November 28

Justice Withdraws Appeal; PLC Pleased. The Public Lands Council (PLC) has expressed its support of a Department of Justice decision to withdraw its appeal of a pivotal decision protecting western ranchers' privacy. On Nov. 21, the Department of Justice filed a motion to withdraw its appeal of a New Mexico district judge's ruling that the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) violated the Freedom of Information Act and the Forest Service's own regulations. 

Mexican Meat Plants Delisted.  USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has notified Mexican meat inspection authorities that effective Tuesday (Nov. 27) it temporarily was delisting three Mexican federally inspected plants -- TIF Establishments 105, 111 and 152 -- an action that prevents the plants from shipping products to the United States. 

Senate Bill Establishes Conservation Security Program.  The farm bill approved by the Senate Agriculture Committee establishes a conservation incentive program that provides payments to producers who adopt or maintain conservation practices on lands in production. The practices are aimed at improving and protecting natural resources including soil, water, air and wildlife habitat. Additional goals include practices that lead to sound management of invasive species, enhancement of carbon sequestration, and wetland enhancement or restoration. 

Administration Farm Bill Comments Expected.  REUTERS reports that President Bush and Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman are expected to comment today on trade and agriculture legislation pending in Congress, according to administration officials. If so, the remarks will coincide with floor debate in the Senate on the farm bill and in the House where trade promotion authority comes to the floor next week. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle listed the farm bill Tuesday as the second or third item for action this week. On Dec. 6, the House is scheduled to vote on the controversial trade promotion authority bill that would give Bush authority to negotiate trade pacts with foreign countries that could not be amended by Congress. Instead, the House and Senate would only approve or disapprove those agreements. During a speech scheduled for today to the annual Farm Journal Forum, Bush is expected to discuss trade, agriculture and the economic stimulus bill under discussion in Congress, a White House spokeswoman said. 

Thais Need Better Ethanol Supply Management. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL reports that private companies in Thailand have not received government approval of applications to build more ethanol plants. Better raw material supply management is needed first, according to government officials. Eighteen 18 companies have applied to build ethanol plants in Thailand following the government's plan to promote ethanol as an alternative fuel in Thailand, Damri Sukhotanang, director-general of the Office of Industrial Economics, told Dow Jones Newswires. Another committee official said the government needs to ensure there is a ready, cost-effective supply of raw material for the plants before approving the projects. Consequently, the country's energy body, the National Energy Policy Committee, has asked the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry to ensure crop cultivation management exists to support the ethanol projects, the official said. 

Human Pesticide Tests May Be Allowed for Regulations.  THE WALL STREET JOURNAL reports the Bush administration may allow data from human testing of toxic pesticides to be included in regulatory decisions. That would be counter to the decision of a Clinton administration scientific advisory panel, according to today's editions of THE NEW YORK TIMES, the Journal reports. The agricultural and pesticide industries prefer to use human subjects because such experiments yield more precise measurements of human tolerance than animal test-based extrapolations, the Times wrote. Critics say that allowing human-testing data would violate the Nuremberg Code adopted after World War II, according to the Times. In addition, opponents say the Environmental Protection Agency is being pushed by the pesticide industry for commercial gain, which they contend isn't reason enough for allowing humans to swallow known poisons, even if they are paid. 

Milk Same from Cloned Holsteins.  Infigen,Inc., has told the National Academy of Sciences' National Research Council that a preliminary analysis has determined that milk from cloned Holstein cows is identical to milk from non-cloned cows and is safe for human consumption. Results of the study will be published in a peer reviewed scientific journal in the first half of 2002. Infigen is a privately-held biotechnology company combining genomics and reproduction technologies to advance human health. The company also presented material to a NAS scientific meeting this week that showed that nuclear transfer-based cloning at Infigen has been found to produce cows and pigs with normal health and genetic characteristics, based on a four-year-long study that has followed these animals into adulthood. Infigen claims the study is the largest of its kind to date, and included nearly 120 live calves, and more than 50 piglets derived from unique non-embryonic derived (somatic) cell lines. 

Another Ethanol Record Set.  The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) reports that the U.S. ethanol industry set an all-time monthly production record in October. The ethanol industry produced more than 121,000 barrels per day (b/d) in October. The previous all-time record was set in February of this year at 116,000 b/d, and was tied this September, according to revised data released today. Production was up nearly 10% over last October when 111,000 b/d of ethanol were produced. The ethanol industry is on pace to produce an annual record of 1.8 billion gallons in 2001. The ethanol industry will also set a new capacity expansion record this year. There are 16 ethanol plants under construction totaling more than 400 million gallons of annual capacity and 57 plants in operation. Dozens of additional plants are in varying stages of development. 

EU Faces Need for Radical Farm Budget Changes.  REUTERS reports from Brussels that the European Union farm budget can handle new members scheduled to join in 2004, but radical changes will be needed after 2006 when the current reform deal expires, former Irish Prime Minister John Bruton said on Tuesday. Bruton, who heads a panel looking at reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), a Brussels think-tank, said farm negotiations with new members should not be influenced by a policy review planned for next year. "We don't see the mid-term review outcome, or indeed the lack of an outcome, becoming an obstacle to enlargement in 2004," Bruton told REUERS. "But we do recognise enlargement in 2004 is going to make a big difference to negotiations of what will happen post-2006." Under the EU's Agenda 2000 deal, agreed at a summit in Berlin in 1999, farm spending was fixed at around 40 billion euros a year until 2006, price cuts were introduced for cereals and beef, and direct payments to farmers were increased. It also called for a mid-term review of policy in 2002. 

November 27

Pilot Hog Insurance Program Approved.  USDA's Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) approved two pilot insurance programs for Iowa swine producers to protect them from lower hog prices. The new programs, which will begin in 2002, were authorized under the Agriculture Risk Protection Act of 2000 (ARPA). 

FAO Primer on Anthrax.  Animal anthrax has been found in the livestock population of both the United States and Afghanistan, in addition to 46 other countries, according to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations. Of 48 countries with confirmed cases of animal anthrax in 2000, 36 were developing nations, and a further six or seven were transition economies. 

Grange Wants Acquisition Studied.  REUTERS reports that the National Grange has asked Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) to make sure the committee "does its homework" regarding Nestle SA's plan to acquire pet food maker Ralston Purina Co. The Grange, in a letter to Leahy, said antitrust enforcers should be skeptical in approaching the acquisition, because it would give Nestle "monopoly buying power," allowing it to dictate prices to farmers who supply ingredients. "It is the view of the National Grange that the Nestle-Ralston Purina merger will only exacerbate existing market conditions that make survival difficult for our nation's family farmers," the organization's president, Kermit Richardson, said in the letter dated Nov. 21. The Nestle-Ralston deal has been under investigation since the two companies proposed the merger in January. Representatives of the companies could not be reached for comment, REUTERS wrote. 

Cuba in U.S. Market Again This Week. REUTERS reports that the Cuban government was expected to buy more U.S. food products this week. Executives of major poultry producers have headed to Havana, following last week's purchases valued at around $20 million, a group that tracks U.S.-Cuba trade relations said on Monday. "Representatives from Gold Kist, Tyson Foods, Perdue Farms, and ConAgra Foods Inc., among others, will be in Cuba for talks with state food importer Alimport," John Kavulich, head of the New York-based U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council, told REUTERS in a phone interview. Alimport last week hosted representatives from agribusiness firms Archer-Daniels-Midland Co., Cargill Inc., and Riceland Foods, Inc. among others, signing contracts to purchase wheat, corn, rice, soy, and vegetable oil. Trade between the United States and Cuba was halted in 1962. Cuba turned down a U.S. offer of aid but sought to buy U.S. food on an emergency basis after being devastated by Hurricane Michelle earlier this month. The purchases were possible since Washington eased its embargo last year to allow cash sales of food and medicines to Havana. 

WTO Must Make Progress to Succeed. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS reports that trade ministers from New Zealand and Singapore believe the World Trade Organization will have to make significant progress on agriculture trade rules before their next ministerial meeting if they want to create a massive free trade zone. Singapore Minister of Trade and Industry George Yeo and New Zealand Trade Negotiations Minister Jim Sutton both said officials would have to tackle agriculture before other issues like competition, services and investment. Yeo said there must be "agricultural progress" to convince developing countries to "come along" on the WTO's mission of completing negotiations by 2005. He said the next ministerial level meeting would be held in two years. 

Taiwan's Grain Importers Bide Time. REUTERS reports that Taiwan's grain importers, trying to be ready for a realignment in the island's agricultural sector after entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO), are "treading cautiously over future demand, leaving behind a subdued market." Taiwan's feed millers, who have completed supply deals for 2001, could hold off buying for next year until the impact of cheaper meat imports on changing consumption patterns becomes clearer, traders said Monday. "It's difficult to predict future consumption with the impact from WTO still unknown," said one trader at a foreign grain trading house. Adding to the depressed market is the approaching Chinese New Year which falls in February when pork and poultry stocks will be reduced considerably as Taiwan prepares for the most important holiday of the year, they said. "Months or weeks before the Lunar New Year, feed demand will begin to decrease as the market prepares for the holiday," said an executive with the procurement department of feed maker Sino-Japan International Group (1212.TW). 

November 26

Risk Management Grants Distributed.  USDA has awarded $4.8 million in grants to carry out a comprehensive risk management education program for farmers. Proposals were accepted from public and private entities including colleges and universities; federal, state, and local agencies; non-profit and for-profit organizations; and others. All grants were competitive and awarded based on merit. 

EWG Database Ploy to Kill Farm Bill.  An American Farm Bureau Federation official believes a recent report from the Environmental Working Group is designed to put farmers on the defensive and kill the House farm bill. The EWG has published a database of federal payments to farmers from 1996-2000. 

High Mark by Consumers for Food Safety.  Consumers give the U.S. food supply a B-plus for safety, according to a national consumer poll conducted on behalf of the Cattlemen's Beef Board by the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA). That's the same grade received by beef steaks and roasts, according to the poll. U.S. consumers are, however, moderately concerned about the food supply's vulnerability to terrorist attack, the checkoff-funded poll found. 

Premium-Continental Settle Violations.   The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Justice Department announced that two related companies, Premium Standard Farms (PSF) and Continental Grain Company, which together comprise the second largest producer of hogs in the United States, have entered into a settlement to resolve environmental violations at the companies' large-scale farms (concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs), in Missouri. The settlement was reached with the United States and the Citizens Legal Environmental Action Network (CLEAN), a citizens group. 

Post Says Democrats Fail Farm Bill ‘Character' Test. THE WASHINGTON POST criticizes Democrats for touting their concerns for the poor but failing the "character test" that the farm bill offered. Instead of allocating a larger chunk of money for nutrition programs and food stamps, the House opted for a "hopelessly retrograde reauthorization of the federal farm programs." Only 5%, or about $3.6 billion, goes to nutrition programs and the rest to farmers, "but not, it turns out, needy farmers." Most of the funds would to go "the largest producers of just a few basic crops." The Senate farm bill started out in a more desirable direction, at least for the Post, but Democrats "choked on" giving more money to nutrition and food stamps than the House. "They want to maximize farm supports ... and that meant less left over to feed poor people." Sen. Richard Lugar's bill, which will be offered again on the floor after being defeated in committee, "would do far more than the Democrats' proposal to benefit the poor." Lugar is an Indiana Republican. 

