to their farm. The cattle are from Pharo Cat-tle Compa-ny in Colo-rado and have traits that make them more desirable to

Young Farmer’s lewis County farm tourBy Tanya Nickerson, WVFB Field Representative

Mr. Spiker. The breed is not commonly used in the east but is increasingly becoming more popular. Spiker is par-tial to these cattle because they have heat and fly toler-ance, their bulls are made to “work,” and the cows have superior mothering abilities.

Dan and Alicia Stickles’ registered Red Angus oper-ation was the last stop of the day. They spoke to the group about their operation. They have registered Red Angus cattle that they calve out, in addition to raising bulls. The bulls they raise and own have been used in AI. The group took a hayride to see the cattle grazing in the

fields while Mrs. Stickle and family prepared a cookout for all to enjoy.

Everyone on the tour gained use-ful knowledge from the farmers and the operations that were visited. The Young Farmers Committee would like to thank C.D. Cole, John and Sue Ann Spiker, and Dan and Alicia Stickle for their hospitality. A special thanks to Bruce Loyd for working with the producers to make this pos-sible. More tours will be scheduled in the future, so “stay tuned!”

Hanging baskets abound in the Cole greenhouse

Despite the weather, everyone enjoyed the hayride at Stickles’ farm.

drawslargecrowd


Mornings come early for most farmers. John Pitsenbarger is no ex-

ception to that rule. His mornings, however, start a little differently than most farmers. His mornings often start behind a microphone.

No, he’s not calling his cattle with a bullhorn. John, or J.R, as he’s known to his audience, is a radio personality and program di-rector at WCWV-FM, a 50,000

watt station located in Summers-ville, WV. Since he was sixteen, John’s passion, aside from farming, has been broadcasting. These days, John mans the morning shift on-air, including “Ag Tuesdays,” where he interviews guests from all walks of agriculture, sandwiched between songs chosen for the station’s “Pos-itive Country” and Southern gos-pel format.

John has been a positive influ-

ence for the station as well. When the owner’s deal to sell the station fell through in 2006, John argued for a format change. His instincts were right on. Just one year later, the station was named the 2007 In-spirational Country Music Awards Radio Station of the Year. In 2008, the station was nominated again for the award, and John was nomi-nated as “Radio Personality of the Year.” The station has continued to

there’s a lot going on behind the scenes with this Farm Bureau member!


see steady growth, both in audience and in advertising revenues.

When John isn’t at the station, then you’ll likely see him on the family farm, which he manages with his sister, Helen. Their cat-tle operation covers 1000+ acres, 200 of which have been in the Pitsenbarger family for more than 150 years—a fact John takes great pride in.

John didn’t always aim to farm, however. Following his moth-er’s path, he earned a degree in education at Glenville State College. But, ulti-mately, he knew he’d never work in the classroom, opting for what he sees as a less-stressful choice. “If I have problems with my cows,” he jokes, “I can eat ‘em or sell ‘em. You can’t

do that with students.”As if the radio station and the

farm weren’t enough to occupy his time, John was recently elected to the board of directors of the West Virginia Farm Bureau, and serves as director of Region 3, which covers Barbour, Braxton, Clay, Nicholas, Preston, Randolph, Taylor, Tucker, Upshur and Webster counties. And that’s not all. He serves with the local Farm Service Agen-cy, is vice-chair of his lo-cal Farmland P r o t e c t i o n organization, vice-chair of his local WVU Extension Service advisory com-mittee, and advises the local FFA chapter.

Of course, John couldn’t do what he does without two critical helpers—especially his wife, Tanya, who in her “spare” time manages the local Tractor Supply store. “Behind every great farmer, there’s a woman

working in town,” she jokes. And then there’s Jack, the couple’s heel-er mix, whose duty it is to keep the cattle in their place and supervise John. “He rides on my knee when we’re on the tractor,” he says. “If I want to make him get down, I just sing. He’ll jump down quick!”

The loss of another important helper has left a void in John’s life.

