The hay listing web site, http://web2.canr.msu.edu/hay, was developed with the cooperation of the Michigan Hay and Grazing Council, Michigan Farm Bureau and Michigan State University Extension.

On the web site, hay growers can list the type of hay they have for sale, the form it is in, the price, quantity and whether transportation is available. Space is also available to list what cutting the hay is from, type of storage and feed-test results. Those without Internet access can list hay through their county Extension agent.

Sattelberg believes that, working together, dry bean farmers can market their commodity for more money through the Michigan Edible Bean Cooperative, a new business he and a board of fellow producers hope to launch soon.

The group, unwilling to settle for low prices, wants to take matters into their own hands. They plan to process and market dry edible beans, though their market is yet to be determined.

The board of directors held eight meetings across the dry-bean-growing region of Michigan, Aug. 2-10, to invite growers to join the cooperative. By Sept. 15 they hope to have 200 farmers pay $700 dues to join Innovative Farmers of Michigan and the cooperative. When that happens, the group will fund a full feasibility study to find out how they can make more profit from the pods.

Sattelberg, of Gagetown, farms 1,500 acres with Karl Wildner, who also serves on the co-op's startup board.

"It's getting just about impossible to survive on the farm with just basic production agriculture," Sattelberg said. "We're in a global market now." He said low prices and tough international competition are forcing farmers to try to capture more of the market on their own.

Any risk Sattelberg is taking by investing time and money in a cooperative that is not guaranteed to succeed is well worth it. "Every spring I put tens of thousands of dollars in the fields and I don't know what I'll get out of it," he said. "That's a risk. This is miniscule."

Sattelberg has beefed up his production techniques each year to produce more and more beans. "It's pretty obvious with the prices that are on the Chicago Board of Trade that the market is saying, 'Hey, we don't need more beans,' " he explained. That is why he is choosing to get more profit off the land through the cooperative, instead of by boosting production.

According to the Michigan Agricultural Statistics Service, Michigan production ranks No. 2 in the country for all dry beans, and No. 1 for black, cranberry and navy beans. Farmers in the Bay, Thumb and Saginaw Valley areas planted 315,000 acres in 1997.

The dry bean cooperative is part of a growing trend: The food industry's newest business executives spend their days in tractor cabs and hold company meetings in dusty township halls.

Three other farmer-owned, value-added cooperatives are getting started in Michigan. Thumb Oilseed Producers Cooperative, a group of 191 soybean growers, built a crushing plant in Ubly and began blending crankcase oil Aug. 9. The Michigan Alfalfa Producers Cooperative, a $3.3 million project, has 178 members who hope to sell alfalfa cubes as early as next year. A group of West Michigan turkey growers is making plans to process and market the birds on their own.

Sattelberg, also a member of the soybean and alfalfa cooperatives, is glad he invested in the businesses. "It's a whole lot better than sitting in the tractor and listening to that market report," he said.

The aid package, passing with a 90-7 vote, fell short of the $9 billion American Farm Bureau Federation - the national affiliate of Michigan Farm Bureau - called for in its AgRecovery Action Plan, which was designed to help farmers through a dire period of depressed prices, slumping exports and economic disaster.

However, the Senate amendment did address several key areas, including a 100 percent increase in Agriculture Market Transition Act (AMTA) payments, an increased cap on loan deficiency payments and several direct payments for specific commodity producers.

While the Senate's package is welcomed, it will remain dormant until a conference committee can meet after the August break to work out differences between the bill and the House Ag Appropriations bill, which does not include an emergency assistance amendment.

One key provision in the bill was a sanctions amendment, which prevents the president from imposing sanctions or embargoes on agricultural or pharmaceutical products. "Farm Bureau has been pushing for this for some time," said Sarah Black, Michigan Farm Bureau national legislative counsel. "In order for farmers to compete globally and secure markets abroad, the president needs to relinquish his authority to use food as a diplomatic weapon against countries. Unilateral sanctions take away from our farmers' ability to sell their products and rarely inflict the economic damage on, or prompt policy change in, the target country."

U.S. farmers depend on access to customers around the world for the sale of a third of their production. Food and pharmaceutical sanctions on Iran, Libya and Sudan were eased for emergency conditions earlier this year, but sanctions remain on Cuba and North Korea. "Cuba, with its close proximity, offers great potential for American farmers," Black said. "Leading agricultural economists predict that U.S. exports to Cuba could reach $1 billion annually if the sanctions were lifted."