Japan Will Slaughter 5,000 Cows. REUTERS reports that Japan's Agriculture Ministry will slaughter all the 5,000 or so cows that were fed meat-and-bone meal (MBM). The meal is suspected to have caused the outbreak of mad-cow disease in Japan and elsewhere. Japan last week confirmed a second case of the brain-wasting disease, formally known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). According to the farm ministry's survey in September, about 5,129 cows had been fed MBM. Japan banned all MBM imports and the use of MBM as feed in early last month because infected meal was suspected to be the source of the disease. Owners agreed to sell the cattle to the government, Junshi Umetsu, an official with the ministry's livestock division, told reporters. Of the total, some 300 head were beef cattle and the remaining were dairy cows. Umetsu said the slaughter of dairy cows would take some time, since they would not be killed until they stop producing milk. Milk products from diseased cows are believed to be safe for consumption. 

Thai Farmers Seek Halt to U.S. Rice Research. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS reports that rice farmers in Thailand have urged Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to find a way to stop U.S. research on developing a new strain of jasmine, Thailand's most famous fragrant rice. Jasmine growers feel that a new strain, capable of flourishing in temperate climate, would hurt their livelihoods by competing with their product. About one-fourth of Thailand's rice exports, projected to total 7.1 million tons worth about $1.91 billion this year, are jasmine rice, which is more expensive that normal rice. Thailand is the world's largest rice exporter. Thaksin will meet with President Bush in Washington during a Dec. 13-17 trip to the United States to discuss political, economic and military issues. "We support the prime minister's visit which is aimed to benefit Thailand. It's an opportunity to voice our concerns to the American people," said Vitoon Boonchado, chairman of Tung Kula Ronghai Network, the country's biggest organized group of jasmine rice farmers. 

Japan Lifts Ban on U.S. Poultry.  KYODO NEWS reports that Japan's agriculture ministry has lifted a ban on imports of poultry meat from the United States 13 days after its imposition. Chickens on a Connecticut farm that were found to be infected with a rare and possibly fatal virus led to the ban. U.S. agricultural officials in the northeastern state ordered 16,000 chickens destroyed after avian influenza was detected on a chicken farm on Nov.5. Avian influenza, while not posing a risk to humans, is known to result in high mortality rates among bird species and is designated a viral disease in Japan. No incidence of the disease has been reported in Japan, however, since 1926. Last year, Japan imported 87,000 tons of chicken meat from the United States. 

NASDA Finds Bioterrorism Potential.  REUTERS reports that inadequate federal funding has left federal animal health programs outdated, understaffed and ill-prepared for a potential bioterrorism attack on U.S. farm livestock, according to a new study by the National Association of State Agriculture Departments (NASDA). The 11-month analysis found federal animal health programs -- including laboratories, border inspectors and communications systems -- are in desperate need of attention and new funding of hundreds of millions of dollars. "Infrastructure inadequacies, especially in terms of staffing and facilities, are now so deep that the (USDA) system cannot appropriately respond to a severe animal health crisis," the study said. U.S. cattle, hog, poultry and other livestock are a $100 billion industry but the federal government will spend an "appallingly low" $70 million this year on animal health monitoring programs, according to the group. A bioterrorism attack using foreign animal diseases could be "easily introduced" to U.S. livestock pastures and feedlots, which are typically along public roads, the report said. The report called for an overhaul of the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, which is a key agency responsible for safeguarding the nation's 1 billion chickens, 106 million cattle and 59 million hogs. 

France Shudders as U.S. Sells. REUTERS reports from Paris that initial sales of U.S. wheat to Cuba in four decades is sending "a shudder" through the French grain trade. The French fear their lucrative wheat-for-sugar deal with the island may be in jeopardy. "It's like a needle in the backside," a Paris-based trader said after three U.S. companies announced that they had sold a range of U.S. food, including at least 20,000 tons of hard red winter wheat, to Communist-ruled Cuba. "Hopefully it will motivate people now that they see they are at risk of losing a lucrative market," the trader added. "It has enormous significance to our market." Archer Daniels Midland, Cargill and Riceland Foods on Wednesday became the first U.S. firms in four decades to sign trade accords with Cuba, which was forced to replenish stocks following a devastating hurricane. French commodity trading firm Soufflet also said that its U.S. arm, Soufflet USA, had sold 20,000 tons of U.S. hard red winter wheat to Cuba. Members of the U.S. agriculture community have voiced hopes that the deals could mark the opening of a longer-term trading relationship between the countries whose governments have long been ideologically opposed. But in Europe, there was concern that any business gained by the United States could mean lost business for France. "France will see this as a slight kick in the teeth," said James Dunsterville, analyst with agrinews-online.com in Geneva. 

November 21

Beef for Schools Pushed by Cattlemen.  The National Cattlemen's Beef Association says current market conditions provide an "excellent opportunity" for USDA to make "bonus buys" of beef for the Agricultural Marketing Service's Commodity Procurement program for school lunches. A letter urging USDA to undertake bonus buys of beef for school lunches went to Secretary Ann Veneman earlier this month. 

Chemical Tariffs Target of Crop Protection Advocates. Under the auspices of CropLife International and the American Crop Protection Association the global crop protection chemical industry is renewing efforts to reduce or eliminate tariffs for chemicals used in crop protection around the world. 

Farmer-Owned Ethanol Plants Start Building. Three ethanol plants have begun construction within the last week, according to the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA). The three plants are farmer owned. Pine Lake Corn Processors LLC in Steamboat Rock, IA, and Husker Ag Processing LLC in Plainview, NE, both held ground breaking ceremonies Nov. 16. Little Sioux Corn Processors LP in Marcus, IA, broke ground Nov. 19. 

Ban on Beef Continued in Japan.  KYODO NEWS reports that Japan's farm minister Tsutomu Takebe will maintain a ban on the distribution of 13,000 tons of beef from cows butchered before nationwide cattle testing for mad cow disease began Oct. 18. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry ''will never authorize distribution of this beef,'' Takebe told a news conference. On a ministry order, beef producers and wholesalers have stored in refrigerated warehouses all 13,000 tons of beef from cows slaughtered before the examination regime started. As to how to dispose of the beef, Takebe said, ''There are a range of options, including incineration.'' When a cow is butchered for human consumption, its brain and spinal cord are removed. But examiners need to analyze brain tissue for signs of mad cow disease under the testing introduced Oct. 18, when they began checking cows to be slaughtered, the number of which averages 1.3 million annually in Japan. 

Clayton Won't Run Again.  THE ASSOCIATED PRESS reports that Rep. Eva Clayton (D), one of the first two black members of Congress elected from North Carolina since Reconstruction, has announced she will not seek re-election next year. "I'm retiring from Congress but not from public service,'' said Clayton, who has served five terms. Clayton, 68, was elected in 1992 after serving as a Warren County commissioner for a decade. That year, she and Rep. Mel Watt came the first two black members of Congress from North Carolina since 1901. They were elected after two majority-minority districts were drawn in the state following the 1990 Census. Clayton has filled key roles on the House Agriculture Committee and was a leading advocate to bring federal help to North Carolina following Hurricane Floyd in 1998. The House now has 220 Republicans, 211 Democrats, two independents and two vacancies. State Sen. Frank Ballance, who has helped run Clayton's campaigns, said he tried to talk her out of the decision to leave office. Ballance, a veteran of the North Carolina Senate, is considered by many political observers to be an immediate favorite should he seek to replace Clayton. 

EU Defends Enlargement as France Grumbles.  REUTERS reports that the European Union is defending its eastern enlargement strategy after France cautioned that it could prove discriminatory and risked destabilizing southeast Europe. French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine caused a stir among EU member states and candidates alike on Monday by suggesting that Bulgaria and Romania be allowed to join the wealthy club in the next wave of enlargement. His comments came days after the European Commission published its annual report stating that up to 10 states -- that is, all the negotiating candidates except Bulgaria and Romania -- could wrap up talks by the end of 2002 and join by 2004. "The Commission's report differentiates carefully between each candidate country... Each is judged on its own merits," said Belgian Deputy Foreign Minister Annemie Neytts, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the 15-member EU. Senior Commission official Eneko Landaburu, speaking at the same news conference, noted that Bulgaria and Romania themselves did not aspire to join in the first wave. Bulgaria has set 2006 as its accession target date and Romania 2007. 

November 20

U.N., U.S. Help Afghans Prepare for Winter.  In preparation for the harsh winter weather, the United Nations World Food Program has increased food deliveries into Afghanistan. At any given moment over the past few days, WFP had more than 2,000 trucks moving inside Afghanistan delivering food to various parts of the country, particularly rural areas, according to a White House "fact sheet." The U.S. Government has provided more than $237 million in aid to Afghanistan so far in fiscal 2002. 

Appropriations: Progress, but More to Go. As Congress takes a break for Thanksgiving, the fiscal year is well underway but much of the government is still operating under a stopgap "continuing resolution" to fund agencies that have yet to receive their annual appropriations. Some additional funding bills may be signed by the time lawmakers return for a session that is expected to last well into December, including the agriculture appropriation, which got final Senate approval Thursday after earlier action by the House of Representatives. 

Powell Opens Reconstruction Talks.  REUTERS reports that Secretary of State Colin Powell is due to open a day of Afghan reconstruction talks today attended by representatives of some of the world's richest nations and institutions. The meetings will be co-chaired with Japan at the State Department and are designed to prepare for an international conference in Pakistan Nov. 27 to 29 hosted by the World Bank and intended to help rebuild a country devastated by decades of war, years of famine and weeks of a U.S.-led bombing campaign. At least 14 governments, international organizations and banks will attend the Washington talks, with Japan represented at deputy foreign minister level and the U.S. team led by Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Alan Larson and Under Secretary of State of Treasury John Taylor. Christina Rocca, assistant secretary of state for South Asia affairs, said last week the one-day conference would concentrate on possible projects in agriculture, water, sewerage, mine clearing, health and education. 

Thais Seek Patent Rights for U.S.-Developed Rice.  THE WALL STREET JOURNAL reports that the government of Thailand has hired a Washington, DC, law firm to ask U.S. researchers to attribute to Thailand patent rights for rice derived from Thai jasmine fragrant strains but developed in the United States. Deputy Commerce Minister Suvarn Valaisathien told a news conference today that the law firm has recommended Thailand file a suit in the United States to get the patent rights and also to prevent the United States from patenting the rice, Suvarn said. The ministry hasn't officially signed a hiring contract with the U.S. law firm yet, but the company has already started on the case, Suvarn said, adding that investigations will take two to four months. Suvarn declined however to reveal the name of the firm. U.S. researchers, backed by USDA, are developing Thai jasmine rice strains, called Khao Dowk Mali 105, to suit U.S. geographical and climatic conditions. The researchers obtained the strains from Manila-based International Rice Research Institute who issued the strains without informing Thailand. The Thai government is concerned Thai rice exports to the U.S. and other markets will be affected if the development project is successful and jasmine fragrant rice is grown in the U.S. 

