“Veal Video Draws Responses”
Costco has released a statement in response to a video of veal calves in individual crates on an Ohio farm, made by a group called Mercy for Animals and teed up as cruel and inhumane treatment of the animals. The video singled out Costco and Giant Eagle as carrying the farm’s branded products.
In the release, Costco CEO Jim Sinegal said – the company had not been aware of the issue before we saw the video. We are extremely disappointed, not only with the performance of our supplier in this instance, but with our own performance as well.
In fact, according to a report in The Daily Record in Wooster, Ohio, officials at Buckeye Veal Farm said Monday that it already had phased out most of the individual crate housing shown in the video in favor of group housing, and was continuing the process with the animals that remained in crates.
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“Pork Board to Consider 2011 Budget”
Consumer perspectives of pork and pork production are the central focus of the National Pork Board’s proposed 46-million dollar budget for 2011. More than 50 pork producers will gather in Des Moines, Iowa, next week to help guide the investment of Pork Checkoff dollars into consumer information, research, and producer education programs. In addition, two task forces will present recommendations to the Board on enhancing producer input into the Board’s programming decisions and strengthening state pork producer organizations.
Among the budget requests are major proposals to create new excitement for pork in the consumer marketplace and to help consumers better understand and appreciate modern agriculture. Additional proposals advance the work of the pork industry’s We Care initiative and fund research that can address significant social, economic, and production concerns facing the pork industry.
The objectives of the budget proposal falls under one of three major goals: 1/ Refresh and reposition pork’s image to increase domestic and international consumer demand. 2/ Protect the rights and ability of U.S. farmers to produce pork in a socially-responsible and cost-competitive manner. And, 3/ Pursue strategies to enable U.S. pork producers to remain highly competitive, long term, on a global basis.
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“FTA Costing Farmers in Exports”
U.S. Grains Council director in Latin America Kurt Shultz traveled to Colombia last week where he found that a lack of progress on the U.S.-Colombia Free-Trade Agreement is continuing to have a devastating impact on U.S. corn, soybean and wheat producers. As an example, Colombia traditionally purchases approximately 3-million metric tons of yellow corn annually. However, since 2009, Colombia has been gradually switching its corn imports to South American origins at the expense of U.S. producers.
The United States, which has had an FTA agreement negotiated since 2006, has been unable to get the agreement before the U.S. Congress for a vote. As a result of this inaction, Shultz says – the Argentinean market share for corn has increased from 3 percent in 2007, to 67 percent through June 2010. The U.S. market share, previously 96 percent in 2007, now stands at only 22 percent. In the first six months of 2010, Argentinean corn exports to Colombia have soared to 201-million dollars, while U.S. exports have dwindled to 67.6-million.
Shultz, says – the U.S. government needs to ratify this already signed FTA before it’s too late. Once these competitors’ trade patterns and relationships are established, U.S. market penetration will be significantly damaged and it could result in continued erosion of the U.S. market share in neighboring countries, such as the Dominican Republic which has imported 80-thousand metric tons of South American corn.
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“Dollars Released for Genetic Breeding Programs”
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Energy Secretary Steven Chu have announced research awards under a joint DOE-USDA program aimed at improving and accelerating genetic breeding programs to create plants better suited for bioenergy production. The 8.9-million dollars in grants will focus on fundamental investigations of biomass genomics, with the aim of harnessing lignocellulosic materials–i.e., nonfood plant fiber–for biofuels production. Emphasis is on perennials, including trees and other nonfood plants that can be used as dedicated biofuel crops.
According to a news release, the two departments noted – since such crops tend to require less intensive production practices and can grow on somewhat poorer quality land than food crops, they will be a critical element in a strategy of sustainable biofuels production that avoids competition with crops grown for food. The release continued – combining DOE’s leadership in genome-scale technologies with USDA’s long experience in crop improvement will help accelerate development of such specialized crops and improve their effectiveness as feedstocks for biofuels production.
New projects to be funded this year aim at enhancing productivity, yield, nutrient and water utilization, and sustainability of plant feedstocks. Research focuses on better understanding of basic plant processes that control cell wall composition, plant architecture, cell size and division, wood formation, nutrient uptake, carbon allocation and on the impact of temperature and water availability.
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“Conservation Loan Funds Available”
USDA has launched a Conservation Loan program that will provide farm owners and farm-related business operators’ access to credit to implement conservation techniques that will conserve natural resources. Direct Conservation Loans can be obtained through local Farm Service Agency offices with loan limits up to 300-thousand dollars. Guaranteed CLs up to $1,112,000 are available from lenders working with FSA.
CL funds can be used to implement conservation practices approved by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, such as the installation of conservation structures; establishment of forest cover; installation of water conservation measures; establishment or improvement of permanent pastures; implementation of manure management; and the adaptation of other emerging or existing conservation practices, techniques or technologies.
In making the announcement, Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack said – this will give farmers who want to implement conservation measures on their lands a chance to do so by providing assistance with their up-front costs. In return, these producers will help to reduce soil erosion, improve water quality and promote sustainable and organic agricultural practices.
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“R-CALF USA Issues Follow-up Letter”
In an open letter to members of the U.S. cattle industry and Rural America, R-CALF USA President/Region VI Direct Max Thornsberry, and R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard said – thank you to all who expended your own funds and who took time from your cattle operations and other businesses to participate in the historic August 27 joint competition workshop held in Fort Collins, Colorado. The R-CALF USA leaders called the meeting – the largest turnout of cattle producers at a public meeting in memory, if not in all of history.
They said it really does boil down to this: Do we want the cattle industry to stay its present course or do we want to break away from the packers’ dominance and strike off in a new direction? The first real opportunity to strike off in a new direction is the proposed rule issued by the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration. Those who support the status quo understand this and are doing everything possible to kill the proposed GIPSA rule.
R-CALF USA says – the proposed GIPSA rule will preserve what remains of our cash market and none too soon, for our cash cattle market is shrinking fast, following the very same path previously followed by the hog industry.
