Few industries realize the connection between water and power like the agriculture

www.azfb.org JULY 2012 Volume 65 No. 7 Official Publication of the Arizona Farm Bureau The War on Western Power By Philip Bashaw, Arizona Farm Bureau PERIODICALS Few industries realize the connection between water and power like the agriculture industry. Irrigated agriculture, unlike other forms of agricultural production, requires water delivery to the areas of agricultural production. Whether that water is pumped from the ground or delivered hundreds of miles though a canal from the Colorado River, water is heavy and transporting that water takes energy. Energy costs directly impact the cost of water, and as a major input to agricultural production, directly impacts the bottom line of agricultural operations. The Obama Administration has introduced two proposals that would fundamentally change the energy and power generation landscape and ultimately the costs of power and water in Arizona. The EPA is currently reviewing proposals for new Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) emissions controls at the Navajo Generating Station, a coal fired power plant in north central Arizona. EPA is reviewing these emissions reductions as a result of Region Haze Rules which require the Best Available Retrofit Technology (BART) to be installed and operational. In the case of Navajo Generating Station, EPA is suggesting that BART level technology may need to include Selective Catalytic Converters (SCR) which the Salt River Project (SRP) estimates will cost an additional $1.1 billion in capital and $21 million in annual operating costs. The Navajo Generating Station (NGS) has a significant nexus with agricultural production in Central Arizona. This plant became operational in the 1970 s to provide the power necessary to pump Arizona s allocation of Colorado River water to the central portion of the state. As such, this plant powers the Central Arizona Project (CAP), which transports water over 336 miles from the Colorado River to serve agricultural and municipal customers as well as Indian communities in Arizona. In fact, NGS provides 95% of the water used by the CAP to pump Colorado River water to central Arizona. In addition the plant provides power to millions of customers in the Southwest and provides funds for repayment of the cost of the initial construction of the CAP. Salt River Project estimates the resulting increase of SCR technology The EPA is currently reviewing proposals for new Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) emissions controls at the Navajo Generating Station, a coal fired power plant in north central Arizona. West Pinal County Officially Designated as a Non-attainment Area for PM10 By Philip Bashaw, Arizona Farm Bureau The EPA officially declared a portion of Pinal County in non-attainment for PM10 particulate matter or dust. The declaration was based upon air monitoring data that showed portions of Pinal County repeatedly violated the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for dust particles. The boundaries for the non-attainment area cover the western half of Pinal County excluding Indian reservations and wilderness areas. EPA has the authority to regulate PM10 dust particles under the Clean Air Act. PM10 is considered a pollutant as these dust particles can get deep within the lungs and have negative impacts on respiratory systems. The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) will now have 18 months to submit a plan to EPA outlining how they intend to reduce PM10 emissions and demonstrate compliance with the PM10 standards. For agriculture, the program to reduce PM10 standards is already in place. Under state law, agriculture in the Western Pinal County Nonattainment area will be regulated under the Agricultural Best Management Practices (Ag BMP) Program similar to Maricopa County. In order to maintain consistent regulation of agricultural sources, the AgBMP is under the sole jurisdiction of ADEQ. The AgBMP program is a menu based approach which allows agricultural operations, including crop and livestock operations, to choose BMPs from a menu of options that best fit their operation. The program is implementation at the Navajo Generating Station would result in an increase in cost of agricultural water of about 30% or $16 an acre-foot if amortized over twenty years. Unfortunately, EPA has indicated that they may force amortization over 5 years which would be cost-prohibitive for the plant owners, forcing its closure. The closure of NGS would have a ripple effect on energy costs if CAP, the largest power user in the state, were forced to purchase electricity on the open market. Energy costs are estimated to increase by between 50% and 300% in