Cattlemen's Capitol Concerns
April 21, 2005

Cattlemen’s Capitol Concerns (CCC) is a weekly report from Washington D.C. giving an up-to-date summary of top policy initiatives concerning the cattle industry; direct from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA).

Producers Satellite Forum: *TONIGHT!*  NCBA is hosting a Satellite Forum on RFD-TV tonight-- Thursday, April 21 from 10 to 11 p.m. Eastern Time (9 p.m. CT, 8 p.m. MT, 7 p.m. PT), to update cattle producers on recent NCBA actions and international trade developments, including trade with Canada.  Panel will feature NCBA President and Texas cattle producer Jim McAdams, International Markets Committee Chairman and Illinois producer Jamie Willrett, and NCBA Executive Director of Regulatory Affairs Dr. Gary Weber. 

The 60-minute Satellite Forum will broadcast live on RFD-TV, which reaches more than 26 million homes.  This is the seventh Satellite Forum that NCBA has held to communicate with cattlemen on important issues facing the industry.  Cattlemen from around the nation may call-in to a telephone number provided on-screen to speak to the NCBA representatives.  Repeats of the program will air on RFD-TV on Friday, April 22 at 7 a.m. ET and 1 p.m. ET, as well as Sunday, April 24 at 6 p.m. ET. *JOIN US TONIGHT!*

Cattlemen Defend Safety of Beef: Cattle producers nationwide have a responsibility to defend the safety of beef when erroneously challenged in the court of law. It is our inherent duty to ensure scientific facts regarding BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy) are well-represented in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals case regarding Canadian trade. This week, on behalf of farmers and ranchers nationwide, the National Cattlemen’ Beef Association (NCBA), the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), 29 state cattle organizations and 17 state farm bureaus filed a “friend of the court” brief in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Collectively, the co-signers of this amicus brief represent more than 85 percent of the nation’s cattle farms and ranches, 75 percent of the nation’s cattle, with the AFBF representing 5.6 million farm families. When U.S. District Court Judge Richard Cebull concluded the Final Rule called Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, Minimal Risk Regions and Importation of Commodities ‘presents a genuine risk of death for U.S. consumers,’ this opinion was a far cry from sound science and must be countered. 

BSE experts from the World Organization for Animal Health agree that BSE is not a public health or herd health risk when key firewalls are in place to protect consumers and cattle, even when a case of BSE is found.  The United States has these firewalls in place, as does Canada. NCBA cannot allow the only voice in the 9th Circuit Court to be that of an activist minority group with an isolationist agenda whose legal actions, public statements and advertising regarding BSE have consistently strayed from the science and questioned the safety of U.S. beef in order to prevent science-based beef trade. 

Canadian Trade Directive:  Along with this dedication to assuring the safety of all beef, NCBA has been working since the beginning of February, to resolve 11 top issues before resuming trade with Canada on behalf of cattle producers nation-wide. 

NCBA is proud to report that we have accomplished 10 of the 11 items on our directive.  The final issue needing resolution is the full re-establishment of beef trade with Japan, South Korea and Mexico.  Mexico has stated they will accept from us the same products we accept from Canada, but movement in Asia has been slow despite pressure from all levels of government and industry.  Japanese officials have reportedly said the court injunction is stalling progress in opening this key market.

NCBA leadership spoke one-on-one with President Bush regarding these trade issues just last week, we continue to dedicate extensive resources to re-opening these Asian markets. Also last week, more than 300 cattle producers converged on Washington, D.C., and delivered this message to members of the Congress and the Administration as part of NCBA’s Spring Conference.  NCBA’s members continue to believe a positive future for cattlemen depends upon: 1) maintaining consumer confidence in our product, and 2) increasing market opportunities for producers.

NEW Food Guidance Pyramid Unveiled:  The USDA and Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) released April 19 their updated Food Guidance System, a revised “Food Guide Pyramid.” The graphic and slogan, MyPyramid, “Steps to a Healthier You,” retains the familiar pyramid shape but now emphasizes the importance of activity with the addition of a person walking up stairs on the side of the pyramid. New updated pyramid features include:

- Personalization: A new Web site, www.mypyramid.gov, provides a web-based interactive tool for personalized recommendations, sample menus and other tips.

- Physical activity: For the first time ever, the food guide addresses the importance of balancing food intake and physical activity.

