News Update
November 4, 2013
USDA Announces Final BSE Rule
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) commends the announcement Nov. 1 by the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), that it has completed its efforts to modernize import regulations for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). This final import regulation is based on internationally-accepted scientific literature and the standards set by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).
“The basis of these import regulations, set on internationally-accepted science and the OIE guidelines, is critical in showing that the U.S. is committed to ensuring trade, unfettered by protectionist motivations, and sends a clear message to our trading partners of the value we place on fair trade,” said Scott George, NCBA president and Cody, Wyo. cattleman. “I am pleased that NCBA has been a leader on this issue since 2003 and that the USDA/APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) incorporated the comments of cattle producers in finalizing these regulations. These regulations show that cattlemen and women not only talk about market access, but that we stand behind it.”
This regulation, also known as the comprehensive BSE rule, brings the United States into compliance with international trade standards without compromising the interlocking safeguards against BSE that are currently in place.
“This is great news for the U.S. cattle industry and integral to our efforts to further international trade,” George said. “With these import regulations set, I am confident we will be able to expand our market access and meet international demand for high-quality U.S. beef. We greatly appreciate the work of USDA Secretary Vilsack and the entire team at USDA/APHIS.”
The comprehensive BSE rule will solidify the United States’ commitment to basing trade relationships on internationally-recognized, science-based standards. When this rule is in effect, the United States will use the same criteria and categories as the OIE to identify a country’s BSE risk status. This rule will be published in the Federal Register and will become effective 90 days after publication.
USTR Reaffirms Its Confidence in COOL
National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson issued the following statement following recent comments by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) regarding the country-of-origin labeling (COOL) rule adopted by the USDA in May:
“USTR has officially confirmed what NFU has been saying all along: the changes contained in USDA’s Final Rule will bring the current COOL requirements into compliance with the World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling.
“The farm bill conference committee members who spoke in opposition to COOL during Wednesday’s public meeting bluntly revealed that, although the provision in the House farm bill directs USDA to merely conduct a study on implementation of the rule, their true intention is to repeal the COOL language entirely, leaving consumers uninformed about the origin of their meat, poultry and seafood.
“COOL opponents are trying to scare Congress into premature and unwarranted legislative action because they see the writing on the wall: meatpackers’ chances of winning COOL challenges at the WTO and in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia are slim.
“It is troubling that consumers can read the label on their T-shirt to find out where it was made, but the country’s largest meatpackers and processors are fighting tooth and nail to prevent Americans from being able to get the same information about the food they feed their families.”
USTR’s comments appeared in a Nov. 1 Inside U.S. Trade article entitled, “COOL Opponents Secure Lucas’ Support in New Push to Change Law.”
Ag Exporters, Farm Groups Press Administration on Chinese Biotech Issues
In a letter Nov. 1 to U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Michael Froman, Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the American Farm Bureau Federation, American Soybean Association, National Corn Growers Association and U.S. Canola Association raised concerns regarding ongoing delays, lack of transparency and arbitrary decisions in China’s process of approving new biotechnology traits. The letter comes as the three administration officials prepare for a meeting of the Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) with the nation’s largest trading partner this December.
“China is now the largest export market for U.S. agricultural goods valued at over $32 billion in 2012,” wrote the groups. “However, in spite of our growing successful trade relationship, China’s biotech approval process has gone from being slow but predictable to being even slower, unpredictable and non-transparent.”
The groups maintain that China’s position as a major buyer of U.S. commodities means that the current, arbitrary Chinese approval system is effectively preventing U.S. farmers from adopting the new technologies needed to increase yields, fight pests and weeds, enhance quality and improve environmental performance.
In the letter, the groups cited several key data points illustrating the complications of the approvals process, including a 19-month period in which no new soybean, corn, cotton or canola biotech traits had been approved. When the backlog of traits was addressed, China approved just more than half of the applications. The groups say there are currently 15 biotech applications pending approval.
For more information, please view the full release here.
Opportunities Ahead for Beef Cattle Producers
Though some Washington County ranchers were baling hay, there were plenty of beef cattle producers on hand at the recent South Central Texas Cow-Calf Clinic in Brenham.
Many of the beef producers in the audience heard an optimistic outlook about future cattle prices and the opportunities ahead for the industry from several speakers.
“We have benefitted greatly from the rain and that has supplied our ponds with plenty of water going into the winter season,” said Larry Pierce, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agent for Washington County. “The rain has lifted the spirits of our local producers.”
The cow-calf clinic was hosted at the Washington County Fairgrounds Sales Facility. Like a lot of Texas ranching communities, drought has cut deeply into cow numbers throughout the county, Pierce said.
“We’ve noticed a trend as these beef cattle producers are getting older, many of them are getting out of the business, converting their land over to wildlife management.”
Though the cow numbers are down, Pierce said it is expected to change as ranchers begin to build back herds with more available forage.
That’s certainly being reflected in the current cattle market, said David Anderson, AgriLife Extension livestock economist, College Station. Anderson provided a cattle market outlook, highlighting several trends currently affecting beef cattle prices.
For more information, please view the full release here.
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