The United States Agricultural & Food Law and Policy Blog

Welcome to the U.S. Agricultural & Food Law and Policy Blog

noreply@blogger.com (jmirusdesigns) — Sun, 06 Jan 2019 16:11:00 +0000

A comprehensive news, research, and information resource for the nation’s agricultural community.

Provided as a partnership of the National Agricultural Law Center, the nation’s leading source of agricultural and food law research and information, and the American Agricultural Law Association, the only national professional organization focusing on the legal needs of the agricultural community.

Senator Questions USDA's Role in Egg Recall

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 15:58:00 +0000

The Associated Press reports that Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) sent a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack "asking whether the U.S. Department of Agriculture had received complaints" and also asking what was done to address the complaints, in reference to the numerous food safety violation recently found at two Iowa egg farms that have been the subject of the recent egg recall.

Grassley also asked whether there was a system in place for workers to report problems. USDA spokesman Caleb Weaver said "that the agency is working on a response to Grassley's letter."

"USDA employees at the farm inspect eggs and grade them but are not there to inspect for food safety issues." The FDA has authority over food safety issues and an agreement with the FDA allows USDA to "report unsanitary or other conditions that would require them to withhold the voluntary grading service."

The two Iowa farms have recalled "about 550 million eggs that were linked to about 1,400 illnesses nationwide."

To read the Associated Press story, click here.

Posted: 09/09/2010

APHIS Seeks Comment On Environmental Assessment for FMD Vaccine

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 15:24:00 +0000

USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) "has released an environmental assessment for comment concerning authorization to ship and field test a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccine, according to the APHIS news release.

The vaccine does not contain a live FMD virus, thus, "the field test presents no risk for a disease outbreak." A field test is "generally necessary to satisfy prelicensing requirements for veterinary biological products. Applicants must obtain approval from APHIS to conduct a field test on an unlicensed product, as well as to ship the product for field testing."

Field tests would be conducted in Michigan, Missouri and Nebraska, and animals "will be vaccinated and observed for any side effects."

The environmental assessment was published in the Federal Register on Sept. 8, 2010 and comments will be received until Oct. 7, 2010. For the full-text of the Federal Register notice, click here.

To read the APHIS news release, click here.

Posted: 09/10/2010

NBFA Urges Senate to Fund Pigford Settlement

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 14:32:00 +0000

CNN reports that the head of the National Black Farmers Association (NBFA) called for Congress "to fund a historic discrimination case settlement involving minority farmers."

The 1997 case, Pigford v. Glickman, was settled out of court 11 years ago, but due to the volume of claimants, "tens of thousands of farmers missed the filing deadline to submit claims." The case was reopened by a measure in the 2008 Farm Bill, known as Pigford II. The "$1.25 billion settlement is owed to the farmers after years of being denied government farm loans and support from federal programs because of the color of their skin."

In February, "the Department of Justice released a statement saying Attorney General Eric Holder and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack were announcing a resolution to Pigford II." Congress must appropriate the funds for the settlement and then "class members may pursue their individual claims through a non-judicial claims process in front of a neutral arbitrator."

The Senate has failed seven time to approve the funding for this settlement. In July, the House approved a war supplemental funding bill that included the settlement funding, but it failed in the Senate.

The head of the NBFA "slammed the sharply divided Senate for repeatedly stripping funding provisions for different bills."

For background on the Pigford settlement, click here and here to read past US Ag&Food Law and Policy Blog Posts on the subject.

To read the CNN story, click here.

Posted: 09/09/2010

USDA Will Buy Up to $30 Million of Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:54:00 +0000

USDA will purchase up to $30 million of dark meat chicken for federal food nutrition assistance programs, according to a USDA news release.

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said that the purchase "will assist food banks and other federal food nutrition assistance programs" and "offer recipients a wide variety of healthy products."

