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NASDA Elects Officers at Annual Meeting
Published: October 09, 2007
North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson was elected the new president of NASDA during its annual meeting in Seattle, Washington, on September 25. He succeeds Washington State Agriculture Director Valoria Loveland.
Johnson said that NASDA is playing a critical role in helping shape the 2007 farm bill. "An improved safety net for agriculture, interstate shipment of state-inspected meat products, and a permanent disaster title are all NASDA ideas or NASDA-supported ideas, and all are likely to be part of the final farm bill package," he told the group.
The other officers include Alabama Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks, president-elect; Delaware Agriculture Secretary Michael Scuse, vice president; and Utah Agriculture Commissioner Leonard Blackham, secretary-treasurer. Other members of the Board include Loveland, past president; Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Gene Hugoson, at-large; Connecticut Agriculture Commissioner Philip Prelli, NEASDA representative; Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer, SASDA representative; Illinois Agriculture Director Chuck Hartke, MASDA representative; and California Agriculture Secretary A.G. Kawamura, WASDA representative.
Johnson said now that the debate over the new farm bill is nearing an end, the organization still has important issues to deal with, such as renewable energy, trade, climate change and especially food safety and consumer confidence. "Food is a basic human need," he said. "We must invest in and uphold food safety and quality assurance efforts . . . any loss of public confidence in our agricultural production and processing is something we cannot afford."
Johnson will host NASDA's annual meeting in North Dakota in September 2008. (Contact: Rick Kirchhoff)
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Interstate Sales Legislation is About Economic Fairness
Published: October 09, 2007
Federal legislation allowing interstate transport and sale of state-inspected meat and poultry products provides economic opportunity and fairness to small businesses. "This is not a food safety issue," NASDA President and North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson said October 3, at a news conference in Washington, D.C. "This is about giving small companies the same economic opportunities that larger companies and foreign companies enjoy in the U.S. marketplace."
"Cooperation, coordination and collaboration by all entities involved in food production is the only way to get there," Johnson said. "There are no separate standards for federal or state inspections-- state programs standards must meet federal regulations, and many state programs have standards higher than federal standards."
Johnson addressed paid advertisements and press releases by opponents of the proposed legislation. "It is possible to make interstate shipment work for the benefit of state plants and provide full safety and confidence for consumers," Johnson said. "There is significant interest in resolving this issue so that state inspected facilities can prosper."
At their recent annual meeting in Seattle, the members of NASDA--the commissioners, directors and secretaries of agriculture of the 50 states and four territories--unanimously supported legislation to allow interstate shipment of state-inspected meat products.
More information can be found at http://www.nasda.org/interstatemeatshipment/.
(Contact: Charlie Ingram)
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NASDA President Appoints Chairs and Vice Chairs
Published: October 09, 2007
NASDA President and North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson has appointed the chairs and vice chairs of NASDA policy committees, task forces, and working groups at the conclusion of NASDA’s annual meeting in Seattle, Washington. Committees and task forces carry out duties of developing policy and setting forth NASDA priorities.
The following will serve as chair and vice chair for a one-year term.
* Animal and Plant Industries Committee--Nebraska Agriculture Director Greg Ibach, chair; Mississippi Agriculture Commissioner Lester Spell, vice chair;
* Food Regulation and Nutrition Committee--Alabama Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks, chair; North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler, vice chair;
* Marketing and International Trade Committee--Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson, chair; Delaware Agriculture Secretary Michael Scuse, vice chair;
* Natural Resources and Pesticide Management Committee--Utah Agriculture Commissioner Leonard Blackham, chair; Iowa Agriculture Secretary Bill Northey, vice chair;
* Rural Development and Financial Security Committee--Oklahoma Agriculture Secretary Terry Peach, chair; Montana Agriculture Director Ron de Yong, vice chair;
* Agriculture and Food Security Task Force--South Dakota Agriculture Director Bill Even, chair; Vermont Agriculture Secretary Roger Allbee, vice chair;
* Biotechnology Task Force--Kansas Agriculture Secretary Adrian Polansky, chair; Indiana Agriculture Director Andy Miller, vice chair;
* Specialty Crops Task Force--California Agriculture Secretary A.G. Kawamura, chair; New York Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker, vice chair;
* Tobacco Task Force--North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler, chair; Virginia Agriculture Commissioner Todd Haymore, vice chair;
* U.S. /Canada Accord Working Group--Minnesota Commissioner Agriculture Gene Hugoson, chair; Washington State Agriculture Director Valoria Loveland, vice chair; and
* U.S. /Mexico Accord Working Group--California Agriculture Secretary A.G. Kawamura, chair; Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples, vice Chair. (Contact: Rick Kirchhoff)
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Florida Commissioner Testifies on Agriculture Inspections Before House Ag Subcommittee
Published: October 09, 2007
On Wednesday, October 3, the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture held a hearing on the efficacy of the Agriculture Quarantine Inspection (AQI) functions since it was transferred to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from USDA in March of 2003. The AQI functions are critical to domestic agriculture production since they are responsible for ensuring travelers and imported cargo entering the country are not carrying foreign pests and diseases that could decimate sectors of our agricultural economy.
