News Update
Dec. 18, 2009

Statement of Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack on Release of USDA Climate Change Analysis

“Today, USDA’s Chief Economist, Joe Glauber, released the results of his full economic analysis showing that agriculture will benefit from energy and climate legislation if it includes a robust carbon offsets program and other helpful provisions. The costs of such legislation will be modest while returns from offsets will increase over time and result in positive net income for agriculture.

In addition to analyzing the impacts using our own model, USDA has also reported on the output of the FASOM (Forest and Agricultural Sector Optimization Model)model — a model developed by researchers at Texas A&M University that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has used as part of its efforts to study the impacts of climate legislation. Earlier this month, Dr. Glauber discussed results from the FASOM model in testimony he gave before the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy and Research.

I am aware that the results of the FASOM model have caused considerable concern within the farm and ranch community as a result of the model’s projections on afforestation over the next several decades. If landowners plant trees to the extent the model suggests, this would be disruptive to agriculture in some regions of the country.

Based on conversations with Glauber and my staff, I don’t believe the results related to afforestation forecast by the FASOM model are necessarily an accurate depiction of the impacts of climate legislation. The model could be updated to better reflect current legislative proposals. The FASOM model as it is currently configured makes assumptions that reduce farmer income from offsets generated by conservation tillage, methane reductions and other offset activities. The model also makes other assumptions that could lead to an overestimate of afforestation. This is especially true given that the model attempts to forecast land use impact over longtime horizons.

As other recent analyses have shown, there are opportunities to expand greenhouse gas offsets and biomass energy production without removing significant amounts of land from production. As Glauber stated during his hearing on Dec. 3, careful design of the offsets program will be important in order to avoid unintended consequences.

In addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, I strongly believe that energy and climate legislation should be structured to help farmers profit from new income opportunities and that an outcome that damages agriculture is not anyone’s intent or interest. The House of Representatives worked diligently to ensure a proper role for agriculture in its recently passed climate legislation. I am fully confident that the Senate will work to do the same.

USDA and EPA are continually assessing and updating the assumptions that go into their models. I have directed Glauber to work together with EPA to undertake a review of the assumptions in the FASOM model, to update the model, and to develop options on how best to avoid unintended consequences for agriculture that might result from climate change legislation. Continually improving our analytical tools will help ensure that climate legislation can be designed in such a way as to create new income opportunities for farmers.”

— Release provided by USDA.

Agriculture Competition Workshops to Start in 2010

The National Cattleman’s Beef Association (NCBA) and other groups met with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) this week to discuss the upcoming competition workshops. The joint public workshops will explore competition issues affecting the agricultural industry and the appropriate role for antitrust and regulatory enforcement.

The Kansas Livestock Association (KLA) and NCBA support full enforcement of the existing laws by USDA’s Grain Inspection Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) to prevent unfair competition or collusion within the cattle industry. However, multiple studies have examined the issue of competition within the cattle industry and have shown many of the concerns are unfounded. 

Cattle producers, like other U.S. business owners, support free-market principles in the buying and selling of their products. KLA and NCBA will closely follow the workshops to ensure results do not lead to unintended consequences, including efforts to dictate how producers can or cannot market their livestock. Many cattle producers rely on alternative, value-added marketing alliances to deliver high-quality beef to meet specific consumer demand. These alternative marketing arrangements allow producers to maximize profitability by getting paid for the value they add to their cattle.

The all-day workshops will begin in March in Alabama. DOJ is requesting stakeholder comments regarding the structure and focus of the workshops. KLA and NCBA will submit comments by the end of the year. For more information on the workshops, click here.

— Release provided by KLA.

Putting a Face on the Beef Industry

In efforts to continue proactive outreach, the Texas Beef Council (TBC) teamed up with the Texas Farm Bureau to develop a video utilizing beef farmers and ranchers to tell the beef production story. The goal of the video is to educate consumers about the beef industry in order to dispel myths about modern beef production practices related specifically to animal welfare, the environment, nutrition and food safety.

“The Texas Farm Bureau is pleased to partner with the Texas Beef Council to tell the stories of the families involved in Texas beef production,” said Gene Hall, Texas Farm Bureau public relations director. “Their commitment to the land and their heritage, both passed down from preceding generations, is truly inspiring.”

Interviews were conducted with three beef industry families focusing on the dedication and commitment of beef producers. The video takes consumers on a virtual journey visiting the R.A. Brown Ranch, Texana Feeders and Star Ridge Land and Cattle Co.

“TBC was fortunate enough to work with Texas Farm Bureau to produce a first-rate video that will lend itself to multiple uses within the Texas beef industry,” said Richard Wortham, TBC executive vice president. “The video will help put a face on our industry and allow consumers to better understand the hard work and dedication cattle producers put in each and every day to supply not only the U.S., but the world, with a safe and wholesome product.”

The video is featured on www.TxBeef.org in a new section titled “The Beef Story.” It will also be utilized at various TBC events and seminars. Cattle organizations and beef industry groups are encouraged to utilize the video in their efforts to combat animal agriculture activist and explain the beef production process.

For more information on this and other checkoff-funded programs, please visit http://www.TexasBeef.org/ or call 1-800-846-4113.

— Release by Texas Beef Council.

Social Media Used To Show The Real Stories Of Food Production

The Animal Agriculture Alliance (AAA) is using social media to show consumers how farmers and ranchers provide a safe, affordable, year-round supply of food. A new AAA video on YouTube uses the popular Facebook application called “Farmville” to remind consumers food production isn’t a game, it’s hard work. Ranchers and dairymen are shown caring for animals to keep them healthy, while photographs of farmers show them working ground until late in the day. The video has been viewed nearly 3,000 times since its debut in late November as part of NCBA’s “Thank a Farmer” campaign.

In addition to Facebook and YouTube, AAA uses Twitter to post positive, accurate news stories about agriculture. These messages emphasize proper animal care, responsible environmental stewardship and the nutritional benefits of meat, milk and eggs.

AAA urges food producers to use social media tools to share the real story of agriculture. The Internet makes it possible for the fewer than 2% of the population involved in food production to communicate with large consumer audiences in highly populated, non-agricultural areas.

— Adapted from an AAA release.

— Compiled by Mathew Elliott, assistant editor, Angus Productions Inc.