Cattlemen's Capitol Concerns: December 18, 2003

Cattlemen's Capitol Concerns
December 18, 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). *This will be the last edition of the CCC for 2003. Look for the next edition after the holidays, on Thursday, January 8, 2004.

Central America Trade: A new agreement between the U.S. and the Central American countries of El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua would open up new export opportunities for U.S. cattle producers. This week, trade officials came to an agreement in the final round of trade negotiations. Negotiations began on January 27, 2003. The agreement will offer immediate access for high-quality U.S. beef exports into these four countries, with all tariffs on U.S. beef eventually phasing out to zero. U.S. trade officials remain hopeful that Costa Rica can be added to the agreement early next year.

NCBA believes this is a great deal for the U.S. cattle industry. Over the past year, we have followed the progression of these talks, working with Central American cattle associations and government officials. The tourist and travel industry is thriving in Central America, and these hotels and restaurants are key to growing this market for U.S. beef. Our negotiators in Washington D.C. have done their job representing the interests of our members, pushing for increased market access in a comprehensive, commercially-viable trade agreement. We look forward to Congress doing their job and making this deal official.

NCBA in Europe: Cattle producer John Maas, chairman of NCBA’s Animal Disease Research Subcommittee, and NCBA Director of Food Policy Leah Wilkinson are in Paris and Brussels this week for meetings with the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and European Union animal health representatives. NCBA, along with other livestock industry groups and U.S. government official, will visit these international offices to gather an overview of the OIE, examine the work of the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code Commission by the President, and gain insight into aspects of the present OIE Chapter on BSE and proposed revisions. The visit is a unique opportunity for livestock producers and industry representatives to meet one-on-one with officials from this international organization. NCBA will have opportunity to interchange with European producers and animal industry representatives, conduct in-depth agricultural discussions with U.S. representatives of the U.S. Mission to the EU, and interchange with members of the EU’s General Directorate for Health and Consumer Protection (DG-SANCO). 

The OIE is an intergovernmental organization created in 1924, with 164 Member Countries. The organization attempts to develop animal health related guidelines based on the available science and then get agreement from all members before the guidelines are adopted.  All the guidelines, including those relating to BSE, are continually changing as new information is made available. The OIE intends their reports to provide guidance to countries, not hard and fast rules. According to the USDA, these meetings were developed to help the U.S. animal industry more clearly understand the international animal health arena, the organizations involved and the perspectives of other counterparts; in this case various members of the EU.

Endangered Species:  NCBA and the Public Lands Council (PLC) are joining fellow industry groups to meet with WAFWA, the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife at a meeting in Salt Lake City today. NCBA and the PLC will have the opportunity to discuss Sage Grouse and Endangered Species issues with government officials.  The main goal for cattle producers is to analyze what we know about the current status of sage grouse across its range, what the gaps are in the knowledge about the sage grouse or its habitat that need to be filled for the FWS to make an accurate determination whether the sage grouse should be listed. Other discussions will take place on how the cattle industry and WAFWA could coordinate to help meet mutual goals.

Animal ID:  NCBA hosted meetings today in its Washington DC offices between cattle producers and USDA government officials, to discuss the current development of a national animal identification plan. These meetings were called to give cattle producers a better understanding of where the department is on the issue of animal ID in preparation for our upcoming January Convention. 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. If you are interested in this issue, please note that NCBA plans to hold an Issues Forum on Animal ID on Thursday, January 29th 2004, during the Cattle Industry Annual Convention & Trade Show in Phoenix, Arizona, which runs January 28–31.

NCBA at the White House: NCBA’s officers are visiting Washington D.C. this week, including NCBA President Eric Davis, Idaho cattle producer; NCBA President Elect Jan Lyons, Kansas cattle producer; and NCBA Vice President Jim McAdams, Texas cattle producer. The officers attended numerous meetings around town. In the spirit of the holidays, we thought we’d share the latest gossip from the big house. Mr. Davis was invited to the White House to attend the annual Christmas party, and when introduced to President Bush as the ‘President of NCBA,’ Bush gave kudos to NCBA by replying, "I love those Cattlemen!"

Conservation Security Program: The USDA released a proposed rule this week to implement the new Conservation Security Program (CSP).  The CSP is a voluntary program that provides financial and technical assistance to producers who meet the highest standards of conservation and environmental management in their operations.  Unlike other USDA conservation programs that pay for a portion of the cost of needed conservation practices or structures, or purchase the rights to part of the land through easements, or retire environmentally sensitive land, the CSP will focus on those operations that already have addressed environmental problems, while keeping the land in production.  Landowners will be accepted into CSP based on stewardship already undertaken, as well as activities they agree to undertake to enhance the natural resources.  CSP is an entitlement program and funding for 2004 is currently capped at $41.4 million.  Eligibility requirements for the program include:  (1)  the land must be privately owned or Tribal land and a majority of the land must be located in a selected priority watershed; (2) the applicant must be in compliance with highly erodible and wetland provisions of the Food Security Act of 1985, have an active interest in the agricultural operation, and have control of the land for the life of the contract; and (3) the applicant must share in the risk of producing any crop or livestock and be entitled to a share in the crop or livestock marketed from the operation.  Comments on the proposed rule are due 60 days after publication in the Federal Register.  

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

Foot and Mouth Disease: NCBA’s Washington D.C. office hosted an inter-industry drill on foot and mouth disease. The meeting was called by the FMD Communicators Group. Immediately following, the group visited the offices of the Department of Homeland Security to brief representatives on the agriculture industry’s latest efforts on this animal disease issue.

Deadline Extended-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 Feb. 27, 2004. 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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