WTO Needs Major Reorganization.  THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, in a report from Geneva, says the World Trade Organization will need a major reorganization to tackle the demands of a new round of trade liberalization talks, according to its director-general. Mike Moore said he would lay out before the end of the year how he thought staff and resources should be redeployed in the light of trade ministers' decision last week to launch the round but said he was not looking for a huge increase in his budget. "The question is: How do you redeploy your people given your new agenda?" Moore told reporters. "It isn't the dollar, it's how you spend it." Ministers have given themselves until Jan. 1, 2005, to complete the negotiations, which cover areas such as reducing import tariffs, tackling trade-distorting subsidies, setting new rules on the free movement of workers and establishing the link between WTO rules and international environmental agreements. 

Cancer Foundation Gives Holiday Tips.  National Foundation for Cancer Research experts warn that the combination of stress, fatigue and high fat foods -- factors that traditionally go with the holidays -- can over time increase people's risk of cancer, and the foundation has developed a list of the "Top Ten Food Tips to Take Advantage of the Holidays" to help keep the risk minimal. One positive step is to skin the turkey, the foundation says. By removing the skin from the turkey, the amount of fat is reduced. Another is to try a high fiber dressing of wild or brown rice. It is loaded with fiber, one of the essential ingredients to deter cancer. Beans are also a good source of fiber, the foundation adds. 

New Pig Drug Grows Them Big.  REUTERS reports that U.S. pigs are getting bigger by the day thanks to a new drug called Paylean that has boosted the average weight of hogs to a record level, university researchers said. Pigs have been getting bigger for years with the average slaughter weight increasing about a pound a year because of breeding of animals with less fat and bigger hams. But Paylean has led to a boost in size that would have taken animal scientists 14 years to breed. The Iowa-Southern Minnesota average hog weight for the week ending Nov. 3 reached a record 267.1 lbs, up from the previous week's record of 265.4 lbs and last year's 261.6 lbs. Hog weights always increase in the fall when cooler weather and the newly harvested corn make for ideal growing conditions. Paylean is the trade name for ractopamine hydrochloride, a pharmaceutical product that causes the hog's metabolism to shift nutrients from fat to muscle growth. It is a drug known as a beta-agonist, not a steroid, antibiotic, or biotechnology product, according to researchers. Elanco Animal Health, a division of Eli Lilly and Co. , manufactures Paylean. The company said Paylean increases average daily gain by as much as 275 grams during the early weeks of feeding, but that amount decreases as the hog matures. It is recommended that hogs be marketed within four weeks after the start of Paylean feeding. 

CSPI Back in the Warning Business. About 13% of raw U.S. turkeys carry salmonella, a bacteria that can turn a holiday into misery if the bird is not thoroughly cooked, an advocacy group said on Monday, according to a REUTERS report. The Center for Science in the Public Interest said government data shows the 13% rate of salmonella contamination in raw turkey is higher than for other raw meat. Samples collected by USDA found salmonella contamination rates of 3% for ground beef and 9% for chicken, the group said. The consumer advocacy group claimed at a news conference it petitioned USDA to publish its detailed salmonella test data on the Internet so consumers can choose to buy turkey, ground beef or chicken from the cleanest plants. The National Turkey Federation, a group representing turkey producers, said the new salmonella data actually showed a 30% decline in the rate of contamination. Three years ago, a USDA survey of turkey plants found 19.4% of raw birds carried the bacteria. "We're doing everything we can to assure the safety of our products," a turkey industry spokesman said. 
 

November 19

Veneman: No Launch Meant WTO ‘Undermined.'  Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman believes that had a new round of trade negotiations not been launched at Doha, Qatar, the entire World Trade Organization structurre could have been weakened. "I think that if we had not succeeded in launching a new round now, it would have undermined the World Trade Organization, our ability to be participants in that, to use it as a dispute settlement mechanism that we've seen benefit our farmers and ranchers," she told the National Association of Farm Broadcasters. 

Dairy Interests Don't Support Leahy. Neither the National Milk Producers Federation or the International Dairy Foods Association supports a provision in the Senate farm bill to create a complex new dairy pricing system. The system, proposed by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), would create a pricing structure built on the federal order system with elements similar to those in the defunct Northeast Dairy Compact. 

Denmark's Hog Industry Consolidating.  Rapid consolidation in the U.S. meat packing industry is being mirrored in recent developments in the Danish hog slaughtering sector. The boards of the two largest Danish hog slaughterers -- Danish Crown and Steff-Houlberg -- announced on Nov. 2 they plan to merge, the U. S. Embassy in Copenhagen reports. The proposed merger is expected to be approved later this month by a majority of the farmers who own the two cooperatives. Danish Crown accounts for 75% and Steff-Houlberg 15.7% of total Danish pork production. Together with a third cooperative, TiCan, these three slaughtering firms kill 96.3% of the hogs slaughtered in Denmark annually. After the merger, the joined Danish Crown/Steff Houlberg operation will be slaughtering nearly 20 million pigs per year and exporting 85% of the pork (including exports to other European Union countries) produced about 1.2 million tons of pork for a total of about $3.5 billion. For comparison purposes, total U.S. hog slaughter during 2000 was 98 million hogs. Excluding shipments to other European Union countries, total Danish exports of pork during 1999 reached 530,000 tons, equaling total U.S. pork exports. Denmark and the U.S. tied for second place, after Canada, now the world's largest pork exporter. 

Milk Marketing Order Hearing Scheduled.  Dairy farmers, cooperatives, milk processors, and the public are invited to testify at a public hearing at 8:30 a.m. Dec. 4, on proposals that would amend certain pooling and related provisions in the Pacific Northwest milk marketing order. The hearing will be held at the Doubletree Hotel Seattle Airport, 18740 Pacific Highway South, Seattle, WA 98188. The hearing was requested by dairy cooperatives who supply the fluid and manufacturing milk needs of the Pacific Northwest market. One proposal includes eliminating certain supply plant qualification standards of cooperative associations; prohibiting the inclusion of milk diverted as a qualifying shipment for pooling; and adding a provision that would provide for two or more cooperative pool manufacturing plants to operate as a system in meeting the shipment requirements for pooling. A second proposal would reduce the amount of milk that a pool plant may divert for the months of March through August from 99% to 80% and add a "touch base" provision that would require at least six day's milk production of a dairy farmer be physically received at a pool plant in order to be eligible for pooling. Details of the proposals and a notice of the hearing will be published in today's (Nov. 19) Federal Register. Copies may be obtained from the Pacific Northwest milk marketing order office, AMS/Dairy Programs, 1930 - 220th Street, SE, Suite 102, Bothell, Wash. 98021-8471 or AMS Dairy Programs, USDA Stop 0225, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20090-6456. 

Farm Spending Pits Bush, Senate. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS reports the Bush administration's intent to control farm spending will be tested when the Senate debates and votes on a farm bill that critics say will stimulate crop surpluses and primarily benefit big producers. The White House says it does not want to do either. To get the bill out of the Senate Agriculture Committee, majority Democrats raised grain and cotton subsidies higher than a House-passed bill did, eliminated proposed payment limits and included a dairy program that could raise retail milk prices. The bill also could exceed the spending caps in this year's congressional budget agreement. "This goes so far against what the administration has said in terms of cost, market distortion and lack of payment limits that they would have to veto this," said Bruce Babcock, director of Iowa State University's Center for Agricultural and Rural Development. The Senate could take up the farm bill the week after Thanksgiving. The administration will push a Republican alternative that was rejected in committee, said Dale Moore, chief of staff to Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman. "There is a new, broader audience to make the case to," he said of the Senate. 

Castro Welcomes U.S. Food.  REUTERS reports from Havana that Cuban President Fidel Castro Sunday welcomed the opportunity to purchase food and medicine from the United States in a relief effort for hurricane victims. But Castro insisted there would be no more food buys until the U.S. embargo against Cuba changed. "In these circumstances this has happened, which in my judgment is positive," Castro said, referring to the process underway by which Cuba plans to buy millions of dollars in U.S. food and medicines. "We are continuing negotiations and we appreciate the gesture," he added, in the first official pronouncement from Havana on what is shaping up to be the first commercial operation between the two countries since soon after Castro came to power in 1959. U.S. authorities confirmed that Cuba wanted to buy some $30 million in food products from U.S. companies, as well as raw materials to produce medicines, to replenish its emergency reserves drained in the wake of Hurricane Michelle. State Department spokesman Philip Reeker said on Thursday that the department would consult with other government agencies and seek to expedite the authorization of the approved sale "given the humanitarian nature of their request." 

Trade Bill Now Due Dec. 6 in House.  The House now is scheduled to vote Dec. 6 on a controversial bill that would give the Bush administration new trade authority. REUTERS reports there are indications the measure may not have enough votes to pass, despite a strong and sustained promotion program by numerous agriculture and agribusiness interests. House Majority Leader Richard Armey (R-TX) announced the scheduling of the early December vote on the trade promotion authority bill on Friday. The measure, also known as "fast-track," would give the president the authority to negotiate trade agreements with other countries without fear that they would be be amended by Congress. Instead, The House and Senate could only approve or reject the pacts. Armey gave no indication of whether supporters of the bill had enough votes in the House to pass it. Just three days ago he said they did not. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick, asked by reporters about prospects for House passage of fast-track now that a vote has been set, said, "I'll be honest with you. Do I know today? No I don't know. But do I believe there is a reasonable chance? Yeah, I believe there's a reasonable chance." 

Australia Sees More China Grain Trade. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL reports that Trevor Flugge, chairman of the Australian wheat exporter AWB Ltd., sees China's World Trade Organization accession leading to higher grain imports. China hasn't been a major importer of grains in the past few years, he said. "But as the economy moves to take advantage of areas where it has a comparative advantage, there is likely to be a shift in its production base away from agriculture toward the manufacturing sector," Flugge said. "That could result in opportunities for countries such as Australia to play a major role in ensuring China's food security," he added. Flugge was commenting in a statement, reiterating parts of a speech delivered in Beijing late last week. China's accession to the WTO was approved by the members of the global organization at a meeting at Doha, Qatar. "It is clear that as China continues its program of economic reform and development and opens its economy up to competition, there will be increased opportunities for exports from the Australian agricultural sector," Flugge said. Opportunities also could arise for Australian exporters with technology transfer, joint ventures and infrastructure development in China, he said. 

November 16

Senate Committee Completes Farm Bill. The Senate Agriculture Committee on Thursday passed a five-year farm bill that increases most loan rates but otherwise has much in common with H.R. 2646, the farm bill passed by the House of Representatives. Arkansas Republican Tim Hutchinson joined all 11 of the committee's Democratic Senators in giving final approval to the bill, which now goes to the Senate floor. 

Pork Producers Praise Conservation Title. National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) President Barb Determan commended the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee for passage of the conservation title in the farm bill. She said it "meets the needs of pork producers and the environment simultaneously." 

