NASDA News May 2, 2008

2008 GLOBAL FOOD & STYLE EXPO SHINES FOR EXHIBITORS AND BUYERS IN CHICAGO
Published: May 02, 2008

       The 2008 Global Food & Style Expo, held April 27 to 29 at Chicago's McCormick Place, was a resounding success with more than 12,000 attendees, especially domestic and international buyers, visiting over 800 exhibitors representing more than 56,000 of the world's most innovative, trend-setting food, and lifestyle products.
       The 2008 Global Food & Style Expo comprised three distinct events: NASDA's U.S. Food Export Showcase; the Organic Trade Association's All Things Organic Conference & Trade Show; and the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade (NASFT) Spring Fancy Food Show.
       During the April 28 keynote panel discussion titled, "Retail Relevance in Uncertain Times," Lynn Dornblaser of Mintel International offered positive news for the specialty products industry. "The last time there was a recession, the gourmet food industry did quite well. Taste is still everything. That puts gourmet and organic products all in a very good spot."
       Many exhibitors were small- to mid-sized entrepreneurial businesses passionate about their high-quality products ranging from food to personal care, green packaging, clothing and home textiles, as well as a variety of services that support the specialty foods and organic products industries. Exhibitors from larger companies represented those tapping into key trends that are shaping consumer product choices in the marketplace.
       Attendees, primarily large and small retail and food service buyers as well as buyers from around the world, appreciated the diversity and innovation of the Expo's offerings. 
       "The All Things Organic Conference and Trade Show is a great place to present our fair trade and organic sweeteners to very well targeted retailers and other members of the organic industry who are concerned about environmental issues and social responsibility," said Pauline McKee, marketing director of Wholesome Sweeteners, based in Texas.
       Rebecca Erde, national sales and marketing director for Caf‚ Jarabacoa, an NASFT exhibitor based in Englewood, Colo., termed the Expo a success for her company, an importer of specialty coffee from the Dominican Republic. "It is a fun and friendly atmosphere," she says. "You can spend a lot of time with people and give them samples and have coffee talk. I can touch all their senses, which I can't do over the phone."
       U.S. Food Export Showcase exhibitor Mike Solomon, owner of the Yohay Baking Company, said, "The quality of attendees is up. The real customers are here. The people who are here are buying." 
       "We use the show as a meeting place for key customers and we've been successful in making deals here," said U.S. Food Expo Showcase exhibitor Kyle O'Brien, vice president of sales, Chobani Greek Yogurt, New Berlin, N.Y.
       In addition to the trade show, the 2008 Global Food & Style Expo featured nearly 50 workshops, seminars, product tastings, culinary demonstrations, tours and networking events. The program included keynote speeches by culinary luminary Bobby Flay, and branding expert John Moore. It is America's largest display of export-ready, specialty, ethnic and organic products with exhibitors, buyers and delegates representing more than 100 countries who are ready to expand their role in the global market. For more information on the 2008 Global Food & Style Expo, visit http://www.globalfoodandstyleexpo.com/. For information about NASDA's trade shows, visit http://www.nasdatradeshows.org/. (Contact: Dewitt Ashby or Megan McDonald)

JOHNSON TESTIFIES ON RAILROAD COMPETITION FOR AGRICULTURE
Published: May 02, 2008

       NASDA President and North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson testified at an April 24 hearing held by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB) on railroad competition and transportation challenges for the agricultural sector. The hearing focused on the common carrier obligation of railroads and several state government officials, grain shippers, and agricultural organizations also testified. 
       Johnson emphasized that rail transportation is a critical component to the agriculture industry, but lack of competition among the railroads has resulted in unreasonably high rates and unreliable service for agricultural producers. He said that greater federal oversight of railroad rates and services is urgently needed, especially when competition is absent. 
       Johnson told federal regulators that producers in North Dakota and other Midwestern states bear the brunt of monopolistic rail practices, such as captive rates and fuel surcharges, as well as rail line abandonment. He was especially critical of the practice of placing overpriced rail cars up for bid to shippers, citing the 2005 example of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe's suspension of nearly all railcar ordering for upcoming harvest months. As a result, bids were more than $400 over tariff. 
       During the hearing, Johnson also said the railroads are discriminating against intermodal shippers of agricultural commodities. The demand for container shipping of agricultural products is dramatically increasing, due in large part to the worldwide demand for identity-preserved commodities. Johnson noted that high rail rates deter further inland rail shipping of the containerized imports. Often, the containers are unloaded at coastal ports for domestic distribution, further exacerbating serious container shortages in the Midwest.
       Earlier this year, NASDA sent letters to Congress expressing support for legislation in the House and Senate that would address some of the rail competition and service concerns.   (Contact: Charlie Ingram)

