Public perception and vandalism among ... - Alabama Business News

John Krupinski, left, and his son Mark Krupinski harvest corn, June 11, 2003, in Foley, Alabama. (Press-Register file photo/Kiichiro Sato)

MOBILE, Alabama ? As nearly 700 farmers from around the state descended on Mobile this week for the 40th annual Commodity Producers Conference, talk for local farmers revolved around agriculture concerns in the region.

The conference, run by the Alabama Farmers Federation, is designed to help farmers improve the profitability of their operations. Activities included visits to farms and other agricultural points of interest in Mobile and Baldwin counties, as well as seminar topics such as hydraulic fracturing, current Alabama estate tax and annuities, farm bill and federal legislative updates, and state water issues.

Weather was the biggest concern for Alabama Gulf Coast farmers. Calvin Freeland, president of the Alfa Mobile County chapter, said it was one of the biggest factors of production in Mobile and Baldwin counties.

While much of the state and Midwest has experienced severe drought this year, southwest Alabama has received adequate rainfall. Gulf Coast farmers experienced a major drought last year, but say the crops look good so far for 2012.

Alfa spokesman Jeff Helms said there are a number of factors that impact farmers? ability to remain on their land and to be profitable including weather; the cost of feed, fertilizer, seed, energy and labor; as well as competition from foreign countries. Public perception of agriculture and how it influences public policy also is important, he said.

?We have some of the most productive farmland and we are vitally important in terms of agricultural production to the entire world,? he said. ?But we see increasingly that the way that we produce our food is being challenged, whether it be because of a food borne illness outbreak or challenges about the way animals are raised.?

Anthony Faggard, owner of Faggard Land Cattle in Grand Bay, said availability of farmland is also a hot button topic in the region.

?Over the past couple of decades, there?s been a lot of development in Mobile and Baldwin counties,? he said. ?We?re limited in how much we can expand.?

Bert Driskell, owner of Driskell Farms in Grand Bay, said that with every new piece of land paved over, the potential source of food is gone from agriculture forever.

Vandalism also has been a problem for many farmers in the area, with thieves stealing equipment parts and copper wire to sell as scrap metal. Andy Thornburg of Thornburg Farms in Wilmer, said he has had about $20,000 worth of damage so far this year related to theft, and Driskell said he has experienced the same.

Despite the recent announcement that Jerry Newby would retire as president of ALFA and Alfa Insurance Companies in December, there was little talk on who will follow as leader of one of the state?s most high-profile organizations.

Newby, in his 14th year as president of the state?s largest farm group, announced in December 2011 that he would not seek re-election, kicking off what has now become a campaign by five other members who want to succeed him. Alfa?s more than 400,000 members, through 500 voting delegates, elect the president.

The five people running to succeed Newby are state Rep. Richard Lindsey, a Cherokee County board member; John Dorrill, president of the Pike County chapter; Steve Dunn, president of the Conecuh County chapter and the current secretary-treasurer of ALFA; Jimmy Parnell, president of the Chilton County chapter; and Ricky Wiggins from Covington County, who is a vice president of ALFA.

David Bitto, president of the Baldwin County chapter, originally ran for the position but has since dropped out of the race.

Freeland said that the Mobile County chapter has not chosen a candidate to throw its weight behind, but said he wanted the president to be someone that would keep the agriculture industry going in Alabama.

?We have to defend things every day more than support them,? he said. ?We have to defend our right to grow our products. We need someone that supports agriculture.?

Article source: http://blog.al.com/press-register-business/2012/08/public_perception_and_vandalis.html

Source: http://bamabusinessnews.com/public-perception-and-vandalism-among-concerns-of-gulf-coast-farmers/

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