News Update
Nov. 7, 2008

USMEF Advises Obama Administration On Export Strategy

The new administration under President-elect Barack Obama should be prepared to try a new approach to improving trade relations with the United States’ key export markets, U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Philip Seng said this week.
Addressing attendees at USMEF’s annual Strategic Planning Conference in Tucson, Ariz., Seng advised the new administration to consider several steps:

• Create a new sub-cabinet level position with responsibility for all trade-related issues. This new point person on trade would be responsible for driving the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) export agenda through trade negotiations and export promotion programs, and for ensuring that domestic marketing standards meet the expectations of export customers.
• Redefine the industry-government partnership. Seng noted that in the effort to reopen international markets following the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) announcement, USDA could have benefited from closer consultation with its cooperators on the workability of various negotiating options.
• Try a new approach to funding export market development. Seng suggested that the agriculture export initiative would benefit from a mechanism for collecting and administering funds that would be used solely for developing international markets. Agriculture export concerns would remit these funds to the USDA, which would allocate them in combination with USDA funds to the export industry groups based on each industry sector’s contribution to the value of agricultural exports and the agricultural trade balance.
• Ensure that political appointments are based on credentials. Many of the problems that the United States has encountered in reopening markets to U.S. exports, and in working with trade partners in general, can be directly attributed to the lack of international experience of political appointees, Seng said. He emphasized that expertise and cultural sensitivity would enhance the effectiveness of U.S. negotiators.

— Release provided by Meatingplace.com.

Seoul Puts Obama On Notice: Korea Will Not Renegotiate FTA

Two days after the election, South Korea’s trade minister is putting President-elect Barack Obama on notice that the country will not renegotiate the free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries that is still pending approval by both U.S. and South Korean legislatures.

During the campaign, Obama said he wants to renegotiate the pact to strengthen “badly flawed” agricultural and manufacturing provisions that he said failed to adequately open South Korea’s market to U.S. exports. The pact includes provisions specific to beef and auto trade.

“There will be no renegotiation, and our stance will be maintained,” Agence France-Presse reported South Korean Trade Minister Kim Jong-Hoon as saying.

Frank Jannuzi, an Obama foreign policy adviser, was quoted by Yonhap on Tuesday as saying that Obama favors ratification of the FTA, though on conditions including “strengthening of the access of American automobile exports to Korea.”

Yonhap also quoted South Korean President Lee Myung-bak’s spokesman as saying Lee and Obama planned to speak by telephone Friday to discuss ways to establish a stronger bilateral alliance.

— Release provided by Meatingplace.com.

Academy For Ranch Management Announces Burn Workshops In 2009

The Academy for Ranch Management will host two prescribed burn workshops in 2009 at the Texas AgriLife Research Station at Sonora.

Prescribed burning is a tool that can be used to manage rangeland vegetation for livestock and wildlife use.

“Burning is nature’s way of maintaining a grass/shrub/tree complex without the use of chemicals or mechanical control methods,” said Ray Hinnant, one of the workshop instructors. “Burning also reduces the risk of catastrophic wildfires by removing hazardous fuel loads.”

The basic workshop is scheduled for Feb. 19-21, 2009, and the advanced workshop is scheduled for March 5-7, 2009.

The basic workshop will provide prescribed burning information on managing fuels and equipment for fire suppression and weather monitoring. Participants will develop a prescribed burn plan and will conduct a prescribed burn, Hinnant said.

“The basic workshop is a prerequisite to the advanced workshop,” he said. “The advanced workshop provides additional information on weather and fuels with more emphasis on planning and directing a prescribed burn as the burn boss.”

A comprehensive exam is administered for those interested in completing the educational requirement for a certified and insured prescribed burn manager, he said.

The fee for each workshop is $395 and includes meals and on-site lodging. For more information and to register, call 979-820-1778 or 325-387-3168 or visit www.ranchmanagement.org.

— Release provided by Texas AgriLife Extension News.

Youth Programs To Add Spark To 2009 Cattle Industry Convention

New events designed especially for young people will give an extra kick to the 2009 Cattle Industry Convention and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Trade Show in Phoenix, Ariz. Jan. 28-31, 2009. The programs, for young people ages 9 to young adult, are focused on education, leadership and teamwork. They are being exclusively sponsored by a grant from the Farm Credit System Foundation.

The events are being coordinated by the NCBA and include the NCBA Team Marketing Contest, NCBA Beef Quiz Bowl Contest, NCBA Prepared Public Speaking Contest and the NCBA Cattle Judging Contest.

“We’re thrilled to be able to offer these events for young people attending the Cattle Industry Convention,” says Andy Groseta, a beef producer from North Central Arizona and NCBA president. “The next generation of beef producers deserves our attention and encouragement. These programs will provide valuable instruction as well as entertainment for the younger convention-goers in January.”

The team marketing contest will encourage team participation while promoting development of communication skills, marketing techniques and an understanding of cattle performance information. The Beef Quiz Bowl offers opportunities to demonstrate knowledge related to the cattle industry, while the public speaking contest stimulates interest in leadership through presentation skills. The judging contest will include a novice division (under age 9 or, if it’s their first judging contest, under age 11); junior division (ages 9-14); senior division (ages 14 to 19); and college division.

The activities for young people at the convention are part of a larger effort by the NCBA to boost efforts directed at those who will lead the cattle industry in the future. That effort includes a new Young Producers Council directed at people ages 18 to 35, allowing them to interact with other young producers, enhance their leadership abilities and further their professional development. The Council’s first meeting will be at the 2009 Convention.

“These are the kinds of opportunities our young people need to thrive in this industry, both now and in the future,” Groseta says. “The more we can do to provide for the needs of our young people, the more we can assure the success of the cattle industry down the road.”

— Release provided by NCBA.

— compiled by Tosha Powell, assistant editor, Angus Productions Inc.