John’s dad, who worked side by side with him on the farm, passed away last January. “It’s the little things he’d do that I miss,” says John. “He’d keep the fences

mended, keep things running. I miss that.”

No doubt, John’s dad would be proud of his son. Carrying on the family tradition, the future is im-portant to John. He contemplates a run for public office someday. He’s a busy guy. He likes to stay that way.

John’s right-hand man, er, dog, Jack

John and Jack check on the cattle on the family’s farm

‘‘Behindeverygreatfarmer,

there’sawomanworkingintown.”

By Steve Fino, Farm Bureau Relationship Manager, Nationwide

simple steps tackle chemical concerns

The large amount and variety of chemicals commonly stored on farms today means you have to deal with two major concerns. First, farm chemicals can be dangerous, even lethal, to family members who are unfamiliar with proper handling. And second, no one has to tell you that agricultural chemicals are costly, and therefore, prime targets for thieves. Liquid fertilizers, anhydrous ammonia, crop pesticides, cleaning chemicals, the list goes on–and they all bring inherent risks.

Hank Bartholomew, loss control manager for Nationwide® Agribusiness, emphasizes the importance of thinking ‘safety first’. “We see far too many small children become exposed to chemicals when proper storage practices aren’t used,” says Bartholomew. “These same techniques can also help farmers reduce the chances of theft. By following some basic, common-sense steps, farmers can protect themselves against both family tragedies and financial hardships.”

Nationwide Agribusiness offers these tips to help guard against both concerns:Tanks/chemical storage• Installlocksonalltanks.• Keep pesticides and all chemicals

in a locked, well-ventilated storage room.

• Equipbulkstoragetankswithlocksand protect them with secondary containment if possible.

• Consider receiving chemicaldeliveries just before you need them. Return any unused materials to the distributor soon after to

reduce chemical storage time.

• Markall storagetanks with the contents to help emergency responders.

• Store chemicalson shelves rather than concrete floors.

Vehicles• Keepallvehicles

and equipment in a secure garage or locked area of your property.

• Ifvehiclesmustbestoredoutdoors,park them in well-lit areas. Lock the doors and fit them with lockable tank caps.

General security• Be aware of unfamiliar vehicles

on or near your farm; watch for suspicious activities.

• Neverleaveignitionkeysinvehiclesor equipment.

• Besureyourproperty is litwellatnight; consider video surveillance.

• Haveanemployeeconductregularbut unpredictable security checks, or do it yourself.

• Installalarmsystemsthatarewireddirectly to local law enforcement offices.

• Restrict employees’ access tocomputer farm records.

• Minimize the number of peoplewho can enter restricted areas of your farm.

• Reviewyour insurancepolicywithyour agent to be sure you know what’s covered.

Contributed by Nationwide Agribusiness Insurance. West Virginia Farm Bureau has sponsored and endorsed Nationwide and its policies and services since 2004. For more information, visit www.Nationwide.com/WVFB, or contact a nearby Nationwide agent and ask about discounts for Farm Bureau members.

istockphoto.com



Activity 79: Tree LifecycleIn this activity, students will discover that trees have a lifecycle that is similar to that of other living things.

Doing the ActivityTrees have a lifecycle that includes birth, growth, injury and disease, aging, and death. The next time you are in the presence of trees, ask children to identify the various stages of a tree’s life.

Are trees alive? How do you know?•How are trees born? Do they die?•How does a tree’s life compare to the life of a person?•Canyoufindayoungtree?Anadulttree?Anelderlytree?Adeadtree?•

Have children match up the tree lifecycle images below with their correct name using the numbers provided.

____ Mature Tree

____ Seed

____ Snag (Dead Tree)

____ Sprout

____ Rotting Log

____ Sapling

Adapted from Activity 79: Tree Lifecycle from Project Learning Tree’s PreK-8 Environmental Education Activity Guide.

Connecting Kids to NatureTry this activity in a forest—a natural place to learn!For over 30 years, Project Learning Tree® has used the forest as a “window” to help young people gain an awareness of the world around them and their place within it. Blending a walk in the forest with a fun and engaging PLT activity creates a powerful learning experience for children of all ages. Here’s one idea in a series from PLT that introduces the concept of forest cycles.

