2004 CCC Archive
Cattlemen's Capitol Concerns: January 15, 2004
Cattlemen's Capitol Concerns
January 15, 2004
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).
Appropriations Update: The Senate is scheduled to take up H.R. 2673, the Omnibus Appropriations bill during the week of January 19th. This bill contains 7 of the 13 regular appropriations bills and includes funding for the Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, State, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Transportation, Treasury, Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development Departments as well as funding for the District of Columbia and Foreign Operations. NCBA is aggressively communicating with Congressional offices urging them to vote "yes" on this package, which contains critical funding for safety and health programs, including food safety inspectors, veterinarians and the nation’s animal health infrastructure which helps monitor for animal diseases such as BSE.
Funding for Work on BSE at Stake: The omnibus bill contains important funding for USDA’s and FDA’s BSE related activities. Under the current Continuing Resolution, USDA had to access Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funds to fund the BSE investigation, which would be paid for out of program dollars once the omnibus passes. USDA is in need of these funds now, and delaying the omnibus would add to the uncertainty of when USDA and FDA would get these needed funds. Key areas funded in the bill are: Monitoring and Surveillance - $95.9 million; Emergency Management - $9.6 million; Animal Tracking - $1.5 million; FDA’s BSE Prevention - $21 million; Total APHIS budget - $720.28 million.
Country-of-Origin Labeling: As NCBA urges support for the Omnibus package, efforts are underway by mandatory COL activist groups to hold up passage and reinstate a looming September 2004 deadline for implementing mandatory country-of-origin labeling. The current legislation implements the program on Sept. 30, 2006. NCBA supports the development of a reasonable, producer-driven program that does not burden cattle producers with excessive government regulations. In the midst of the BSE case, we must reiterate that country-of-origin labeling was never designed or intended to address food safety or animal health concerns. It is solely a marketing issue for our product, and we cannot expedite this extremely complex and burdensome program sooner rather than later because of the BSE case. Cattle producers are especially vulnerable at this challenging market reaction to BSE. Mandatory labeling by this fall will only burden our livelihoods even further.
NCBA, Food Groups Plan Realistic Labeling Program: NCBA met this week with food industry groups to discuss plans for an alternative market-driven, producer-focused country-of-origin labeling program. NCBA’s Country of Origin Labeling Task Force met in Denver Dec. 9-10, and will reveal additional details at the upcoming annual convention in Phoenix at the end of January. We’re pleased with the progress so far, and other food and industry groups are enthusiastically participating in the effort to put in place a labeling program that actually puts more dollars in the pockets of America’s food producers. All groups agree this can be done without the needless costs and burdens that exist in the current law, and we’re excited about moving forward on a labeling program that works.
BSE: Ever-changing issues arising from the December 23 announcement of the first-ever case of BSE in the U.S. continue to be addressed by NCBA officers, affiliates and staff. NCBA is meeting this week with other industry groups and government officials to discuss resumption of trade. The USDA continues to be engaged in the investigation of the infected cow – a single dairy cow in Washington state – and is providing information to stakeholders and the media as new information arises. A chronology of this issue and other important information on BSE is posted at www.bseinfo.org.
NCBA Hosts Meetings with North American Cattlemen: Mexican and Canadian cattle producers were invited to meetings at the Washington D.C. offices of NCBA this Wednesday. The representatives met with NCBA leaders to discuss the effects of BSE on the North American marketplaces and harmonization of trade. Currently about 90 percent of the $3.5 billion beef export market has been closed to U.S. product. Reopening these export markets to beef trade remains an absolute top priority for U.S. cattlemen. NCBA knows significantly improving the current market depends very much on the willingness of our foreign trading partners to base their import decisions on science, and recognize the complete safety and wholesomeness of the beef products we sell. While the confidence our consumers have shown in our product is important, it’s the foreign markets that we’ve lost that is causing the biggest strain on producers’ pocketbooks. NCBA continues to conduct ongoing meetings with international cattle groups, industry and government officials on these international trade issues.
Funding For Ames Research Facility: For years, the completion The National Animal Disease Center (NADC), the National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL), and the Center for Veterinary Biologics (CVB), located in Ames, Iowa, has been a priority for cattle producers. NCBA members are pleased with the Bush Administration’s announcement this week to include $178 million in the FY 2005 budget to complete the renovation. We have been working for about five years to secure funding for this extremely important modernization project of this animal disease research center. U.S. cattlemen will benefit from this state-of-the-art complex. Plans have long been underway for the modernization, but this announcement authorizes the final funding needed for completion. These renovations will strengthen the animal health infrastructure with state-of-the-art research and diagnostic facilities to protect animal health. NCBA members resolved that the current facilities had aged to the point that future research possibilities and bio-security measures would be limited, which could inhibit the safety and competitive position of the U.S. livestock industry. We believe completion of this project is vital.