this scenario. Minimal Positive Impact The proponents of this technology claim that it is necessary to protect the visibility at the Grand Canyon. Yet studies have shown that the impact of SCR technology will have very little impact on visibility at the nearby national parks. According to prepared testimony before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Water and Energy by John Sullivan, associate general manager for the Salt River Project, SRP s modeling results suggest that the visibility improvement that would be achieved from installing SCR would be imperceptible to the human eye. SRP believes Low NOx Burners and Separated Overfire Air (LNB/SOFA) is the best available retrofit technology for NGS. The LNB and SOFA technologies already voluntarily installed at NGS initially cost far less than SCR technology, $45 million, and reduced NOx emissions by 40%. In addition the annual operating costs of this technology are far lower than the proposed SCR technology suggested by EPA. Another proposal by the Obama Administration that threatens to have a significant impact on western power was outlined in a memo from Energy Secretary Chu to the Power Marketing Agencies (PMAs). There are four federal PMAs: Bonneville Power Administration, Western Area Power Administration, Southwestern Area Power Administration, and Southeastern Area Power Administration. The role of these PMAs is to market the hydropower See PM10 Page 5 See POWER Page 5 It s a Jungle Out There! Page 2 How Primaries May Change Big Numbers; Big Gains - Page 4 Public Outreach Grows! Help on Your Issues? - Page 6 Policy Development Calendar

2 www.azfb.org ARIZONA AGRICULTURE JULY, 2012 Attention: Jungle Primaries May be Coming to a State Near You By Joe Sigg, Arizona Farm Bureau There is an initiative being circulated for the November ballot it is a constitutional amendment, and we fully expect it will garner enough signatures to be valid. This initiative will apply to all primaries in Arizona, except for current non-partisan primaries and the presidential primary. If passed by the voters in November, beginning with the 2014 elections: Everyone, regardless of party affiliation or not, will be eligible to vote in the primary for anyone on the ballot. The two top vote getters, regardless of party affiliation or not, will move from the primary to the general election (write-ins still allowed). If there is more than one seat, such as the Arizona House, the four top vote getters would run in the general election. Multiple open seats on the Corporation Commission would be guided by the same math formula (number of seats times two). At present, Arizona has a GOP and Democrat primary with registered independents allowed to vote for either the GOP or the Democrat ballot. Other minor parties have caucuses or conventions to get their candidates on the general election ballot (of course they must qualify) and Independents can qualify for the general election ballot. Louisiana has had this system for some time, Washington for a short time and California is having its first election cycle on this proposed system, sometimes referred to as top two tier voting. There is little data to support claims pro or con if this were enacted in a state like Arizona. Proponents say it will open up the process and moderate candidates. Opponents say we need partisan primaries to advance agendas that debate divergent views. Proponents say it will give a voice to the growing number of Independents in this state opponents say Independents can already vote in partisan primaries they just don t. This is a significant and consequential change for Arizona s system of elections. At the July meeting of the Board of the Arizona Farm Bureau, board members will be asked to support, reject or remain neutral on this proposal. The only current AZFB policy we have even remotely related to this is as follows: In a political election, in which there are two or more candidates from one party vying for the same political office, and there is no other candidate running for the same political office from any other political party, or any legal write-in candidate, then the political race is subject to the general election where the race is decided by the community as a whole. So we really do not have policy to guide the board in their decision making. Staff will be providing analysis ahead of the board meeting, but this posting is coming to you early, so you can begin to consider and visit with other members. Folks this is a big deal. We predict it will easily make the ballot and we are putting this on the radar screen with plenty of lead time for consideration. For more information contact Joe Sigg at joesigg@azfb.org or Philip Bashaw at philipbashaw@azfb.org. Celebrating the