USDA announces replacement for NAIS

A new animal traceability system “framework” has been announced by USDA to replace the controversial National Animal Identification System, or NAIS. Dr. John Clifford is the chief veterinary officer for animal health for the Department of Agriculture and tells Brownfield the new system will deal only with interstate commerce of livestock – movement of animals from state to state. Clifford says, “We need capability to trace animals back to a state. So we’ll be working with the states as they identify the best way they want to accomplish that.”

Clifford says the new system will be more flexible and addresses many of the concerns – confidentiality, liability, cost and others – voiced at the USDA’s NAIS listening sessions last year, “We know there’ll still be concerns out there. But, it’s important for us to have animal traceability to protect the nation’s livestock population.”

Clifford says states and tribal nations will administer the program. USDA will have a rulemaking process and he says there will be plenty of opportunity for the public and livestock industry to comment.

AUDIO: Dr. John Clifford, Chief Veterinary Officer of Animal Services for USDA (9 min., MP3)

USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)

By Tom Steever:

USDA’s new flexible framework for animal disease traceability brought a reaction the agency is not accustomed to hearing from a frequent critic of NAIS.

“We feel very good about this,” R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard told Brownfield Friday. “This is a fundamental shift from the direction that USDA has been going for the last four years,” said Bullard.  “Much of the control will be vested in the states, [and] producers will have input in terms of developing the new disease traceability program.”

Bullard says R-CALF may have exerted some influence through the course of listening sessions held last year by USDA, but he says the group had help. “This is really an effort of cattle producers and other livestock producers across the country who stood up and said ‘no’ they were not willing to follow the USDA’s efforts to require a federal registry of livestock, to require producers to report to the federal government when livestock were moved, and importantly, to have a federal registry of every farm and ranch in this country,” Bullard said.

Bullard also expressed satisfaction that the Department is taking action to bolster protections against the entry and spread of disease.  “[USDA] recognized that they need to strengthen our import controls to prevent the introduction of diseases from foreign sources,” said Bullard.  “This is a key element of what R-CALF has been pushing for and we’re looking forward to a future announcement by USDA on exactly how they would do that.”

R-CALF is also pleased that the states have latitude in developing a system to meet federal standards but to still be consistent with practices in each particular state.  “USDA now recognizes that one size does not fit all,” said Bullard.  “That’s what we’ve been trying to emphasize for the past four years, and up until now it fell on deaf ears.”

AUDIO: Bill Bullard (5 min. MP3) 

By Julie Harker:

Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill says she’s excited about the USDA’s plans to move away from the National Animal Identification System that was borne of the previous administration. McCaskill says, “This is the way government is supposed to work.”

The Democrat tells Brownfield she’s heard a lot of complaints from farmers and ranchers about NAIS, “As I was campaigning in rural Missouri I encountered so many producers that were so frustrated with the federal government not understanding that the National Animal ID system was expensive, it wasn’t necessary, it was invasive, it was really a dumb idea.”

She says the proposed new system will affect cattle moving between states, which she says makes more sense, “For many of the small producers that are just producing in-state and not shipping, it’s not even going to be focused on them. So, I think this is a situation where we’re taking this decision OUT of Washington, putting it on a state basis, keeping in mind that we can’t dictate ag policy because of a couple of huge producers want to have their way at the Department of Agriculture and that’s what was going on before.”

McCaskill, a former state auditor, says the previous administration wasted about 130-Million dollars on the “deeply flawed” NAIS. She says this new system makes much more sense.

AUDIO: Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO), (4 min., MP3)

By Bob Meyer:

The American Veterinary Medical Association does not like the idea. AVMA Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Ron DeHaven says, “If each state is allowed to develop and implement its own program, important questions arise concerning communication and coordination. Clearly, the USDA must create a system that allows for quick and accurate trace-back across state borders in an animal disease emergency, or there is no point in the new system” DeHaven adds, “There are many unanswered questions that must be addressed as this new animal disease traceability program is being developed. For that reason, the AVMA cannot consider endorsing this concept at this time.”

AVMA president, Dr. Larry Corry says they support the creation of an animal disease traceability program and fear the creation of any such program will be delayed several years by the formal rule-making process this new system will require. “During that time, the U.S. will continue without an animal disease traceability program.”

