2007 CCC Archive
Cattlemen's Capitol Concerns
March 29, 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.
President Bush Highlights NCBA Spring Conference Program -- President Bush told cattle producers yesterday at NCBA’s Spring Conference that Congress needs to keep taxes low, approve a number of pending trade deals and reauthorize Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) to help keep our economy strong.
Tax reform and trade issues are just two in a handful of priority issues the cattlemen are discussing this week in one-on-one meetings with members of Congress and agency officials. President Bush touched on a number of these in his remarks on March 28…
…On the Death Tax: “I really believe Congress needs to pay attention to the effects of the death tax on our farmers and ranchers. If people are concerned about keeping land in the hands of the family rancher, the best way to do so is to get rid of the death tax for those who ranch the land, once and for all. When you're working the halls of Congress, I hope you work hard on the death tax issue. There's no excuse not to get rid of it. Now, you'll hear people say, we don't want to give tax relief to the billionaires. Okay, fine. But let's put a bill on the President's desk that respects the ranchers of the United States of America, and the farmers, and the small business owners, and I'll sign it.”
…On Reopening Beef Trade Markets: “Trade obviously creates issues. We end up with disputes and opportunities for people to make mischief when it comes to trade, people to use excuses for not opening up markets. And we went through one of those periods with you all, and that is with the BSE issue. Because of our collaborative efforts and a strong scientific approach to deal with BSE, we can say to global consumers with complete assurance, American beef is safe and it is good to eat.”
…On the Farm Bill: “I'm looking forward to working with you on a farm bill that's good and decent and fair. I want to remind you in the bill we submitted to Congress we asked for a $17-billion increase in conservation spending over a 10-year period. That includes money for CRP, and a 30-percent increase for EQIP. Plus $1.75 billion on water conservation programs. I think this is a wise use of our money. I'm interested in a farm bill that enhances conservation, that recognizes the contribution our ranchers make, that is fair, that is reform oriented, and helps us compete in the global marketplace.”
…On Cattlemen: “I appreciate being with people who understand the importance of faith, family, hard work, good values. I like to remind people, every day is Earth Day if you make a living off the land.” A full copy of President Bush’s remarks is posted on the White House website at www.whitehouse.gov.
More than 200 NCBA members attended the conference which reserves a day for face-to-face meetings with Members of Congress and a second day for visits at regulatory agencies. In addition to President Bush, attendees heard from U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns, U.S. Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) Administrator James Link, House Ag Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) and National Security Council Director Allan Hubbard. In addition, over 1,000 Washington insiders attended the increasingly popular Spring Conference Reception on Capitol Hill, sponsored by Outback Steakhouse.
Johanns Says OIE Classification Provides Platform for Increased Trade -- In remarks today at NCBA’s Spring Conference, Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said he aims to step-up efforts to regain lost beef export markets in May when the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) makes its final decision on upgrading the BSE risk classification for the United States.
“At that point we will ask our trading partners to accept OIE's import requirements and start accepting the full range of our fresh meat and meat products from animals of all ages,” said Johanns. “It is somewhat time consuming to go through the OIE process, but I really felt strongly that this now gives us the platform we need to ask our trading partners to accept the OIE import requirements. There is still plenty of ground to make up relative to our beef exports. We not only want to get them back to the level where they were a few years ago, but we want to go beyond that.” A full copy of Secretary Johanns’ remarks is posted on the USDA website at www.usda.gov.
Clock is Ticking on Korean FTA -- NCBA’s Chief Economist Gregg Doud just returned from Seoul, South Korea and he reports that the United States and Korea remain at a stalemate over many trade issues. As negotiators are working to iron out the final details of a U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA), sensitive issues remain unresolved related to trade of beef and automobiles. The deal must be finalized by March 31 in order to give Congress the mandated 90-day review period before Trade Promotion Authority expires on June 30.
According to media reports, President Bush and South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun spoke by telephone today and agreed that their negotiators should “show maximum flexibility” toward resolving remaining issues before time runs out.
