Farmer Makes Mineral Feeder Portable

Lee Gooder already had three perfectly good feeders, one in each of his three pastures. Why, then, did he need a brand-new one, his wife, Jill, wanted to know.

“This mineral feeder has curtains and scratchers and a large, rubber tub for salt and mineral,” he explained to her.

Still skeptical, she asked him how he intended to move it from one pasture to the next. “That was a good question. Once I made it portable, she was OK with it, and we were all good to go,” he says.

That portability has worked out extremely well, Gooder emphasizes. The transition began by mounting a snowmobile trailer axle to the self-feeder.

Son Zach helped build the axle mount and a hitch. They got help from a local welding shop with fabrication and mounting.

“That axle is removable, so when we want to take it off and make a stationary unit, we can,” Gooder points out.

switch out when fly season is over

Since dust bags and an oiler aren’t required during the winter, the Gooders can have their trailer back in time for snowmobile season.

The Cattle Saver feeder built by Easy Way Cattle Care in Decorah, Iowa, gets shedded. “I put the three old feeders back out until springtime,” he says.

The Gooders’ pastureland has steep slopes. So steep, the ground has never been used for anything but pasture. Yet, Gooder says, he’s had no trouble pulling the feeder with his Gator.

“I can easily lift the tongue even when the feeder is full of mineral. It’s nimble, but it’s stable, too. We get quite a bit of wind up there, and, so far, it hasn’t been knocked over,” he says. 

Another winner

Gooder is the last recipient of a $2,500 Firestone in-store credit offer for having his idea chosen as the Idea of the Month.

More about Lee Gooder

Family farm: Besides fall-calving stock cows, Gooder grows corn, soybeans, and alfalfa. He also feeds out Jersey bottle calves. He is a full-time road maintenance employee for Howard County in northeast Iowa.

Anticipation: The county has ordered him a new Caterpillar road grader.

Changing practices: Gooder sold his disk recently and bought a super coulter. “I’m trying to go as minimum-till as possible. The goal is to eventually do no-till,” he says. 

Family: Wife Jill works full time at the local hospital. Both of their children, daughter Shelley and son Zach, are grown.

To join in the all farm contest click here and submit your ideas

UN Conference reaches agreement to Mainstreaming Biodiversity to ensure Sustainable Development

As part of efforts to achieve sustainable development, governments from 167 countries have given an unparalleled recognition to the need to protect biodiversity across the agricultural sectors towards ensuring food security and addressing climate change.

The global leaders while making the agreement at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP13) held recently in Cancun, Mexico consented on specific steps to promote the integration of the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity within and across the agriculture, fisheries, forestry and tourism sectors.

Addressing participants at the Conference, Deputy Director General Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, Maria Helena Semedo explained that though agricultural sectors and biodiversity have often been regarded as separate and even conflicting concerns, they are inextricably connected.

“Agriculture is by nature a major user of biodiversity, but it also has the potential to contribute to its protection,” she added

The Conference declaration stressed that the international community must involve different governmental and economic sector and not just environment ministries to protect biodiversity- the thousands of interconnected species that make up a vital web of ecosystem services upon which global food production depends.

The platform which is aimed at facilitating cross-sector dialogue, will allow ministries of agriculture, forestry, fisheries and environment to share experiences and explore how to best encourage sectors that depend or have an impact on biodiversity to adopt integrated approaches for its conservation and sustainable use.

Dangote extols Nigerians’ perseverance, canvasses for agric resurgence

The President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote has commended Nigerians for their resilience and perseverance in the face of prevailing economic challenges, while stressing the need for Nigerians to return to agriculture.

 

Dangote who stated this while addressing a group of small and medium scale enterprises in Lagos, on the challenges faced in the country stressed the need to become a producing nation and reduce importation.

 

According to him, “We need to produce what we consume as opposed to importation, which takes away our forex. 

 

We import just anything and the reality is dawn on us now that we have to change this habit, this is why the federal government has been emphasizing the need to go back to agriculture and total manufacturing so that we also can produce what we need and even export rather than import.”

 

He furthered that the nation has abundant raw materials to produce and did not need to import of some of these products.