Free Trade Agreements (FTAs): Although many export markets are temporarily closed, NCBA members continue to understand the importance of increase market access opportunities for all U.S. cattle producers, and therefore we continue to be highly involved in all trade negotiations that would affect our livelihood. This week, we continue to be involved with negotiations of FTAs with various countries. We are meeting with U.S. negotiators to discuss details of the Australian FTA, recently attended a public briefing on this FTA, and the next round of Australian negotiations is set to start next week. We are also discussing details of the FTA with Morocco. Finally, the U.S. and the Dominican Republic began talks this week to include the DR in the U.S./Central American FTA. An FTA with the DR would open a beneficial market for U.S. cattlemen.
New Regulations: The USDA Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) published four new regulations as a result of Secretary Veneman’s announcement on December 30 calling for new measures to protect public health. The rules govern four key issue areas: 1) Product Holding, 2) Specified Risk Materials and Non-ambulatory Disabled Cattle, 3) Advanced Meat Recovery, and 4) Air-injection Stunners. These are interim final rules, and, although subject to a 90-day comment period, the rules go into effect now and they are not retroactive. In related news, FSIS has published two new fact sheets on BSE and the new regulations. A general "Frequently Asked Questions" fact sheet on BSE can be accessed at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/FAQ/bse_general.htm and a "Frequently Asked Questions" fact sheet on FSIS’s new BSE Regulations is posted at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/FAQ/bse_regs.htm.
Mandatory Price Reporting: Only a few days left to participate in NCBA’s Web survey on Mandatory Price Reporting before discussion at the Annual Convention in Phoenix! The law is set to sunset in October 2004 unless reauthorized. Producer input is needed to help shape our comments during the reauthorization process. The survey information obtained will be compiled for discussion at NCBA’s Live Cattle Marketing Committee meeting on Friday, Jan. 30 in Phoenix. To participate in the survey, go to: http://hill.beef.org/pricereporting.asp.
Dietary Guidelines: NCBA has submitted its first set of comments to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee on the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The Guidelines are a broad-based nutrition policy guide which utilizes the latest scientific and medical knowledge to advise the general public on ways to improve overall health through proper nutrition. The future Guidelines will become the basis for U.S. government nutrition programs, such as school lunches. In its comments, NCBA emphasizes the benefits of consuming naturally nutrient-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low, and non-fat dairy products and lean beef, and adds beef is an excellent source of essential nutrients such as protein, iron, zinc, vitamins B6 and B12.
Grazing Regulations: NCBA and PLC are preparing comments on the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposed grazing regulations. Our comments will reflect five set priorities which will better improve grazing management and help continue public lands ranching in the rural West:
- Monitoring for permitees of forage conditions on public allotments
- Restoring historical use of the term "preference" to reflect the amount of forage available to ranchers and priority for its use
- Ownership of range improvements
- Participation in agency decisions by those who are directly affected by the decisions
- Supporting the operation of grazing advisory boards through local governments
Animal Welfare Conference: NCBA Executive Director of Regulatory Affairs Gary Weber is in Gainesville, Florida today for the "Humane Care and Handling of Livestock" meeting. The conference is designed to address issues of health and handling of food-producing animals and help those in animal agriculture better understand the consumers’ concerns. Weber gave a presentation on "Forces and Factors Influencing the Public’s Opinion on Livestock Care."
Join Us in Phoenix for Important 2004 Convention: Voice YOUR Capitol Concerns! NCBA policy staff, officers, and committee members are actively preparing for the 2004 Cattle Industry Annual Convention & Trade Show, which will be held January 28-31 in downtown Phoenix, Arizona. It’s not too late to register! After reading this CCC, are you ready to get even more involved with political issues that are currently affecting you, your family, your industry or your livelihood? If you would like to make policy happen, have a voice in Washington, and get to the heart of these policy issues, then you should attend the 2004 Cattle Industry Convention. The only way to make things happen, is to get involved! For more information, call (303) 694-0305 or go to www.beef.org.
NCBA Officers in Washington: NCBA leadership is in Washington D.C. this week for a variety of meetings with congressional offices, department officials and industry leaders to discuss BSE and other top current issues affecting the industry.
Congressional Schedule: The House and Senate are scheduled to reconvene on January 20.
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.
For more information, please visit our web site at hill.beef.org.
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