American Veterinary Medical Association

By Ken Anderson:

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is pleased with the USDA’s new framework for animal disease traceability in the U.S.  NCBA president Steve Foglesong says the plan appears to lay the foundation for a flexible approach to traceability, including greater state involvement and more choices in the use of technology.

Foglesong says it’s important that the system is workable for producers—and that it accomplishes the goal of increased animal surveillance by enabling state and federal animal health officials to respond rapidly to animal health emergencies.  Foglesong says NCBA has, and continues, to support a voluntary, market-driven animal identification system as an important tool for producers to improve herds, monitor disease, and better market their cattle.

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association

RFS2 part of the Administration’s energy plan

The Obama Administration announced a series of energy initiatives on Wednesday designed to reduce our dependence on foreign oil by increasing the production of biofuels. The plan is the first report from the President’s Biofuels Interagency Working Group. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says the goal is to have 36 billion gallons of the nation’s fuel supply come from renewable sources by the year 2022. “We did not have until today, a roadmap, a series of mileposts and guideposts that will get us to that point.”

Part of the plan involves the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalizing the rule to implement the new Renewable Fuels Standard known as RFS2. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson says the plan does include corn-based ethanol. That future was in question because of the indirect land use formula. Jackson says working with the Department of Agriculture; they realized the numbers they were using were wrong. By taking into account the increased productivity of corn production, use of more efficient ethanol production techniques and using 160 countries in the formula they have found that corn based ethanol does meet the requirement that it be at least 20 percent less greenhouse gas-emitting than gasoline. 

AUDIO: Secretary Jackson’s comments

By Dave Russell:

Another part of the plan was announced by USDA Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack - a proposed rule for the new Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP), a program designed to create a robust biofuels industry and rural jobs.  This would provide grants and loans and other financial support to encourage the development of non-food, non-feed biomass. 

Vilsack said that in order to meet the programs goals biofuels cannot be specific to one region of the country. “It is important that this be a national effort, that all regions of the country feel they can participate and that they can create jobs in their rural communities,” Vilsack said. “And the task force report recognizes there may be many different feedstocks, all of which need to be promoted.”

A public comment period on the proposed rule for BCAP will continue for 60 days after the rule is published in the federal register.

AUDIO: Secretary Vilsack’s comments

The third leg of the plan is the establishment of a “comprehensive federal strategy on carbon capture and storage.” With an eye towards clean coal technology, Energy Secretary Steven Chu says an Interagency Task Force will work to speed the development and deployment of that technology including the testing of sequestration by injecting carbon into geological formations.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar says those who have followed the development of biofuels in this country, “Now can be assured that there is going to be that kind of revolution in the years ahead.”

AUDIO: Secretaries Chu and Salazar

by Julie Harker:

The plan has drawn mixed reactions. House Ag Committee Chair Collin Peterson says while he is pleased that ethanol and biodiesel will qualify as advanced biofuels under the new RFS, he still doesn’t like any indirect land use formula, calling it “completely unrealistic.” Peterson promises to continue to push legislation which prohibits the EPA from using international indirect land use calculation in biofuels regulations.

Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis agrees. While the indirect land use penalty is lessened for corn ethanol and biodiesel it still exists under the EPA’s standard, “We have an indirect land use penalty that’s significant enough that it doesn’t give us full credit for how clean of energy products we actually are.”

As it stands, Buis says sugar cane ethanol from Brazil would gain the upper hand, “The last thing anyone in America wants to see is to replace our dependence on imported foreign oil with a dependence on imported foreign ethanol.”

Buis calls the indirect land use theory a “bizarre concept” unsubstantiated by science and agrees that a legislative fix is needed. For the most part, though, Buis says he’s pleased with the EPA’s standard and believes they listened to agriculture.

AUDIO: Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy

Read the full plan here:

A conversation with Collin Peterson

Brownfield’s Ken Anderson is covering events in Washington, D.C. this week.  On Tuesday, Ken was on Capitol Hill, where he had the opportunity to visit one-on-one with House Agriculture Committee chairman Collin Peterson of Minnesota.  They covered a wide range of topics, including the President’s budget recommendations, payment limits, the next farm bill, the House climate change bill (which Peterson says he wouldn’t vote for again), the EPA, and legislation to restrict the use of antibiotics in meat animals. 