 

Expressing confidence that the sacrifices made by the citizens would see the country out of the woods the business mogul urged the people to cooperate with the government in bringing Nigeria back to a path of sufficiency and economic buoyancy.

 

Vanguard reports that the business mogul had indicated that his new $12 billion three in one project, the refinery, petrochemical and fertilizer plants currently under construction would create a minimum of 235,000 new jobs, both direct and indirect jobs, as it becomes operational in the first quarter of 2019.

FG increases import duties on rice, salt and other food items

The Federal Government has raised duties on some food items being imported into the country. Some of these food items include rice, salt and sugarcane and are known have alternatives that can be sourced locally.

 

The new rate which is contained in a circular by the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun to Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is an increase from the 20 per cent which the owners currently enjoy. 

 

According to the Finance Minister, President Buhari has already approved the new tariff structure.

“This is to confirm that Mr. President has approved the 2016 fiscal policy measures made up of the 

 

Supplementary Protection Measures (SPM) for implementation together with the ECOWAS CET 2015 – 2019 with effect from 17th October, 2016”, she said.

 

“Consequently, all transactions prior to the effective date of this circular shall be subjected to the tariff rates applicable before the coming into effect of this 2016 fiscal policy measures”, she added.

 

Due to the increase,  sugar cane and salt prices have now increased by 60 per cent; alcoholic spirit, beverages and tobacco from 20 per cent to 60 per cent; and rice from 10 per cent to 60 per cent.

 

Medicaments such as anti-malarials and antibiotics; crude palm oil; wheat flour; tomatoes paste; and cassava products are also affected in the upward review of duties.

 

It will be recalled that the plan to raise the duties was first contemplated by former Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala under the immediate past administration of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

How AfDB is helping transform Agriculture in Africa – Report

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has deployed $5.5 billion in investments into the agriculture sector over five years up to 2015, the new Development Effectiveness Review on Agriculture, has revealed.

 

According to the review, the bank trained three million people on better farming practices, put 20,000 food marketing and storage into use, constructed four thousand kilometres of feeder roads, offered 150,000 microcredit loans, irrigated and built other water systems on 181,000 hectare of farmland.

 

While commenting on the review, the Director of Quality Assurance and Results of the Department that authored the Review Simon Mizrahi explained that the Review is Mission accomplished.

 

“The Development Effectiveness Review is mission accomplished, as the AfDB sets out an even more ambitious agenda in its Feed Africa strategy to end hunger and extreme poverty by 2025” he said

 

The Review which details the progress and the pitfalls to date in transforming Africa’s agriculture sector, lays out what steps must be taken to catapult Africa into becoming a global agricultural power house in the next decade.

 

It maintains that, agriculture has zoomed to the top of Africa’s policy agenda, with African countries pledging to eradicate hunger and halve post-harvest losses in under a decade. 

 

Some of other most noteworthy operations of the Bank cited in the report during the period include the Africa Food Crisis Response Programme, which fast-tracked relief that raised US$1.0 billion and led to better harvests; New Rice for Africa, which boosted the hardiness, nutrition and yields of rice and improved the livelihoods of almost a quarter of a million subsistence farmers amongst others.

 

To end hunger, the development report stresses the need to invest in agriculture as it remains the only panacea to the problem of hunger and poverty in the continent.

 

“It has become increasingly clear that investing in agriculture is the best way to end hunger, malnutrition, and extreme poverty in Africa,” the development report states. 

 

“Given that seven out of 10 Africans earn a living from the land, agriculture can create economic growth spread more evenly across society, and extending deeper into rural areas, and helping more women, who make up 70 percent of farmers”, it reads.

Bauchi flags-off Anchor Borrower’s scheme with 20,000 farmers.

Bauchi State government has launched the Anchor Borrower’s Scheme with 20,000 farmers that registered for the scheme.

The scheme was initiated by the federal government through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as an agricultural intervention to help farmers boost production.

 Governor Mohammed Abubakar officially launched the scheme in Bauchi State at Gadar-Maiwa town.

Speaking at the flag-off of land preparation for the programme, he said his administration will give priority to programmes like the Anchor Borrowers Scheme.

Governor Abubakar said the state government has in addition to other supports agreed to is pay off the 9% interest on the loan to be granted farmers in the programme.

