Ag News: Thursday, November 17

"Bush Says U.S.-Japan Beef Issue is Progressing"
It's still not clear when Japan will lift its ban on U.S. beef - but President Bush - speaking during a press briefing with Japan's Prime Minister Wednesday - said the U.S. and Japan are making progress on the issue. Japan imposed its ban on U.S. beef in December of 2003 after U.S. officials discovered BSE in a cow imported from Canada. More than a year ago - U.S. and Japanese officials announced an agreement that was supposed to lead to quick resumption of beef trade between the two countries. And late last month - a subcommittee of Japan's Food Safety Commission declared beef from cattle 20 months of age and younger safe - raising hopes the ban would soon be lifted. But reopening the Japanese market to U.S. beef is a process - and as Senior Director for Asian Affairs at the National Security Council Mike Green explained - that process is currently in the public comment period. Green did say - however - that the hope is to resume trade as soon as possible.

"Canadian Ruling Disappoints Johanns, Portman, NCGA"
The Canadian International Trade Tribunal has decided there's evidence that imports of unprocessed American grain corn are hurting Canadian producers. While several Canadian corn producers have reacted positively to Tuesday's announcement - representatives of Canadian hog and cattle organizations - the National Corn Growers Association - and U.S. ag and trade officials are disappointed. U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman and U.S. Ag Secretary Mike Johanns - in a joint statement issued Wednesday - said they will continue to argue that U.S. corn exports do not pose a threat to corn growers in Canada. In fact - they continue to point to the numbers - which show imports of U.S. corn into Canada have actually decreased over the last two years - while Canada's corn production has increased. NCGA says it will continue to fight the ruling as well - and CEO Rick Tolman says the organization hopes the issue can be settled without litigation. He says Canadian corn producers - and these are his words - have no have no justification taking this to court. The Canadian International Trade Tribunal has not provided the reasons for its decision at this time - but NCGA says the Tribunal will provide those reasons within 15 days.

"South Dakota Senator Proposes COOL Substitute"
Congress has once again delayed implementation of mandatory country-of-origin labeling for meat. But South Dakota Democratic Senator Tim Johnson is taking a different approach to the issue. According to Johnson - legislation he introduced Wednesday would ensure imported meat can't take advantage of USDA's grading system. Johnson's Truth in Quality Grading Act of 2005 would amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act to prohibit imported beef or lamb from receiving USDA's seal of choice, select or prime. While Johnson admits his legislation isn't as far-reaching as COOL - he says it would be a step in the right direction. But can the legislation get through Congress? Johnson says there should be less resistance since it only deals with cuts of meat - and not the issue of live animal imports.

"Goodlatte Calls for an End to Timber Fight"
House Ag Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte says American concerns about Canadian softwood lumber imports have been confirmed by a World Trade Organization dispute settlement panel. The panel rejected a Canadian challenge to a U.S. International Trade Commission ruling that U.S. lumber producers are threatened by Canadian dumping of subsidized lumber.Goodlatte says dumped lumber has hurt timber markets for family forest landowners in the U.S. - and cost thousands of U.S. jobs. But disagreements on this issue have continued for nearly 20 years. And according to Goodlatte - the dispute can only be settled at the negotiating table. Goodlatte is urging U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman to get the Canadians to that negotiating table. He says - and this is a quote - everyone will benefit from a negotiated solution that ensures that North American lumber prices are determined by the market - not provincial politicians.

"New Hydropower Rules Announced"
For the first time - the Departments of Interior, Commerce and Agriculture have jointly established dispute resolution procedures for hydropower licensing - as mandated by the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The rules announced Wednesday give hydropower license applicants the opportunity to request trial-type hearings on certain issues of material fact. The rules also provide for expedited hearings before an administrative law judge - and include details on requesting hearings - the materials required - and time frames. The Interim Final Rules - which will be published in the Federal Register today - will be effective immediately. The public has 60 days to review the rules and submit comments. According to USDA - those comments could result in changes in a revised Final Rule within approximately 18 months.

"Superfund Hearing Causes Concern Among Cattle Producers"
Discussions among House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee members Wednesday have caused concerns for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association and American Farm Bureau Federation. The Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials held a hearing on superfund laws and animal agriculture. But a suggestion that manure should be regulated under Superfund laws - according to NCBA and Farm Bureau - is absurd. The group's say manure is a natural, organic fertilizer - and that the Clean Water and Clean Air Acts - as well as several state laws - already regulate manure management. On top of that - NCBA President Jim McAdams says U.S. cattle producers are good stewards of the land - and work hard every day to protect and improve the environment. In fact - McAdams says - the idea of someone attempting to label cattle operations as Superfund sites is offensive - and he calls it - in his words - anti-beef activist hogwash. McAdams says the claim that manure falls under Superfund laws is not supported scientifically or legislatively. NCBA and Farm Bureau are asking Congress to clarify that animal manure is exempt from Superfund.