Reuters reports that supplies of dark meat chicken "increased this year after Russia, a leading buyer of dark-meat leg quarters, banned imports of U.S. chicken beginning in January. Russia just recently lifted the ban on many U.S. chicken plants." For background on the issue of US poultry sales to Russia, click here, here, and here to read past US Ag&Food Law and Policy Blog posts on the subject.

USDA recently reported that there were 115.48 million pounds of "leg quarters in storage, up 33 percent from a year ago."

To read the USDA news release, click here.
To read the Reuters story, click here.

Posted: 09/08/2010

US to Allow H2A Workers from Jamaica

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:49:00 +0000

Uncertainty about allowing H2A workers from Jamaica for the fall harvest has been resolved, according the The Daily News Online.

Last week, the US government sent letters to many growers in New York "telling them temporary workers through the H2A program would not be certified." The US "was opposed to the Jamaican government's long-standing policy of taking about 6 percent of workers' paychecks."

Recently, however the "Jamaican Central Labor Organization agreed to eliminate its administrative fee, but will continue to retain the insurance, savings deposit, and 1 percent allocation to the Jamaican Social Security system, according to officials at Mas Labor, a firm in Lovingston, Va."

The H2A program allows foreign nationals entry into the United States for agricultural work that is temporary or seasonal. Employers must comply with several requirements of the program and other US labor laws. For more information on agricultural labor laws, click here for the National Agricultural Law Center's Reading Room on the subject.

To read The Daily News Online story, click here.

Posted: 09/08/2010

AFBF Announces Opening for Senior Economist - Crops Markets

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 13:46:00 +0000

AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FEDERATION

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT

Title: Senior Economist – Crops Markets

Department: Economic Analysis

Function:
Develop research, policy analysis, presentations and commentaries on a wide variety of economic questions and issues of importance to farmers and United States agricultural sector particularly to those producing row crops.

Reportability:
Reports to Chief Economist.

Specialization:
1. Be well versed in markets, production systems, market structures, risk management, export issues and other factors affecting the livelihood of row crop producers in the United States
2. Be familiar with the data sets needed to analyze timely questions on subjects important to the industry, and take responsibility for ensuring the organization has the latest information available.
3. Ability to assist in developing the Department’s work plan for the upcoming operational period.

Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Provide written economic policy analyses and commentaries in support of Farm Bureau policy activities for AFBF and state Farm Bureau staff, volunteer leaders and interested people outside Farm Bureau.
2. Provide economic presentations to state Farm Bureau groups and other audiences explaining the economics of Farm Bureau policy positions.
3. Work with other Farm Bureau teams in ensuring a coordinated effort on crop commodity markets and policies associated with those markets.
4. Represent Farm Bureau at professional and semi-professional economic meetings and other functions to explain Farm Bureau policy positions and gain knowledge about policy issues.
5. Respond to media and other inquiries concerning the economic aspects of Farm Bureau policy work.
6. Work with various AFBF task forces, study groups, staff committees, working groups and AFBF meeting activities to provide economic input.
7. Work with outside economic consultants on a regular basis and on special economic research projects in support of Farm Bureau policies.
8. Arrange conferences and meetings on economic policy issues for state Farm Bureau staff and volunteer leaders.
9. Maintain professional competence by attending and participating in professional meetings, seminars and other activities to improve individual skills and abilities.

Authority:
In cooperation with the Chief Economist, plan a work schedule for research and analyses on crops and other economic issues.

Transmit research findings and analyses after internal discussion and coordination with the Chief Economist.

Carryout travel, memberships, conferences and special projects within the budget established for the Department.

Relationships:
Economists work directly with a wide range of AFBF and state Farm Bureau staff, state Farm Bureau volunteer leaders, other industry leaders, government officials, members of the media and other individuals interested in crop commodity markets.

Education/Experience:
Candidate should have at least a Masters Degree in Agricultural Economics or similar field and have 5-8 years experience in analyzing and reporting on commodity markets with particular emphasis on traditional grains, oilseeds and fibers. Extension experience is considered a definite plus.

