“Health Care Reform Bill Limping Along”
White House aides say President Obama will release a revised version of his health-care proposal this week, and it will address some of the issues Republicans raised at the Blair House summit last Friday. Still, the prospects of winning Republican support appear grim. Republicans want the White House to abandon the bill and start over. Obama says he is unwilling to do so.
Senator Tom Coburn, a doctor, says – I’m concerned that the majority in Congress is still not listening to the American people on the subject of health-care reform. According to Coburn, – by an overwhelming margin, the American people are telling us to scrap the current bills and we should start over.
Still, a lot of strategy has to be in place before anything can pass. Some are saying the White House might accept having the House pass a version of the measure that cleared the Senate with 60 votes in December. The Senate would then pass changes to the bill to satisfy some demands of House Democrats. That Senate vote would take place under a parliamentary procedure known as reconciliation, which requires 51 votes rather than 60.
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“New Climate Legislation Being Prepared”
We are hearing that Senator Lindsey Graham has declared – cap-and-trade is dead. Graham and Senators John Kerry and Joseph Lieberman are engaged in a radical behind-the-scenes overhaul of climate legislation. The trio plan to introduce new legislation next month that would apply different carbon controls to individual sectors of the economy instead of setting a national target.
It is being said, the lawmakers are looking at cutting the nation’s greenhouse gas output by targeting, in separate ways, three major sources of emissions: electric utilities, transportation and industry. Power plants would face an overall cap on emissions that would become more stringent over time; motor fuel may be subject to a carbon tax whose proceeds could help electrify the U.S. transportation sector; and industrial facilities would be exempted from a cap on emissions for several years before it is phased in.
The legislation would also expand domestic oil and gas drilling offshore and would provide federal assistance for constructing nuclear power plants and carbon sequestration and storage projects at coal-fired utilities.
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“Climate Change Report to be Reviewed”
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is looking for an independent outside panel to review how it makes major reports such as its report on climate change. Critics have found a few unsettling errors in the report — including incorrect projections of retreats in Himalayan glaciers. The group of volunteer scientists said it tries to be accurate and follow procedures. But according to IPCC chairman Rajendra Pachauri, -we recognize the criticism that has been leveled at us and the need to respond.
Pachauri says the panel has consulted with the United Nations and plans to find – distinguished experts – to review how it writes its reports. Chris Field, a chairman of one of the IPCC’s four main research groups, says – one of the things I think the world deserves is a clear understanding of what aspects the IPCC does well and what aspects of the IPCC can be improved.
One of the troubles is that IPCC reports are written by most of the world’s top experts in climate science. And the experts who don’t write them, often review them, so it’s hard to find someone both independent and knowledgeable. IPCC is most likely to find an outside organization to run the review.
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“China Tariffs Hit U.S. Poultry Exports”
It’s been almost three weeks since China placed tariffs of up to 105.4 percent on U.S. chicken imports. As a result, the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council reports that market has dried up. Companies have less than three weeks to appeal China’s decision. USAPEEC spokesman Toby Moore told Meatingplace – it makes it not feasible to ship there. We’re out of the market, period.
U.S. companies exported 649.2-million dollars worth of chicken products to China last year, making China the second-largest importer of U.S. chicken behind Russia. About half of the exports are chicken paws, which have little value in the United States but can fetch 60 cents to 80 cents a pound in China. The remainder consists of wing tips, mid-joints and leg quarters.
China imposed the duties after its Ministry of Commerce conducted an unfair trade practices investigation last fall and concluded the country’s local producers had been hurt by U.S. products sold at unfairly low prices. Three U.S. companies received individualized import duties, with Tyson Foods at 43.1 percent, Keystone Foods at 44 percent and Pilgrim’s Pride at 80.5 percent.
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“What’s Going to Happen with Pending Trade Deals?”
The newly released Obama Administration 2010 trade agenda gives little indication that the White House will quickly advance long-stalled pacts with Panama, Colombia or South Korea. After a year-long review of Bush-era trade agreements, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk released the report that stresses a new export focus, and says the administration is engaged in – unprecedented – consultations with Congress over the shape of impending negotiations on a Trans-Pacific Partnership, an Asia-Pacific free trade group.
The Panama, Colombia and South Korea deals are being viewed with a wary eye. None has seen action in the Senate. Labor Unions and their congressional allies; and, in the case of the South Korea deal, the U.S. auto and beef industries continue to voice strong objections to the agreements.
Representative Kirk will discuss the report at a Senate Finance Committee hearing on Wednesday.
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“Coalition Supports Trade Deals”
Despite the Administration’s lack of interest in the Colombia, Panama and South Korea trade deals, an ad hoc coalition of food, feed and agricultural entities is urging Congress to promptly pass these deals. Under each pact, many U.S. food and agricultural products would become eligible for duty-free treatment once the agreement is implemented and nearly all would receive duty-free treatment over specified phase-in periods.