“The government has placed a high priority to agriculture, especially laudable programmes like the Anchor Borrowers Scheme, as part of efforts to empower the people, create job opportunities and tackle the challenges of food security,” he said.

In his address, the lead consultant in charge of the programme in Bauchi State, Dr Abdulmalik Nura, said out of the 20,000 registered farmers, 10,000 had so far been screened by field officers and representatives of participating banks.

He said they have concluded all input assessment of irrigated rice production module for the state, which currently stood at N370, 000 per hectare.

“The aim of the programme is to create economic linkage between small holder farmers and reputable large scale processors. Each bonafide farmer is now expected to deposit N18, 500, which is his mandatory 5 per cent equity contribution as prescribed by the Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP) guideline,” he said.

MD, Guana Farms - Ban on rice importation hasty

The Chief Executive Officer of Raymos Guana Farms, Mr Raymos Guana, says the decision of the Federal Government to ban rice importation is too hasty.

Guana, a former Commissioner for Lands in Delta, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Asaba on Thursday.

According to him, the quantity of rice being produce in the country today will not be able to meet the demands of Nigerians.

He said that government should have given farmers at least three to five years notice to work toward boosting rice production that could adequately feed the nation.

“With such target, each state of the federation would be given specified quantity of rice to be produced within the stipulated time.

“For example, Delta will produce one million tonnes of rice, Anambra two million, while Ebonyi will produce five million tonnes of rice.

“With this target, I am very sure that each state would work toward achieving its goals and expectation,’’ he said.

Guana also called on government at all levels to support farmers with processing facilities, adding that the magnitude of food lost after harvest was alarming.

“If we have processing machines around the country, there will be much food left after harvest

Lagos reviews LAKE Rice sales, assures of availability

The Lagos State government has again assured residents of the availability of LAKE Rice at designated outlets across the State.

The Commissioner for Agriculture, Toyin Suarau, gave this assurance yesterday while reviewing sales reports of the product from retail outlets and centres. Suarau said the government was working assiduously to ensure availability of the product in outlets and centres experiencing short supply.

He assured residents that as from today, all designated retail outlets and centres will have enough supply of the product to meet growing demands.

While defending the resolve of government to distribute and retail the product on senatorial district basis using designated outlets, the Commissioner said the idea was mooted to ensure fair distribution, availability of the product to residents and to guard against unwanted persons diverting the product.

“The product, which is packaged in 50kg, 25kg and 10kg bags, is being sold at N12,000, N6,000 and N2,500 respectively,” Suarau said.

He added that residents who reside within Lagos Central Senatorial District can get the product in Ajah at Agric Area Office, Ajah; Lagos Island at LATMA Works yard, Lagos Island; Ajegunle at Alakoto Senior High School, Tolu; Surulere at Teslim Balogun Stadium; and Yaba at Mobolaji Johnson Sports Centre, Rowe Park.

Suarau noted that the product will also be available to residents in the Lagos East Senatorial District at designated centres, including Odogunyan Farm Service Centre, Ikorodu; Temu Farm Service Centre, Epe; Noforija Town Hall, Eredo; Magbon Alade School, Ibeju Lekki; and State Universal Basic Education Board premises, Maryland.

 

“The product is also for sale at the following locations in Lagos West Senatorial District; Lagos State Agricultural Development Authority (LSADA)/Farm Service Centre, Oko-oba, Agege; Lagos Agricultural Inputs Supply Authority (LAISA), Ojo; Farm Service Centre, Marina-Badagry; and Ikeja Grammar School, Bolade, Oshodi,” the Commissioner stated.

LAKE Rice, is an acronym for LAGOS-KEBBI Rice, which is a product of the collaboration between Lagos and Kebbi State for the development of agricultural commodities like rice, wheat, groundnut, onions, maize/sorghum and beef value chains. According to Suarau, the collaboration will ensure that quality rice emanates from the 2.5 metric tonne-capacity mills to boost food production in Lagos State.

Gov Bagudu - How Kebbi Actualised Rice Dream

For the first time, Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Abubakar Bagudu, has revealed the strategies adopted by his administration to turn the state into the leading rice-producing centre in Nigeria, giving farmers real value for their labour and investments in the process.