Travel:
Individual in this position should expect to travel on a regular basis, as often as once a week during some of the heavier meeting periods.

Salary:
Commensurate with experience and in line with AFBF compensation schedules.

Please send cover letter and resume to Stefphanie Gambrell, Human Resources Generalist, American Farm Bureau Federation, 600 Maryland Avenue SW, Suite 1000W, Washington DC, 20024. Electronic applications will be accepted at sgambrell@aaic.comsgambrell@aaic.com>. The deadline for applications is Thursday, September 30, 2010.

Posted: 09/08/2010

CFAC Announces Opening for Executive Director

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 13:32:00 +0000

Position Announcement:
Executive Director
http://www.missoulacfac.org/

The Community Food and Agriculture Coalition (CFAC) of Missoula County seeks an energetic, inspired Executive Director to help address community needs as they relate to food and agriculture in a comprehensive and creative way. Since its inception in 2005, CFAC has operated as a multi-stakeholder, food policy council. The Coalition brings together a broad base of interests, including farmers/ranchers, conservationists, nutritionists, anti-hunger advocates, local food proponents, land use planners, chefs, university researchers, and more. With a geographic focus on Missoula County and the surrounding region, CFAC aims to develop and strengthen the local food system, promoting sustainable agriculture, building regional self-reliance, and assuring all citizens equal access to healthy, affordable food.

CFAC has a strong record of enhancing access to local foods, creating new local markets, working to protect farmland, serving beginning farmers and ranchers, and educating the public about the value and vision of creating a healthy local food system. Currently, we have a full-time staff person for our farm/ranchland protection and Land Link programs, and a half-time person who coordinates our Farm to School program in Missoula County Public Schools and carries out educational programs. CFAC will continue to bring the local food movement to a new level of success in Western Montana. In order to do that, however, CFAC’s Board of Directors has determined that the time is ripe to increase the capacity of the organization by hiring an Executive Director. This will enable us to enhance our existing programs and to grow new ones, while still retaining the grassroots volunteerism that characterizes the organization.

Supervision
This position reports directly to the Missoula Community Food and Agriculture Coalition Board of Directors.

Responsibilities
• Assure that CFAC has a long-range strategy which achieves its mission, and toward which it makes consistent and timely progress.
• Provide leadership in developing program, organizational and financial plans with the Board of Directors and staff, and work with CFAC board members, staff, and volunteers to carry out plans and policies.
• Supervise CFAC program staff: Farm to School Coordinator, Land Use and Viability Coordinator, other interns, volunteers, and temporary staff as needed. Maintain a climate that attracts, keeps, and motivates a diverse staff of top quality people.
• With board chair, convene and facilitate monthly CFAC board meetings.
• Provide key staffing for the Food Security and Access subcommittee.
• Involve CFAC committees, board, and general membership in implementation of CFAC’s programmatic and policy goals.
• Manage grant writing, fundraising, public relationships and organizational budgets.
• Maintain CFAC’s membership database and grow CFAC’s membership through outreach and communications.
• Foster and maintain relationships with other organizations with similar missions to ensure collaboration and avoid duplication.
• Maintain a working knowledge of significant developments and trends in the field.
• Actively publicize CFAC events, activities, programs and goals within the community and surrounding areas.
• Ensure job descriptions are current, carry out regular performance evaluations, and employ sound human resource practices.
• Maintain official records and documents, and ensure compliance with federal, state and local regulations.

Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s degree in a related field is preferred.
• Minimum of three years of managerial experience in a nonprofit or community-based environment preferred.
• Experience with fundraising, grant and report writing, and budget maintenance.
• Proven written, editorial and oral communications to represent the organization and its programs.
• Experience with coalition building, program development, event planning, policy review and evaluation protocols.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work with individuals and groups from diverse backgrounds.
• Must think proactively and function independently.
• Capability to manage multiple tasks, and bring projects from beginning to completion.
• Ability to maintain a highly detail-oriented approach while maintaining an appreciation of the long-term goals and objectives of the programs.
• Demonstrated commitment to the values at CFAC’s core.
• Demonstrated commitment to participatory community organizing.

