News Update
April 24, 2008

Japan Suspends Imports From Processor

Japan said April 23 it has suspended beef imports from a National Beef Packing Co. plant in Brawley, Calif., Meatingplace.com reported.

 According to the article, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Press Secretary Keith Williams confirmed that one of 700 cartons shipped by the plant contained short loin that included a portion of the vertebral column, a specified risk material prohibited by Japanese protocols.

Williams told Meatingplace.com the company was suspended from shipments to Japan until government officials can determine how the single carton was included in the larger shipment.

USDA Announces $5.8M in Economic Development Funding

USDA today announced April 22 the selection of 10 organizations in nine states for $5.8 million in loans to spur economic development.

The funding is being made available through USDA Rural Development’s Intermediary Relending Program. It is provided to community development or regional planning groups who then re-lend the money to local businesses. The loans must be used to start new businesses, expand existing ones, or create or retain jobs.

The Cumberland Area Investment Corporation in Cookeville, Tenn., for example, was selected to receive a $750,000 loan to enable it to provide small business loans in the 14 rural counties of the Upper Cumberland area of Middle Tennessee. It is estimated that 300 jobs will be created or saved as a result of this assistance.

For a complete list of groups selected to receive Intermediary Relending Program awards, visit www.rurdev.usda.gov.

USDA Provides Funds to Help Protect Maryland Farmland

Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer announced earlier this week that Maryland will receive $2.6 million in fiscal year (FY) 2008 to protect agricultural land through the federal Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP).

“Keeping the nation’s farm and ranch lands producing food and fiber is a high priority for the Bush Administration,” Schafer said at an Earth Day event at the Glenn Elseroad family farm. “This land will be protected by conservation easements and will be available for agricultural use forever.”

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency of the USDA, administers the FRPP. USDA-NRCS has made $50.2 million available for FRPP nationwide thus far this fiscal year, a portion of the program’s national allotment. Future funding is contingent upon the outcome of debate on the new farm bill. FRPP’s authority expires with the 2002 Farm Bill.

Additional FRPP information also can be found www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/frpp.

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