LAWMAKERS URGE ACTION ON GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS
Published: May 02, 2008

       Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Bob Casey (D-Pa.) held a press conference April 28 and linked the growing food crisis to national and global security. The lawmakers urged the President to immediately increase U.S. food aid to $550 million. 
       Durbin said this is the worst food crisis in more than thirty years and with food prices soaring, millions of the world's poor risk deprivation and starvation--many of them children. He said feeding the hungry is no longer just a moral issue but one of global security. Casey said the global food crisis now risks creating a series of failed states as anger at inadequate food stocks spur riots and political instability. He believes U.S. funding needs to be increased in the short-term, but we also need to look at more long-term solutions to help nations respond to skyrocketing prices. Casey and six other lawmakers sent a letter to Senate appropriators last month advocating an expansion of emergency funds. 
       On April 22, Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wisc.) spoke on the Senate floor about the importance of boosting international food aid in the wake of the growing world hunger crisis. Kohl is chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture and Rural Development. He said that unless Congress acts, thousands of people will die and an increasing number of societies and nations will be at risk. (Contact: Charlie Ingram)

HOUSE PANEL REVIEWS NEW FOOD SAFETY LEGISLATION
Published: May 02, 2008

       The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health held the first of a series of hearings on April 24 on comprehensive legislation to ensure the safety of the nation's food, drug, medical device and cosmetic supply. The draft bill would give the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) more funding and authority to address a number of food safety issues, including labeling, recalls, testing, and imports (see April 22 NASDA News story). 
       The Health Subcommittee is chaired by Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) who expressed concern about recent food recalls and declining consumer confidence about food safety. All of the lawmakers agreed that FDA needed more resources, money and manpower, but many disagreed on specific proposals in the legislation dealing with user fees and port-of-entry restrictions. Some lawmakers are concerned that port-of-entry inspection requirements would mean some states would have to further ship imported foods to other states for testing, which would add additional costs. Food industry representatives who testified expressed concerned that proposed user fees would cause an increase in food prices and place a heavier burden on consumers. (Contact: Charlie Ingram) 

SENATORS INTRODUCE AGRICULTURAL PEST BILL
Published: May 02, 2008

       Sens. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) have introduced legislation (S. 2906) to help decrease the risk of accidentally importing invasive pests or diseases. The Agriculture Smart Trade Act would ensure there is a plan to prevent invasive species from getting into the U.S. and aims to provide some assurance that the U.S. won't face unjustified trade barriers once a trade agreement is in place. 
       The Agriculture Smart Trade Act would require the administration within ninety days of starting formal negotiations with a potential trade partner, to send a report to Congress detailing potential invasive pests and disease that could pose a risk to U.S. agriculture. The bill also requires the administration to disclose in the same report all sanitary and photosanitary trade barriers that could unduly restrict export markets for American commodities. (Contact: Charlie Ingram)

FAS, NASDA AND NMS LAUNCH NEW IT SYSTEM TO DISTRIBUTE TRADE LEADS FROM FAS COUNTRY OFFICES DIRECTLY TO STATE DEPARTMENTS OF AGRICULTURE AND STATE REGIONAL TRADE GROUPS
Published: May 02, 2008

       NASDA and New Media Solutions, Inc. (NMS) has announced the release of a new web-based, "back-office" IT system that will allow Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) field offices to disseminate agricultural trade leads originating from foreign buyers directly to key contacts at state departments of agriculture and state regional trade groups (SRTGs) for export opportunity review. The features of the system were on display at the U.S. Food Export Showcase during the Global Food Fair Tradeshow in Chicago from April 27 to 29, 2008.   
       The trade lead system is a component of a larger IT deliverable created by NASDA and NMS for FAS whereby FAS field offices and state co-operator groups have their own private, password-controlled interfaces that allow for customized access to managed foreign buyer and U.S. supplier databases and an integrated suite of web-based applications and services that facilitate improved marketing and communication with buyers as well as knowledge-sharing among U.S. agricultural co-operator groups.
       "This new system will allow FAS field offices to stream business opportunities directly to state departments of agriculture and SRTGs, but will protect the identity of the buyer and leave the ultimate control over the trade lead opportunity in the hands of the field office. The system also engages the states and regional trade groups to participate in the process of managing U.S. supplier data integrity which will improve the quality of the business opportunity and will facilitate the ability to track the overall success of each export opportunity generated through the system," according to DeWitt Ashby, project manager and NASDA's director of trade shows. "This system brings the stakeholders together in a private, real time deliverable that will facilitate and track U.S. agricultural export opportunity to improve agricultural export success for U.S. suppliers," Ashby maintains. (Contact: DeWitt Ashby)