Hours, Benefits, Compensation
This position is full-time with an annual salary of $36K plus health insurance, flexible schedule, and generous paid leave time.

Application Submission Process
For priority consideration, please submit cover letter, resume and the names and contact information for three professional references no later than October 1, 2010.

Please mail submissions to:
CFAC ED Search Committee
PO Box 7025
Missoula, MT 59806

Or e-mail submissions to info@missoulacfac.orginfo@missoulacfac.org> ATTN: ED Search Committee

Applications received after the deadline will be considered on a rolling basis if the job is not yet filled.
Applying by the deadline, however, will guarantee consideration.

Posted: 09/08/2010

Wheat Prices Rise on Prediction of Lower Supply

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 16:09:00 +0000

Bloomberg reports that wheat futures "climbed to a three-week high on speculation that the U.S. Department of Agriculture may pare its estimate of global inventories for a fourth time, signaling tighter supply."

USDA "will forecast wheat stockpiles before the 2011 harvest at 171.09 million metric tons compared with 174.76 million tons last month, according to the average estimate of 13 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. The USDA cut its estimates every month since May, when it predicted stockpiles at 198 million."

The "advance" in wheat prices is a "concern" for Abdolreza Abbassain, a senior grains economist at the United Nations's Food & Agriculture Organization in Rome. The rising wheat prices "helped push the FAO's global Food Price Index to 176 last month, the highest level since September 2008."

USDA "will release its next estimate on world agricultural supply and demand on Sept. 10 at 8:30 a.m. in Washington."

To read the Bloomberg story, click here.

Posted: 09/07/2010

USDA Announces Organic Program Handbook

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:42:00 +0000

USDA published the "first edition of a program handbook designed for those who own, manage, or certify organic operations" recently, according a news release from the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS).

The handbook gives guidance about the National Organic Program standards and "will help participants comply with federal regulations." The handbook "provides guidance on the allowance of green waste in organic production systems, approval of liquid fertilizers in organic production, certification of organic yeast, processed animal manures in organic crop production, reassessed inert ingredients, and the calculation of dry matter intake for NOP's access to pasture requirements."

In addition, the handbook includes "instructions concerning organic certification such as recordkeeping, steps to certification," organic certificates, and accreditation procedures.

The National Organic Program handbook is available here.

To read the AMS news release, click here.

Posted: 09/07/2010

Senate Food Safety Bill a Priority Amid Recalls

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:05:00 +0000

Reuters reports that a spokesman for Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, said that passing food safety reform "has been and will continue to be a priority."

The egg recall and salmonella outbreak caused by two Iowa egg producers has resulted in strong consumer pressure to act on food safety. The egg recall began on August 13, 2010 and "involves more than half a billion eggs ... from Wright County Egg and Hillandale Farms. About 1,500 reported cases of Salmonella enteritidis have been linked to tainted eggs since the spring." Recently, the criminal division of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Justice Department joined the investigation of the Iowa egg operations. For more information on the egg recall and criminal investigation, click here and here to read past US Ag&Food Law and Policy Blog posts on the subject.

The food safety bill has been languishing in the Senate for some time due to disagreements over amendments and certain provisions. The House passed its own food safety legislation in July of 2009. Reid hopes for the Senate to take up food safety legislation when Congress returns from its summer recess in mid-September.

US Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, stated, "We must pass the food safety legislation currently before Congress that will help FDA prevent outbreaks like this one in the future."

"The House and Senate food safety bills would give the FDA power to order recalls, increase the frequency of plant inspections at the riskiest plants, give FDA more access to food facility records, and expand its traceback capabilities in the event of a foodborne illness outbreak."

To read the Reuters story, click here.