- Gradual improvements: The updated guide emphasizes “Steps to a Healthier You,” taking small steps each day to improve diet and lifestyle.  

- Variety: On the new guide, color bands represent the five food groups plus oils.  The guide suggests making smarter choices from each food group and choosing nutrient-dense foods first. The meat and beans group is represented by a purple bar with the message “go lean with protein.” Lean beef is still an important part of the pyramid as a naturally nutrient rich source of essential nutrients, including protein.

The USDA and the Department of Health and Human Services released its 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans in January. NCBA’s nutrition team has been actively involved in the process as the government works to revise the Dietary Guidelines and update the food guidance system graphic. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s overall theme calls for eating more nutrient-rich foods and leading a more active lifestyle. Additional information can be found at http://www.usda.gov/ or http://www.mypyramid.gov.

California Rancher Testifies Before U.S. House on CAFTA: Bruce Hafenfeld, a rancher from Weldon, California, testified today before the United States House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means regarding the Central America – Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR). Hafenfeld is on the board of directors for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and serves as the first vice-president of the California Cattlemen's Association (CCA). PHOTOS AVAILABLE: CONTACTS BELOW

“We firmly believe CAFTA-DR will correct a long-standing inequity in beef trade policy between the United States and these six nations,  offer additional export opportunities for U.S. beef, and ultimately increase the value of cattle raised on my ranch,” says Hafenfeld. “CAFTA-DR is unique in that America’s beef cattle producers are granting few, if any, concessions in exchange for these increased export opportunities. In fact, we have already been paying for this agreement for several years without getting the export market access we need in return.”

Currently, beef from CAFTA-DR countries is allowed into the U.S. marketplace duty-free, while U.S. beef exports to these same countries face tariffs ranging from 15 to 40 percent. Due to these tariff levels, U.S. beef exports to these countries are limited. “This dynamic, in which beef exporters in CAFTA-DR nations have virtually unlimited access to the U.S. beef marketplace while trade barriers prevent the entry of U.S. beef, is fundamentally unfair to U.S. cattle producers,” explains Hafenfeld. “We produce the highest-quality, safest beef in the world. Yet, if we are to remain competitive in the increasingly global beef marketplace, we must have agricultural trade policies which promote U.S. cattlemen’s export interests.”  

Under CAFTA-DR, the United States would gain immediate, duty-free, quota-free access for high-quality U.S. beef, with all remaining tariffs being eliminated over a period of fifteen years. NCBA’s analysis of this agreement suggests the United States could triple beef and beef product exports to the region by 2015, with only slight increases foreseen in beef imports from these six countries. This level of increased exports translates into a potential $1.06 per head benefit to U.S. cattlemen. 

Former Secretaries of Agriculture Urge Support of CAFTA-DR:  All former U.S. Secretaries of Agriculture today sent a letter April 19 to every Member of Congress urging support of the Free Trade Agreement with Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua (CAFTA-DR). In the letter, former Secretaries, Ann Veneman, Dan Glickman, Mike Espy, Clayton Yuetter, John Block and Bob Bergland, stress the importance of negotiating trade agreements that minimize the costs and maximize the benefits to U.S. farmers, ranchers, and food and agriculture organizations. The letter states: “a vote for CAFTA-DR is a vote for fairness and for reciprocal market access, and a vote against CAFTA-DR is a vote for one-way trade.” 

Hill Briefing on Animal ID:  Seven members of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock and Horticulture held an informal briefing today where NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Jay Truitt discussed the industry-coordinated plan for implementing a national animal identification program.  NCBA continues to play an active role in the development of a national network for an animal identification/animal movement database for the livestock industry. NCBA’s Animal ID Commission is charged to ensure that the development of any national database would protect producer privacy (confidential business information) and be operated in such a way that meets official needs (48-hour traceback) for information in the most efficient means possible. 

NCBA Supports Portman Nomination to USTR:  Along with a coalition of more than 60 industry groups in the food and agriculture sector, NCBA signed a letter this week to key leaders of the Senate Finance Committee in support of the nomination of Representative Rob Portman (R-OH) to be the next U.S. Trade Representative. Rep. Portman has long championed bipartisan solutions to trade.  A strong leader and a chief proponent of opening export markets for U.S. food and agriculture, Representative Portman will bring tremendous talent and experience to this important post.