One area notably missing from the package was an amendment to allow the Northeast Dairy Compact to continue for one year and to delay changes to the Federal Milk Marketing Order for one year. It garnered only 53 votes (60 were required to stop a filibuster). "We hope to raise these issues, as well as extending the price support, during conference committee consideration," Black said.

Highlights of the bill include:

• $5.54 billion in supplemental Agriculture Market Transition Act (AMTA) payments. This equates to a 100 percent increase in a producer's 1999 payment
• $475 million in direct payments to soybean and minor oilseed producers
• $325 million in assistance to livestock and dairy producers to be provided in a manner determined by the secretary of agriculture
• 42 million to suspend the budget deficit reduction assessment on sugar producers for the remainder of the farm bill as long as no federal budget deficit exists
• An increase in the current loan deficiency payment (LDP) limit from $75,000 to $150,000 for the 1999 crop year
• $50 million for assistance for fruit and vegetable producers to be distributed in a manner determined by the secretary of agriculture
• $400 million for crop insurance premium subsidies (similar to the 30 percent additional subsidies provided in last year's disaster bill for the 1999 crops)
• Adopted a sanctions amendment authored by Sens. Hagel (R-Neb.), Ashcroft (R-Mo.) and Dodd (D-Conn.). That amendment prevents presidents from imposing sanctions or embargoes on agricultural or pharmaceutical products.

"The new web site, www.michiganfarmbureau.com, provides visitors insight into what Michigan Farm Bureau represents," said Dennis Rudat, Michigan Farm Bureau information division director. "This on-line resource complements and expands our existing communication efforts. Users will be able to browse selected articles from Michigan Farm Bureau's publications Michigan Farm News and Rural Living, and the archives allow for easy access to information on specific issues."

The web site also provides immediate access to AgriNotes and News, which is a weekly packet of press releases addressing the agricultural issues of the week. "This comprehensive resource should prove to be a valuable tool for anyone within the agricultural industry or anyone interested in taking advantage of the many benefits of Farm Bureau membership," Rudat said.

According to Glenn Hoeppner, Michigan Farm Bureau web administrator, the web site offers users easy access to their county Farm Bureau office by supplying a listing of each county office, including names, phone numbers, addresses, and an "e-mail your county office" feature.

A study released by the Agriculture Department shows nearly one-third of U.S. farms are connected to the Internet, a figure that nearly doubles the number of farms with web access in 1997. The USDA study of 33,000 farms also shows that almost one-quarter of farmers use computers in their businesses and nearly half of all farming and ranching operations have access to a computer. Forty percent of all farms own or lease a computer, up from 31 percent in 1997.

Michigan Farm Bureau members will have access to special features, such as promotional and educational materials, the ability to discuss ag-related topics with other members in the on-line forums, and access to the classified ads section for requesting and offering items and services.

The site also provides links to other agricultural sites.

Michigan Farm Bureau has a membership of more than 169,000 member families. Members are eligible for a vast array of insurance options, special low-cost phone rates, travel service, theme park discounts, Dodge truck rebates, credit cards and group purchasing.

House Bill 4777, the Job Creation and Regulatory and Responsibility Act of 1999, is currently in the state Legislature with intent to ensure the continued economic viability of Michigan agriculture. It was introduced before the Legislature recessed for the summer by Rep. Robert Gosselin, and is expected to be taken up by the House when it reconvenes in mid-September.

"Michigan Farm Bureau has, and continues to be, a strong supporter of local government," said Tim Goodrich, Michigan Farm Bureau legislative counsel. "However, local units of government are increasingly entering areas of regulation that were not intended for local government."

A Branch County judge's recent ruling regarding alleged odor from a swine operation helps to tell part of the story. Glenn and Keith Preston, who operate swine and dairy operations in Algansee Township, were found guilty and ordered to pay $58,000, split between two neighbors, when the plaintiffs successfully argued that odor from the buildings and premise was impacting their way of life. The judge made his ruling based on a zoning ordinance prohibiting any odor, fumes, heat, flare, dust and noise from exceeding property lines.