AUDIO: Collin Peterson (25 min MP3)

Animal care ballot petition filed in Ohio

An Ohio group has submitted a petition to the Ohio Secretary of State starting the process to place an anti-animal cruelty measure on the November ballot. Ohioans for Humane Farms is backed by the Humane Society of the United States, Farm Sanctuary and other animal rights groups.

The petition seeks to require the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board to end the use of gestation stalls, calf crates and battery cages, stop downer cows from entering the human food chain and establish regulation for the euthanasia of sick and injured animals. If passed, the board would have six years to implement the standards although the group hopes they would enact the downer and euthanasia elements immediately.

Joe Cornely with the Ohio Farm Bureau says this is really no surprise given the fact HSUS stated shortly after the Livestock Care Standards Board was created last fall that it wasn’t enough. “We are currently working with our members to help them prepare for an onslaught on animal agriculture between now and election day.” He notes HSUS has a lot of money to spend on their state-by-state march across the country. Cornely says they knew the creation of the Livestock Care board would not stop HSUS’s effort, “What we were hopeful of, and still is the case, is Ohioans will recognize that the process we have set up through our efforts last year is the appropriate way to address these very complex questions about animal care.”

The Ohio Attorney General’s office will now decide if the petition has a fair and truthful statement, if deemed so, the group will seek to collect more than 600,000 signatures from registered Ohio voters. They need 10 percent of the total number that voted in the last governor’s election in the state, the signatures must be from at least 44 of the 88 counties in Ohio. The petitions must be completed and back to the Secretary of State 125 days prior to the November election.

Cornely says between now and then, those in animal agriculture need to reach out to civic groups and religious groups and local Humane Societies and animal owners outside of food production, “All of those folks need to know that HSUS is a challenge that’s common to all of us.”

AUDIO: Joe Cornely talks about the ballot initiative

Vilsack comments on budget, Lincoln opposes

Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack issued a statement Monday saying  President Obama’s proposed Fiscal Year 2011 budget is a reflection of the reality of tight economic times and reduces discretionary spending by one-billion dollars. Within the $3.8 trillion dollar budget proposal, Vilsack says the Ag Department has made some reductions, “We care deeply about farmers and ranchers and have worked hard to maintain the agricultural safety net, while instituting some targeted reductions in farm program payments.” Vilsack’s statement does not offer specifics.  But, he says there are funded priorities that will have the greatest impact on Rural America’s development, “This budget includes almost $26 billion to build on that down payment and focuses on new opportunities presented by producing renewable energy, developing local and regional food systems, capitalizing on environmental markets and generating green jobs through recreation and natural resource restoration, conservation, and management.”

The budget fully funds USDA nutrition programs.

Senate Ag Committee Chairwoman Blanche Lincoln says she will oppose cuts to USDA programs as proposed in President Obama’s 2011 budget.

An analysis of the proposal by the Washington Post says “the agency will receive $25.7 billion, a slight dip from last year’s proposed funding.” Funding for food and nutrition programs will be slightly higher than in FY 2010 at around $8.2 billion. A new program, called the “Healthy Food Financing Initiative,” would use $50 million to bring grocery stores and healthful food retailers to underserved communities.

The Post says the spending plan does cut federal subsidies to some “highly profitable corporate farmers” and funding for expanded broadband services to rural areas is reduced from $1.3 billion this year to 418 million in 2011.

In a statement issued Monday, chairwoman Lincoln says in 2008 she “worked hard to pass a five year farm bill that was fiscally responsible” while pointing out it contained more than 4-Billion dollars worth of cuts to farm programs, was “completely paid for and did not contribute to the deficit.” She says “changing the rules in the middle of the game” would be detrimental to farmers and cost more rural jobs. Lincoln thanked the president for his recommendations but also said “Congress writes the budget.”