Centennial An American Dream Seventh in a series on Arizona s 100 years of statehood and its agriculture history. Editor s Note: The following story is excerpted from Arizona Farming & Ranching, Hall of Fame 2008-2012, Preserving the Legacy, published by Farming and Ranching Hall of Fame. From La Paz County and in Farm Bureau leadership, Miguel A. Torres is a 2009 Arizona Farming and Ranching Hall of Fame honoree. The story of Miguel Torres began in Cosala, Sinaloa, Mexico. It was a small town with no electricity or running water except for a nearby creek. At a young age, he began helping his grandmother on her ranch in the mountains. There, some of his responsibilities included rounding up the cattle and taking cheese into town to sell by burro, a three-hour trip. By the time he came to America he was already plowing behind a pair of mules. His father, Salvador Torres, migrated to the United States in 1960 through the Bracero Program and was sponsored by his employer to get the necessary paperwork to immigrate. In 1963, he brought his wife and sister. The four oldest boys stayed behind with their grandparents on their horse ranch. On January 28, 1965, Miguel and his brothers were reunited with their parents in Parker, Arizona. From that day forward Miguel started to live the American Dream. A day he will never forget. Miguel began school in the United Sates at age 12. He spoke no See AMERICAN DREAM Page 5 Miguel Torres spreads hay for the cattle with his grandson. Torres represents so much of what we all embrace as we set our sights on our futures: The American Dream. We make insurance simple. Your Agent of the Month Justin Roan Justin joined the Arizona Farm Bureau family on October 1, 2009. He works out of his office located in Gilbert. Congratulations Justin! With offices across the state, we make it simple to protect your family, home, car and business. Contact your local agent today. buckeye 311 N. Miller Rd. 623-935-6209 bullhead city 2071 Hwy. 95, Ste A 928-763-8464 camp VERdE 738 S. Parks Dr., Ste. B 928.239.9367 casa GRANdE 408 N. Sacaton, Ste. E 520-836-2511 123 Florence St 520-836-8303 cave creek 6554 E Cave Creek, Rd#4 480-575-0710 cottonwood 1759 E. Villa Drive, #113 928-649-8686 dewey 171 Hwy 69, # C 928-632-0014 flagstaff 2733 E Lakin Dr. #1 928-527-1343 2500 S. Woodlands Blvd, # 3 928-213-5491 fountain hills 13125 N LaMontana Ste. 2 480.837.2550 GIlbERT / higley 325 S. Higley Rd. #100 480-635-3860 4365 E Pecos Rd. #142 480-354-7654 4365 E Pecos Rd. #136 480-279-1874 633 E. Ray Rd., #107 480-284-4223 225 E. Germann #101 480-833-8718 GlENdAlE 18301 N. 79 Ave., #D146 623-878-2491 GOld canyon 6499 S Kings Ranch Rd # 1 480-621-3076 GOOdyEAR 3673 S. Bullard Ave., Ste. 101 623-925-0190 kingman 3518 N. Irving St., Ste. A 928-757-5555 lake havasu city 1600 McCulloch Blvd. N. #4B5 928-846-3232 MESA 1012 S. Stapley Dr., #114 480-649-0260 1806 N Lindsay Rd. 480-807-7987 3514 N. Power Rd #104 480.699.0861 ORO VAllEy 10355 N. La Canada Dr. #197 520-885-3083 PARkER 1212 Kofa 926-669-2437 PAySON 512 S. Beeline Hwy. #4 928-474-1775 PEORIA 15396 N. 83 Ave. #F102 623-434-6241 PhOENIx 22601 N. 19th Ave. #106 623-434-8092 10240 N 31st Ave. # 135 602-997-6633 PREScOTT 3005 N. Hwy. 89 928-778-9350 1265 Gail Gardner # A 928-445-5545 queen creek 22632 S. Ellsworth Rd. 480-987-9163 21321 E Ocotillo, #B105 480-779-4499 SAffORd 620 S. 1st Ave. 928-428-4618 ScOTTSdAlE 7650 E. Redfield, Ste. D3-4 480-483-8787 15010 N 78th Way #107 480-368-5233 ShOwlOw 810 E. Duece of Clubs 928-537-2990 TEMPE 6101 S Rural Rd #120 480-967-7306 TucSON 460 W Roger Rd. # 101 520-407-1111 7604 N. LaCholla # 7604A 520-219-3600 wickenburg 82 N. Valentine St. 928-684-6895 willcox 265 Haskel Ave. 520-766-3276 williams 128 W. Grant, Ste. A 928-635-2181 yuma 350 W. 16th St., #108 928-782-1638 242 W. 28th St., Ste.C 928-341-0000 2170 W. 24th St.,#104 928-782-0012 Western Agricultural Insurance Company*, Farm Bureau Property & Casualty Insurance Company* and Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company*/ West Des Moines, IA. *Company providers of Farm Bureau Financial Services 325 S. Higley Rd., Suite 210 Gilbert, AZ 85296 480.635.3600 fax 480.635.3781 www.azfb.org The Voice of Arizona Agriculture OFFICERS President Kevin Rogers, Mesa 1st Vice President Tim Dunn, Yuma 2nd V. P. Stefanie Smallhouse, Redington Exec. Secretary James Klinker, Mesa EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Rock Cramer Parker DeWayne Justice Waddell ARIZONA AGRICULTURE STAFF Julie Murphree, Editor Peggy Jo Goodfellow, Advertising Please send comments to: arizonaagriculture@azfb.org For advertising, e-mail ads@azfb.org, call 480.635.3609 or visit www.azfb.org/publications.htm Arizona Agriculture is published monthly, except December, plus three special editions, (ISSN 0274-7014) by the Arizona Farm Bureau Federation 325 S Higley Rd., Suite 210 Gilbert, AZ 85296 Periodicals postage paid in Higley, Arizona and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER Send address changes to: Arizona Agriculture 325 S Higley Rd., Suite 210 Gilbert, AZ 85296 Subscriptions are included in annual dues.

