News Update
May 20, 2014
Farmers, Ranchers and Consumers Urge Congress to Reject Appropriations Policy Riders on COOL and Farmer Protections
On May 19, farm, rural, consumer, labor and environmental groups from across the United States delivered two separate letters to the Senate and House Appropriations Committees urging them to reject any efforts in their upcoming 2015 Appropriations Bill to insert policy riders that would harm family farmers, ranchers and consumers.
The first letter, signed by 179 groups, urged the committee to reject any attempts to undermine country-of-origin labeling (COOL) law and regulations. The letter noted: “Consumers want to know more, not less, about the origins of their food, and using an appropriations rider to deny them that knowledge is unacceptable.”
The letter further encourages committee members to speak up in support of COOL during Appropriations Committee hearings and markups. “Farmers and ranchers are proud of what they produce and should be allowed to promote their products. Consumers deserve clear, direct and informative labels. Providing more accurate labels with more information is a win-win situation for producers and consumers alike,” the organizations wrote.
The second letter, signed by 168 groups, urges the committees to reject any policy riders that would limit the Secretary of Agriculture’s authority to finalize key protections for farmers under the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921 (P&S Act). The P&S Act is intended to protect livestock and poultry farmers and ranchers against anticompetitive, deceptive, fraudulent and abusive business practices by meatpackers and poultry companies.
For several appropriations cycles, Congress has blocked the secretary from finalizing regulations to implement protections for farmers by inserting policy riders at the behest of the meatpackers and poultry companies. The groups’ letter warns that the special interests seeking another rider are engaged in contracting practices that are abusive and harmful to family farmers.
The rider blocks several commonsense and basic safeguards for farmers. The letter notes that the rider would block “a rule that would prohibit companies from retaliating against farmers for exercising their free speech and association rights, including talking to members of Congress or USDA officials about the abuses they experience” and “a measure to require companies to provide a farmer with the statistical information and data used to calculate the farmer’s pay.”
In January, Congress firmly rejected the meatpackers’ and poultry companies’ aggressive efforts to roll back protections for farmers and weaken COOL in the 2014 Farm Bill. The letter urges the Appropriations Committees to uphold Congress’ position expressed in the 2014 Farm Bill by rejecting any riders to limit the secretary’s authority under the P&S Act or to undermine COOL.
Mexico Expands Imports as Vilsack Joins Mexican
and Canadian Officials in Mexico City
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack highlighted May 19 recent progress on a number of trade issues with Mexico following a panel discussion with Mexico’s Secretary of Agriculture Enrique Martínez y Martínez. The panel was part of the Global Forum on Agro Food Expectations in Mexico City. Vilsack’s remarks come as Mexico’s expanded import ruling to allow increased potato imports from the United States went into effect yesterday. Mexico also recently announced it would expand American beef imports as well. A full range of U.S. beef and beef products can now be exported to Mexico, potentially increasing U.S. beef and beef product exports by $50 million.
At the forum, Vilsack joined Martínez and Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Gerry Ritz, for a panel discussion entitled Integration of Agro-Industrial Markets in North America: Challenges and Opportunities. The panelists discussed how the United States, Mexico and Canada can continue to work together to create jobs and economic opportunity for the agricultural industry.
“Mexico is an important strategic ally and a critical economic partner to the United States. In recent months, we have made progress on a number of issues that will help increase economic opportunity for both of our countries,” Vilsack said. “The United States and Mexico will continue to build on our strong trade relationships and promote greater market access for our agricultural products.”
For decades, two-way agricultural trade between Mexico and the United States has supported good-paying jobs in both countries. This partnership has helped leverage existing supply chains, adding to the economic strength of U.S. and Mexican agriculture.
USDA is continuing to help America’s farmers and ranchers reach new markets and increase agricultural exports. In fiscal year 2013, U.S. food and agricultural product exports reached a record $140.9 billion, supporting nearly one million American jobs. U.S. agriculture is on track for another exceptional year, with exports of farm and food products forecasted to reach $142.6 billion worldwide.
Resources in the new farm bill will allow USDA to continue funding for trade promotion and market expansion for U.S. agricultural products overseas. USDA has moved quickly to implement trade promotion programs reauthorized under the 2014 Farm Bill that was signed just three months ago. Through the Market Access Program (MAP), USDA has already provided $171.8 million in fiscal year 2014 funds to 62 nonprofit organizations and cooperatives to help build commercial export markets for U.S. agricultural products and commodities. Through the Foreign Market Development (FMD) program, USDA has provided $24.6 million in fiscal year 2014 funds to 22 trade organizations to help create, expand, and maintain long-term export markets for U.S. agricultural products.
Multi-county Cattle, Range and Wildlife Event
set May 28 in McLean, TX
A Beef Cattle, Range and Wildlife workshop will be conducted May 28 by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service offices in Gray, Carson, Armstrong and Wheeler counties.
“With the continued drought over the past four years and with no winter moisture, producers are having to adjust stocking rates on pastures,” said Brandon McGinty, AgriLife Extension agriculture and natural resources agent for Gray County. “Now the question is how much of the range has actually died.
“Also, do landowners need to be thinking about treating any brush species with the lack of moisture, or for some species is this the ideal time to work on controls?”
McGinty said some other things on the minds of ranchers are the Texas beef checkoff election, coming up June 2-6, and the issue of the lesser prairie chicken and how its listing as a threatened species would affect their operations.
The event, from 9 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., will be at the Red River Steakhouse, 101 W. Highway 66, McLean. Registration is $10, payable at the door.
The noon program will be on the Texas state beef checkoff by a Texas Cattle Feeders Association representative. Lunch will be provided by Panhandle Land Bank.
For more information, please view the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
AgriLife Extension Sets Livestock and
Rangeland Revitalization Program
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in seven counties will conduct the Livestock and Rangeland Revitalization Program from 1-5 p.m. June 2 at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in San Angelo, Texas.
The center is north of San Angelo on U.S. Highway 87.
“This program is designed to assist producers with objectively evaluating their current rangeland resources so they can adjust their stocking rates accordingly,” said Marty Gibbs, AgriLife Extension agent in Runnels County. “All the topics will center around the premise that we are moving past our traditional ‘rainy period’ and therefore must make yet more livestock-related decisions and range management adjustments in order to survive another year of drought.
“All of these talks however, will be new and tailored to our west central Texas area, though the information is valid anywhere in the state where lack of moisture remains critical.”
The program is being conducted by the AgriLife Extension offices in Coke, Concho, Irion, Runnels, Schleicher, Sterling and Tom Green counties.
One Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education unit in the general category will be offered.
Individual registration is $10, due upon arrival. For more information contact Josh Blanek, AgriLife Extension agent in Tom Green County, at 325-659-6522, or the AgriLife Extension office in any of the participating counties.
For more information, please view the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
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