The hearing focused on concerns that have been raised by recent reports from the General Accounting Office, USDA's Inspector General, and the House Committee on Agriculture's own internal investigation that shows the AQI function is not a priority at DHS compared to the other port inspections functions that are primarily concerned with looking for intentional acts of terrorism and weapons of mass destruction.
In addition to the panel of investigators, a second panel of witnesses representing specialty crop states that also receive high volumes of imports at their ports and airports testified on the importance of border inspections and the health and economic consequences of a foreign pest or disease being brought into the country. Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson testified that his state has seen a 27 percent rise in plant pest and disease incursions since the transfer. Bronson also noted that communications between DHS and state departments of agriculture are virtually nonexistent and felt as though DHS was not taking advantage of state capabilities that can augment their efforts. California Citrus Mutual and the Texas Produce Association also testified and shared similar stories of prohibited products coming into their states after having cleared DHS inspections.
Subcommittee Chairman Dennis Cardoza (D-Calif.), echoing the feelings of many members of the committee, stated that "Stopping foreign pests and prohibited agricultural products from entering the U.S. might not be as sexy as stopping terrorists, weapons or drugs but it is certainly just as important." Ranking Member Randy Neugebauer (R-Texas) stated "Since the transfer of inspection responsibilities to Homeland Security, we have seen firsthand the subpar performance." Neugebauer further noted that if DHS cannot improve their performance in this arena " . . . this Committee has a responsibility to the American people to make sure agriculture is fully protected." (Contact: Bob Ehart or Jennifer Yezak)
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Senate Finance Panel Approves Agriculture Tax Measures
Published: October 09, 2007
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) last week led the panel in a 17 to 4 vote approving the “Heartland, Habitat, Harvest, and Horticulture Act of 2007.” The fully-offset “4-H Bill”--totaling almost $16 billion--will create a trust fund to help ranchers and farmers hurt by crop and livestock losses, convert a number of conservation payment programs into fully-offset tax credit programs, and offer additional incentives for rural economic development and energy-related tax relief to aid agricultural producers. Creating the disaster assistance trust fund and converting payment programs to tax credits will free up previously obligated spending funds for the Agriculture Committee to use elsewhere in farm bill spending.
“This disaster assistance, tax relief, and timely energy incentives will provide a much needed boost to American agriculture and greater security to our hardworking agricultural producers,” said Baucus. “Whether it’s getting a few more dollars in their pockets, rewarding their conservation of American lands, or making sure that one disaster won’t force them to sell the family farm, this package is good for producers in my home state of Montana and across the country.”
A summary of the package, noting provisions changed to the original Chairman’s mark can be located at http://finance.senate.gov/press/Bpress/2007press/prb100407a.pdf . A description of amendments approved at the markup –including the Baucus amendment providing the bulk of the bill’s offset through codification of economic substance, and approximately $1 billion in additional paid-for provisions proposed by Finance Committee members--is also described on the committee’s website.
Among the highlights is a Permanent Agricultural Disaster Assistance Trust Fund. Currently, farmers and ranchers may have to wait years to receive assistance from Congress for agricultural disasters. Farmers and ranchers need to know that when weather related disasters strike, a dependable safety net exists. The proposal creates a trust fund for disaster relief that would cover the “shallow losses” not covered by crop insurance. The proposal requires farmers and ranchers to purchase crop insurance in order to be eligible for disaster assistance. The trust fund will be funded through allocation of tariffs. Cost of the provision in the modification to the Chairman’s mark is $5.1 billion over five and ten years.
In addition, a new program is included in which USDA will conduct early pest detection and surveillance activities in coordination with state departments of agriculture, will prioritize and create action plans to address pest and disease threats to specialty crops, and will create an audit based certification approach to protect against the spread of plant pests which could cause crop losses.
News reports indicate that the next step in the Senate farm bill process is the Senate Agriculture Committee’s mark up scheduled for October 23. (Contact: Jennifer Yezak)
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Maryland Agriculture Officials Announce Nutrient Management Progress Enforcement to Ramp Up
Published: October 09, 2007
Now that 95 percent of the state's eligible farmers are under nutrient management plans, the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) is now focusing its efforts to bring the remaining 300 farmers who do not have plans into compliance. In addition, MDA will increase on-farm implementation inspections, and ramp up enforcement actions, against those who are found to be out of compliance.
Ninety-seven percent of the state's 1.3 million acres of crop land and 95 percent of the state's 6,300 eligible farmers are complying with the state's nutrient management law, the Water Quality Improvement Act of 1998.
