Cattlemen's Capitol Concerns: December 11, 2003

Cattlemen's Capitol Concerns

December 11, 2003

The 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 National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA).

Country-of-Origin Labeling: This week brings a new chapter in the development of a sensible, producer-driven country of origin labeling program. Coming together from across the country, and representing all industry segments from the cow/calf producer to the consumer, the new NCBA Country of Origin Labeling Task Force met in Denver Dec. 9-10th to establish the foundation for a successful country of origin labeling program. The program will develop a U.S. label that provides value to the consumer and meets the expectations of producers who want the beef from their cattle to carry the USA label, but does not use the heavy hand of government to implement mandatory restrictions.

Further details regarding the new labeling plan will be presented to cattle producers at the Cattle Industry Annual Convention in Phoenix, Jan. 28-31. Initially, the Task Force has identified two key actions: (1) To cooperate with representatives from the food industry to develop pilot projects for country of origin labeling using existing USDA guidelines.  This includes all segments of the industry, from cattlemen to the retail sector, and (2) To conduct consumer market research to identify benefits to producers and consumers.  

Appropriations: In Congressional action, the House voted this week to approve the FY2004 Omnibus Appropriations bill which contains numerous programs affecting cattle producers, including a delay in funding for implementation of mandatory COL until September 2006. The bill still needs final approval from the Senate. A Senate vote will not come until after the new year.

Grazing Regulations: New proposed grazing regulations could improve grazing management and help sustain ranching on public lands. The Department of Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published the proposed regulations and request for comments on Monday December 8th. NCBA and the Public Lands Council (PLC) are still reviewing the details of this proposed rule, a good start toward a regulatory system that will better enhance the business climate for our nation’s public lands ranchers. Public lands grazing plays an important role in many rural economies. Cattlemen are pleased that the Administration is  paying attention to these important issues.  Members of PLC and NCBA will work together to develop a formal industry position on the regulations, which we will submit to the Department as part of the notice and comment rulemaking process.

The BLM says it is hopeful the new regulations will improve grazing management and help continue public lands ranching in the rural West. Interior Secretary Gale Norton, in a speech in New Mexico last week, said the proposal recognizes the economic and social benefits of public lands ranching, as well as its preservation of open space in the rapidly growing West.

Your Feedback Needed: Mandatory Price Reporting!  Believe it or not, its been almost five years since Mandatory Price Reporting became law.  When Congress passed the law, a sunset provision was included.  The law is set to expire in October 2004 unless reauthorized.   To help prepare for the reauthorization process, NCBA has prepared a web-based survey.  All interested parties are welcome to go to the website to take the survey.  The information will be compiled for discussion at NCBA Live Cattle Marketing Committee meeting at the annual convention in Phoenix in January.  To participate in the survey, please go to the following web address:  http://hill.beef.org/pricereporting.asp

Conference on Grazing Lands: Numerous producer members of NCBA presented at the Second National Conference on Grazing Lands in Nashville this week, the largest event of its kind focusing on grazing lands in the United States. The conference boasted an impressive turnout, with thousands of participants and speakers from livestock producer organizations, scientific and professional grazing resource organizations, conservation groups, state and federal government agencies. NCBA staff members also participated, sponsoring a booth and unveiling a new partnership with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for the development of an environmental education program for the beef industry.  NCBA and NRCS entered into a cooperative agreement in July 2003 and the groundwork for a wide-ranging, innovative and practical environmental education program has been set.  The program is scheduled to roll out in January 2005 at the Cattle Industry Annual Convention in San Antonio, Texas.  We are looking forward to working closely with the NRCS in this new endeavor.

Environmental Stewardship: For thirteen years, NCBA has been recognizing outstanding stewards in the beef industry—producers who go above and beyond when it comes to conservation—through the Environmental Stewardship Awards Program (ESAP).  NCBA and NRCS have plan to utilize the more than eighty past winners of the ESAP award to host seminars and workshops for producers in a pilot environmental education program as early as next spring.  These stewards will be the pioneers of this new environmental education program.  For more information on the program and for a copy of the application, please visit our website at hill.beef.org/esap or call the contacts listed below.

Animal ID Briefing:  Our Director of Legislative Affairs, Bryan Dierlam, briefed Senate Agriculture Committee staff on Wednesday on the details of animal identification for the cattle industry.  The development of a national animal identification plan is underway, and NCBA is coordinating this effort in the bovine species group.  The primary objective of the proposed U.S. Animal Identification Plan (USAIP) is to enhance our existing animal disease surveillance and monitoring systems, and to facilitate our ability to trace animals in the event of a reportable animal health incident. A copy of the Plan may be downloaded at www.usaip.info .

NAFTA Anniversary: This week marks the ten-year anniversary of the signing implementing legislation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Cattlemen are pleased to report that U.S. beef exports to Canada are up this year. USTR has posted a number of materials on its website including a "NAFTA at Ten" fact sheet.  It can be accessed at www.ustr.gov. Prior to NAFTA, Mexico was an inconsistent market, with U.S. exports of 100,000 mt and $200 million.  In 2002, Mexico was our most significant market in terms of tonnage, at 350,000 mt and $854 million. (Japan remains our largest market with 2002 beef and variety meat exports, totaling $1.028 billion.) When our industry sought NAFTA more than a decade ago, no one imagined that one day Mexico would become one of the U.S. beef industry’s best markets. This is a mutually beneficial trading relationship, as the U.S. imports approximately one million head of Mexican feeder cattle each year at a value of over $300 million. NCBA is still in opposition to trade barriers that the Mexican government has threatened and/or imposed, including Anti-Dumping duties that were imposed in 2000 and a possible WTO safeguard request.

Speaker of the House in NCBA Offices!  Rep. Dennis Hastert (R-IL), Speaker of the House and Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R-TX) attended a lunch meeting at NCBA’s Washington D.C. office today.  NCBA staff members discussed the current political priorities in the House, including priority issues affecting the cattle industry. Chandler Keys stressed that there was already enough regulatory government involvement in the life of a cattle producer, and what was really needed was a productive, producer-driven plan for country of origin labeling program on our products.  
 

State Meetings:  NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Chandler Keys is in Missouri for the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association Annual Convention and Trade Show, December 11-14.  NCBA Executive Director of Regulatory Affairs Gary Weber is speaking at the Montana Stockgrowers Association Annual Convention and Trade Show in Billings this week. 

CAFTA: The final round of negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement with Central America is taking place with week.  NCBA continues to monitor these negotiations with Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Negotiations are expected to conclude before the end of the year. 

Remember to Send Your Comments: USDA is still seeking comments on the proposed mandatory country-of-origin rule. State affiliates and producers can review the proposed mandatory rule and cost benefit analysis and submit comments via e-mail to cool@usda.gov or send by mail to Country of Origin Labeling Program; USDA Agricultural Marketing Service; 1400 Independence Ave., SW Stop 0249; Washington, D.C. 20250-0249, no later than Dec. 29, 2003. The proposed rule and USDA news release can be accessed on the USDA web site at http://www.ams.usda.gov.

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.

For more information, please visit our web site at hill.beef.org.

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