Plant Personification

Have children act out the lifecycle of a tree. They can curl up as a seed, kneel to sprout, stick up arms as branches,wigglefingersforleaves,standuptogrowtall, spread feet to show roots, and fall over to die.

Discover how PLT can help you teach… from nature!Attend a workshop near you to receive PLT activity guides, ideas, and materials.•Contact your West Virginia PLT State Coordinator, Cinda Francis at [email protected] •or toll-free at (888) 372-9663.

Answers: 1. Seed, 2. Sprout, 3. Sapling, 4. Mature Tree, 5. Snag (Dead Tree), 6. Rotting Log

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w.plt.org

TreeLifecycle

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2

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4

5

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Project Learning Tree® (PLT) is a program ofthe American ForestFoundation.

West VirGinia tree fact

More than 94% of West Virginia’s forests are deciduous and regenerate naturally after timber harvests when seeds are exposed to moist soil and increased sunlight.


FAMILY FEATURES

Grilling is a great all-American tradition. For generations, family and friends have gathered around the grill to

celebrate summer in the good ol’ USA. This year, treat your taste buds to a little

road trip of flavor without ever having to leave your backyard. Just fire up the grill and serve a big, juicy steak that salutes one of America’s regional food favorites. Whether it’s a spicy Southwestern-style Rib Eye steak, a Heart of Dixie Whiskey-Barbeque Top Sirloin, or a Buffalo New York Strip, you can enjoy the steaks that make America great right at home.

To help you grill the perfect all-American steak every time, Omaha Steaks offers these tips: 1. Clean your grill and preheat on high. 2. Lightly oil the steak before you put

it on the grill. This helps the searing process and prevents sticking.

3. Always season the steak before grilling.

4. Sear the outside of the steak when grilling for the ultimate in flavor and juiciness.

5. Use tongs or a spatula to turn your steak on the grill. Using a fork can damage the meat.

6. Cover your grill as much as possible during the grilling process. This helps to lock in the grilled flavor and will help prevent flare-ups.

7. Keep a spray bottle with water handy to douse any unexpected flare-ups.

8. Use the 60/40 grilling method for even cooking: grill for 60 percent of the time on the first side, and then grill the remaining 40 percent of the time after you turn the steak.

9. Place your grilled steak on a clean plate. Never place cooked steaks on the plate you used to transport the raw steaks to the grill without thoroughly washing the plate first.

10. Allow your steaks to rest for five min-utes between cooking and eating to retain moisture and juiciness.

For a free “Great Gathering Guide and Cookbook” from Omaha Steaks, filled with more mouth-watering ways to enjoy great steaks and gourmet foods, call 1-800-228-9055 or visit www.OmahaSteaks.com.

MiDWest RUBBeD Filet MigNoNs

Serves 4 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon coarse dehydrated onion 1/4 teaspoon coarse dehydrated garlic 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper 1/4 teaspoon whole dill seed 1/4 teaspoon dried whole thyme 1/4 teaspoon paprika 4 Omaha Steaks Filet Mignons, thawed 2 tablespoons olive oilCombine spices, starting with salt, in a mixing bowl to make rub.

Brush each side of steak with oil, then season with rub.

Preheat grill on high. Grill steaks to desired doneness while

searing the outside.

soUthWesteRN RiB eYe steAk With Chile BUtteR

Serves 4 4 tablespoons salted butter, softened at room temperature 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon canned chipotle in adobo sauce, pureed 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped 1/2 teaspoon chile powder 4 Omaha Steaks Rib Eye Steaks, thawed 1 tablespoon olive oil Kosher salt and black pepper, to tastePlace butter in a mixer or mixing bowl and whip until smooth and creamy.

Add Worcestershire sauce, chipotle in adobo sauce, garlic and chile powder. Mix well and reserve chile butter.

Preheat grill on high.Rub steaks with olive oil on each side

and generously season with salt and pepper.

