“U.S. Grains Council Annual Meeting Continues”
The 7th Annual International Marketing Conference and 50th Annual Membership Meeting of the U.S. Grains Council continues today in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. On the agenda is the General Session – which features the viewing of an America’s Heartland video, the Chairman’s Address with Rick Fruth, a review of Market Development Strategy and a Mexico Trade Panel. During lunch, attendees are expected to hear from Pedro Adalberto Gonzalez Hernandez, Undersecretary of Agribusiness Promotion, Mexico Department of Agriculture. The day will conclude with the Board of Delegates meeting this afternoon beginning at 2:00pm.
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“Flaws Surface in U.N. Climate Report”
Flaws in a report issued in 2007 by the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change are bringing into question the reports projections. Errors range from typos in key dates to sloppy sourcing. In the report, scientists even overstated how much of the Netherlands was below sea level. These flaws are serious enough that environmentalists could end up focusing more on the old question of proving that climate change is a threat, instead of the new question of how to stop it.
U.S. Senators James Inhofe and John Barrasso believe the errors are reason enough to block mandatory limits on greenhouse gas emissions. Barrasso would even like to see an independent probe into the IPCC report, suggesting that the United States should halt any action on climate until it verifies the panel’s scientific conclusions.
The ramifications of the IPCC report are spread far and wide, most notably to the Environmental Protection Agency’s finding that greenhouse gases from mobile sources endanger public health and welfare. A coalition of conservative groups has filed a petition to overturn the EPA’s finding on the same grounds.
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“H1N1 Virus in Retreat”
Since the H1N1 Influenza began in Mexico and Southern California last spring, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that about 57-million Americans, or slightly more than 18 percent of the population, contracted the flu. About 11,690 people have died and nearly 260-thousand have been hospitalized from the viral infection. Adults age 18 to 64 account for 58 percent of the infections and hospitalizations and 76 percent of the deaths.
Today, indications are the H1N1 virus is in retreat. Two million cases, and just over 500 deaths, occurred between December 11 and January 16. However, officials have not ruled out the possibility of another outbreak this winter.
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“Ethanol Production Impacts U.S. Economy”
In his annual report, economist John Urbanchuk detailed the significant economic impact of ethanol production. He says, during 2009, production, construction of new capacity, and R&D supported nearly 400-thousand jobs in all sectors of the economy. It also put an additional 16-billion dollars into the pockets of American consumers. Also, during 2009, the ethanol industry impact on spending for annual operations, ethanol transportation, capital spending for new plants under construction, and R&D spending added 53.3-billion dollars to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.
A significant entry in the annual report is that the production of 10.6 billion gallons of ethanol means that the U.S. needed to import 364 million fewer barrels of oil in 2009 to manufacture gasoline, or roughly the equivalent of five percent of total U.S. crude oil imports. The value of the crude oil displaced by ethanol amounted to 21.3-billion dollars.
Renewable Fuels Association President Bob Dinneen points out that – unlike other sectors of the economy, this industry added production, helped Americans keep their jobs, and continued to provide an unparalleled value-added market for farmers across the country.
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“DDGs Replacing Other Feed Demand”
In 2009, the U.S. ethanol industry exported 5.64 million metric tons of distillers grains worth nearly 1-billion dollars, shattering the previous record set in 2008. According to the Foreign Agriculture Service, exports in 2009 were 24 percent above 2008 levels and more than five times higher than the amount of distillers grains exported just five years ago. Distillers grains are the livestock feed coproduct of ethanol production from grain.
Renewable Fuels Association Vice President of Research and Analysis Geoff Cooper points out – DDGs help in dispelling the food vs. fuel myth and the questionable notion that increased U.S. ethanol production is causing international land use change. Assuming world average yield rates, 2009 DDGs exports eliminated the need for nearly 5-million acres of corn and soybeans internationally.
For the fourth straight year, Mexico registered as the top market for U.S. distillers grains, importing nearly 1.5 mmt, or 27 percent of total U.S. exports. Canada again ranked as the second largest export market for U.S. distillers grains, receiving nearly 804-thousand metric tons of U.S. product.
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“R-CALF USA Backs Court Decision”
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington recently issued an order that addresses, what R-CALF USA calls, a principal argument contained in the complaints filed at the World Trade Organization against the U.S. country-of-origin labeling law by Canada and Mexico. In its ruling of a suit against USDA, the court held that the COOL law can coexist with, and does not repeal, the preexisting NAFTA marking rules because these rules are for purposes of tariff designation in a customs setting, while the COOL law applies to retail products.
In a memorandum to the office of the U.S. Trade Representative, R-CALF USA says – this court decision will help in the defense of our COOL law against Canada’s and Mexico’s attack at the WTO. R-CALF USA COOL Committee Chair Mike Schultz says – the actions by Canada and Mexico truly are repugnant to U.S. consumers who deserve to know the origins of their food.
The R-CALF USA memorandum states the group is hopeful that this court decision will help USTR in its defense of COOL at the WTO. The memorandum continues that the U.S. Court’s sound reasoning should likewise apply to any international authority cited by Canada and Mexico in their ongoing effort to mask the origins of beef derived from their respective country’s cattle.
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“California Companies Recall Meat Products”
Two California meat packing companies are involved in recalls. Huntington Meat Packing in Montebello, California, is recalling approximately 4.9-million pounds of beef and veal products. Earlier the company recalled 800-thousnads pounds of beef. According to USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, evidence shows that the products were produced in a manner that did not follow the establishment’s HACCP plan.
The new recall included 14 lines of beef and veal products, produced by the plant from January 22, 2009, to January 4, 2010. Each box bears the establishment number “EST. 17967″ inside the USDA mark of inspection on a label. The products were shipped to distribution centers, restaurants and hotels in California.
Also conducting a recall is Daniel’s Western Meat Packers in Pico Rivera, California. That company is recalling approximately 16,290 pounds of frozen turkey patty products because they were inadvertently mislabeled and may contain an undeclared allergen — wheat. Wheat, a known potential allergen, was not declared on the label.
The frozen turkey patty products were produced on February 18, 2009; March 27, 2009; April 1, 2009; April 10, 2009; April 17, 2009; May 23, 2009; December 28, 2009; and January 22, 2010. They were distributed to distributors and restaurants in California and Illinois. Each case bears the establishment number “EST. P-2896″ inside the USDA mark of inspection.
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“WFPF Chairman Emeritus Passes”
John Ruan, Chairman Emeritus of the World Food Prize Foundation passed away over the weekend at the age of 96. Ruan took over funding of the World Food Prize in 1990.
Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says – John Ruan leaves many legacies, not only as a business leader and philanthropist in his own community of Des Moines, Iowa, but in the global community. He took on the most humanitarian cause of fighting hunger through the World Food Prize and establishing an organization to encourage and reward life-saving and life-enhancing developments in agriculture and food production.