Posted: 09/07/2010

Grand Jury Indicts Foreign Executives and Companies for Honey Laundering

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:18:00 +0000

A federal grand jury has indicted several German and Chinese executives and their companies on charges of "illegally importing $40 million in falsely labeled Chinese honey -- some of it tainted with antibiotics" according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), "which cooperated with law enforcement agencies in the investigation, said that the low levels of antibiotics in the Chinese honey are not likely to cause adverse reactions in people, and no illnesses linked to adulteration have been reported."

According to Andrew Schneider of AOL News, the 70-page indictment "reads like Cliffs notes for a spy novel: smuggling, bogus shipping papers, phony lab tests, shipments to Chicago warehouses and small honey-packing plants in Washington's Cascade Mountains."

"Eleven Chinese and German executives and six of their food supply and honey export companies were charged on Wednesday with 44 counts of conspiring to illegally import Chinese-origin honey, including honey tainted with antibiotics, into the U.S. by mislabeling it as originating in other countries to avoid paying anti-dumping fees." The anti-dumping fees would have amounted to about $80 million.

For the full text of the indictment, click here.

To read the Minneapolis Star Tribune story, click here.
To read the AOL News story, click here.

Posted: 09/03/2010

Riots in Mozambique Over World Food Prices

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:27:00 +0000

The Associated Press reports that a rise in world food prices has prompted deadly riots in Mozambique this week.

Over the last two months, "food prices worldwide have risen 5 percent" and many fear that this could be a sign of riots similar to those during the last global food crisis in 2008.

In Mozambique, "higher prices set by the government were based on monetary exchange issues, not concerns about world supplies." The price of a loaf of bread, however, in Mozambique rose 25 percent in the past year "from about four to five U.S. cents." These "increases have had a dramatic impact in a nation where more than half the population lives in poverty."

Mozambique "grows only 30 percent of the wheat it needs" and the government says there is little it can do about the high prices.

Other countries in Asia, the Middle East, and Europe have also been impacted by the wheat shortage and rising world food prices. In Egypt, "where half the population depends on subsidized bread, recent protests over rising food prices left at least one person dead." In Pakistan, "the prices of many food items have risen by 15 percent or more following" floods that destroyed about 1/5 of the country's crops.

To read the Associated Press story, click here.

Posted: 09/03/2010

Experts Debate Benefits of Organic Food

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:08:00 +0000

The question "Is Organic Food Marketing Hype?" was a recent topic of the Newsweek Intelligence Squared US debate. Newsweek enlisted six experts to the debate the issue.

The former head of the Food Standards Agency said that "six in 10 Americans who buy organic food believe it is healthier," but eight countries have looked at this issue and all "have concluded that there is no health benefit of eating organic food compared with conventional food." Many also believe that organic foods do not contain pesticides, but they "just contain a different set of pesticides."

An environmental-health scientist and director of technical policy for the Consumers Union argued the benefits of organic food over conventional, saying that organic animals "eat a diet free of excrement" and organic food "is free of antibiotics" and heavy metals like arsenic. This expert says that "there are some inadvertent benefits to being healthier to the environment" and since organic practices are better for the environment, they "might be better for us too."

Another participant argued that organic production methods are detrimental for the environment because it takes more land to grow the same amount of food and causes more soil erosion. The chief scientist at the Organic Center, however, argued that the biodiversity of organic crops allowed more production per acre and the preservation of beneficial insects.

A cancer researcher from the University of California at Berkley found that about 50 percent of both synthetic pesticides and natural compounds caused cancer in rats at high doses.

No particular consensus was drawn from the debate, but the moderator, John Donavan was "surprised" the "level of passion generated by this topic."

To read the Newsweek story, click here.

Posted: 09/03/2010

USDA Responds to Sugar Beet Ruling

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:55:00 +0000

The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) "announced the agency's next steps in response to a recent court decision on Roundup Ready sugar beets" according to a USDA News Release.