FDA ISSUES FINAL "BSE" FEED RULES
Published: May 02, 2008

       The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a final regulation barring certain cattle materials from all animal feed including pet food. The final rule further protects animals and consumers against bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, also known as "mad cow disease").  
       FDA originally published a proposed rule in October 2005 to strengthen U.S. policy and to reduce the risk of BSE. The final rule was published in the April 25 Federal Register. It will become effective a year from now on April 27, 2009, to allow the livestock, meat, rendering, and feed industries time to adapt their practices to comply with the new regulation. 
       In an expansion of the 1997 feed rule, the new rule prohibits the following in animal feed: all cattle over 30 months "not inspected and passed for human consumption" unless: 1) the cattle are less than 30 months of age; or 2) the brains and spinal cords were effectively removed or excluded from animal feed use. FDA is not prohibiting the use of blood and blood products in animal feed because the agency indicated in the rule that it believes such a prohibition would do very little to reduce the risk of BSE transmission. The 144-page rule is available online at www.fda.gov/OHRMS/DOCKETS/98fr/FDA-2002-N-0031-nfr.pdf. (Contact: Bob Ehart)

FBI SAYS VIGILANCE OVER U.S. FOOD SUPPLY REMAINS HIGH PRIORITY
Published: May 02, 2008

       Jenifer Smith, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) section chief, indicated at the third annual International Symposium on Agroterrorism, that constant vigilance is needed to keep the U.S. food supply safe. She noted that keeping out diseases from U.S. crops and livestock is the number one priority for her division of the FBI.
       Smith emphasized that the agency realizes that an act of terrorism could come at any point in the agricultural production cycle. She said that people expect safe food and that food production is of high value to the U.S. economy. For example, commodities such as cattle, poultry, dairy, hogs and crops contributed approximately $160 billion to the economy in 2004. International trade is directly affected by the absence of disease in any commodity. She also identified anti-biotechnical groups, such as the Earth Liberation Front, and animal rights extremist groups, such as the Animal Liberation Front, in addition to lesser-known domestic extremist groups have histories of attacking scientific facilities, production facilities and even restaurants. Because preemption is a better alternative, the FBI is using the Patriot Act to clamp down on these groups to deter terrorist attacks in the U.S. and abroad. Just because no threat to the U.S. food supply has currently been articulated doesn't mean one isn't being planned. Smith reiterated that "constant vigilance" is key. (Contact: Bob Ehart)

JOHNSON UNVEILS N.D. ENDANGERED SPECIES PROGRAM
Published: May 02, 2008

       Public comment is wanted on a new program that gives North Dakota a voice in the administration of the federal endangered species program in the state. "The North Dakota Endangered Species Protection Plan for Pesticides is our 'seat at the table' as the Environmental Protection Agency develops and implements possible restrictions on pesticide usage to better protect threatened and endangered species," said North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson, who unveiled the new program at a Thursday press conference. 
       Johnson said the 30-day comment period on the program extends to June 1. "The comment period is not required by law, but we want to give all interested persons and organizations - farmers, ranchers, environmentalists, pesticide dealers and applicators and others - the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the program and to tell us how it can be improved," he said.
       The North Dakota Endangered Species Protection Plan for Pesticides can be found on the North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA) website at http://www.agdepartment.com. Comments should be sent to Endangered Species Program, North Dakota Department of Agriculture, 600 E. Boulevard Ave., Dept. 602, Bismarck, N.D. or contact Jessica Orr at jnorr@nd.gov or 701/328-2980. 
       Johnson explained that EPA is now required to more thoroughly assess the risk of pesticides to threatened and endangered species. When a significant risk is identified, EPA will reduce that risk through changes to the pesticide labeling or through county bulletins that restrict the use of particular pesticides in specific areas.
       "The new program makes the Department of Agriculture the principal source of information and recommendations for EPA to use as the agency considers changes to pesticide labeling and the establishment of county bulletins," Johnson said. 
       The North Dakota plan proposes that the NDDA supply EPA with certain types of data, including pesticides usage in different areas of the state, cropping information, environmental monitoring data, soil types and information on the distribution and biology of North Dakota threatened and endangered species. The plan also proposes that NDDA provide recommendations on label language and strategies to mitigate the risk of pesticides to endangered species.
       The state program was developed by Jessica Orr, NDDA's environmental scientist, and Jim Gray, the department's feed, fertilizer and pesticide team leader.
       North Dakota currently has seven threatened and endangered species (see attached list).
       Johnson said development of the program was made possible by legislators who recognized the need for state involvement in the endangered species program. "Senators Terry Wanzek, Randy Christmann and Jerry Klein and Reps. Chet Pollert, Phil Mueller and Dennis Johnson saw the need for the program and worked hard to get funding for it," Johnson said. 
       Johnson said several agricultural organizations, notably the North Dakota Agricultural Association, the North Dakota Grain Growers Association, the North Dakota Weed Control Association and the North Dakota Farm Bureau, also supported the program development.
       Johnson said the EPA officials have seen the draft of the program and have encouraged NDDA to move forward on the project.
       "Regional EPA officials in Denver are enthusiastic about this draft, and I am confident that after the comments are received and the final draft completed, the program will be accepted," he said.
       Washington is the only state to have a state endangered species program in place. 
       Endangered species in North Dakota, as determined by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, include the following: Least tern (Sterna antillarum); Piping plover (Charadrius melodus); Whooping crane (Grus americana); Black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes); Gray wolf (Canis lupus); Pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus); Western prairie fringed orchid (Platanthera praeclara). 
       Three other species--a butterfly called the Dakota skipper (Hesperia dacotae), the greater prairie chicken (Tympanuchus cupido) and the greater sage grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) are under consideration or have been mentioned as possibilities for the North Dakota list.   (Contact: Ted Quanrud, 701/328-2233)