Brownfield’s Bob Meyer contributed to this report

AUDIO: U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, statement on FY 2011 budget proposal as provided by USDA (4 min., MP3)

Office of Management & Budget – Dept. of Agriculture FY 2011 budget

U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack’s statement on FY 2011 proposed budget

Senate Ag Committee Chair, Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), statement on proposed FY 2011 budget

Pork producer delegate body named

Appointments to the 2010 National Pork Producers delegate body have been announced by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. Appointed to serve a one-year term, delegates will be seated during the National Pork Industry Forum in March in Kansas City. Those appointed include:

Alabama: Luther Bishop, Joseph C. Hall

Alaska: Patricia R. Worrell, Richard C. Worrell

Arizona: Elizabeth J. Beck, Michael D. Terrill

Arkansas: Steve C. Stephan, K. Brad Vines

Colorado: Brett B. Rutledge, Keith A. Siemsen

Delaware: Henry C. Johnson, IV, John B. Tigner, Jr.

Florida: Ricky Lyons

Georgia: Glenn Derochers, Dania S. DeVane

Hawaii: Wayne I. Shimokawa, Evelyn A. Telles

Idaho: Thomas A. Goodwin, Bradley K. Thornton

Illinois: Phillip J. Borgic, David L. Conrady, David D. Dedert, Michael E. Haag, Brent E. Scholl, Mark L. DeDecker

Indiana: Randy Curless, Emiley D. Gaskill, Nathan D. Hedden, Michael S. Lewis, Samuel D. Moffitt, Mark R. York

Iowa: Timothy J. Schmidt, Mark Meirick, Bryan K. Karwal, David D. Struthers, Stephen J. Burgmeier, Joel D. Van Gilst, Heather Lindberg-Hora, Rodney G. Dykstra, Howard T. Hill, Chad R. Keppy, Steven L. Kerns, Gregory R. Lear, Curtis D. Meier, David E. Moody, Oliver E. Moody, Dale G. Reicks, Marvin J. Rietema, Jamie M. Schmidt, Max S. Schmidt, Norman R. Schmitt, Gregory J. Schroeder, Leon C. Sheets, Derrick D. Sleezer, Scott W. Tapper, Bill J. Tentinger, Donald H. Toale, Eugene D. VerSteeg, John E. Vossberg, John P. Weber, Todd A. Wiley

Kansas: Kent F. Condray, Alan J. Haverkamp, Peter K. Sherlock, Michael L. Springer

Kentucky: Dennis O. Liptrap, John S. Medley, Jr.

Louisiana: Rebecca D. Luke-Lirette, Louis J. Lirette

Maine: Barrett A. Parks, Deena A. Parks

Maryland: Thomas G. Hartsock, Charles T. Linthicum, Jr.

Massachusetts: Lisa D. Colby

Michigan: Fred H. Walcott, Patrick M. Hunter, Edward L. Reed

Minnesota: Dustin Bakke, William L. Crawford, Pamela M Gierke, Curtis J. Johnson, Craig A. Mensink, James F. Merritt, Mary Lynn Peichel, Douglas B. Stade, Patrick E. Thome, Jacqueline S. Tlam, Timothy A. Waibel, Douglas K. Wenner

Mississippi: Ronnie K. Fagan, Charles R. Power

Missouri: Scott W. Phillips, Robert L. North, Scott G. Hays, William D. Kessler

Montana: Donald L. Herzog, John W. Rauser

Nebraska: Dennis L. Beethe, Greg L. Wortman, Brett M. Wilke, Troy D. McCain, Shane C. Meyer

Nevada: Becky A. Louk, David S. Louk

New Hampshire: Donna Abair, Jennifer L. Lamper New Jersey: Salvatore J. Villari

New York: Bryan L. Schillawski, Sandra L. Hartman

North Carolina: Neill D. Westerbeek, Timothy H. Craig, Zack McCullen, III, L. Benjamin Outlaw, III, George H. Pettus, Gregory A. Sconyers, M. Todd See, E. Ray Summerlin, Jr., Janet C. Archer, David D. Herring, James L. Lamb

North Dakota: Todd E. Erickson, Craig J. Jarolimek

Ohio: Jim L. Albaugh, Michael J. Barhorst, Alan J. Evers, James R. Heimerl

Oklahoma: Lonnie C. Hoelscher, Joe C. Popplewell, Basil S. Werner, Karen D. Brewer,

Oregon: Wynn H. Mayfield, Kathy S. Mayfield

Pennsylvania: David A. Reinecker, Oscar J. Manbeck, Jeffrey D. Arner South Carolina: Larry B. DeHart, John R. Harris South Dakota: John D. Wipf, Ryan C. Storm, Laron R. Krause

Tennessee: James G. Weaver, Brandon M. Whitt

Texas: H. Melton Harms, Jason D. Pooley

Utah: Ryan Goff, James W. Webb

Virginia: Keith D. Allen, B. Ryan Horsley

Washington: Karrie L. Klingeman, Paul M. Klingeman, Sr.

