News Update

News Update
Aug. 4, 2006

APHIS Names NAIS Provider

Global Animal Management Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Schering-Plough Animal Health, has been approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) as an interim animal tracking database participant for the National Animal Identification System (NAIS). The company announced Aug. 1 it had passed all APHIS requirements for participation in the interim/development phase.

According to a company release, Global Animal Management plans to utilize its Animal Tracker program to feed data to USDA’s information system when animal health officials are responding to an animal disease.

USDA, Iraq Enter Joint Venture

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns and Iraq’s Deputy Prime Minister Salam Zukam Ali Al-Zawba’i signed a joint statement of intent Aug. 1 to strengthen and broaden Iraq’s agricultural Extension system and universities through partnerships between U.S. and Iraqi universities.

Johanns stated the collaboration is intended to help rebuild the Iraqi economy and revitalize Iraq’s food and agriculture sector. The initiative matches U.S. land-grant universities with Iraqi agricultural universities to provide training for the country’s faculty members.

Japanese Minister Makes Beef Trade Threats

Jiro Kawasaki, Japan’s health minister, was quoted in the Japan Times as saying if any specified risk materials (SRMs) are found in any U.S. beef shipments to the country, all trade would immediately end, meatingplace.com reported.

The statement differs from previous remarks made by Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso during a June public radio broadcast, in which Aso reassured listeners that Japan wouldn’t discontinue U.S. beef imports if a single shipment was found to contain banned materials.

Shipments of beef to Japan are scheduled to begin later this month.

On The Hill:
Senators Push Drought-Related Tax Relief

Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) and 14 colleagues have sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson requesting an extension on tax relief for ranchers who were forced to sell large portions of breeding stock as a result of drought conditions suffered during 2002.

Previous legislation attached to the American Jobs Creation Act of 2003 provided a four-year tax deferment period for weather-related livestock sales and stipulated that the Treasury Secretary could further extend the deferral period, according to the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). It’s important the Secretary now extend the tax relief period, NCBA noted, since many of the affected ranchers are again suffering from drought conditions.

“If ranchers were forced to restock their herds now — during our current drought — many would be forced to sell them again quickly because there is no way to keep cattle on the ranch without feed or water,” said Jason Jordan, NCBA manager of legislative affairs.

Cattleman Urges Senate to Respect Property Rights

Burlington, Okla., cattleman Keith Kisling urged a subcommittee of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee to respect producers’ property rights, NCBA reported.

During a hearing of the Subcomittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Water, Kisling argued that the government has been regulating private property water usage beyond the authority conferred by the Clean Water Act. He cited Supreme Court rulings, saying, “Agricultural producers need assured access to their own lands to run their businesses and produce the food America eats.”

— compiled by Crystal Albers, associate editor, Angus Productions Inc.