Lucas Introduces Bioterrorism Bill. Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK) has introduced an agriculture bioterrorism bill seeking to address concerns of potential terrorist attacks on the nation's food supply. The bill (H.R. 3293) allows for closer monitoring of food imports, increased research on animal and plant diseases that could be used by terrorists to sabotage the food supply, and encourages coordination among universities, bioterrorism experts, and law enforcement on the research and investigation of potential bioterrorism threats. 

House Committee Hears USDA's Counter-Terrorism Programs. USDA Deputy Secretary James R. Moseley outlined for the House Agriculture Committee Thursday what the department and the Bush administration have been doing to counter the threat of terrorism against the nation's food supply in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks on New York City and the Pentagon. 

Administration Looks at Food Safety Merger.  REUTERS reports that merging the dozen or so federal agencies that monitor food safety is a subject on the minds of the Bush administration. A single food safety agency to oversee meat, poultry, vegetables, fish, processed foods, and biotech foods has been endorsed for years by Democrats such as Sen. Dick Durbin (IL) and consumer groups. The U.S. food industry opposes such an approach. The Clinton administration rejected as too cumbersome the idea of combining all the bureaucracies now involved in food safety. But Tom Ridge, the White House director of homeland security, told a national security conference on Thursday that "we ought to at least take a look" at merging the food safety functions. Currently, food safety responsibilities are scattered among the U.S. Agriculture Department, the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control, the Commerce Department, the Customs Service, the Environmental Protection Agency, and several other agencies. While campaigning for the presidency in June 2000, George W. Bush said in a speech on government reform that too many government agencies were involved in food safety. Aides later indicated that Bush was interested in streamlining the agencies to improve efficiency, not creating a new one. 

Cattlemen Applaud WTO Launch.  The new round of trade negotiations agreed to by the U.S. government, at the meetings in Qatar, will greatly benefit U.S. cattle producers, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) said. "Global trading rules that grant market access, settle disputes on the basis of science and reduce tariffs are essential for a healthy cattle industry," said Chandler Keys, NCBA vice president for public policy. "We applaud the U.S. government for the progress made during the 4th Ministerial Conference of the world Trade Organization and we look forward to progress in the new round of trade negotiations." 

Cotton Sees Farm Bill Potential.  The farm bill commodity title passed Thursday by the Senate Agriculture Committee "includes priorities that have the potential to restore U.S. cotton industry profitability," said National Cotton Council Chairman James E. Echols. Echols noted that several provisions, which were high priorities for the NCC, are incorporated in the bill. Those include retention of a marketing loan, with redemptions keyed to the prevailing world market price; retention of cotton's 3-step competitiveness program; a procedure for computing base acres that does not penalize growers who have opted to use the FAIR Act's flexibility provisions to under-plant their crop bases; payment eligibility provisions that enable commercially viable family farming operations to benefit from farm program participation; and a safety net that helps producers better manage income and risk. Key cotton provisions include a 55-cent marketing loan with redemption at the prevailing world market price; a safety net price of 68 cents/pound paid on 100 percent of eligible pounds; a fixed decoupled payment of 13 cents/pound for 2002-03, 6.5 cents for 2004-05 and 3.25 cents for 2006. 

Cattlemen Find Priorities Safe in Farm Bill. The farm bill passed by the Senate Agriculture Committee includes many of the priorities for America's cattle producers, according to the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA). "NCBA commends the committee for passing a farm bill that provides for significant increases in conservation funding; establishes a Grassland Reserve Program and focuses conservation programs on working lands" said Jay Truitt, executive director of public policy for NCBA. "We are particularly pleased that the bill contains a Conservation Title that will assist livestock producers in complying with local, state and federal environmental laws. The Grassland Reserve Program is the only new conservation program in both the House and Senate versions of the farm bill," said Truitt. "The program will assist producers in keeping grasslands in grass and assist producers pressured by urban sprawl by keeping working lands working." Another key part of the bill is re-authorization of the Private Grazing Land Initiative, also known as GLCI. 

Exiles Skeptical About Food Aid for Cuba. REUTERS reports that Miami Cuban exile supporters of the longtime U.S. trade embargo against their homeland were skeptical that an agreement to sell U.S. food to Havana would benefit ordinary Cubans. But Cuban American groups that favor improved relations with Cuba hailed the deal as a turning point that inevitably will lead to more trade. "Once this door is open, it's going to be hard to close," said Alfredo Duran, president of the Cuban Committee for Democracy, which supports normalization of Cuba-U.S. relations. Hurricane Michelle ripped across Cuba earlier this month, killing five people, leaving thousands homeless and devastating crop production. Cuba has asked for chicken, rice, wheat, soybeans, lard and other foodstuffs from U.S. producers, under a law enacted last year that permits such sales but so heavily restricts U.S. financing, forcing cash payment instead. Cuban President Fidel Castro offered to pay cash for the deal, which U.S. agriculture industry officials said could be worth $3 million to $15 million. The U.S. State Department said Thursday it would expedite the sale, calling it a humanitarian gesture. The sale would be the first by U.S. farmers to Cuba since the United States imposed a trade embargo 41 years ago in an attempt to nudge Cuba's communist government toward democracy. 

November 15

Doha Meetings End, Round Launched.  The 4th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) ended with an agreement by the 142 member organization to launch a new agenda for trade negotiations aimed at expanding global markets and reducing trade barriers. Agriculture was central throughout the discussions because of its importance to nearly every WTO country. Among the last-minute necessities was convincing developing countries their wishes would be considered during the upcoming negotiations. 

Hunger in U.S. Study Unveiled. Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN) says a new study on hunger in America and the increases in U.S. unemployment shows that more needs to be done to increase the federal nutrition programs and private donations to non-profit hunger relief charities. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry joined Lugar and Robert Fortney of America's Second Harvest, a nationwide network of food banks, to unveil a report compiled by Second Harvest, titled Hunger in America 2001. 

Wisconsin Farmers Sue Utilities.  THE ASSOCIATED PRESS reports that more than 20 Wisconsin dairy farmers have filed suit against five utilities, claiming damage to their farms and herds from stray voltage from power lines. The farmers argue the utilities are hiding behind narrow stray voltage standards set by the state Public Service Commission. Stray voltage, which leaks into the ground from electrical wires, has been blamed for reducing their milk production in dairy cattle. "These farmers have had their farm operations substantially harmed because of stray voltage," said Tim Jacobson of Parke O'Flaherty Ltd., one of four law offices representing the farmers. The lawsuits claim the utilities were negligent in supplying electricity, maintaining equipment and failing to warn the farmers of stray voltage. They're also accused of failing to adequately test and inspect equipment for stray voltage. The complaints want the utilities to correct the alleged stray voltage problems and pay unspecified damage amounts for injuries to their herds, damaged property and reduced income. The farmers are suing Wisconsin Electric Power Co. of Milwaukee, Wisconsin Public Service Corp. of Green Bay, Riverland Energy Cooperative of Arcadia, Clark Electric Cooperative of Greenwood and Xcel Energy of Minneapolis. 

Vaile Sees Benefits for Australia. Australian Trade Minister, Mark Vaile, believes the benefits from the Doha trade round will be worth billions of dollars for farmers. THE AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION reports Vaile says the agenda provides for substantial improvements in market access and large reductions in trade-distorting domestic support systems. "Even if there's a 50% cut in global protection, that will deliver an annual benefit to Australia of about $7 billion," he said. "The overwhelming majority of that economic benefit would be agriculture, because now we bring it under the same level as trade in goods and services. And so the overwhelming majority of that economic benefit in terms of reduction in protection and support will flow to agriculture." 

Japan Ecstatic Over Doha Outcome. Japanese trade negotiators are ecstatic about the outcome of the World Trade Organization (WTO) ministerial conference, KYODO NEWS reports. Unlike other developed countries such as the United States and France, Japanese negotiators managed to get most of its trade priorities adopted intact as the WTO launches new global trade talks over the next three years to lower trade barriers and standardize trade rules. ''We are 120% satisfied,'' Japan's Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Takeo Hiranuma told KYODO NEWS as the WTO was winding up six days of tough, and at times acrimonious, negotiations to set a new global trade agenda. In Tokyo, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi underlined Tokyo's sense of elation, saying, ''Almost all of Japan's proposals, including those on agriculture, have been incorporated in the ministerial declaration.'' Japan has relied heavily on and prospered under the multilateral trading system since it joined the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, the WTO precursor, in 1956, as Japan struggled to expand its overseas markets and rebuild the economy shattered in World War II. 

Doha Is Ninth World Trade Round. REUTERS reports that the Doha Round will be the ninth since the multilateral trading system was created in 1947. The first eight, usually named for the city where they were launched, were held under the umbrella of the old General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, or GATT, absorbed into the new WTO in 1995. Two rounds, the Dillon round and the Kennedy round, were named for Treasury Secretary Douglas Dillon and President John F. Kennedy, who played a key role in getting each under way. The previous rounds, the trade areas they covered, and the number of countries that took part are 1947, Geneva, goods tariffs, 23; 1949, Annecy, France, goods tariffs, 13; 1951, Torquay, Britain, goods tariffs, 38; 1956, Geneva, goods tariffs, 26; 1960-61, Geneva (Dillon Round), goods tariffs, 26; 1964-67, Geneva (Kennedy Round), goods tariffs, anti-dumping, 62; 1973-79, Geneva (Tokyo Round), goods tariffs, non-tariff measures, 102; 1986-93, Geneva (Uruguay Round), goods tariffs, non-tariff measures, rules, services, intellectual property, dispute settlement, textiles, agriculture, establishment of WTO, 123. 

November 14

Senate Committee Strikes Competition Title.  The Senate Agriculture Committee Tuesday voted 12-9 to strip from its bill a controversial section on agricultural competition. The section, championed by populists and others concerned about excessive concentration in agriculture, was opposed by agribusiness and some producer groups who feared it would discourage needed capital investment. 

‘Spring Rise' Topic of Hearing by Corps. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is conducting workshops and public hearings on whether to allow a "spring-rise" on the Missouri River. The issue is of more than passing importance to Midwest farmers who depend on the river to transport their crop production to ports south. 

Biosecurity, Anthrax Information Distributed. An informational document on biosecurity and anthrax is being distributed by the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA), the Cattlemen's Beef Board, and state beef councils and affiliate organizations to reassure and advise producers in the wake of bioterrorism threats against America. 

Veal Industry Seeks More Market Penetration. U.S. veal producers are building a long-range plan that will contain new efforts to market veal, including a new web site to sell veal online. Goals of the checkoff-funded plan are to unite the industry and increase consumer demand for veal. 

Dairy Pitfalls, Opportunities to be Analyzed.  The National Milk Producers Federation will create a special team of dairy experts to analyze both the threats and opportunities facing the dairy industry in the future, according to NMPF Chairman James P. (Tom) Camerlo.In his speech at the NMPF annual meeting last week in Orlando, Camerlo announced the creation of a dairy "SWOT Team" – an industry group led by NMPF staff that will analyze the (S)trengths, (W)eaknesses, (O)pportunities and (T)hreats to the marketing and economic environment of the dairy sector. 