"Maryland farmers are on board and complying with the nutrient management law," said Maryland Agriculture Secretary Roger Richardson. "We have used an implementation protocol phasing in regulations, by initially focusing education, technical assistance, and available staffing resources to bring all farmers into compliance. We are now at the point where a stronger level of enforcement is necessary to assure that all farmers are complying and the environmental objectives of the law are met."
To date, more than 1,600 first notices and 230 warning letters have been sent to noncompliant farmers as required by the law. As a result, most farmers notified have submitted plans. For those who continue to resist, MDA has sent 31 charge letters and issued two fines. In one case, the farmer paid the fine and got a nutrient management plan. In the other case, MDA took legal action and on July 13, 2007, Administrative Law Judge Mary Shock issued a fine and corrective instructions to Washington County livestock farmer, D. Lynn Flook (OAH no: MDA-NMP-40-07-11355). Both fines were $350, the maximum first-time fine allowable by the law.
"While we don't enjoy issuing penalties, as a regulatory agency it is our responsibility to make sure that we do everything we can to see that laws are followed," said Richardson. "It is time and only fair to the thousands of farmers who are in compliance with the law that we actively pursue violators of the nutrient management law."
Nutrient management plans are science-based documents that help farmers manage crop nutrients and animal waste more efficiently in order to protect water quality in streams, rivers and the Chesapeake Bay. All farmers grossing $2,500 a year or more or livestock producers with 8,000 pounds or more of live animal weight are required by law to run their operations using a nutrient management plan that addresses both nitrogen and phosphorus inputs.
The Nutrient Management Advisory Committee, which advises the Secretary of Agriculture on programs and policy related to the Water Quality Improvement Act, recently endorsed a Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) proposal to ramp up enforcement to assure compliance including amendments to the law to increase penalties and fines.
MDA's six nutrient management specialists began on-farm compliance inspections in January 2006. Last calendar year, MDA staff conducted 340 inspections to insure that farmers' nutrient application records and receipts along with a visual spot check of their operation are in line with their nutrient management plan. This year, MDA will conduct 600 (or about 10 percent) on-farm nutrient management inspections. These are being targeted to address a risk-based sampling of farms. Forty percent will be of animal operations and those using biosolids.
MDA also is working with the Maryland Department of the Environment to move forward with state regulations to address concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFOs) regulations in the absence of any from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
In addition to and as part of their nutrient management planning, since 1985, farmers have shown their interest and willingness to help restore the Chesapeake Bay and the state's other waterways by spending more than $11 million of their own money to match about $90 million in state water quality cost share funds to install more than 21,000 "best management practices (BMPs)"--that is almost three per day every day of the year. Examples of the 30 BMPs eligible to receive state cost share include manure storage structures, watering troughs, and fencing to keep livestock out of streams. Farmers who are not in compliance with the nutrient management law are prohibited from receiving MDA funding.
According to the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program figures, these BMPs and others such as cover crops, have resulted in a significant achievement of Maryland's 2005 Tributary Strategy goals for agriculture. Since 1985, Maryland agriculture has achieved 54 percent nitrogen reduction, 70 percent phosphorus reduction; and 54 percent sediment reduction.
For more information about the nutrient management program, agricultural best management practices and tributary strategy progress, log onto http://www.mda.state.md.us/resource_conservation/trib_strategies/index.php. For information about all tributary strategies, log onto the newly launched BayStat website, http://www.baystat.maryland.gov. (Contact: Sue duPont, (410) 841-5889)
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VDACS Creates The Specialty Food Advisory Committee
Published: October 09, 2007
Virginia Agriculture Commissioner Todd P. Haymore recently created a Specialty Food Advisory Committee (SFAV). He also appointed 11 members to serve on the Committee. The group, which will work with and advise VDACS on the marketing and promotion of Virginia's specialty food industry, held its first meeting September 19, 2007.
The Advisory Committee is composed of eleven voting members who are knowledgeable about specialty food issues in Virginia. Members represent retailers, the Food Science Department at Virginia Tech, and specialty food processors. One member is an at-large member who is an advocate for the specialty food industry. Members will advise VDACS regarding specialty food programs and will assist VDACS' Division of Marketing in the growth of the Specialty Food Industry in Virginia. The Committee also will plan an annual educational conference with the support of the Virginia Food and Beverage Association.
The Committee will meet at least three times annually. It has two standing subcommittees. The Conference Committee will plan and execute an annual educational conference, recall workshops, safety workshops, and other educational opportunities. The Communication Committee is charged with communicating to the Specialty Food Industry the programs and development of the industry. The committee will develop a scholarship program for one Virginia Tech student each year to write and produce a quarterly newsletter for the industry.
For more information on the Specialty Food Advisory Committee, contact Chair Willis Logan at (434) 985-2834 or wlogan@vawineclub.com or contact VDACS' Division of Marketing at (804) 786-3530.
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