Bagudu, who spoke in an exclusive interview with Vanguard, said his love for his people and the need to create a sustainable means of livelihood for them, motivated him to take what he calls ‘unusual steps’ to transform rice business farming in the state into a business venture.

The governor disclosed that on assuming office and discovering the huge rice potentialities in his state, he immediately put down a princely sum of N4 billion as seed money to convince the Bank of Industry and the Central Bank of Nigeria of its readiness to partner with them in giving financial assistance and inputs to rice farmers in the state to go into commercial farming.

He pointed out that with the capital outlay and the agreement it entered into the with the BOI, his administration also designed a template where each farmer agreed to produce at least six tonnes of rice per hectare of land after being given a minimum of N210,000 per hectare to cover farm inputs and seedlings.

The governor said that under the arrangement, no fewer than 78,000 farmers had been fully registered under the state’s rice programme with the Central Bank of Nigeria, known as Anchors Borrowers Programme, ABP.

Bagudu, who expressed satisfaction with the results of the state’s collaboration with the CBN and the BOI in pushing the rice revolution agenda, disclosed that Kebbi State has been able to produce 1.4 million tonnes of rice this year as a result of the effort.

The governor said: “We have had very successful dry and wet rice farming seasons and as a result, farmers in Kebbi State have recorded at least 1.4 million tonnes of rice this year.

‘’The next thing we need to do is to handle the distribution of the rice we have produced so that Nigerians can begin see the local rice, which is by far better than the imported paddy rice from outside.”

“To be able to do that successfully, we are going into partnership with Lagos State, which is like a window to the world and we are going to mobilise all stakeholders, including market women, to be shareholders in the plant we are going to use in processing and distributing rice from Lagos.’’

Bagudu, who is also the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Rice and Wheat Production in Nigeria, expressed optimism that Nigeria might have attained self-sufficiency in rice production, considering the fact that all the rice millers in the country currently had enough stock to process and sell to the market.

“My thinking is that we have achieved self sufficiency in rice because as we speak, we have enough paddy rice for millers across the country. ‘’I can tell you that there is no miller in Nigeria today who does not have enough stock to process.

This gives us the confidence that Nigeria may be self sufficient in rice production,” the governor said.

He said a total of sum of N27 billion disbursed to 219,837 small holder rice farmers nationwide, who have successfully cultivated at least 246,837 hectares of rice under the ABP.

Bagudu said that no fewer than 17 states in the country had so far keyed into the ABP rice programme cultivating at least two commodities with comparative advantage to the respective states.

Contaminated, not Plastic —NAFDAC

The heightened tension over the importation of plastic rice into Nigeria has been clarified by National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, which said that there was no plastic rice in the country.

However, NAFDAC’s Acting Director General, Mrs. Yetunde Oni, at a joint briefing with the Deputy Comptroller-General of Nigeria Custom Service, Mr. Umar Ilya, confirmed that a consignment of contaminated rice is in the country and warned Nigerians not to consume same, as it could be injurious to health.

The NAFDAC boss also presented the final laboratory result on the suspected commodity, confirming that although the rice is not plastic, it is unsuitable for human consumption.

 Oni said the agency had, therefore, decided to set a date for public destruction of the confiscated consignment since it had failed what she called integrity test.

Oni said: “Based on the above laboratory result, the product is not plastic but rice contaminated with micro organisms above permissible limit, hence the seized rice consignment is unsatisfactory and, therefore, unwholesome for human consumption. 

The consignment, upon handover by the Nigeria Customs Service, shall be destroyed.”

The Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs, Mr. Ilya, announced that the service had begun a vigorous move to stem the tide of smuggling of rice into Nigeria so as to reduce the adverse economic impact on the country and its people.

Ilya, who gave a warning signal to rice smugglers, noted that the service had shared the over 40,000 bags of rice seized in recent times to Internally Displace Persons, IDPs, in the North-East and would continue to embark on such raids on rice smuggling routes until the illegal practice was stamped out.

He warned that irrespective of the outcome of the findings by NAFDAC, the NCS would continue with its drive of ensuring that fake and banned goods were not allowed into the country.

He said as part of the move to curb illegal importation, the NCS would, henceforth, be going after the banned goods and the owners of the means of transportation used in ferrying the goods into and within the country to serve as a deterrent to potential smugglers.