Trade Launch Within Grasp; Talks Extended.  THE ASSOCIATED PRESS reports from Doha that an agreement to proceed with global trade talks moved closer Wednesday after the European Union accepted a compromise on agriculture. But India's refusal at World Trade Organization discussions to budge on issues key to developing countries kept the accord tantalizingly out of reach. Negotiators extended the conference into an extra, sixth day in the hopes of avoiding another embarrassing collapse like two years ago in Seattle. Many are counting on an agreement for new trade talks to inject confidence into a global economy moving swiftly into recession. But efforts to reach consensus have been troubled by some of the same issues that led to the 1999 failure, including agriculture and charges from poor countries that some past promises have not been kept. During all-night negotiating, diplomats managed a linguistic finesse on whether new trade talks should aim at "phasing out" farm export subsidies - as almost all of the WTO's 142 members want. Only the European Union - most emphatically France - had called that wording unacceptable. France, the world's second-biggest agricultural exporter after the United States, has a militant farm lobby and presidential elections just six months away. A compromise was found to keep the words "phasing out" in the declaration but preceded by "without prejudging the outcome of the negotiations," according to a Wednesday morning draft. In return, other countries were willing to accept EU demands that the new talks consider some environmental issues, negotiators said. For example, the EU wants to clarify how agreements like the Kyoto accord on global warming relate to the WTO, and whose rules would take precedence in case of conflict. 

EU Recommends Acceptance of Compromise. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL reports that the European Union Commission has recommended that EU members accept a compromise proposal on the treatment of export subsidies for agricultural goods in a new round of trade talks. According to a spokesman for the Commission, which conducts trade negotiations on behalf of EU members, the French delegation has left the Doha meeting to consult with leaders in Paris. If EU members accept the compromise, the one key issue outstanding will be India's demand for increased quotas for developing country textile exports. Ministers from the 142 members of the World Trade Organization reconvened Wednesday morning in an effort to agree an agenda for a new round of multilateral trade talks. The ministers were presented with a new draft declaration on the agenda, which included compromises on a number of key issues, including the treatment of agricultural subsidies and the environment. Most members want future trade talks to aim at phasing out agricultural subsidies, but the E.U. hasn't wanted any commitment to eliminate them entirely. Should the French government accept the compromise, India would be the last main holdout. Indian officials met with WTO Director General Mike Moore and EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy in an effort to reach a compromise. "The negotiations are at a crucial and critical stage," said Rajiv Pratap Ruby, India's junior minister for commerce. The new draft calls for talks on the environment, rules protecting investment and assuring the equal application of competition policy. Talks on investment and competition policy will begin after WTO ministers meet again in 2003. 

Disagreements Lead to Pesticide Code Failure. REUTERS reports from Rome that United Nations member states making up the Food and Agriculture Organization have not adopted a new international pesticide code because of disagreement over intellectual property rights. The biennial conference of the FAO, which ended on Monday, fell short of agreement on a new framework for pesticide use because of differing interpretations over patents and data protection. "No, we did not adopt a new code of conduct because of an article that deals with the registration procedure of intellectual property rights," Niek Van der Graaf, chief of FAO's plant protection service, told the news agency. He said the article would be reviewed by member countries over the next year and if a compromise is reached, a new code could be adopted by FAO's governing council at a meeting in November 2002. 

Japan Keeps Ban on U.S. Poultry. Japan's Agriculture Ministry will maintain a ban on imports of U.S. poultry meat for now. The U.S. industry had hoped that the ban could be lifted soon. Japan imposed the ban last Friday after being informed by the U.S. embassy in Tokyo that a poultry farm in Connecticut tested positive for a H7N2 serotype of avian influenza, the ministry said in a statement that day. The U.S. Embassy said in a statement on Wednesday that the strain had low pathogenicity, according to the Office of International Epizootics (OIE) standards. "The ministry imposed the ban despite being informed by the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo that there wasn't any isolation of a highly pathogenic strain of virus," the embassy statement said. But Japanese officials said the farm ministry had designated the strain a legally infectious disease for poultry in Japan. 

Hours Before Deadline, France Balks. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS reports from Doha that France threatened to doom the World Trade Organization's attempt Tuesday to start a new round of talks to free up global commerce. "Frenzied negotiators desperately sought a compromise over farm export subsidies that would keep French authorities happy and avoid another collapse like the WTO suffered in Seattle two years ago," the AP said. Big agricultural exporting countries like Australia, Canada and Argentina, supported by the United States, insist that the round should look at phasing out the export subsidies, which they say allow EU farmers to export at below the market price, distorting and suppressing the world market in agricultural goods. Poor countries, many of whom depend on agriculture as their principal exports, were backing the call for eliminating the subsidies. The European Union says it is committed to making substantial reductions in the subsidies but will not agree to get rid of them entirely. But within the 15-nation bloc, France was basically standing alone, with support only from Ireland, officials said. 

Senate Finance Funds Crop Disaster Aid. Farmers would get $2 billion in disaster aid this year under the Senate Democrats' economic stimulus plan, according to THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. The legislation that passed the Senate Finance Committee last week would offer payments to farmers both for weather-related crop damage and quality losses caused by diseases. "If producers suffer setbacks because of drought providing immediate assistance for them is something that's not only stimulative but recognizes the role agriculture plays in our economy," said Mike Siegel, a spokesman for Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) who chairs the Senate Finance Committee. 

November 13

Livestock, Poultry Work to Retain EQIP Spending.  Livestock and poultry organizations have asked the Senate Agriculture Committee leadership to make sure funding authorization in the Senate farm bill for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is at least equal to that of the House-approved bill. They've asked committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) and ranking Republican Richard Lugar (IN) not to reduce the funding lower than the $12.2 billion in the House bill in an effort to meet row crop producers' desires. 

First Tillage Study Findings Released by ASA. The American Soybean Association (ASA) has released the findings of its first-ever conservation tillage study that shows how the availability of soybean seeds enhanced through biotechnology has allowed and encouraged farmers to implement reduced tillage practices that protect farmland from wind and rain erosion. 

Agriculture Still Unresolved Doha Issue.  KYODO NEWS reports from Doha, Qatar, that agriculture and the environment remain two unresolved issues for negotiators trying to launch a new global trade round under the World Trade Organization in Doha, Qatar. A revised draft of a ministerial statement circulated to members and obtained by KYODO today showed continuing differences between the European Union (EU) and farm-exporting countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, the Philippines and other developing countries on the need to phase out export subsidies in agriculture. A paragraph on agriculture commits WTO members ''to comprehensive negotiations aimed at substantial improvement in market access and the reduction of (with a view to phasing out) all forms of export subsidies, and substantial reduction in trade-distorting domestic support.'' Phrases in parentheses denote the issue has not been resolved. Delegates say the EU continues to reject the expression ''phasing out'' from the text. The EU also wants included in the declaration a long passage, still in parentheses, that reads, ''No country should be prevented from taking measures for the protection of human, animal or plant life or health, or of the environment at the levels it considers appropriate.'' 

U.S Tries to Broker Deal with EU.  REUTERS reports from Doha that U.S. officials are trying to broker a deal between the European Union and developing countries that would resolve the agricultural and environmental impasse and help clinch a deal to launch a new round of international trade talks. They said they hoped to persuade African and Southeast Asian nations to give the EU enough ground on environmental issues so Brussels would have political cover to move toward the elimination of agricultural export subsidies. With the WTO meeting to launch world trade talks now in its final day, a U.S. trade official said his country would focus its remaining efforts on building support in the developing world for a limited version of the EU's environmental agenda. The EU came to the meeting pushing an ambitious agenda calling for negotiations on national competition policy, foreign direct investment rules and environmental concerns. Developing countries have been put off by the list. Many fear making new commitments they might struggle to implement. They also worry environmental talks could lead to new restrictions on their exports. 

All Nighter Seen in Doha.  THE ASSOCIATED PRESS reports World Trade Organization trade ministers have given themselves until tonight (Tuesday) to complete a declaration and launch a new round of global trade talks. Six negotiators began meeting late Monday to produce a document combining the three declarations trade ministers plan to issue today. "I suspect that there will be very little sleep had by those working on this text," said WTO spokesman Keith Rockwell. One of the declarations would set out the issues to be discussed in a new trade round. While it would not commit countries to open their markets further now, it is considered crucial because it would serve as the road map for the global talks that would likely take years to complete. Bringing the most difficult issues together in one document for the first time will allow negotiators from the 142 WTO member countries to look at where they can compromise in return for getting what they want elsewhere. Most European Union countries might accept stronger language calling for reductions in agricultural export subsidies if trade ministers will agree to consider issues relating to protection of the environment, officials said. Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman said that while the United States is willing to put the export credits U.S. farmers receive "on the table," the EU still insists on keeping export subsidies. WTO Director-General Mike Moore said there were "still too many areas of substantial differences" to guarantee an agreement on a new round of trade talks.

November 12

Veneman Calls for More Open Markets.  Secretary of Agriculture Ann M. Veneman called for greater access to international markets for American farmers and expressed optimism for launching a new round of trade negotiations at the Fourth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) that began Friday in Doha, Qatar. 

Southern Bill Dropped in Senate. A bill said to be "closely modeled" after the House-passed farm bill, has been introduced in the Senate. House Agriculture Committee leaders reacted immediately, praising the move. It brings to at least five the number of farm bills introduced in the Senate. 

NGFA Objects to Parts of Harkin Farm Bill.  The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) has raised strong objections to several major sections of legislation (S. 1628) introduced by Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) that is being used by the committee as the basis for developing the Senate's version of a new farm bill. The NGFA voiced particular concerns over the bill's provisions that would raise loan rates, increase the size of the Conservation Reserve Program and impose major restrictions on agricultural contracting under the guise of enhancing competition. 

Food Safety Concerns Spark Irradiation Support.  Concerns over the safety of the food supply have increased support for the use of irradiation to kill pathogens in food, a new Porter Novelli survey found. Porter Novelli is an international public relations firm. Recent news coverage of the use of irradiation to eradicate anthrax spores on contaminated U.S. mail has demonstrated the benefits of the technology. The Porter Novelli survey, conducted among 1,008 U.S. adults from Nov. 2-6, found consumers have moved from trepidation to a strong level of support for the technology. More than half (52%) said the government should require irradiation to help ensure a safe food supply. A Porter Novelli survey conducted last year found that only 11% of consumers said they would buy irradiated foods if they were available.The survey also found that about two thirds (64%) of the consumers surveyed said they were concerned about contamination of the U.S. food supply with anthrax or other biological agents. 

