Cattlemen's Capitol Concerns: October 2, 2003

Live Cattle Trade with Canada:
In top news this week, cattle industry leaders are urging U.S. Department of Agriculture officials to ensure that current Canadian practices of using animal health issues as trade barriers be addressed before making a move to resume trade of live cattle with Canada. U.S. cattle producers believe it is imperative that a science-based approach is used to determine animal health standards, including those governing the movement of U.S. cattle into Canada. We sent a letter yesterday to Secretary Veneman reiterating our producers’ concerns and desire to remove these non-science based trade barriers to selling feeder cattle, breeding stock, semen and embryos from the U.S. to Canada. In addition, NCBA President Eric Davis and NCBA CEO Terry Stokes met personally with Secretary Veneman last week to discuss the situation.

As negotiations on reopening the border with Canada occur, we believe USDA-APHIS must seize the opportunity to create a harmonization of animal health standards to allow an equitable flow of cattle in both directions. Continued testing requirements by Canada for anaplasmosis and blue tongue should not be tolerated. There is no science, today, that supports the requirements that Canada has imposed upon the U.S. cattle industry. We strongly support the use of science and risk assessment in making these types of decisions. However, we also strongly support the principle of equivalency. If we are to apply the use of science and risk assessment in the U.S. on BSE, Canada should do the same on these other issues. We cannot have a double standard. NCBA will continue to lead negotiations on these Canadian trade issues.

Russian Trade:
U.S. cattlemen should reap future benefits from a new agreement on meat trade between the U.S. and Russia. This decision will provide a potentially lucrative new export market opportunity for U.S. cattle producers and establish an important foundation on which future working relationships can be built. President George Bush hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin in Washington last weekend.

The tariff rate quotas established under this agreement not only allow U.S. beef producers to serve this valuable international market today, but to grow the market in the future. Russia could provide a fine market for U.S. beef products, and NCBA is encouraged by this agreement. Russia provides considerable growth potential and the U.S. will have a key role in meeting this growth. One of the fastest growing markets in the world for U.S. cattle producers is the Russian market for beef variety meats. In addition, this agreement sets the stage for Russia to become a full and active member in the WTO.

Grazing Permits:
U.S. ranchers grazing cattle on public lands may be seeing some relief from the current administrative backlog disrupting the cycle of grazing permits. The Senate fiscal 2004 Interior Appropriations bill includes a provision for grazing permit protection. NCBA and the Public Lands Council (PLC) are now working with members of the House to reiterate the importance of having this provision included in the final Interior Appropriations Act. Members of the NCBA and PLC have been working to secure long-term legislation to prevent interruption of grazing permits while federal agencies struggle to meet environmental documentation obligations. This law would provide ranchers with a much more solid business environment and the assurance that they can maintain their grazing operations without interruption for a period of five years.

This effort would not have been possible without the direct participation of NCBA and PLC members throughout the West, in particular, calls made by our members in North Dakota and New Mexico were critical to realizing success at this juncture. This serves as a good example of how efforts which benefit individual states can strengthen the entire industry.

Food Safety:
For U.S. cattle producers, food safety innovations continue to be a top priority issue. On behalf of producers across the country, NCBA’s Executive Director of Regulatory Affairs Gary Weber spoke at the "Clean Plants, Healthy Animals" conference at Washington, D.C.’s National Press Club today. Officials from government, industry, academia, and public health groups met to discuss how to enhance food safety by improving practices on farms and ranches. Participants stated that reducing and eliminating food safety hazards should begin on farms and feed lots and not processing plants and slaughterhouses. Weber reiterated that U.S. cattle producers are highly involved in food safety efforts, for years leading research efforts and developing innovative practices. He explained research findings which show promise in helping to reduce the incidence of foodborne pathogens like E. coli O157:H7 in beef and beef cattle. Weber explained how U.S. producers are united in the fight to move forward with food safety innovations. This sponsored by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). Other speakers included: Dan Glickman, former Secretary of Agriculture; Carol Tucker Foreman, Consumer Federation of America; Temple Grandin, Colorado State University; Beth Lautner, National Pork Board, and David Wilson, United Nations Office of International Epizootics (OIE).

Country-of-Origin Labeling:
NCBA is continuing with face-to-face meetings with members of Congress to discuss pursuit of a market-oriented, producer-friendly labeling program consistent with the policy our members adopted at the summer board meeting. The U.S. House Livestock and Horticulture Agriculture Subcommittee held a hearing this week for representatives of the fruit, vegetable, fish and peanut industries, to express their concerns about mandatory labeling.

With the current mandatory law, the burden will rest upon the producers, as we are the ones that are responsible for determining this ‘country-of-origin.’ If changes which are beneficial to cattle producers can’t be made to the current law, NCBA will seek an extension of the current voluntary guidelines until a workable labeling program can be implemented. We already have developed the framework of a market-oriented labeling plan, and have previously submitted this plan to the UDSA. The plan would work just like many of the existing market-oriented certifications programs many of you participate in now. Our policy says that would be much better than the litany of requirements needed for UDSA to implement the current law. Since the July board meeting, NCBA has taken a lead role in defending producers’ interests in ensuring the country-of-origin program will not cause cattlemen to be burdened by excessive costs or liability. We're awaiting publication of the COL proposed rule, cost benefit analysis and request for comments due to appear in the Federal Register in the coming weeks.

Nutrition and Obesity:
NCBA was in attendance at a hearing this Tuesday on current nutrition issues. The hearing, hosted by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation was titled "Obesity War: Are Our Dietary Guidelines Losing?" Senators heard testimony on the review and revision process of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and on the dieting and weight loss patterns of Americans. We will continue to reiterate the importance of including beef in America’s healthy, balanced diets, as this process continues.

Nebraska Cattlemen in D.C.:
Officers from the Nebraska Cattlemen Association visited Washington this week and met with officials at USDA, members of Congress, and NCBA’s Washington D.C. staff.

Tennessee Cattlemen Meetings:
NCBA Director of Legislative Affairs Bryan Dierlam will be traveling to Nashville, Tennessee this Friday for meetings with the 2003 Tennessee Cattlemen’s Association Convention October 3 & 4 in Nashville. Bryan will be giving an update on current policy issues affecting the cattle industry on Saturday morning.

According to Cattle-Fax…The dairy buyout programs announced by the National Milk Producers federation and dairy cooperatives will add to already-increasing cow slaughter numbers in October and November. Year-to-date, dairy cow slaughter has been 11 percent larger than a year ago, and will increase into November. Beef cow slaughter for the year has been 4 percent larger than the same period last year. The increase in dairy cow slaughter, along with near normal increases in beef cow slaughter between now and the end of November, will put total cow slaughter up 7 percent. (Cattle-Fax Update, Sept. 26, 2003)

Media Contact:
Tanya Augustson or Karen Batra at 202-347-0228 taugustson@beef.org or kbatra@beef.org

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