EPA Moves on TMDLs, Tells Congress to Change Its Mind. The Environmental Protection Agency Tuesday announced it would move ahead with actions to reduce water pollution throughout the country, in cooperation with the states, through total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) that would establish limits to reduce pollution. The agency also called on Congress to retract a legislative rider to an emergency supplemental appropriations bill approved just before the July 4 recess.

Scientists Release Biotechnology Report. Seven academies of science from around the world, including five from developing nations, issued a white paper Tuesday spelling out what they believe is the promise of agricultural biotechnology to alleviate hunger and poverty in the Third World. The paper urges governments to base their decisions regarding biotechnology on sound science and strongly encourages private corporations and research institutions to share their technology with scientists and farmers in developing countries who desperately need it.

Environmental Reviews for Trade Pacts. Future trade agreements will be subject to tougher environmental reviews, according to a decision announced this week by the Clinton Administration. An executive order, signed by President Clinton last November, commits the United States to careful assessment and consideration of the environmental impacts of future trade agreements including written reviews of certain major trade agreements, and directs the U.S. Trade Representative and Council on Environmental Quality to develop implementing guidelines.

Cottonseed Payments Announced. USDA's Farm Service Agency Administrator Keith Kelly says that $79 million in payments for the 1999-crop cottonseed payment program will be made as of Monday, July 10. The program was first announced by Secretary Dan Glickman on March 29 to help farmers offset losses from low 1999-crop cottonseed prices.

Philippine Cotton Crop Down from 1999. Cotton production in the Philippines this year is expected to total 500 tons, a significant decline from the 650 tons produced in 1999 and an even more dramatic decline from the 974 tons produced in 1998. Hectares planted also have declined with 3,665 hectares planted in 1998, 2,170 hectares planted in 1999 and 1,700 hectares projected for 2000. One hectare equals 2.47 acres.

Canadian Grain, Oilseed Group Formed. A national organization of Canada's cereal, oilseed, and special crop producers has been created to represent grower interests in federal farm policy making. The establishment of the Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) comes after six months of planning and consultation with grain producer organizations across the country.

News Summaries

Senate Democrats Fight Against China Sanctions. Senate Democrats continued to fight Tuesday against a measure to impose sanctions on China for alleged weapon sales. They warned the sanctions would hurt U.S. companies and provoke a backlash from Beijing, REUTERS reports. Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-MS) wants a vote this week on the sanctions bill. But Democrats have demanded that Lott first schedule a vote this month on permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) with China. "The bottom line is that if the Senate is on record with this harsh rhetoric and these extraordinarily harmful sanctions, I think it could seriously poison the well and cause maybe some reaction on the part of the Chinese that would be even more counterproductive when we consider PNTR," Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle (SD) told reporters. The sanctions bill would require sanctions against China and groups or companies that help nations develop oracquire nuclear, chemical and other deadly weapons. REUTERS says Senate support for the Thompson bill has increased in recent weeks and Republican aides said it was likely to pass, despite a White House veto threat and dire warnings from big business. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said the sanctions mandated by Thompson would end up hurting multinational corporations, small businesses and American farmers.

Farmers Dump Milk in Wisconsin. About 300 dairy producers dumped $98,000 worth of milk last week in protest to low prices, BLOOMBERG NEWS reports from Bloomer, WI. They also want the government to help increase milk prices. Milk prices are in their worst slump in two decades. Production had been increased to record levels, but over-production has led to an over supply of dairy products and lower prices. Compounding the surplus is the spread of big, low-cost farms that make it cheaper to produce milk, says the BLOOMBERG article, and while total demand for milk is up, U.S. consumers on average are drinking a lot less of it, preferring sodas, juices and bottled water. "We have to let people know that we're serious about needing a price increase," said Don Moos, a dairy producer from Chetek, WI, who dumped milk during the Independence Day holiday protest. "All segments of agriculture are in the pits right now."

Georgia Wants Disaster Aid. Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Tommy Irvin has asked the governor to officially request that Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman declare all of Georgia's 159 counties disaster areas due to drought. The request comes following a meeting of USDA's State Emergency Board in Athens, GA, which reviewed damage assessment reports from across the state. The reports showed sufficient production losses to warrant disaster area designation, said Commissioner Irvin. Disaster area designation will allow all family-sized farms in qualifying counties to be eligible to be considered for low-interest emergency loans from USDA's Farm Service Agency. Each application for an emergency loan will be considered on its own merits, taking into account the extent of losses, security available, repayment ability and other eligibility requirements.

Agriculture Funding Passes House. The House approved a $75.4 billion agriculture appropriations bill Tuesday that could become the vehicle to ease sanctions on food and medicine sales to Cuba. REUTERS reports the bill passed 339-82, a day after language was deleted to exempt food and medicine from unilateral U.S. economic sanctions. However, the sanctions portion could come back later, perhaps as part of the agriculture bill. Farm-state lawmakers and an anti-Castro bloc in the House agreed to a compromise on Cuba sanctions that would prohibit government or private U.S. financing for food sales to Havana and make he current set of travel regulations law. The funding bill now goes to the Senate, which has a more liberal provision on food and medicine trade as part of its version. REUTERS says an aide to Rep. George Nethercutt (R-WA), sponsor of the original House language, said the final version may be written later this month.

Vanclief Wants U.S. to be Less Intrusive on Credit Rules. Canada's Agriculture Minister Lyle Vanclief wants the United States to allow progress in talks to establish rules for agricultural export credit guarantees, REUTERS reports. Members of the 29-nation Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) will meet again in Paris next week to work on the issue, Vanclief told reporters after a meeting with Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman. Vanclief said the talks now are stalled "because the U.S. has not been prepared to negotiate. Hopefully, they can move ahead so we can get a firm set of rules, rather than freeze in place what is happening at the current time," Vanclief said. REUTERS said the United States, which is one of the biggest users of credit guarantees to help finance farm exports, has found itself on the defensive in the negotiations. Competitors complain the United States' aggressive use of export credit guarantees gives U.S. exporters an unfair advantage in the world market.