ARIZONA AGRICULTURE JULY, 2012 www.azfb.org 3

4 www.azfb.org ARIZONA AGRICULTURE JULY, 2012 In light of Arizona Farm Bureau surveys and focus group results several years ago, the Arizona Farm Bureau Board of Directors recognized that Arizona families had lost touch with Arizona farming and ranching. Going forward then, leadership declared that public relations, marketing, and agriculture education ultimately public outreach would always be an integral part of what Arizona Farm Bureau does. In 2009, the Public Relations, Marketing and Ag Education department launched a campaign called Reach a Million. We wanted to reach a million Arizonans with the Arizona agriculture story. In its first year, we met and exceeded the goal. And, the campaign effort continues to gain. The organization learned after the Hogwash campaign just how important staying connected with the public is in today s fast-paced world, said Arizona Farm Bureau President Kevin Rogers. We ve been caught off guard too many times with certain groups misleading the public about modern agriculture. In this latest Reach a Million push, we re currently at 3,923,556 impressions. Compare that to the first year of the campaign: 1,582,865. What s an impression? An impression is sometimes called a view or a message view, referring to the point in which the message, advertisement or story is viewed once by a visitor, or displayed once on a web page. The number of impressions of a particular message is determined by the number of times the particular message is viewed. It s not really fair to say person since Jane Doe may have seen the same message or ad on more than one of our communication channels, for example on television and then on our Fill Your Plate blog. But the fact is Arizona Farm Bureau is reaching thousands of Arizona families every month! And, variety is the spice of life! We re connecting with the public through public relations, Fill Your Plate blogs, advertising, sponsorships, general marketing strategies and agriculture education. Ultimately, everything and anything! Big Numbers; Big Gains Reach a Million Campaign Continues Strong Push By Julie Murphree, Arizona Farm Bureau Total public outreach numbers in this last fiscal year not yet complete (October 2011 to September 2012) are currently 3,923,556. The first year we began our Reach A Million Campaign we reached 1,582,865. Every year, we ve leaned heavily on Arizona Farm Bureau s Fill Your Plate program to connect with the public, where today the website averages 38,000 to 42,000 monthly visitors. Not Resting on Our laurels As Arizona Farm Bureau continues to brand Fill Your Plate, more interest continues to be generated within the public. And visits to all our websites continue to increase, especially during targeted advertising efforts. AZFB s public outreach efforts continue to improve with a dramatic increase in those areas that have completely new program outreach in the case of Fill Your Plate improvements and new features and promotions, effective use of advertising and marketing, food market basket s Stretch Your Dollar Menu outreach and special event Foodie outreach. One of our most exciting outreach programs, Ag in the Classroom, can now boast completion of its fourth year in action. Having already reached more than 100,000 students, teachers and parents this last school year, we re planning an exciting 2012/2013 school year. Additionally, many significant public groups, including foodie groups, are now coming to Arizona Farm Bureau to partner. They include Savor Scottsdale, representing more than 40 independent restaurants; Edible Phoenix, magazine for the Slow Foods movement; Local First Arizona, an organization promoting independent businesses; and others. The media continues to reference Arizona Farm Bureau as the source for information on food safety, nutrition and dollar-savings advice. By becoming a Knowledge Source we become an industry leader to the public on these issues. But, we can t rest. The biggest challenge is getting out ahead of the naysayers about modern agriculture to the point where their misinformation is lost in the noise of today s mass media machine and make sure our true message is heard and then remembered. Watch for some exciting stuff we re doing along this lines as it relates to agriculture education this fall. When that happens, we can smile brighter; but never ever rest.