DELAWARE NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT PROGRESS ANNOUNCED
Published: May 02, 2008

       The Delaware Nutrient Management Commission, state agencies, the University of Delaware, Delmarva Poultry companies, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service have announced significant progress made in their cooperative efforts to improve Delaware's water quality and other environmental initiatives. According to Bill Vanderwende, chairman of the Nutrient Management Commission, progress has been made in reductions in phosphorous in poultry litter, nutrient management certification and continuing education, and the overall nutrient mass balance in the State of Delaware. 
       Delaware Agriculture Secretary Michael Scuse spoke about the Delaware way of problem solving and thanked all the partners who have participated in building a successful nutrient management program. Scuse said, "As the Minner administration moves through its final year, I know that I can speak for Governor Minner and say that the accomplishments detailed here today represent some of our finest hours in the pursuit of environmental quality for a more Livable Delaware."
       "The agricultural industry deserves credit for the nutrient load reductions that have been realized from various best management practices," said John A. Hughes, secretary of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. "We're happy to provide funding for the practices implemented by the agricultural community, which, in addition to being extraordinarily successful, are very cost-effective compared to other ways of reducing nutrient loads to our environment."
       In an overview of the 2007 Nutrient Management Annual Report, Bill Rohrer, program administrator, outlined the strategic elements needed to implement the Nutrient Management Law, including comprehensive education of nutrient handlers by certification, public and private nutrient consultants to assist in nutrient management plan development, alternative use projects for surplus poultry litter and compliance assistance. Among the 2007 Program accomplishments Rohrer noted are the following:
       * 92,157 tons of excess poultry litter was relocated to alternative use projects; 
       * 355,984 acres of nutrient applied farmland was managed under a current nutrient management plan with assistance from the program; 
       * Allen's, Mountaire, and Perdue poultry companies provided compliance assistance to contracted growers by funding, environmental assessments, alternatives for poultry litter and more;
       * The program resolved forty four nutrient management compliance complaints with only one resulting in an enforcement and penalty action;
       * Twelve farms managed under an EPA CAFO permit administered by the Nutrient Management Program; 
       Presentations and other nutrient management information can be found under Hot Topics on the DDA website: http://www.dda.delaware.gov. (Contact: Anne Fitzgerald, 302/698-4520)

SCDA LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE, WWW.AGRICULTURE.SC.GOV
Published: May 02, 2008

       South Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Hugh Weathers and the South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA) pleased to announce that SCDA's website has moved to http://www.agriculture.sc.gov. 
       If you drive a car, own a pet, plant a garden, or eat even one meal a day, then you depend on your South Carolina Department of Agriculture's programs and services. SCDA hopes that consumers and farmers will find the new site not only more graphically attractive and user-friendly, but that they will find information relative to all their needs--from checking the accuracy of fuel dispensers to analyzing the purity of seeds. Where else can farmers check the market news, the local weather, and join the Certified SC Grown program all with a click of a mouse? Consumers can also point and click to information on food recalls, the location of nearby Certified Roadside Markets, recipes, and gardening tips through quick links to Clemson's Home and Garden Center and Gardening123.   
       Everyone can still subscribe to and advertise in the Market Bulletin by mail, email, or fax, but now they can also subscribe and advertise through an online process. It's as easy as 1-2-3. Just follow directions at the Market Bulletin section on the site or call our Market Bulletin staff at 803/734-2536 and they'll assist in the process. So with all this available in one place, bookmark the new site for future reference.
       For more information about the South Carolina Department of Agriculture, visit http://www.agriculture.sc.gov or call 803/734-2210. (Contact: Becky Walton, 803/734-2182)