The ruling in Center for Food Safety, et al. v. Vilsack (No. C 08-00484 JSW) revoked USDA's approval of genetically modified (GM) sugar beets until an environmental impact statement is completed. The decision, by Judge Jeffrey S. White of the Northern District of California, raised fears about the sugar supply because GM sugar beets make up about 95 percent of the crop grown in the US. The ruling also caused concern for farmers due to the lack of conventional seeds available. For more information on this ruling, click here to read a past US Ag&Food Law and Policy Blog Post on the subject.

In response, APHIS will issue permits "to sugar beet seed producers to authorize 'steckling' (i.e. seedlings) production this fall under strict permit conditions." APHIS "has also received and is evaluating a request for partial deregulation of Roundup Ready sugar beets." The measures also include a priority placed on the "expedited completion of the EIS [environmental impact statement], a process that is anticipated to take two years."

The court's ruling does not apply to GM sugar beet root and seed crops planted by August 13, 2010. These crops may be processed and sold as sugar or harvested and stored.

To read the USDA News Release, click here.

Posted: 09/02/2010

Criminal Division of FDA Joins Egg Recall Investigation

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:54:00 +0000

The Wall Street Journal reports that the criminal division of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Justice Department "joined the probe of the Iowa farm at the heart of the recent egg recall linked to an outbreak of salmonella, according to FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg."

The egg recall began on August 13, 2010 and involves over half a billion eggs from Iowa producers, Wright County Egg and Hillandale Farms. About 1,500 reported cases of salmonella enteritidis have been linked to tainted eggs since the spring of this year. For more background on the egg recall, click here and here for past US Ag&Food Law and Policy Blog posts on the subject.

Pat El-Hinnawy, FDA spokeswoman, said "that federal agents visited both Wright County Egg and Hillandale Farms" on Tuesday. Dr. Hamburg said that FDA was working with the companies to "make sure that they clean up the subpar practices" and "that eggs do not go back in to the marketplace that are not safe."

Wright County Egg spokeswoman Hinda Mitchell said that the company is "cooperating fully" with FDA.

To read the Wall Street Journal story, click here.

Posted: 09/02/2010

Farm Foundation to Host Forum on Farm Bill

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:53:00 +0000

Farm Foundation will host a forum on Tuesday, September 14 on "Budget Implications for the Next Farm Bill" from 9am to 11am at the National Press Club, 529 14th Street NW, Washington D.C.

Presenters include Craig Jagger, Chief Economist, House Agriculture Committee; Patrick Westhoff, Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute; Chuck Conner, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives; and Ferd Hoefner of the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.

There is no cost to attend the forum, however, the Foundation requests that participants RSVP by 12pm Friday, September 10 to julie@farmfoundation.org.

Farm Foundation, NFP, is a 501(c)(3) public charity that "serves as a catalyst for sound public policy by providing objective information to foster deeper understanding of issues shaping the future for agriculture, food systems, and rural regions. Farm Foundation's work focuses on six major areas: Agriculture in the Environment; Energy and Agriculture; Food, Agricultural and Trade Policy; Agricultural and Food System Productivity, Research and Technology; Food Quality, Safety and Consumer Perceptions; and Viability of Rural Regions.

For more information on the Forum, click here.

Posted:09/02/2010

Study Shows Vegetarianism More Effective in Reducing GHG Emissions

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:53:00 +0000

A recent study titled "Food-Miles and the Relative Climate Impacts of Food Choices in the United States" concludes that dietary changes to consume less meat and dairy products or shifting to a vegetarian diet "achieves more [greenhouse gas] GHG reduction than buying all locally sourced food."

The study, available here, found that "although food is transported long distances in general (1640 km delivery and 6760 km life-cycle supply chain on average) the GHG emissions associated with food are dominated by the production phase, contributing 83% of the average U.S. household's 8.1 t CO2e/yr footprint for food consumption." Different food groups "exhibit a large range in GHG-intensity; on average red meat is around 150% more GHG-intensive than chicken or fish."