NFU Likes Harkin's Competition Title.  National Farmers Union is supporting the competition title included in Sen. Tom Harkin's farm bill proposal. The Senate Agriculture Committee, which Harkin chairs, should take up the competition title this week. "Senator Harkin's competition title includes significant reforms for all producers addressing both the vertical and horizontal concentration occurring in agricultural markets. It provides a solid foundation to implement effective and meaningful policy," said NFU President Leland Swenson. "A farm bill has never had this foundation before, and it is vital and long overdue." Harkin's competition title would prohibit processors from engaging in unfair or deceptive acts in the marketing of any agricultural commodity; prohibit agribusinesses from retaliating against producers by terminating their contracts; require mandatory country-of-origin labeling for red meats, fish and perishable commodities that are born, raised, and processed in the United States; prohibit secrecy clauses and arbitration clauses in producer contracts; establish the USDA Office of Special Counsel for Competition to investigate, enforce and regulate competition matters, and rrovide other protections for producers. 

EU Insists Environmental Issues Be Part of Round. REUTERS reports that the European Union is insisting that environmental issues be part of a new round of global trade negotiations. EU officials also said they could see no reason to make concessions in other trade areas to win agreement within the World Trade Organization on the environment. The environment is one of the most difficult areas of discussion for ministers from 142 countries who must try to develop an agenda for a new trade round at a WTO conference in Qatar. Following a number of controversial WTO rulings, the EU wants to clarify when environmental concerns can take precedence over trade rules. The 15-nation grouping says the issue could be a "deal breaker" at the Doha talks. But it has run into opposition from developing countries which fear rich countries could use environmental standards as a pretext to erect protectionist barriers to their exports -- a charge strongly denied by Brussels. "We are prepared to write in blood in the Doha declaration words to the effect that we reject any outcome that would lead to protectionism," a senior EU official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told reporters. 

‘Super' Weeds Feared from GM Crops.  REUTERS reports the UN Food and Agriculture Organization fears that genetically modified (GM) crops, already thought by some to be capable of creating "mutant" food, also could create plants that are resistant to herbicides and insects. These could germinate from a previous harvest, hampering weed controls. "There are several concerns about the consequences of development and deployment of transgenic herbicide-resistant and insect-resistant crops," the United Nations food body said in a paper on the risks and benefits of GM crops. "Objections to the use of these transgenic crops rest on several issues...such as: the potential transfer of genes from herbicide resistant crops to wild relatives, thus creating superweeds," the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said. Canola plants engineered to help farmers instead have escaped and crossbred with each other to form plants stronger than their parents, the article says. Most pesticides cannot kill these canola superweeds, which are growing in wheat fields where farmers don't want them. 

Thailand Goes Legal Route on Jasmine.  THE WALL STREET JOURNAL reports that Thailand will seek help from the courts in an effort to stop researchers from developing a Thai jasmine fragrant rice strain in the United States for fear it could hurt Thai rice exports. The Commerce Ministry expects to sign a contract this week with U.S. lawyers to represent Thailand in stopping the developing or patenting of a Thai jasmine rice strain, Deputy Commerce Minister Suvarn Valaisathien told reporters during a special Cabinet meeting over the weekend. Thailand, which is the world's largest rice exporter, exported 2.4 million metric tons of jasmine fragrant rice in 2000, around 36.4% of its total rice exports of 6.6 million tons that year. Thailand exports around 300,000 tons of jasmine fragrant rice to the United States each year. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said he will raise the rice issue with President George W. Bush during his visit to Washington possibly next month. U.S. researchers are developing a Thai jasmine rice strain, called Khao Dowk Mali 105, to suit U.S. geographical and climactic conditions. The research project is backed by USDA and is known as the Stepwise Program for Improvement of Jasmine Rice for the U.S. U.S. researcher Chris Deren obtained the original Thai rice strain from another U.S. researcher, Neil Rutger, who got the strains in 1995 from the Manila-based International Rice Research Institute, or IRRI, according to Thailand's Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives. IRRI gave out the strains without informing Thailand as its regulations allows it to do so. It has been criticized heavily by Thailand over its rules and regulations in transferring rice strains. 

November 9

Committee Approves Rural Development, Research. The Senate Agriculture Committee gave preliminary approval to two more titles of a new omnibus farm bill, amid continued uncertainty about how the panel would craft commodity and conservation provisions that would attract majority support. During the markup, Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS) continued his criticism of various new mandatory spending programs in the bill prepared by Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA). Among the mandatory programs – those whose funding is structured as an entitlement – is a new initiative to preserve old barns, Cochran said. 

Appropriations Bill Clears Conference.  The agricultural appropriations bill has been finalized by a conference committee. It now goes back to the Senate and House for final approval, then to the White House for President Bush's signature. For fiscal 2002, appropriations, including mandatory spending, total $76 billion. 

Grassley Tables Commodity Title.  Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) has issued a "working draft" proposal for the commodity title of the next farm bill, a proposal USDA finds "intriguing." USDA Chief Economist Keith Collins told Grassley, "We will continue to examine it and to work with your staff in evaluating new ideas and possible improvements." The proposal relies on a somewhat complicated "general economic balanced opportunity composite standard" (GE-BOCS). 

Analysts See Problems With India's Plan.  REUTERS reports that analysts and experts believe India's plans to change its grain management system to control high stocks are a proper step, but implementation could pose problems. Federal Food Minister Shanta Kumar told a conference on Thursday that the huge grain surplus was becoming unmanageable and there was need to take another look at the issue. He said a proposal had been made to dismantle the present system of grains procurement by state-run agencies and replace it with direct income support to farmers. Under the proposal farmers could sell the produce in the open market and the differential if any with the minimum support price (MSP) could be reimbursed by the federal government. 

Japan Urged to Be Flexible on Trade.  KYODO NEWS reports that the United States has urged Japan again be more flexible on agricultural trade so that a new round of world trade talks can be launched in Qatar. ''Japan is not most ambitious in the agriculture area,'' a senior U.S. trade official told reporters in the Qatari capital ahead of the five-day talks starting today. The official reiterated the U.S. position of giving top priority to farm trade at the WTO meeting, which aims to launch a new round of global trade liberalization talks. The United States wants an ''ambitious outcome on agriculture,'' as farm trade liberalization lags far behind liberalization in industrial goods, he said. Japan, trying to protect domestic farmers, is reluctant to bring farm trade liberalization under the same rules regulating trade of industrial goods. 

WTO Talks Open in Doha, Qatar.  Ministers from the World Trade Organization (WTO) open a critical meeting today in Doha, trying to start a new round of multilateral trade talks and spur the sagging global economy. KYODO NEWS reports that tight security is in effect following the Sept. 11 suicide attacks in the United States. Trade ministers from the 142 WTO member economies held separate meetings ahead of the five-day meeting's formal opening in the evening in an effort to solve lingering issues that squashed their attempt to launch the new round in Seattle in 1999. WTO spokesman Keith Rockwell said in a briefing to reporters that the ministers will have to strive to elaborate the three draft documents prepared in Geneva, calling them a ''balance of unhappiness.'' The Cairns group of 18 major farm produce exporting countries, meanwhile, held their own ministerial meeting in the morning. WTO members apparently have agreed that a repeat of the Seattle failure would erode confidence in the world trade system and that the global economy needs a stimulant, particularly after the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States. 

New Zealand Halts Some Livestock Exports. REUTERS reports that New Zealand exports of some livestock, semen and embryos have been stopped after a disease outbreak in goats and cattle. The outbreak, caused by a bacterium called mycoplasma mycoides (large colony) (MmmLC), was found on five farms in the North Island province of Waikato from July and led to the withdrawal of 16 export certificates. Exports that have been halted included sheep to Britain, sheep and goats to Kuwait, llamas and alpacas to Britain and the United Arab Emirates, sheep and goat semen to Sweden, Chile, France, Finland, Denmark, Brazil, and sheep and goat embryos to Norway, Denmark, Brazil, Finland, and Britain. "We pull the certificates and go through the process of renegotiating them," said Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) spokesman Matthew Stone, noting the renegotiation process could take years. Stone told the news agency in a telephone interview the government department was studying the effect of the outbreak on trade and would release an estimate of the economic effect next week. 

France Confident Talks Will Succeed.  REUTERS reports French Farm Minister Jean Glavany is confident world trade talks in Qatar will succeed if the European Union continues to defend its farm subsidies. "The EU has no reason to feel defensive. Total aid to agriculture is at the same level as that of other big partners -- notably the aid given to U.S. agriculture," Glavany said in a statement. "I think a result is not of out of reach, even on agricultural points, if we stick to the EU proposal: Let's all start by fixing the negotiations agenda without looking for a 'down payment' from Europe on the export subsidies," Glavany said. The European Union is expected to come in for criticism from the other WTO members because of the high level of support it gives to its farmers, inluding export subsidies. 

Germany Questions EU Biofuels Proposal.  The German government is questioning key elements of proposals from the European Commission to promote European Union use of biofuels, particularly ideas on tax, according to REUTERS. "We have considerable reservations about these proposals although in principle we welcome any efforts to raise biofuel use," an official at the German Agriculture and Consumer Protection Ministry told the news agency. "Imposing 50% of fuel taxes on biofuels would make them more expensive than traditional fuels based on mineral oils. In this case they would simply disappear from the market." Fuel taxes are not imposed on biodiesel in Germany. "We will press for EU states to retain the freedom to maintain their own tax systems," the ministry official said, adding that biodiesel production costs were about 300 euros per thousand litres more than those for conventional diesel. 

WTO Head Vows No Repeat of Seattle. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS reports that this week's meeting of trade ministers will not follow the route that led to the failure of the Seattle conference, according to World Trade Organization Director-General Mike Moore. Moore told reporters, "We have learned a lot out of Seattle." The meeting begins today. Officials hope to launch a new round of trade liberalization talks, but the five-day meeting will have to overcome major differences among the 142 WTO members on issues such as agriculture, the environment and access to medicine. The talks are taking place amid heavy security. On Wednesday, a gunman opened fire on U.S. and Qatari soldiers guarding an air base in this Persian Gulf country. The soldiers shot and killed the gunman, whose motives were unknown. Moore said the latest draft, drawn up by Hong Kong's ambassador to the WTO, Stuart Harbinson, had left ministers with "a balance of unhappiness. There are those who feel we have gone too far and those who feel we haven't gone far enough," he said. "But this isn't an agreed document - it's a basis for agreement." 

Africa Sees Little Hope for WTO Progress. REUTERS reports that an African regional economic grouping expects little progress at the World Trade Organization talks in Doha, Qatar, because there were such wide divisions on so many issues. Erastus Mwencha, secretary general and chief executive of the 20-member Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), said major differences existed mainly between the United States and Africa over key issues ranging from agriculture to intellectual property rights. "Africans are keen to debate and reach agreement on the issue of intellectual property rights and patents so they can easily produce generic drugs for ailments such as AIDS, but the Americans are unlikely to support a deal," Mwencha said. "There are also differences over agricultural subsidies and increased access for African products into the European and American markets, despite recent progress under initiatives such as the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act in the United States. 

November 8

Farm Bill Trade Section Passed by Committee.  The Senate Agriculture Committee Wednessday approved the trade title for its farm bill, increasing funding authority for agricultural trade programs by $2.1 billion over 10 years for commercial export programs and food aid programs. Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) said he expected the committee would complete the bill by the end of next week. 