"Local ordinances are intended to be reasonable and enforceable and help to minimize conflict," said Kevin Kirk, Michigan Department of Agriculture animal health liaison and former Michigan Farm Bureau livestock specialist. "The question is, is this reasonable? Technically, if you're working on an automobile in your backyard and it backfired, the noise would exceed your property lines and - the way the ordinance is written - you are out of compliance."

Kirk said the operation was following Generally Accepted Agricultural and Management Practices (GAAMPs), as defined in Michigan's Right-to-Farm Act, and was located in an area appropriated for agriculture. "It's also important to note that the Preston facilities are state-of-the-art," he said. "The barns are built over manure pits, which helps to minimize odor. The manure is handled using a drag hose, which goes to a chisel plow and is directly knifed into the ground. The manure never sees the light of day."

The precedent-setting case is disturbing for Michigan's animal agriculture, and for all of agriculture, Kirk said. "Dust, noise and odor are three big words that are hard to get your hands around - completely - to control," he explained. "We're concerned that other townships will be adopting similar ordinances, which prohibit the growth and stabilization of Michigan agriculture."

Right now, the best defense agriculture has is continuing to be good neighbors and stewards of the land and water. But more ordinances are sure to follow, and Michigan agriculture, if not represented at the table when the ordinances are drafted, is destined to lose as more and more townships adopt the "not in my backyard" philosophy.

The U.S. Constitution was designed for the federal government to regulate international and interstate commerce - which includes agriculture. The states reserve the right to regulate intrastate commerce. "While the Michigan Constitution established local units of government to perform many important functions, the regulation of commerce was not one of them," Goodrich said.

In addition to over-regulating livestock operations, local government units, according to Goodrich, have also begun to regulate wage standards. The city of Detroit has already entered into the arena with a "living wage" ordinance that requires businesses to pay employees above federal and state established minimum wages. "As more communities adopt 'living wage' ordinances, this could become a major impediment to establishing and attracting agricultural processors to Michigan," Goodrich said.

Other local units of government are enacting ordinances to prevent the establishment or expansion of migrant labor housing. The Michigan Department of Agriculture regulates migrant labor housing, which must meet state standards on: "construction, size, health, sanitation, sewage, water supply, plumbing, garbage and rubbish disposal, and operation." "While this is a very extensive list, some local units have enacted additional ordinances, which are often so stringent that farmers cannot afford to comply with them," Goodrich said.

H.B. 4777 re-establishes the traditional role of state and federal government as the regulators of commerce and removes township regulation, which is often overly restrictive in order to prevent certain business operations from locating and thriving.

"H.B. 4777 does not prevent local government from passing and enforcing local ordinances in these areas, but would prevent them from passing and enforcing ordinances that conflict with, or are more stringent than, state and federal law," Goodrich said. "This bill is very specific and does not take away the townships' ability to govern and set taxes, regulate public utilities and many of the other functions that are vital to the communities they serve."

Apples seem to be available on Michigan grocery shelves any time of the year, unlike many other fruits. There are two reasons: Apples have the longest harvest season of any Michigan fruit, starting about mid-August and extending into early November. Also, apples are available in fresh form longer than any other Michigan fruit. Apples kept in controlled-atmosphere storage with low oxygen and cold temperatures can be held six months or more and retain just-harvested quality. Many other fruits do not adapt well to long-term storage.

Aren't sheep hot with all that wool? Wool, the sheep's equivalent to your hair, isn't like hair at all. It has unique properties that help keep sheep cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The special structure of wool fibers lets the wool absorb lots of moisture from the animal's skin. That helps the sheep feel cooler. This ability to absorb water also helps the sheep from getting dehydrated as quickly on a scorching hot day - the fibers retain the liquid, so there's always a little bit of moisture near the sheep's skin. Wool fibers also have crimps in them that create thousands of air pockets in the animal's coat. In the winter, these air pockets work like insulation to keep the sheep warm.

As you're enjoying your next chocolate bar, take a look at the ingredients and you'll probably see "lecithin" listed. Lecithin, extracted from soybean oil, is used for everything from pharmaceuticals to protective coatings. It is a natural emulsifier and lubricant. One of the many uses for lecithin is to keep the chocolate and cocoa butter in a candy bar from separating.

With a name like buttermilk, you might think this nutritious beverage is high in fat. However, most buttermilk is made from lower fat 2% and 1% milk. A glass of buttermilk made from 2% milk contains about 105 calories and 2 grams of fat and its nutritional content is comparable to whole milk.