The study was conducted by Christopher L. Weber and H. Scott Matthews of the Department of Civil Engineering and Department of Engineering and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University. Funding for the study was provided by an EPA Science to Achieve Results Fellowship and a National Science Foundation MUSES grant.

To read the full-text of the study click here.

Posted: 09/01/2010

USDA Expects Increase in Agricultural Exports

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:15:00 +0000

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) expects agricultural exports to increase 5.1 percent to $113 billion in the federal fiscal year ending in September 2011, according to the Wall Street Journal.

An important factor in this forecast is that the drought in Russia "will allow U.S. farmers to export $8.1 billion worth of wheat" during this fiscal year, which is a increase of 35 percent from USDA's "revised fiscal 2010 forecast of $6 billion."

Agriculture "is one of the only major sectors of the American economy with a trade surplus - expected to be $30.5 billion this year" according to a statement by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. USDA also expects to sustain this increase.

Secretary Vilsack stated, "Increased agricultural exports - especially of grains and meat - have helped drive this rebound. It helps create income opportunities for producers as well as the off-farm jobs that are so critical for strengthening economies in rural America. In fact, every billion dollars in agricultural exports supports over 8,000 jobs and generates an additional $1.4 billion in economic activity."

To read the Wall Street Journal story, click here.
To read the Statement by Secretary Vilsack, click here.

Posted: 09/01/2010

NALC to Host Workshops on Proposed GIPSA Rules

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:21:00 +0000

The National Agricultural Law Center (NALC) will host a series of workshops, including a webinar, on the rules proposed by the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) for poultry and livestock producers. For more information, click here.

At the workshops, staff attorneys will provide an overview of GIPSA's proposed rule changes for poultry and livestock, review the GIPSA rule making process, explain how to submit comments of the proposed rules, and end with a question and answer session. The webinar will be hosted via eXtension for nationwide participants and all workshops are free and open to the public.

GIPSA is the federal agency "responsible for issuing regulations that govern contracting, buying and selling of livestock and poultry." GIPSA's mission is "to facilitate the marketing of livestock, poultry, [and] meat ... and promote fair and competitive trading practices for the overall benefit of consumers and American agriculture."

The proposed rules, if finalized, "will significantly affect the livestock and poultry industries." Among other things, the proposed rules include "examples of packer, live poultry dealer, and swine contractor behavior that would be prohibited." Additionally, the changes would affect the "tournament system" used for many poultry and swine contracts.

For the schedule of the workshops, click here to read the NALC press release.
For more information on the workshops and the GIPSA proposed rules, click here.
For the full text of the proposed rules, click here.
For more information on the Packers and Stockyards Act, click here.

Posted: 09/01/2010

EPA Rules to Regulate Greenhouse Gases Will Be "Modest"

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 16:41:00 +0000

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will begin regulating greenhouse gases from power plants and other large emission sources in 2011, but "vows to phase in the requirements slowly and shield small businesses" according to The Hill's Energy & Environment Blog.

Lisa Jackson, EPA Administrator, said that the rules would be "modest" because "business needs time to understand the regulations that are coming at them. There won't be any huge shocks to the system."

Some lawmakers "hope to derail EPA's ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions; regulations also face court challenges. Critics of the regulations allege they will harm the economy, while defenders call the fears overblown and say the rules are needed to help slow global warming."

Congress has failed, thus far, to pass climate change legislation this year. The "House approved a sweeping plan in mid-2009. But a climate bill is widely considered dead in the Senate this year after Democratic leaders -- facing opposition from Republican and centrist Democrats -- abandoned the measure before the August break." For more information on this issue, click here to read a past US Ag&Food Law and Policy Blog post on the subject.

To read The Hill's Energy and Environment Blog post, click here.

Posted: 08/31/2010

ERS Predicts Net Farm Income to Rise 24 Percent in 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:18:00 +0000

USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS) announced that net farm income "is forecast to be $77.1 billion in 2010, up $14.9 billion (24 percent) from 2009."

