News Update

News Update
May 23, 2008

Science Program Releases Climate Change Report

The U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) is scheduled to release the report “Synthesis and Assessment Product (SAP) 4.3: The Effects of Climate Change on Agriculture, Land Resources, Water Resources, and Biodiversity” at 11 a.m. on May 27.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the lead agency in preparing the report as part of its commitment to CCSP.

The lead authors of the report will present their findings and conclusions during a press conference Tuesday.

The report will be posted online at 9 a.m. EDT on May 27 at www.climatescience.gov/Library/sap/sap4-3/default.php.

The report will also be available on USDA’s Global Change Program Office web site at www.usda.gov/oce/global_change/index.htm.

 NCBA President-Elect Testifies for New National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility

In testimony delivered Thursday before the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) President-elect Gary Voogt emphasized the importance of foreign animal disease (FAD) research and the need for a new diagnostic and research facility to protect American agriculture from foreign animal diseases. Voogt, a cattle producer from Marne, Mich., addressed committee members about the devastating effects of a nationwide outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

“It’s the most contagious animal disease known. An outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the United States could devastate the cattle industry,” Voogt said. “The direct cost would be between $10 billion and $34 billion. The indirect cost could be even more serious.”

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is currently in the process of moving the national facility that researches FMD and other high-consequence animal disease from Plum Island, N.Y., to one of six potential locations. All but one location for the National Agro- and Bio-Defense Facility (NABF) would be mainland.

Although the move is being met with some hesitancy, NCBA released a statement, saying it supports construction of the NBAF.

“The Plum Island Animal Disease Center (PIADC) has not been adequately funded or maintained for the purposes it is intended to fulfill. Cattlemen support construction of a state-of-the-art foreign animal disease research facility to replace Plum Island, but the organization is not advocating for a specific location,” Voogt said.

NCBA’s support is contingent upon the ability of USDA to retain its mission of conducting research on all FADs, Voogt said. “It is also contingent upon seeing a commitment from Congress and the Administration to ensure this facility is properly funded and maintained, so this facility does not fall into poor condition in a manner similar to Plum Island.”

— Adapted from a release provided by NCBA.

Senators Hope to Revisit Renewable Fuels Mandates

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) and a group of 10 Senate co-sponsors filed legislation on May 19 calling for a freeze (at the 2008 level) in the corn-based ethanol mandate that was passed in December 2007. The energy bill requires an annual increase in the amount of ethanol produced domestically — mandating 9 billion gallons of grain-based ethanol this year and growing the requirement to 15 billion gallons by 2015, according to NCBA.

NCBA opposed increasing the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) mandate for corn-based ethanol in the 2007 energy legislation, and NCBA policy supports the objective of the Hutchison bill to halt any further hikes in the RFS.

Live Cattle Trade with Mexico Opens, but with Excessive Red Tape

The first shipments of U.S. breeding stock have crossed into Mexico under a new trade protocol agreed to earlier this spring. Since 2003, the only live cattle eligible for export to Mexico had been dairy heifers under the age of 24 months. Mexico’s demand for U.S. breeding stock had declined due to an extended period of drought beginning in the late 1990s. But range conditions in Mexico have improved, and demand for U.S. breeding stock appears to be strong as Mexican ranchers are now in expansion mode for the first time in a decade. The Texas Department of Agriculture marked the occasion of the border reopening by organizing a ceremony May 21 to celebrate the first truckload of Texas bulls to cross the border in almost five years. However, complaints are already mounting about excessive notification and inspection requirements being imposed by the government of Mexico. These obstacles are making live cattle trade extremely difficult, and will greatly slow the movement of animals across the border. USDA officials have been made aware of the issue, and NCBA and its state affiliates will be working to resolve these problems.

— Releases provided by NCBA.  

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