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Minutes of the
BOARD OF DIRECTORS' MEETING
Main Street Cafe
Willimantic, CT 06226
December 11, 2002
Present:
| President James Rock Treasurer Robert & Eleanor Feldman Michael Darre Mazhar Khan Frank Manfreda Gary Proctor |
UConn Extension Educator, Emeritus |
President James Rock brought the meeting to order at 6:55 p.m.
Treasurer's Report: see attached
Bob Feldman explained that the account is low because we used money to pay AEB (American Egg Board) bills. It will be reimbursed in the amount of $10,300 by AEB.
John Lombardi, III has approved funding of next year's allotment of $9,848.16.
Several letters of thanks for contributions read as:
Nancy Bull $100 to 4-H Centennial Fund
Nancy Weiss $100 to 4-H Centennial Fund
Maribeth Amyot $100 UConn Foundation for the Benefit of UConn
Suman Singha, Patricia Jepson, Nancy Weiss, donation to College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Letters of thanks for support of the Big E Omelet Demonstration Booth from President Rock to Joe Fortin, Kofkoff Egg Farm, and Doug Stewart, Franklin Mushroom Farm.
Request for donation to Connecticut Farmland Trust and the Working Lands Alliance. Mike Darre made a motion to give $50.00 to each. Motion passed.
There was some confusion as to exactly what each organization is and does, so it was recommended that we invite Don Francis to the next meeting to discuss each organization.
Promotion Report: Egg Dessert Recipe Contest
December 5th, Middletown Press, snowed out, rescheduled for December 19th.
December 12th, Contest to be held at WILI radio station in Willimantic. Starts at 7:15 a.m.
Poultry Health
Still quiet, some infectious Laryngotracheitis (LT) in backyard flocks. Newcastle disease in three counties in California: Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Riverside. It came in on game birds and backyard flocks. So far has killed 30,000 birds and is still under quarantine. China has a ban on imports from California. They are still looking at the problem. Avian Influenza problem seems to be contained no new cases.
Extension Report:
CPA web site is up and running. Poultry Extension site is being worked on. This will be a great help for small flock owners.
Mike Darre wants to start meetings for backyard and small flock owners. The Poultry Extension web site should be a big help in disseminating information. This may help gain support and membership for the CPA.
Poultry Health Management Conference
Looking for help from other states, i.e., New York, Pennsylvania, etc., especially for speakers and some funding help.
January 17th, faculty/staff conference at UConn making omelets: 6 tables with 2 cookers at each table. CPA members invited to assist.
Risk Management
Joe Bonelli, Jim Rock and Norm Bender getting together to set up a program. Meeting date will be sometime in the spring.
Old Business:
Discussion about charge for poultry diagnostic lab. We need to make it known that we need sentinel birds; and that most vets don't do Avian species. It costs $40 for a bird worth $5.00 or less, large animals worth hundreds cost $75.00. Rep. Mordasky has introduced legislation that will give $50,000 per year to the Connecticut Veterinary Medicine Diagnostic Lab.
President Rock wrote to Dean Kerr about CPA resolution #2 concerning the need for increased funding for the Diagnostic Lab, in order to reduce or eliminate the $40 fee for diagnostic service. This resolution was presented to the Connecticut Democratic Platform Committee and the New London, Tolland, and Windham County Farm Bureau annual meetings. They all adopted it. It was also adopted at the annual Connecticut Farm Bureau meeting.
Highlights of the resolutions of interest to the poultry industry adopted at the Connecticut Farm Bureau Annual Meeting Voting Delegates Sessions was given by Jim Rock.
Definition of Agriculture - municipal planning and zoning and other land use commissions as well as the tax assessor MUST use the state definition of agriculture.
State tax structure - Farm Bureau shall work to initiate property tax exemption on leased farm equipment.
State labor relations - Connecticut Farm Bureau opposes collective bargaining for workers engaged in food, animal, plant production and product packaging.
Animal health - in recognition of animal health issues and their impact on public health, USDA should institute a national farm animal identification system for any animals used for human consumption.
Farm Bureau should work to restore all funds for animal, aquatic, and poultry diagnostic work and staffing in the Connecticut Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory located at UConn.
Animal Rights - Farm Bureau supports the vigorous enforcement of fines and reimbursement for research and animals which may be lost and all costs and damages incurred when farms and research facilities are vandalized and willfully damaged.
CPA Annual Meeting Update
Mike and Larry are getting the speakers together. Attempting to get practical information.
Jim suggested Bonnie Burr give a talk on her trip to Germany and Erika Fearn to give a talk on Public Act 490 and residential tax rates farmers may be paying.
President Rock will get out letters asking for funds, or sponsoring a table to encourage attendance.
Mike Darre and Gary Proctor are putting together a presentation on all of the promotion activities.
Poultry Processing
The Poultry Processing Plant Committee is waiting to hear from the Hartford Regional Market on the possibilities of establishing a processing plant similar to the plant Ray Crossen discussed with the committee. It was proposed that the committee request a tour of the market sometime after January. Karen and Morgan Strong (turkey producers) are interested in joining the committee.
It was suggested that perhaps the Indian tribes or the Cargill Company may be interested in sponsorship of an integrated poultry cooperative.
New Business:
Organic certification - to be USDA certified, someone must verify the farm's organic production practices. In Connecticut, someone from the Connecticut Department of Agriculture will collect and document the farm's organic practices. They will send this information to the Massachusetts Northeast Organic Farmers Association (NOFA) who will do the paperwork and send it to Washington.
(One interesting case was when NOFA wanted to turn down a farm because the farmer wouldn't let his birds run free in the middle of the winter. Need some common sense.)
National Poultry Waste Symposium
Environmental legislation and rules depends on outcome of elections. There is a need to find environmental solutions outside of the courtroom.
Next meeting, Wednesday, January 29, 2003 at 6:30 p.m., Main Street Café, Willimantic, Connecticut.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:05 p.m.