ARIZONA AGRICULTURE JULY, 2012 www.azfb.org 5 Power continued from page 1 PM10 continued from page 1 designed to provide the greatest amount of flexibility while complying with Clean Air Act requirements. It appears that because this program has already been established in state law, the provisions of this law become effective at the same time as the final designation. Arizona Farm Bureau and other agricultural groups will be participating in an outreach American Dream produced at federally-owned dams operated by the Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Power at these facilities is primarily sold to provide electricity to irrigation pumps and any excess power is sold by the PMA to preference customers like non-profit rural electrical cooperatives, public utility districts and irrigation districts. One of the objectives of the proposal is to improve collaboration with other owners and operators on the grid. Included in this objective is the need for an Energy Imbalance Market (EIM). EIMs are a tool to help integration of renewable/variable energy into the electrical grid. Unless electricity is supplied to the grid at the same rate that it is used, there is a possibility to overload the grid. In order to accommodate electrical generation that is more variable in nature like wind and solar, base load power must be scaled back or pulled off the grid. The variability of these power supplies can pose challenges in managing the balance of power supplied to the grid. The EIM proposed in the Chu memo would be a real-time centrally dispatched energy market designed to automatically integrate variable sources of energy. The costs associated with the creation of an EIM for the western interconnection are unknown at this point and the value of such a proposition is also in question. The Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) serves six distribution coopcontinued from page 2 English, but with the help of a few bilingual friends, he quickly learned to communicate with others by the end of his first year. His formal education came to a halt at the end of his freshman year. Against his mother s withes, Miguel felt it was his responsibility as the eldest son to begin working to help support his family. He began working for Bruce Church Farms and even tried work at a gas station because his friends did. However, when he was offered a job driving one of the cotton pickers at Bruce Church Farms at a high wage he was brought back to agriculture. In 1970, Miguel moved to Fresh Pick (later known as Blythe Farms) where his father worked. Over the next 20 years, he moved up through the company, eventually managing the farm. In 1989, determined to start his own farm, he cashed in his pension plan. This was enough money to begin to lease land from the Colorado River Indian Tribes and lease some equipment. This was a big step and a big risk as the company he had worked for, for so long had supplied Miguel, his wife and five children with a home, paid utilities and a vehicle. Being an optimist, Miguel believed in his ability to develop a productive farm. From the original 67 acres of leased land, he now farms his own 1,450 acres, 500 acres for an investor that has been with him for 19 years and an additional 1,500 acres of custom farming. Miguel grows alfalfa which he sells to buyers and feed stores. His eratives, a generation cooperative and a transmission cooperative representing 220,000 homes, farms, ranches and businesses in Arizona. According to Tom Jones, Chief Executive Officer of the Grand Canyon Electric Cooperative Association, the Chu memo directs PMAs to begin a process to fundamentally change the way they do business which will increase electricity rates for millions of rural Americans and may not provide meaningful benefits. According to Jones, The costs associated with implementing an EIM are significant. We are very concerned about the impact of those costs on the rates of PMA customers. Bob Lynch, Legal Counsel for the Irrigation and Electrical Districts Association of Arizona, described the Chu memo as