News Update
July 2, 2012
NCBA Statement on WTO Ruling on Country of Origin Labeling
The World Trade Organization (WTO) June 29 issued its final ruling on Country of Origin Labeling (COOL), which was originally released in November 2011 and appealed on March 23, 2012, by the U.S. Trade Representative. National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) Vice President Bob McCan issued the following statement.
"The World Trade Organization has been extremely clear that mandatory Country of Origin Labeling is a clear WTO violation. This most recent decision is very similar to the initial ruling made more than seven months ago. Instead of working diligently to bring the United States into WTO compliance, we wasted three months and taxpayer dollars on an appeal process. This did nothing more than jeopardize our strong trade relationship with Canada and Mexico, the two largest importers of U.S. beef. The Obama Administration prolonged an issue that could have been resolved quickly.
"NCBA worked with Canada and Mexico to prevent any retaliatory action that could have occurred from the unfortunate decision made by the U.S. government to appeal the initial ruling.
"Cattlemen deserve a government that fights for and protects our opportunities. We need a government that not only demands WTO compliance of our trade partners but one that ensures the United States is abiding by these same guidelines. We are committed to working with this administration and Congress to find a permanent solution to this issue in order to bring the United States back into compliance. It is absolutely critical that the United States leads by example."
Looking for Beef Backer Award Entries
The Beef Checkoff Program has issued the call for entries for the annual National Foodservice Beef Backer Awards, a national awards program that honors independent and chain restaurants that creatively promote and menu beef; and the call for entries for the annual National Retail Beef Backer Awards, a national awards program that honors retailers that go above and beyond to market and merchandise beef to their customers.
Beef backer award submissions can be found here.
Royal Adds Feeder Calf Show
A new feeder calf show for steer and heifer prospects has been added to the 2012 American Royal lineup. There is no sale with this show. The show will be Friday, Oct. 26, and is scheduled to coincide with the market animal shows.
The show is open to the world. All open and junior exhibitors are eligible to compete. There will be separate shows for steers and heifers. All calves will show by weight. They must be born in 2012 and weigh between 300 lb.-750 lb.
All entries must be halter-broke to lead as they will show individually in Hale Arena. Heifer calves from other divisions may also enter in this show if all fees are paid.
In addition to class premiums, the grand champion steer and heifer will each receive a $300 premium and the reserve grand steer and heifer will each get a $200 premium.
A detailed show schedule is posted at www.americanroyal.com.
The 2012 entry deadline is Sept. 10. Complete premium book information along with the entry form are available at www.americanroyal.com.
For further information please contact the American Royal Livestock Department.
USDA Reports Show that Focus Remains on Weather
There were no big surprises in two USDA economic reports released today, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF). USDA's Acreage Report and Grain Stocks Report confirmed AFBF analysts' expectations that good planting weather has increased soybean acres in the Midwest and old-crop corn inventory is tighter than last year.
According to the acreage report, there are more acres of both corn and soybeans than was previously estimated in USDA's March Prospective Plantings Report. Corn planted acres is estimated at 96.4 million, up 4.48 million acres from 2011, while soybean planted acres is estimated at 76.1 million acres, up 1.104 million acres from 2011.
"The March 2012 estimate of 73.9 million acres surprised the market with fewer soybean acres and triggered higher futures market prices to 'buy' additional soybean acres," said Todd Davis, senior economist for AFBF. "The acreage report confirms that the market was successful in getting the additional soybean acres."
For more information and the full release, click here.
Website, Workshops Help Ranchers in Time of Drought
As drought continues to take hold of the state, managing drought on the range becomes ever more important.
Managing Drought Risk on the Ranch is a website at drought.unl.edu/ranchplan from the National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC) that can help livestock producers get through the current drought and continue to manage their pastures when not in drought.
The NDMC developed the site in collaboration with University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) Extension researchers Pat Reece (now owner of Prairie and Montane Enterprises), Jerry Volesky and Matt Stockton. The NDMC also consulted with ranchers, federal grazing experts and other researchers from UNL, South Dakota State University and Texas A&M University. The project was funded by the USDA Risk Management Agency.
"The website has a number of things available to producers related to animal nutrition, etc., but the most important thing is that producers really do need to make adjustments in overall grazing plans and stocking rates," said Volesky, UNL Extension range and forest specialist. "With these drought conditions, we have seen pasture growth and production that is only 20% to 50% of normal."
For more information and the full release, click here.
New Product Helps Protect Corn Crop from Sandhill Cranes
A product that's designed to protect newly seeded cornfields from Sandhill Cranes is taking off. Avipel, which was developed by the International Crane Foundation and Arkion LLC, is a non-lethal substance that's applied to corn seeds before they are planted. Cranes avoid feeding on the treated seed, but remain in the field to feed on other food items.
Suppliers of Avipel say it's been used in record amounts during the just-completed 2012 planting season. From 2006 to 2011, the total area of corn that farmers treated has more than doubled, with 76,309 acres treated in Wisconsin last year alone. That number could be 25% higher this year.
For more information and the full release, click here.
Growers Sought for Glyphosate-Resistant Weed Study
The University of Wisconsin–Madison Field Crops Weed Science Extension program is looking for participants for a research study relating to glyphosate-resistant weeds in Wisconsin corn and soybean fields. The study will investigate weed species diversity in Wisconsin corn and soybean fields due to reduced atrazine use and subsequent increased use of glyphosate.
The purpose of this research is to identify areas in the state where there may be a shift to weeds that are more difficult to control with glyphosate, or where weeds that are resistant to glyphosate may first appear.
For the full release, click here.
NFU: Split WTO Ruling Means No Need to Change Labeling Law
National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson issued the following statement in response the WTO's split decision that COOL is compliant with WTO rules:
"NFU is pleased that the labeling law itself is allowable under WTO. NFU will work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to ensure that COOL is implemented in a way that is WTO-compliant.
The ruling was a split decision. It stated that imported animals are being discounted due to the segregation requirements and additional recordkeeping that is required to comply with the law. The good news is this can be changed through the regulatory process and there is no need to change the law that informs consumers from where their food comes.
A statutory change is unnecessary and NFU will not support any such modification."
For more information and the full release, www.nfu.org/news.
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