Wisconsin: Deborah L. Gay, Robert G. Spurley

Wyoming: Ana L. Shmidl, Krisha N. Custis

Indiana launches grain bin safety campaign

A grain bin safety campaign, “Stop Engulfment in Indiana” has been launched. The campaign is being led by the Indiana Grain and Feed Association (IGFA), Purdue University and the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA).

“Our campaign is really one of raising awareness rather than re-creating any type of new wheel,” said Dan McNeil with Consolidated Grain and Barge and chairman of the IGFA. “Our goal is to get both in the industry and on the farmstead the information out so that hopefully when someone is making that decision to enter a bin when they shouldn’t that this information will be fresh in their mind and they’ll make the right decision to not go in the bin or to do it in a safe manner.”

The campaign will include grain bin training sessions and a Purdue publication, “Dangers of Flowing Grain” being sent with checks from grain elevators to their farmer customers.

AUDIO: Dan McNeil, Chairman, IGFA (4:05 MP3)

Merrigan says mobile slaughter units have a role

Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, Kathleen Merrigan says that as part of their “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” initiative, USDA believes Mobile Slaughter Units will serve a role in building local and regional food systems and keeping dollars in local communities, but it’s not as easy as it may seem.

“You have to have strict food safety standards, in the case of red meat if you’re doing interstate commerce you to be FSIS inspected, you need to get the machinery in place,” said the Deputy Ag Secretary. “There’s not a lot of people who have done it yet, so I don’t expect come a year from now they’ll be populating the countryside, but it is something I’d like to encourage.”

Merrigan had an opportunity to see a Mobile Slaughter Unit while in California last week, following the visit the Deputy Secretary told Brownfield that while she heard a lot of positive things, she also heard about some problems.

“That FSIS rules pertaining to Mobile Slaughter Units are not clear and because of that Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has been working on a compliance guide specifically for Mobile Slaughter Units and that should come out within the next couple of weeks,” Merrigan said.

AUDIO: Deputy Sec. Kathleen Merrigan (4:35 MP3)

State Meat and Poultry Inspection Program to be cut

While agriculture understands the state’s budget issues and is willing to do their part, Donnie Lawson a beef producer from Boone County says cutting the state’s meat and poultry inspection program by 50 percent is going a little too far. Lawson believes legislators and those dealing with the state budget need to understand what this would mean to rural Indiana.

“Last year there was approximately 26,000 head of cattle and 46,000 head of hogs that were processed in Indiana, by those local processors,” said Lawson. “You’re talking somewhere around $25 million worth of product, and if we don’t have the state inspection I think you’ll see those numbers go down considerably.”

And it’s not just reduced slaughter capacity, Donnie Lawson says it will mean jobs in those rural areas as well.

AUDIO: Donnie Lawon, Indiana beef producer (5:30 MP3)

EPA ‘disapproval resolution’ introduced

Nebraska Senator Mike Johanns is one of 30 cosponsors of a disapproval resolution—a move  that could stop the EPA from regulating greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. 

The resolution was introduced Thursday by Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski.  Johanns thinks the resolution has a chance of making it through the Senate. “It is definitely starting to pick up some bipartisan discussion,” Johanns says. “That is encouraging.”

The resolution only requires a simple majority to pass. If approved by the Senate, it would then go to the House of Representatives.

“My hope is that, on the House side, this will pick up some steam if we can get it out of the Senate,” he says. “I think it sends a very, very strong message.”

Murkowski says the disapproval resolution is necessary to avoid what she calls “the economic train wreck” that would result from the EPA regulating greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act.

Also signing on to the resolution is Senator Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, chair of the Senate Ag Committee.  Nebraska’s Ben Nelson and South Dakota’s John Thune are also cosponsors.

AUDIO: Senator Mike Johanns conference call comments (4 min MP3)

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