In his remarks to NCBA today, Ag Secretary Mike Johanns said the South Korean FTA could hold tremendous potential for U.S. agriculture. “It is an important trade agreement,” Johanns said. “But it also has to be grounded on rational and predictable approaches to trade issues. U.S. industry should not be faced with trading with countries where the standard to be applied is the politics of the day.”
Opposition to South Korea FTA Grows as Beef Impasse Continues -- In a letter to Trade Ambassador Susan Schwab and Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns this week, Rep. Sander Levin (D-Mich) urged the restoration of full market access for U.S. beef prior to the conclusion of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with Korea. In the letter, Levin tells Schwab and Johanns, “Deputy USTR [Karan] Bhatia has stated that USTR has communicated to the Korean officials that Congress will not approve an FTA that is not open to beef. I completely agree with this view. The FTA must include the resumption of full market access to U.S. beef prior to the conclusion of the FTA negotiations.”
Levin chairs the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade which convened a hearing last week to review the status of the U.S.-Korea FTA negotiations. NCBA sent a letter to Chairman Levin last week expressing frustration with the Korean beef trade issue. The letter said, “After supposedly regaining partial access September 7, 2006, to the South Korean market, it has been proven that commercially viable beef trade with South Korea is unattainable…NCBA’s bottom line is that full normalization of beef trade must be achieved between the United States and South Korea, and trust must be rebuilt between our countries for the U.S. cattle industry to support an FTA with South Korea.”
CERCLA Bills Gaining Momentum in Congress! -- One of the priority issues cattlemen are discussing this 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 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 16 co-sponsors in the Senate with Elizabeth Dole (R-N.C.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) and Tom Corburn (R-Okla.) signing on since last week.
In the House, the number of cosponsors has increased to 71 with John Linder (R-Ga.), Jack Kingston (R-Ga.), John McHugh (R-N.Y.) and Dennis Rehberg (R-Mont.) signing on March 23!
During Spring Conference this week, NCBA members are urging more members of Congress to sign on to these bills. During last year’s Spring Conference, cattlemen were able to add 26 new co-sponsors over the five day conference! If you’re not in Washington this week, you can join in this effort by contacting your Senators and Representatives by phone, fax or email and urge them to sign-on!
New Death Tax Bill Calls for Full and Permanent Repeal -- Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) introduced legislation (H.R.1586) on March 20 to fully and permanently repeal the Death Tax. The bill currently has 50 co-sponsors.
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.
Senate Passes Budget Resolution with Death Tax Amendment -- In related news, the Senate passed its budget package late Friday, March 23 by a vote of 52-47. This bill contained a measure offered by Senator Max Baucus (D-Mont.) that could pave the way for future actions that will lessen the burden of Death Tax on ranching families.
The Baucus amendment does not actually alter current tax law, but sets aside funds for the Senate Finance Committee to address some form of Death Tax relief within the next five years. The Senate Budget Committee’s Fiscal Year 2008 budget resolution approved previously did not include funding for alterations to the tax code related to Death Tax relief.
Interagency Website Helps America Explore our Public Lands -- Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne and Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns announced this week a one-stop internet site for exploring federal lands areas for boating, camping, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, hunting, and other recreational activities. "Americans love to enjoy our parks, forests, historic sites and other public lands and we want to make it easier for them to do so," said Kempthorne.
With over 77,000 reservable facilities at over 2,000 locations, www.recreation.gov offers visitor information on recreation facilities and activities offered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Forest Service. In addition, visitors can also make reservations and payments online. It’s the largest outdoor recreation reservation service in the country.
Congressional Schedule -- The 110th Congress begins its Spring Recess next week. The House will be out for two weeks, returning on April 16. The Senate will return to Washington on April 10.
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 a discussion on the national animal identification program with Bruce Knight, the Undersecretary of Agriculture for marketing and regulatory programs at USDA. In addition, we will have an exclusive interview with USDA Chief Economist Keith Collins regarding cattle market trends and the long-term market outlook for 2007.
NEXT week’s episode, beginning Tuesday April 3rd will feature techniques from veterinarians on how to properly handle and administer vaccines, more market watch information, and we'll also hear from 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.
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.