trying to force western electric utilities under a giant bureaucratic umbrella where the federal government will direct how and when these western utilities will deal with each other. There is no doubt that the interconnection between water and power captures the attention of the agricultural industry. An increase in cost of either of these resources has a direct impact on the ability to continue agricultural production in Arizona. For more information on these issues contact Philip Bashaw at philipbashaw@ azfb.org or 480.635.3614. program over the next several months to explain the program and assist with compliance throughout Pinal County. For more information on this program, go to our website www.azfb.org or contact Philip Bashaw at 480.254.2172 or philipbashaw@azfb.org. business started out supplying hay to two individuals but has now grown into 30 different customers. Torres Farms has recently undertaken a new enterprise, raising cattle. This new endeavor began as a pastime, a means of relaxing while running his successful business, Torres Farms. As many can attest, the business of farming is not a solo business. Through the highs and lows, his wife, Lupe, has been there to care for their family and home for the last 34 years. Miguel continues to contribute to the Parker community by serving on the La Paz County Farm Bureau Board, the Parker Fair Board and supporting the local FFA chapter. He currently volunteers his time and equipment, along with two other farmers, to the completion of the new La Paz County fairgrounds in Parker South. January 16, 2009 was the 20 th anniversary of Torres Farms. Twenty years ago, Miguel dared to believe he could make this happen. January 28 th 2009 marked 44 years of his American dream in the making. Miguel has always said, Where there s a will, there s a way. Additional Editor s Note: To purchase a copy of the book, contact Carole De Cosmo via email at codeco2@aol.com.

6 www.azfb.org ARIZONA AGRICULTURE JULY, 2012 Want Farm Bureau to Work on Your Issues? Speak up at your county Policy Development Meeting Summer is here the time that County Farm Bureaus invite their members to gather and discuss Farm Bureau Policy. What does this mean? It s your chance to have your ideas and solutions championed by the Farm Bureau. All Ag members will be invited to their County Farm Bureau Policy Development meeting, where they will discuss issues of concern to them and propose solutions to be approved as official Farm Bureau policy at the County Annual Meeting. Once that happens, yours is no longer a single voice in the field, but a strong chorus of voices with the power of the Farm Bureau behind you. Any issue is fair game. The Commodity Committees have recommended that pol- icy be considered on issues such as water harvesting, expectations of the Cooperative Extension Service, mandatory labeling of GMO crops, and the possible discontinuation of the stub cotton ban. Many more issues surfaced by the Commodity Committees can be found online at www.azfb.org, click on the Government Relations tab at the top, and choose Policy Development. Meeting information for each County Farm Bureau is listed in the table below. Don t miss this opportunity to make a difference on the issues you care about! Contact Paul Brierley at paulbrierley@azfb.org or 480.635.3612 for more information. 2012 Policy development Meeting Schedule county location date Time APACHE Cooperative Extension Office, St. Johns Tuesday, August 28 6:00 PM COCHISE Sulpher Springs Board Room, Willcox Monday, June 11 7:00 PM COCONINO Rosa s Cantina, Williams Tuesday, July 10 6:00 PM GRAHAM La Paloma Resturant, Solomon Monday, July 2 12:00 PM GREENLEE TBD August TBD LA PAZ Elks Lodge, Parker Friday, July 20 2:00 PM MARICOPA (East Side) Manuel s Restaurant, Tempe Wednesday, June 27 11:30 AM MARICOPA (West Side) Golden Corral, Goodyear Tuesday, June 26 11:30 AM MOHAVE Calico s Restaurant, Kingman Thursday, August 2 12:00 PM NAVAJO Jack and Phylis Carlisle s Home Wednesday, August 29 TBD PIMA Amphi Land Lab, Tucson Tuesday, June 26 1:00 PM PINAL Rio Ricardo s, Casa Grande Thursday, August 16 6:00 PM YAVAPAI TBD Thursday, July 12 TBD YUMA Booth Machinery, Yuma Wednesday, July 18 12:00 PM YUMA Basque Etchea, Tacna Tuesday July 17 5:00 PM

