News Update

News Update
May 27, 2008

Farm Bill Nears Finish Line

The Farm Bill is nearing completion, although the process has been extended thanks to a clerical error that left out a trade provision.

Title III, the trade title, was left out of the earlier version passed by both parties and vetoed by President Bush. The House of Representatives passed another entire Farm Bill to correct the mistake, passing on a vote of 306-to-110, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) reported.

Meanwhile, the Senate voted May 22 to override the President’s veto 82-to-13, making 14 of the 15 Farm Bill titles law and circumventing the need to extend the 2002 Farm Bill.

Now the lingering legislation will be presented in the Senate as H.R. 6124. Once it’s passed, the new Farm Bill will be sent to President Bush, where, NCBA reports, he is expected to again veto the legislation. Congress is again expecting to override the veto; then, finally, U.S. producers may have a complete Farm Bill.

S. Koreans Protest U.S. Beef

Almost 30 people have been arrested in South Korea following rallies this weekend protesting the reintroduction of U.S. beef imports, according to the BBC.

Approximately 3,000 people showed up in Seoul, South Korea, to protest the country’s agreement made last month to relax U.S. beef import restrictions, a prerequisite put forth by U.S. legislators for a free trade deal between the two countries.

According to BBC, vigils and rallies have taken place nearly every day since the agreement was announced. South Korea President Lee Myung-bak issued a public apology last week for underestimating the public’s fervor; however, Myung-bak said plans to import U.S. beef will continue. South Korean officials have said they will revoke imports if another case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is identified in the United States.

Since the agreement, BBC reports Myung-bak’s approval ratings have dropped dramatically among protestors, who were shown wearing medical masks and burning life-size cow figures at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/7421176.stm.

FSIS Issues Two Notices Aimed At Improving Data Collection

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued two notices as part of the agency’s effort to enhance the development and maintenance of an integrated and robust data collection and analysis system to verify the effectiveness and efficiency of the agency’s program.

FSIS Notice 37-08 “Consumer Complaint Monitoring System (CCMS) 2.0” announces the launch of a modified Consumer Complaint Monitoring System (CCMS) 2.0.

CCMS 2.0 was developed to address limitations of the CCMS system and to improve the agency’s detection, analysis and response capabilities to consumer complaints.

To view this notice in its entirety, visit http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FSISNotices/37-08.pdf.

The second notice issued, FSIS Notice 38-08 “In-Commerce System and Administrative Enforcement Report System,” announces the release of the In-Commerce System and describes its features and uses.

The In-Commerce System is a new, web-based system that the Office of Program Evaluation, Enforcement and Review (OPEER), Office of Field Operations (OFO) and Office of International Affairs (OIA) will use to document and report compliance and enforcement activities.

Questions about the In-Commerce System should be referred to the Policy Development Division at 1-800-233-3935.

To view this notice in its entirety, visit http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FSISNotices/38-08.pdf.

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