ERS expects farm business equity "to rise by 3.5 percent, largely due to an expected 2.9-percent increase in the value of farm business real estate and a 4.2-percent decline in farm business debt. The farm business sector's debt-to-asset ratio is expected to decline to 11.2 percent and debt-to-equity is expected to decline 12.6 percent in 2010, indicating an improvement in the farm sector's solvency."

Average farm family household income is also expected to rise by 5.8 percent in 2010 to $81,670. "Both farm and off-farm income are forecast to be up in 2010, compared to 2009. In 2010, the average family farm is forecast to receive 11.1 percent of its household income from farm sources, with the rest from earned and unearned off-farm income."

To read the ERS Farm Income Forecast, click here.
For more information, click here to visit the ERS Farm Income and Costs Briefing Room.

Posted: 08/31/2010

FDA Finds Numerous Violations on Iowa Egg Farms

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:06:00 +0000

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released an inspection report detailing findings and describing the ways that salmonella could have spread through the many complexes of the two Iowa companies, according to the New York Times.

The egg recall began on August 13, 2010 and "involves more than half a billion eggs from the Iowa operations of two leading egg producers, Wright County Egg and Hillandale Farms. About 1,500 reported cases of Salmonella enteritidis have been linked to tainted eggs since the spring -- the largest known outbreak associated with that strain of salmonella."

The inspection report, available here, shows numerous violations of food safety rules. The report "portrays areas of filth and poor sanitation at both operations, including many instances of rodents, wild birds or hens escaped from cages -- all of which can carry salmonella -- appearing to have had free run of the facilities."

The report cited mice in the barns, "abundant rodent holes and gaps in doors, siding and foundations where rodents could enter." Additionally, it described "pits beneath laying houses where chicken manure was piled four to eight feet high" and "hens that had escaped from laying cages tracking through the manure."

Michael R. Taylor, deputy commissioner for food for the FDA, said that FDA inspectors "would visit all of the 600 major egg-producing facilities in the country over the next 15 months. Those farms, with 50,000 or more hens each, represent about 80 percent of nationwide egg production."

To read the New York Times story, click here.

Posted: 8/31/2010

USDA Expresses Commitment to Production Agriculture

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 02:36:00 +0000

USDA Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Ag Services, Jim Miller, recently expressed USDA's commitment to production agriculture, according to the Delta Farm Press.

Miller said that USDA's goal is to make sure that "the next generation has more opportunities in agriculture and more options." He said that this goal depends on five factors, which include: strengthening farm income with agricultural research, expansion and diversification, biofuels production and job creation, developing and maintaining international markets, and recognizing that agriculture is unique due to its dependence on nature.

He commented on the cotton industry and the Brazil case with the World Trade Organization, which is still unresolved. He also said that the budget will be the "dominant factor in the 2012 farm bill."

To read the Delta Farm Press story, click here.

Posted: 08/30/2010

Farmland Prices Rise Due to Increase in Demand

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 01:56:00 +0000

Businessweek reports that farmland values in the Midwest rose 6 percent in the second quarter "as higher grain prices made real estate more attractive."

Farmland values in Iowa rose the most at 8 percent, while prices in Illinois rose 5 percent and prices in Indiana rose 4 percent. Values in Wisconsin, however, declined due to reduced profitability in the dairy industry.

The gains have been attributed to increasing demand for wheat, corn and soybeans. Additionally, credit conditions improved "as an index for loan demand rose to 98 percent from 88 a year earlier. The average for loan-to-deposit ratios at commercial banks in the district advanced to 74.5 percent from 73.7 percent in the previous quarter."

Interest rates for agricultural loans fell in the second quarter as well. "The average was 6.12 percent on new operating loans, down from 6.18 percent in the year-earlier quarter and down 260 basis points from the most recent peak four years earlier."

To read the Businessweek story, click here.

Posted: 08/30/2010