2007 CCC Archive
Cattlemen's Capitol Concerns
April 5, 2007
The 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). Please feel free to reprint.
U.S.-Korea Trade Negotiations -- The U.S. and Korean governments concluded negotiations on a U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement on April 1, 2007. While NCBA is still reviewing the agreement, the beef access issue remains unresolved. NCBA has said all along that cattlemen will not support the U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA) until commercially viable beef trade between our two countries is resumed.
In a media statement sent April 2nd, NCBA’s Chief Economist Gregg Doud said “If we are not selling beef in Korea, the benefits of this trade agreement and the potential of the Korean market hold little value to U.S. cattle producers. Therefore, NCBA is withholding support for the U.S.-South Korea FTA until commercially viable beef trade is occurring based on the internationally recognized guidelines established by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).”
U.S. and Korean government officials have indicated that they intend to address the beef access issue in the near future. In the meantime, NCBA is reviewing the agreement and monitoring the situation during this time period.
Key Senators Vow to Oppose FTA Because of Beef -- Senators Max Baucus (D-Mont.), Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) all said this week that they will vote “no” on the U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement because the beef access issue remains unresolved.
Senate Finance Chairman Baucus called the agreement “an entirely unacceptable outcome” and said he would block congressional consideration of the deal unless Korea lifts its ban on U.S. boneless and bone-in beef. He further stated, “I have made it clear - to the administration and to the Korean government - from the start of these talks that there can be no trade agreement without full access to the Korean market for all of Montana's beef exports, boneless and bone-in, and regardless of age.”
Senator Conrad serves on the Senate Agriculture Committee, which oversees farm and ranch policy, and the Senate Finance Committee, which oversees trade. Conrad said he would continue to resist the agreement. “The Administration portrays this as a landmark deal,” said Conrad. “The truth is, this is a lousy deal, one that continues to fail ranchers in North Dakota and across the nation.”
Senator Grassley, ranking member of the Committee on Finance, said the absence of an agreement to remove Korea’s ban on U.S. beef was “problematic” and he called Korea’s beef ban “not scientifically justified.” Grassley said, “The fact is U.S. beef is safe. Millions of consumers enjoy it every day. The political reality in Congress is that no matter the benefits, this agreement is dead on arrival until the beef issue gets resolved. I urge the Korean government to engage our Administration in a strong effort to resolve the beef issue as quickly as possible.”
Nelson, who sits on the House Ag Committee, said, “There is still no deal on the beef issue, so in my mind, there is no trade agreement…I have communicated to the Korean Ambassador that full trade must resume for the Senate to consider passing a free-trade agreement. I thought they understood this when they took steps to allow some American beef to enter Korean markets. However, it appears that was as far as they were willing to go. It’s not far enough and I will work with my colleagues to block this agreement as long as the beef issue remains unresolved.”
Congressional Schedule -- The 110th Congress is out on Spring Recess this week. The House will be out for two weeks, returning on April 16th. The Senate will return to Washington next week, on April 10th.
Grassroots Get the Job Done Best on CERCLA, Death Tax -- During NCBA’s Spring Conference, 44 new co-sponsors signed on to the CERCLA and Death Tax bills – two of NCBA’s priority issues. NCBA members went to Capitol Hill armed with fact sheets which outline NCBA’s policy on these issues. In face-to-face meetings with members of Congress, our cattlemen were able to explain first-hand how these issues impact their operations.
Congress tells us all the time how hearing from real people in their districts makes the difference when deciding whether or not to support an issue. That’s why Spring Recess offers cattlemen in the countryside another opportunity to make their voices heard on these important cattle industry issues.
You can help keep this momentum going by contacting your Senators and Representatives at their home offices by phone, fax or email, and urge them to sign-on to these bills! Have questions about these two issues? See the two news items on CERCLA and Death Tax below, or visit our website at www.beefusa.org to download the latest information!
CERCLA Bills Gaining Momentum in Congress! -- One of the priority issues cattlemen discussed last week during NCBA’s Spring Conference is legislation that will clarify that livestock manure is not a Superfund material. Bills introduced in both the House and Senate will make it clear that Superfund laws, created in the 1980’s to provide for the cleanup of toxic waste and hazardous chemical spills, were never intended to apply to manure on farms and ranches.
S. 807 and H.R. 1398 were introduced on March 8th. There are now 17 co-sponsors in the Senate with Norm Coleman (R-Minn.), Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) signing on last week! In the House, the number of co-sponsors has increased to 85 with 14 Representatives signing on last week during Spring Conference!
During the Congressional Recess, contact your Senators and Representatives at their home offices by phone, fax or email, and urge them to sign-on!
House Showing Support for Full and Permanent Repeal of the Death Tax -- Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) introduced legislation (H.R.1586) on March 20th to fully and permanently repeal the Death Tax. The bill currently has 64 co-sponsors with 27 new cosponsors signing on during NCBA’s Spring Conference!
NCBA has long supported full and permanent repeal of the Death Tax because of the hardship it places on America’s farming and ranching families who wish to pass on their operations to the next generation. The U.S. House of Representatives has passed meaningful Death Tax repeal legislation many times, but the bills have historically failed in the Senate.
Congress to Deal with Colombia, Peru and Panama Trade Agreements After Recess -- President Bush added the Panama Free Trade Agreement to the pile of trade deals that Congress must consider when they return from Spring Recess. Bush filed the notice on Panama March 30th which means it, along with trade agreements on Colombia and Peru, will be considered under Trade Promotion Authority, which is due to expire June 30th unless reauthorized by Congress.
Passage of these agreements is one of the listed priorities recently outlined in NCBA’s Beef Export Access Five Point Plan.