ARIZONA AGRICULTURE JULY, 2012 www.azfb.org 7 And the Winners Are By Peggy Jo Goodfellow, Arizona Farm Bureau Completing its third year, our Women s Leadership Committee s annual photo and poetry contest is drawing from our most creative competitors. Finding a deep reservoir of poets and photographers has been a fun endeavor for the women s group. And, we can now feature our latest winners! After studying photo entries sent in by amateur shutterbugs from all over the state, our judges selected these winners. Our winners by category All in a Day s Work First prize: Sonia Gasho, Pearce, Cochise County Farm Bureau, for her photo titled, Moving Cattle Medium: PhOTO The Way it Was First prize: Cynthia Rovey, Sedona, Coconino County Farm Bureau, for her photo titled, 1930 Hay Derrick Kids & Critters First prize: Amanda Hart, Willcox, Cochise County Farm Bureau, for her photo titled, Little Farmer. Medium: ESSAy First prize: Sonia Gasho, Pearce, Cochise County Farm Bureau, for her essay titled Wide Open Spaces. (on the web.) We ll be doing it all again next year, so keep those creative juices flowing and be ready to capture the moment in a photo or on paper. Information for the 2013 contest will be posted on azfb.org and we ll be accepting entries from February 1, 2013 through April 30, 2013. Editor s Note: To see all the winning entries, go to www.azfb.org and select programs, then Women s Leadership Committee.

8 www.azfb.org ARIZONA AGRICULTURE JULY, 2012 In An Election Year, Special Election Dates are Important! As with most, 2012 will be a memorable election year. And, your vote counts. So, to make sure you are aware of any important election dates, Arizona Farm Bureau provides a handy chart here for your use. If you re not registered to vote, remember that July 30 th at midnight closes all opportunity to register for the primary election. Primary Election q Voter Registration Closes July 30, 2012 at midnight q Early Voting Begins August 2, 2012 q Primary Election Day August 28, 2012 General Election q Registration closes October 9, 2012 at midnight q Early Voting Begins October 11, 2012 q General Election Day November 6, 2012 Ford s Blue Oval Is Back Where It Belongs! In December 2006, the American automaker was forced to raise $23.5 billion in liquidity, $18.5 billion of which came from leveraging all of its domestic assets, including the F-150 and Mustang trademarks as well as the brand s Blue Oval logo. It took Ford until September, 2011, to completely pay back the loan, and in March, 2012, Ford issued out its first dividend payment in almost six years. As a result of the turn-around, all the assets that Ford had put up as collateral are now free and Ford is once again whole. The Ford Blue Oval is back where it belongs with the Ford family of 166,000 employees around the world. This is a great day for us and is the result of several years of hard work and progress by everyone associated with Ford, said Bill Ford, executive chairman of Ford Motor Company. We are so proud of today s decision by Moody s and the resulting release of all collateral particularly the Ford Blue Oval. This is an important milestone and further proof that, by staying laser-focused on our One Ford plan, the Ford team can deliver great products, build a strong business and contribute to a better world even through the most challenging external environment, added Alan Mulally, president and chief executive officer of Ford. Remember, eligible Arizona Farm Bureau members can get a $500 rebate toward the purchase of new Ford vehicles. To obtain your certificate and verify membership go to http://www.fordspecialoffer.com/farmbureau/az. New Book Available Obtain your Own copy of the book by going to farmbureauchoices.com and selecting the book Title, A Farmer s Guide to Marketing the Direct Market Farm. Recipes, Recipes, Recipes at Fill Your Plate!! fillyourplate.org