In a letter signed by 57 companies and organizations, the coalition, led by the National Pork Producers Council, has asked lawmakers to – aggressively expand market access opportunities, as our competitors are doing. The coalition says – other countries are moving forward on a host of trade deals. As an example, South Korea is negotiating or is planning to enter talks on trade agreements with 11 countries, the European Union and blocs representing Southeast Asian and South American nations.
The coalition also points out that exports generate 8-thousand U.S. jobs for every one-billion dollars worth of agricultural goods exported. In addition, adding to the bottom line of producers, U.S. pork producers, for example, would see hog prices rise by 11-dollars a head under the South Korea agreement.
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“Ag Trade Adjustment Program Launched”
An interim rule has been published permitting USDA to launch its Trade Adjustment Assistance program. In making the announcement, Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack said this program – will create new opportunities for producers hurt by import competition. Eligible producers will receive much-needed technical assistance and cash benefits to help them adjust to the current economic environment. The assistance includes help in developing business adjustment plans that can serve as a guide for adjusting a producer’s business operation to prevailing economic conditions.
Re-authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the program applies to producers of raw agricultural commodities and fishermen who show a greater than 15 percent decrease – contributed importantly by an increase in imports – in the national average price; the quantity of production; the value of production; or in cash receipts compared to the average of the three preceding marketing years.
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“E-Verify Not Perfect”
Westat, a Maryland-based research firm, reports that undocumented immigrants can get past the E-Verify’ electronic safety net if they have well-made documents with a real individual’s data. The report used models to estimate that about 54 percent of unauthorized workers are, in fact, verified by the system. Still, that amounts to about 3.3 percent of all requests made to the system.
The problem is they are committing identity fraud, which the system does not catch easily. Therefore, the agency says – strengthening E-Verify’s ability to better detect and deter identity fraud is a priority.
E-Verify is a free nationwide program used by more than 180-thousand employers at more than 675-thousand worksites. Getting accurate verification from the federal government is key for meat processors, who, like other food-related businesses, employ a high percentage of immigrants.
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“CRP Projects Approved”
Secretary Vilsack says USDA has approved an additional 300-thousand acres for conservation projects under the Conservation Reserve Program. These additional areas include 150-thousand for the State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement Initiative; 50-thousand for the Duck Nesting Habitat Initiative; and 100-thousand acres for the Habitat Buffers for Upland Birds Initiative.
Vilsack said, – this is part of our efforts to target conservation to give the American taxpayer more bang for the buck in terms of improved water and air quality, reduced erosion, and benefits to the climate. USDA will conduct a general CRP signup later this year, with program details and the specific signup start date to be announced upon completion of an Environmental Impact Statement.
Currently USDA’s SAFE portfolio includes 75 approved projects in 22 states covering up to 500-thousand acres. SAFE helps state and regional agencies, non-profit organizations and others address local wildlife objectives by partnering with farmers and ranchers to restore wildlife habitats.
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“MOU Benefits Wildlife”
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and Farm Service Agency have entered into an agreement with Pheasants Forever to identify and create more opportunities to conserve plant and animal species and their habitats. Speaking at the National Pheasant Fest 2010 in Des Moines, Iowa, Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack said – partnerships like these are critical to conserving America’s private working lands.
The memorandum of understanding establishes a framework of cooperation among the organizations to maintain and enhance the productivity of pheasant, quail, and other wildlife habitats on private and public lands. The agreement will be in effect for five years and will increase assistance and training of USDA and Pheasants Forever personnel regarding pheasant, quail and associated wildlife conservation, management and habitat restoration.
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“CCC Rates Announced for March”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Commodity Credit Corporation has announced interest rates for March of 2010. The CCC borrowing rate-based charge is 0.375 percent, unchanged from February 2010. The rate for 1996 and subsequent crop year commodity and marketing assistance loans, the interest rate for loans is also unchanged at 1.375 percent.
The interest rates for farm storage facility loans approved for March are as follows – for a seven-year loan term the March figure is 3.125 percent compared to last month’s 3.25 percent; for loans with 10-year terms, the interest rate is 3.625 percent unchanged from the previous month; and the 12-year loan term is also unchanged from February at 4.0 percent.
The interest rate for Sugar Storage Facility Loans for March 2010 is down. The 4.25 percent rate is a decrease from the 4.375 percent of February 2010.
The maximum discount rate applicable for March 2010 for the Tobacco Transition Payment Program is 5 percent, unchanged from February 2010. This is based on the 3.25 percent prime rate plus 2 percent, rounded to the nearest whole number.