Under the trade agreement with Panama, more than half of all current U.S. farm exports to Panama will become duty-free immediately, including high quality beef. In addition, Panama is revising its sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) regulations recognizing the equivalence of the U.S. food safety inspection system for meat, poultry and processed food products. Panama will also provide market access for U.S. beef and poultry products consistent with international standards and recognize the U.S. beef grading system. In addition, this agreement streamlines import documentation requirements for U.S. processed foods.
2007 Trade Estimate Report -- The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has released the 2007 National Trade Estimate Report (NTE). This annual report details current barriers to U.S. trade and investments and the broad array of U.S. actions to reduce and eliminate those barriers.
Specific to beef exports, the NTE report says priority areas for improvement in 2007 include regaining market access in areas including:
- South Korea: "The U.S. Government continues to consult with Korean government officials and has urged Korea to bring its BSE measures in line with international guidelines set by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) by allowing imports of all beef products deemed safe. The United States will continue to work vigorously toward achieving this important objective.”
- China: "In December 2003, China and other countries imposed a ban on U.S. cattle, beef and processed beef products in response to a case of BSE. Since that time, the United States has repeatedly provided China with extensive technical information on all aspects of its BSE-related surveillance and mitigation measures, internationally recognized by the OIE. After three years, China still has not provided any scientific justification for continuing to maintain its ban, nor has it identified any of the administrative and regulatory steps necessary to lift the ban.”
- Russia: "U.S. exports of beef and beef by-products to Russia have been restricted since BSE was discovered in the United States in 2003. Russia immediately banned all imports of beef and beef by-products from the United States, thereby closing the largest U.S. export market for frozen livers. Pursuant to the terms of the WTO bilateral market access agreement, the Russian government will immediately open its market to de-boned beef, bone-in beef and beef byproducts from cattle under 30 months of age. Once the OIE makes a decision on the U.S. risk status with regard to BSE, the Russian government will permit U.S. exports based on that risk status. This decision would open Russia’s market to U.S. beef of all ages (excluding specified risk materials that the OIE requires to be removed).”
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) works closely with other agencies in the U.S. government, including embassies abroad, to prepare the NTE report, a document required by the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988. Information used in preparing the report is gathered from the Administration's monitoring program, from members of the public, and from private and public sector trade advisory committees. These issues are also discussed in detail in meetings with Members of Congress throughout the year. The report is clearly broken down in nation-by-nation format. The full report is posted on USTR’s website at www.ustr.gov.
Conservation Easement Proposal: The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has announced this week that nearly $70 million is available to protect agricultural land nationwide through the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP) in fiscal year 2007. The NRCS will accept proposals through April 27th from groups interested in working together to acquire conservation easements. They are expected to announce final projects in June 2007.
FRPP provides matching funds to help purchase development rights to keep productive farm and ranchland in agricultural uses. Working through existing programs, USDA partners with State, tribal or local governments and non-governmental organizations to acquire conservation easements or other interests in land from landowners. USDA provides up to 50 percent of the fair market easement value of the conservation easement.
To qualify, farmland must: be part of a pending offer from a State, tribe, or local farmland protection program; be privately owned; have a conservation plan for highly erodible land; be large enough to sustain agricultural production; be accessible to markets for what the land produces; have adequate infrastructure and agricultural support services; and have surrounding parcels of land that can support long-term agricultural production. Proposals must be submitted by the eligible entities to the appropriate NRCS State Office during the application window. For more information online, go to: www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/frpp.
Cloning Comments: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced this week it is extending the deadline for comments on its risk assessment related to the cloning of food animals until May 3, 2007. NCBA is finalizing its comments for submission to FDA.
NCBA policy adopted in February supports the further development of cloning as one of many reproductive technologies that can be used to enhance the beef industry. But NCBA policy also urges all technology companies and owners of cloned animals to voluntarily keep these animals and their offspring out of the food supply until the FDA makes a final decision on its risk assessment.
Creekstone Appeal: USDA is still deciding whether or not it will appeal a judge’s ruling that says Creekstone can privately test cattle for BSE. The United States District Court ruled on March 29th in favor of Creekstone to allow them to use rapid test kits, but the effectiveness of this order is stayed pending appeal. USDA has until June 1, 2007 to appeal, and if they do not, then this ruling goes into effect allowing Creekstone to conduct their own rapid tests for BSE.
NCBA is hopeful that USDA will decide to appeal since we believe the judge’s opinion that “USDA does not have the authority to regulate the test” to be profoundly flawed.
Don't Miss NCBA’s Cattlemen to Cattlemen -- Tune into NCBA’s Cattlemen to Cattlemen on RFD-TV at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern time) this Saturday for techniques from veterinarians on how to properly handle and administer vaccines, more market watch information, and to hear the voice behind beef check-off advertising. In addition, we'll feature news updates and a look at the day in the life of a beef industry trailblazing team.
Beginning Tuesday April 10th, next week’s episode is a SPECIAL feature show on NCBA's Spring Conference in Washington, D.C. We’ll be following cattle producers on their trip to the nation's capital to make their voices heard! Our cameras walk the halls of Congress, join cattle producers as they meet with their Senators, Representatives, and regulatory officials. We'll feature interviews with producer participants, members of Congress, government officials, and MUCH more! Don't miss this special feature show direct from Washington!
NCBA’s Cattlemen to Cattlemen on RFD-TV provides weekly news and features for cattle producers across the country. The show airs Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. and is rebroadcast Wednesdays at 4:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., and Saturdays at 10 a.m. All times are Eastern. Make sure YOU tune into NCBA’s Cattlemen to Cattlemen on channel RFD-TV. For more information, visit www.cattlementocattlemen.org.
Media Contact:
Tanya Augustson Camarra or Karen Batra at 202-347-0228, tacamarra@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.