Dayton Introduces Farm Bill.  A farm bill reflecting much of the Upper Midwest's hopes for policy changes in the next farm law has been introduced by Sen. Mark Dayton (D-MN). A major feature of the bill would establish marketing loan rates at not less than 80% of the economic cost of production, allowing loan rates to adjust annually to changes in producer input costs and productivity. The bill got the immediate public support of the National Farmers Union. 

RMA Clarifies Milk Options Trading.  USDA's Risk Management Agency has alerted approved brokers and others under the Dairy Options Pilot Program that certain milk option trading practices are not permitted and may violate Federal commodity laws and rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The clarifications, effective immediately, were made in consultation with the CFTC. 

China, Japan Fail on Trade Differences.  REUTERS reports from Tokyo that China and Japan have failed to resolve a trade dispute after two days of talks. "When it came to discussing concrete steps to solve the problem, I got the impression that the gap (between Japan and China) is still wide," said Shoji Yamano, a Japanese agriculture ministry official who attended the talks. "We did not reach an agreement," he told a news conference. China and Japan worked to end a trade dispute that began in April with Japan's decision to impose 200-day restrictions on imports from China of stone leeks, shiitake mushrooms and rushes used in tatami mats. Beijing retaliated in June with 100% punitive tariffs on Japanese cars, mobile phones and air conditioners. The Japanese curbs expire today (Nov. 8), meaning tariffs on the three products will come back down to three to six percent. 

Government Seeks to Change Pizza Rules.  THE ASSOCIATED PRESS reports that the federal government wants to drop decades-old rules that dictate the ingredients of frozen pizzas, down to how much meat, sausage or pepperoni must be in the toppings. Pizza makers say the rules prevent them from lowering the fat content or trying out new sauces or ethnic styles. USDA regulations dictate that a meat pizza must have a crust, cheese, a tomato-based sauce and at least 10% to 12% meat by weight. A 12-inch pepperoni typically would have about 20 pepperoni slices. The department will take public comment until Jan. 2 on its proposal to eliminate the pizza standards. Without those rules, a meat or sausage pizza could have as little as 2% meat. That's the minimum content for anything labeled as a meat product. 

EU Plans Biofuel Production. REUTERS reports that the European Commission plans to encourage biofuel production in Europe in a effort to ensure they account for 2% of all fuels by 2005. The Commission said it had adopted an action plan that aimed at a target of 20% inclusion of biofuels by 2020. European Union Transport Commissioner Loyola de Palacio said the plans would reduce the transport market's dependance on oil-based fuels. "This coherent action plan for an alternative fuel strategy for transport will tackle this over dependance, which is a significant source of environmental and supply concerns for the European Union," she said in a statement. EU Tax Commissioner Frits Blkestein said a second proposal adopted by the Commission offers member states the choice of reducing tax rates on pure or blended biofuels used as heating or motor fuel, would act as "an important incentive for economic operators to turn towards products which promote sustainable development." 

November 7

Senate Plows Ahead; House Leaders Hope.  With much of Washington watching to see if Congress can wrap up the current first session of the 107th Congress by Thanksgiving, the Senate Agriculture Committee is moving ahead in marking up its version of a farm bill. House Agriculture Committee leaders say they hope everything, including a conference committee, can be completed by adjournment. 

Efforts Made to Engage DOE in Renewable Feed Stocks.  The National Corn Growers Association is trying to get the Department of Energy involved in the corn industry's "AgVision 2020" designed to increase the use of plants and crops to produce chemical feed stocks five-fold by 2020 (an increase from 2% to 10%). NCGA CEO and Executive Vice President Rick Tolman met with representatives from the DOE and industry leaders to create an industry steering committee made up of various agriculture-related industry representatives to advise DOE on the AgVision 2020 program. 

U.S. Scientist Seeks to Diffuse Thai Rice Flap. A U.S. geneticist, caught in a controversy over a favored rice variety in Thailand, claims he got the seeds legally but will not seek to patent his variety, REUTERS reports. "I have documents to show that I obtained the seeds from IRRI, the International Rice Research Institute, in the Philippines," said Chris Deren, a professor at the University of Florida Everglades Research and Education Center in Belle Glade, FL. Thailand, the world's largest rice exporter, produces about 3 million tons of jasmine rice -- famed for its superior flavor and dazzling white color --a year, and about 24 million total tons of rice. "It is so easy to acquire the seeds," Deren told REUTERS in an interview. "Why would I go to the trouble of going half way round the world to steal it? It's not necessary," he said, adding that he was surprised by the controversy. Deren's troubles began after his quest to develop an early maturing variety of Thai jasmine rice to suit the U.S. climate won media attention about two months ago. Thai newspapers reported that a small group of farmers protested Deren's work two weeks ago and then attended a seminar organized by a non-governmental organization titled "Thai Jasmine Rice: How America Stole It." 

ACGA Finds Harkin Bill a ‘Mixed Bag.' The American Corn Growers Association (AGCA) finds the farm bill proposed by Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) a "mixed bag." ACGA president Keith Dittrich of Tilden, NE, explained his organization could support some of the key components of the bill but had reservations and concerns with what it saw as the "shortcomings" of some of the other components. "The fact that the bill offers slightly higher support rates for the major commodities than farmers presently have available, and better than the bill passed by the House of Representatives, is a big plus, but the support levels are just too low to provide the safety net America's farm families need," said Dittrich. "We need support rates set at a level which reflects the cost of doing business in today's economy and the support should be indexed to reflect increases in the cost of doing business in years to come." 

EU Defends Right to Choose Its Own System.  REUTERS reports from Brussels that the European Union sees difficult times for the Qatar world trade meeting this week, strongly defending its right to choose its own model of agriculture. Trade ministers from the World Trade Organization's (WTO) 142 member states gather in the Qatari capital Doha on Friday to try to work out an agenda for a new round of trade negotiations. Ministers still have to resolve differences over issues such as agriculture and how environmental rules apply to trade. The EU's top trade negotiator Pascal Lamy said while most of the preparatory work for launching new trade talks had been done, 20% still remained for the Doha meeting which lasts until Nov. 13. "This is not going to be the easiest stretch," Lamy told a news conference. 

UN Hunger Plan Inadequate, Say Critics.  REUTERS reports that a treaty approved by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, designed to protect crop varieties, isn't broad enough to meet the world's hunger needs, according to critics. "We have concerns that the current crop list falls far short of global food security needs," the United States said in a statement released this week. Non-governmental organisations (NGOs), such as Greenpeace, also criticised the treaty for being too limited. "It is not comprehensive: just 35 genera of crops and only 29 forage species are included in the treaty," the NGOs said. The International Convention on Plant Genetic Resources was approved by a FAO conference on Saturday after seven years of often difficult negotiations between industrialized and developing countries. It will become effective after 40 nations ratify it and was put together in an effort to ensure that plant genetic resources can be preserved and made available for research and plant breeding. 

Africa Divided Going into Qatar Meetings. African officials will be on hand later this week in Qatar for trade liberalization talks, but they remain divided, REUTERS reports. Analysts say the talks appear likely to end in failure, a result the world's poorest nations can ill afford. The five-day World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting begins on Friday in Doha, Qatar, in an effort to launch a new round of trade talks that will lead to freer trade worldwide. "It's too close to the ministerial (meeting) and there hasn't been any move to consensus," said Meenal Shrivastava, lecturer in political economy at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. Most analysts agree a united approach is a must if Africa is to benefit from the WTO talks and not be pushed aside by richer nations. "There is hope, but you have to get organised," J. Denis Belisle, executive director of the U.N. International Trade Centre warned African leaders in June. Part of the problem, analysts say, is that in a continent as large and diverse as Africa, few nations can establish common ground. Some, like South Africa, see the removal of industrial tariffs as a priority, others say issues of implementing previous agreements must come first, while still more insist that there is no point in having talks at all unless agriculture is included. 

Brazil's Ethanol Firms Sign with Japan. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL reports that a group of ethanol companies in Brazil has signed a letter of intent with Mitsui & Co. Ltd.of Japan to export sugar cane-based ethanol fuel to Japan in the near future, a local industry source said Wednesday. The agreement was finalized Tuesday in Tokyo and includes Brazil's top three sugar and ethanol exporters - Copersucar, Cosan SA and Crystal Sev Comercio e Representacao Ltda. - and the Sao Paulo-based trading house Companhia Importadora Exportadora Coimex. Joao Carlos Hopp, head of Coimex's derivatives department, said the agreement gives the Brazilians a definite advantage in the Japanese market when the country begins phasing out the use of chemical additives in gasoline such as methyl tertiary-butyl ether, or MTBE. 

NAS Holds E. Coli Risk Assessment Meeting. A review of USDA's draft farm-to-table process risk assessment of the microbial pathogen E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef will be conducted by a committee of the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine. The review will include evaluations of the overarching logical structure of the risk assessment and the model, validity and appropriateness of all input data used; the reasonableness of the assumptions made in the assessment and the anchoring approach taken; and the model's mathematics and equations. The committee will offer observations on the draft risk assessment and recommendations for changes that should be considered for implementation in its final version. The committee is conducting a public meeting to facilitate obtaining input on the draft risk assessment from interested individuals and organizations. Presentations and submissions should be focused on the issues before the committee. Because USDA regulatory policy is outside the scope of this study, the committee will not make recommendations regarding it. The meeting will be held Monday, Dec. 17 from 1-4 p.m. in the NAS board room at 2100 C St. NW, Washington, DC. The public is invited to attend. On-site registration for observers only will be held from 12:30-1:00 p.m. if sufficient seating space is available. Seating is limited and advance registration is recommended. To register to attend the meeting, e-mail ecoli@nas.edu to obtain the form and fax it to 202-334-2939, or mail it to: Elizabeth Albrigo; National Academy of Sciences; Institute of Medicine, FO-3030B; 2101 Constitution Avenue, NW; Washington, DC 20418. For further information please call 202-334-1318 or e-mail your queries to: ecoli@nas.edu.

November 6

Veneman Touts Biotechnology in Rome Speech.   Secretary of Agriculture Ann M. Veneman Monday reaffirmed the commitment of the United States to end world hunger and urged the continued development of biotechnology as the means to feed a growing global population and help forge solutions to malnutrition and poverty. Her remarks were made at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization 31st Conference in Rome. 

New York Sausage in Moscow Groceries.  Consumers in Moscow are able to buy a fully-cooked, ready-to-eat "New York Brand" sausage as a result of collaboration between the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) and Otradnoe, a Russian sausage maker and meat processor. USMEF and Otradnoe designed the "New York Brand" sausage to be smaller than the standard Russian sausage to lower the per-unit price, allowing more sausages to be purchased by weight and creating a distinctive U.S. product, according to USMEF. 

Philippines Mulls GM Guidelines.  THE WALL STREET JOURNAL reports the Philippine government should issue guidelines by the end of the year for the commercialization, import, use and distribution of crops and seeds containing genetically modified organisms. Agriculture Secretary Leonardo Montemayor said the department has completed a consultation process on the draft guidelines but would not discuss details. Consultations included non-governmental organizations, farmers, academics and representatives of various government agencies. Montemayor said consultation with the legislature also will determine whether legislation might be necessary to give the guidelines more teeth. Now, only guidelines covering the field trials of genetically modified seeds have been issued by the government. 