Grill steaks to the desired doneness, while searing the outside.

Place a dollop of chile butter on steaks just prior to taking off the grill.


By Deborah Miller, JD, Director of Planned Giving, West Virginia University Foundation, Inc.

For those married cou-ples who will have taxable

estates, it is important to understand the role of two trusts in protecting as-sets from estate taxes: the bypass trust and the marital deduction trust.

In general, the purpose of any trust is to put conditions on the assets owned by the trust to control who receives how much and when.

To see how this works, let’s look over Bob and Joan’s shoulders as they do their estate planning.

They’ve calculated their net worth (assets minus liabilities) and are sur-prised to find that they will have a combined estate that is over the tax-free limit now and could grow much larger.

Their attorney advises Bob and Joan to split their assets into equal portions (equal estates).

That will mean that some jointly

owned assets will be changed to indi-vidual ownership.

They will also consider the advis-ability of including the two trusts in their estate plan.

The bypass, or unified credit, trust will protect $3.5 million (applicable in 2009; in 2010, the estate tax will be re-pealed for that year, although proposed federal legislation will change that) from estate taxes. This trust goes by other names also, but its purpose is to shield the tax-free amount in the es-tate. Both Bob’s and Joan’s wills must include this trust because of uncertain-ty about who will die first.

The bypass trust’s terms will name a trustee. The trustee will receive the property worth $3.5 million (or more, depending on the year of death) from the estate of the spouse who dies first and will handle all trust functions.

By utilizing the bypass trust, the surviving spouse will be able to receive income from the property in the trust

and some or all of the principal if the terms allow that and the need arises. When the surviving spouse dies, the assets will be handled according to the trust’s terms. They can be distributed to the children or anyone else, and no estate taxes will be owed.

By not transferring the assets out-right to the spouse, the tax-avoidance benefits resulting from dividing the property between the spouses are pre-served.

An alternative, if financially appro-priate, allows Bob and Joan each to give $1,000,000 directly to the children dur-ing their lifetimes. If that is done, then the amount available to be transferred tax-free to the bypass trust when the first spouse dies will be $2,500,000.

The second trust, the marital de-duction trust, will be discussed in the next column. It is also used for estate tax reduction purposes.

That’s good planning.

The H1N1 scare ransacked people’s everyday lives, from lining up at the emergency room for a common cold to cancelling travel plans to worrying about the ham sandwich someone’s child just ate, even though you can’t contract H1N1 from eating pork. Un-fortunately, as it was perpetuated by the media, it put hog producers’ liveli-hoods at stake.

The news media has a basic respon-sibility to help strengthen and support the democratic process. Using scare propaganda to attract viewers and readership is not only disconcerting, it’s bad journalism.

Stallman, continued

PlanningAhead

vote” campaign they conducted during last fall’s election.

There are allegations from people within ACORN of gross misuse of funds. Some ACORN board members have tried for years to force an audit of the books, but have been blocked. Usually, it is not a good sign when or-ganizations refuse to have their finan-cial records reviewed.

ACORN is a radical group that pushes for cradle-to-grave entitle-ments. They believe in taking from those of us who work and giving it to those who don’t, and they want a po-litical system that enables this process. One of their original purposes was to increase the welfare rolls. Their mani-festo espouses spreading the wealth (where have we heard that before?).

We should be very concerned, because much of the wealth that they want to spread around could very well be our farms.

ACORN will probably find much support in Washington from those they helped elect. President Obama is a long-time member of ACORN. He has spent much of his life repre-senting them legally, as well as train-ing ACORN activists. ACORN could receive billions of dollars from the recently passed economic stimulus package.

It is a travesty that ACORN’s radical extremist agenda is being fur-thered by our tax dollars. Moreover, it should send chills down the backs of every American that this group is a partner in the ever-important process of conducting our census. The Census

Wilfong, continued Bureau needs to be reminded that the census is supposed to be conducted free of political pressure.

june 2009 — vol. 17 no. 6 farm bureau news · 2017-12-18 · h1n1 panic. reporting the facts...

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