Trade Update - Asia:  A delegation of U.S. government officials is in South Korea this week as negotiations continue to reopen those markets to U.S. beef.  Before the December 2003 border closures, South Korea was the third-largest importer of U.S. beef after Japan and Mexico.  In 2003, South Korea imported 199,000 tons of beef from the U.S., about 68 percent of all beef imports that year. The U.S. government delegation is also scheduled to visit Japan.  In related news, Japanese Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki said last week he will explain Japan's policy to maintain its import ban on U.S. beef if the issue comes up in a meeting with U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow.  Tanigaki is in Washington D.C. this week for a two-day meeting of G-7 financial leaders. Last week, USDA Foreign Ag Service Administrator Ellen Terpstra visited Hong Kong. The reopening of our Asian markets remains a top priority for the Administration and NCBA will continue to fight for the full re-opening of our export markets, every single day in Washington D.C.

Trade Update - Sweden:  After a decade-long absence, U.S. beef is now being shipped to Sweden thanks to the Foreign Agricultural Service in Sweden and Holland, USMEF(U.S. Meat Export Federation)-Europe and U.S. exporters.  Sweden is a member of the European Union and can only take U.S. beef produced without growth hormones. In Sweden, U.S. beef sells for about three times the price of Brazilian beef, but there is a demand for our high-quality product in Stockholm restaurants. USMEF has worked for the last five years with its member companies to expand U.S. beef sales in Europe, and USMEF hopes continuing efforts will expand the number of high-quality and American style restaurants serving U.S. steaks.

Trade Update – Canada:  Anaplasmosis and Blue Tongue:  The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) released this week new guidelines for importing feeder cattle from the United States.  The new policy, announced on March 10, 2004, removes anaplasmosis and bluetongue testing and treatment requirements from feeder cattle imported from most U.S. states. The implementation of these new standards was delayed due to the larger BSE import regulations that prohibited imports of feeder cattle. Given that the BSE import restrictions have been amended, these new program standards are being implemented. The CFIA is now accepting applications for inspection from feedlot operators who wish to have their feedlots approved to import U.S. feeders.  For a complete list of the new requirements, visit http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/directory/offbure.shtml.

Food Safety Summit:  NCBA is hosting the Beef Industry Safety Summit this week, April 19 & 20 in Orlando.  The Summit, a follow-up to the Beef Industry E. coli Summit in January 2003, will address the industry’s plan to continue to fight against foodborne pathogens.  NCBA’s Chief Economist Gregg Doud will brief attendees on Wednesday and will discuss how the industry is dealing with BSE-related issues.   

PAC Events:  NCBA hosted various agriculture organizations along with Rep. Ike Skelton (D-MO) and Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK) at a pair of industry breakfasts this week.  Representing Missouri's fourth district since 1977, Rep. Ike Skelton says he is committed to the needs of his rural-based constituents that reside in the 4^th district’s small towns and farming communities.  Rep. Frank Lucas is serving his sixth full term representing Oklahoma's third district. He serves on the Agriculture, Financial Services, and Science Committees, and is currently the Chairman of the Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Rural Development, and Research.  Lucas is a fifth generation Oklahoman whose family has lived and farmed in Oklahoma for over 100 years. On the weekends, Lucas operates a farm and cattle ranch in Roger Mills County.

Spring Conference Photos: With hundreds of members in town last week, we have plenty of photos of cattle producers on Capitol Hill, USDA, and more. We will be importing and logging these photos as soon as possible, for use in NCBA publications. In addition, we hope to send region-specific photos to various states across the U.S., in the hopes they will publish the photos in local publications. Contact us at the address below if you would like copies of these photos for your publication.

USDA Surveillance for BSE: USDA continues its enhanced BSE surveillance program which began June 1.  To date, 322,763 tests have been conducted with no positive cases reported.  APHIS’s goal is to test as many cattle from the high-risk population as possible in a 12- to 18-month period. Testing 268,500 animals can detect BSE at a rate of 1 in 10 million adult cattle at a 99 percent confidence level.

Media Contact:
Tanya Augustson or Karen Batra at 202-347-0228; taugustson@beef.org or kbatra@beef.org

This publication is funded by cattle producers and other industry supporters through their voluntary membership contributions to NCBA. To join the tens of thousands of cattle producers from across the U.S. in working to preserve our legacy, contact NCBA Member Services at 1-866-BEEF-USA or Membership@beef.org.

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