China, Asian Nations Agree on Trade Bloc. REUTERS reports that China and 10 Southeast Asian nations have decided to create a free trade area within 10 years. It would be worth $1 trillion, and the participants hope the bloc will inject new energy into their economies. Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji and top officials from the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) decided at a regional summit in Brunei to link their economies in a vast market covering nearly 30% of the world's population. "What we are aiming for is the biggest free trade area in the world with 1.7 billion people, and it will be closer to two billion when it comes into effect," said Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, who read the closing statement from the summit. A senior ASEAN official said although the pact will take years to put together it immediately should help convince investors to take another look at the region. 

Brazil Holds a Biotechnology Key.  Brazil, a leading world producer of soybeans, coffee, sugar, beef, corn and orange juice, has yet to allow genetically modified crop production despite fierce lobbying from powerful multinationals such as U.S.-based Monsanto. The country's soybean fields may have up to 60% of the crop grown from GM seeds smuggled from neighboring Argentina, REUTERS reports. But if Brazil were to permit the widespread cultivation and sale of genetically modified soy, which might still take many months due to the country's labyrinthine legal system, the global balance between modified and unmodified beans might change forever. 

House TPA Votes Lacking.  THE ASSOCIATED PRESS reports House Republican leaders are ready to take the trade promotion act bill to the floor, but the votes may not be there to pass the legislation. House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) said trade promotion authority will be on the House floor within the next two weeks. He has asked the House's top trade lawmaker, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bill Thomas (R-CA) to cancel a trip to Qatar for a World Trade Organization meeting so he can lead the legislative battle. But opponents say an additional 40 or so votes must be picked up to get the bill through the House. Democrats say the bill doesn't protect labor and environmental interests adequately. Republicans with strong farm or union ties are under pressure to oppose it. And administration plans to lower duties on Pakistan textiles as a reward for that country's cooperation in the war in Afghanistan could alienate textile state lawmakers. "Any bill that doesn't address these issues head-on won't succeed,'' said Rep. Sander Levin (D-MI), a Democratic leader on trade issues and co-sponsor of a Democratic alternative to Thomas' bill. 

Senate Panel Continues Farm Bill Mark-up.  The Senate Agriculture Committee is marking up the forestry and energy titles of the farm bill today. The 8:30 a.m. session is being held in 328A Russell Senate Office Building. Last week, the committee approved the credit title. The committee "will move ahead on this legislation to ensure that a bill is ready for the floor before the end of the year," says Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA). 

Energy Group Pats Harkin on the Back.  The Sustainable Energy Coalition (SEC) has commended Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) for including an extensive energy title in the committee's farm bill. The legislation would promote greater energy efficiency on farms and help develop renewable energy resources such as biomass, geothermal, solar, and wind. "Senator Harkin's energy title opens up a tremendous opportunity for farmers to utilize the sun in other ways besides growing crops," stated Glenn Hamer, executive director for the Solar Energy Industries Association. "The sun's power can be harnessed in many cost-effective off-grid solar applications, such as pumping water for irrigation or livestock." "Farmers can benefit directly from incentives given to producing power and fuels from biomass," says Katherine Hamilton, co-director of the American Bioenergy Association. "Senator Harkin has linked agricultural economics to clean energy and fuels, an important step toward strengthening our national energy security." 

TPA Vote This Month.  REUTERS reports that Republican leaders plan for the House to vote on a trade promotion authority (TPA) bill "within the next two weeks." The bill has strong support in the agriculture community. House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL), in a letter to House Ways and Means Chairman Bill Thomas (R-CA), said the vote should be taken later this month. U.S. business and farm groups have urged Republican leaders to set a firm date for a vote on the bill, which would give President Bush the authority to negotiate broad new trade agreements without congressional amendment, only approval or disapproval. In his letter, Hastert asked Thomas not to attend a World Trade Organization ministerial meeting in Doha, Qatar, that begins on Thursday and continues into next week. "Because TPA will be on the House floor within the next two weeks, the urgency of the bill's successful passage necessitates your presence here in Washington," Hastert said. 

Lamy Believes New Round Almost Sure.  REUTERS reports that European Union Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy believes members of the World Trade Organization were "80% of the way" toward launching new trade talks at their upcoming meeting in Doha, Qatar. However, he warned, difficult issues remain. Speaking from Brussels via videoconference, Lamy told reporters prospects for success at the Nov. 9-13 meeting were much better than they were at the same point ahead of the failed WTO ministerial in Seattle in December 1999. "Two years ago, we had gone 50% of the way of reaching our objective prior to Seattle" Lamy said. "This time, my judgment is that we are 80% of the way there." Still, he added, the other 20% "are not the easiest" to resolve. The EU has concerns about the draft declaration for Doha in a number of areas, including environment, agriculture, labor, investment and competition, Lamy said. But he stressed the EU's support for launching trade negotiations would depend on the overall balance of the declaration agreed to in Doha. For agriculture, Lamy again said he could not agree to setting a goal of eliminating or phasing out export subsidies, because that would require major changes in the EU's Common Agricultural Policy. 

November 5

Veneman to Rome, Doha.   Secretary of Agriculture Ann M. Veneman travels to Doha, Qatar, this week with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick as part of a delegation that hopes to begin a new round of negotiations in the World Trade Organization. Veneman also will attend the 31st Food and Agriculture Organization meeting in Rome prior to the WTO meetings today through Wednesday. She will meet with individual trade ministers on issues of mutual concern. During the FAO meeting, she will deliver remarks on the subject of fair trade rules for the development of biotechnology to help feed the developing world, improve nutrition, prevent losses from pests and disease and reduce the use of inputs that can harm the environment. 

Afghanistan Dry for Winter Wheat Season.  Afghanistan is entering the winter wheat season with very dry conditions and low irrigation reserves. A USDA report notes that Afghanistan has experienced three consecutive years of drought that have had a severe impact on field crop production and pasture land capacity. 

NFU Points to Prices as Farm Policy Need.   Using October commodity price declines as an example, National Farmers Union (NFU) reiterated the need for what it called "an adequate safety net for farmers and ranchers to offset severe price fluctuations." USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service reported the largest one-month decline in farm-gate prices since the department began recording the statistic 91 years ago, NFU said. The 9.5% decline from the September index reflects downturns in prices for milk, soybeans, hogs, corn, broilers, cattle and lettuce, along with seasonal changes in the marketing of commodities. "There is tremendous uncertainty among producers and their lenders because of the volatility of agricultural markets," said NFU President Leland Swenson. "This proves the need for an adequate safety net for farmers and ranchers, which current farm policy lacks. These unprotected dips and dives in the market hurt our farmers and ranchers and the rural communities that depend on them," Swenson said. "We need a safety net provision that helps farmers when prices are low and that is based on what producers are doing today. This safety net is a vital part of the farm bill that must be completed this year." 

USDA Cites France, Ireland FMD Free.  USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is adding France and Ireland to the list of countries considered to be free of rinderpest and foot-and-mouth disease. The change in disease status relieves certain prohibitions and restrictions on the importation of ruminants and swine, fresh meat and other products into the United States. However, these countries will continue to be subject to certain import restrictions on meat and animal products because of their proximity to or trading relationships with rinderpest or FMD affected regions. In addition, France and Ireland will continue to be under restrictions for bovine spongiform encephalopathy and, in the case of France, classical swine fever. Notice of this final rule is scheduled to be published in today's Federal Register and becomes effective upon publication. APHIS documents published in the Federal Register and related information, including the risk assessment and names and addresses of organizations and individuals who have commented on APHIS dockets, are available on the Internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html. In addition, the evaluation of the FMD status of France and Ireland for this rule-making is available on the Internet at www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/reg-request.html. Comments submitted during the comment period as well as the final rule may be reviewed at USDA, Room 1141, South Building, 14th Street and Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C., between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays. Persons wishing to review comments are requested to call ahead on (202) 690-2817 to facilitate entry into the comment reading room. 

Chuck Conner Named Farm Trade Assistant. President George W. Bush has appointed Charles F. Connor to be special assistant to the President for agricultural trade and food assistance. Connor will work with USDA, Congress, and the farming and ranching community in the development of the President's agriculture policy. Connor has served as the President of the Corn Refiners Association since 1997. Before joining the Corn Refiners Association, he served with the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry as majority staff director from 1995 to 1997, minority staff director from 1987 to 1995 and as a professional staff member of the committee from 1985 to 1987. From 1980 to 1985, Connor was a legislative assistant to Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN). A native of Benton County, IN, Connor is a graduate of Purdue University. Secretary of Agriculture Ann M. Veneman said Conner's appointment "will further strengthen the administration's agriculture team as we continue to address the important issues affecting America's farmers and ranchers. Chuck is well known and highly respected in the food and agriculture sector and brings a wealth of experience to this position. His understanding of a broad range of agriculture and trade issues underscores the President's commitment to our farmers and ranchers. Chuck will provide strong leadership in working cooperatively with the Congress and interested parties as the Administration continues to develop and administer policies that are critical to farmers, consumers and the food and agriculture industry as a whole." 

New GM Crops May Be Hurt by Consumers. REUTERS reports that consumer pressure will not force North and South American farmers to abandon genetically modified crops, but it could affect the development of a new generation promising many medical or nutritional benefits. "I don't think there's any question of GMOs being here to stay," said Gerald Nelson, professor of agricultural economics at the University of Illinois and editor of "GMOs in Agriculture: Economics and Politics," a 300-page survey of the issues published this year. "The question is whether we get beyond the initial wave of products like Bt (pest resistant) cotton or corn. I wouldn't bet a whole lot of money on that happening real soon," he said. Consumers in Europe and parts of Asia, angered by what they see as products being foisted upon them without their consent, remain unconvinced. They have pushed for more testing, regulation, labeling and segregating or total bans. 

Beef's Birthplace Now to Be on Labels. Japan's farm ministry will numerically label each package of beef to show consumers the birthplace of the cow that produced the beef and the farms where the cow was raised, KYODO NEWS reports. Known as ''traceability,'' the system is aimed at restoring public trust in beef in the wake of the discovery in September of Japan's first case of mad cow disease, the sources said. The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries will launch a pilot project around January by linking a stock farm in Hokkaido with retailers in Osaka Prefecture, they said. The ministry has commissioned the National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations, which maintains a marketing channel between the Hokkaido farm and co-op supermarkets in Osaka, to develop the system and implement the pilot project. 

Roberts Urges Wheat for Afghans.  Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS) wants U.S. wheat used for emergency aid programs in Afghanistan. "Using aid dollars to purchase foreign wheat at a time when our farmers are suffering is unacceptable," Roberts said. "The purchase of American wheat provides an important stimulus for ouragricultural industry during this period of economic uncertainty." Extensive U.S. shipments of wheat have arrived in Pakistan and surrounding regions. By the end of November, a significant supply of U.S. wheat will be on hand for humanitarian relief. "Distribution of emergency food aid in Afghanistan is hampered by our enemies within the country who confiscate