Monday's Headlines

“USTR Already at Work”

Shortly after noon last Friday Ron Kirk was sworn in as U.S. Trade Representative. During the ceremony, Vice President Joe Biden said - Ron is going to have the responsibility of working toward opening markets throughout the world to create new opportunities and higher living standards for our families, our farmers, our manufacturers, our workers, our consumers, our businesses. The Vice President called Kirk – the right man for the job.

Kirk has already hit the ground running. On Thursday he met with EU Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton. A joint statement released by the pair says – we have committed ourselves to intensify our efforts to ensure that our bilateral trade relations and our cooperation on multilateral issues of common interest make the strongest possible contribution to global economic recovery.

The joint statement also addressed international negotiations - we agreed on the importance of achieving an ambitious and balanced outcome to the WTO Doha Development Agenda as soon as possible. We also agreed on the importance of maintaining a sustained effort to follow through on the pledge G20 Leaders made in November to refrain from raising new barriers to investment or to trade in goods and services.
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“Falconer Stepping Down”

The once delayed exodus of Ambassador Crawford Falconer of New Zealand as chair of the Doha Round agriculture negotiations is now in motion. Falconer was originally scheduled to depart his position at the end of 2008, but with negotiations seemingly moving forward, Falconer opted to stay – hoping to conclude the talks. But, with the United States disengaged because of the transition of administration, Falconer has decided to leave.

According to the New Zealand government, Falconer will take on the post of Deputy Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. David Walker has succeeded Falconer as New Zealand’s Permanent Representative in Geneva. The next chair of the farm talks will be decided by the WTO Membership.

Negotiators say Falconer will be hard to replace. They say Falconer had a combination of listening skills and technical knowledge of the talks. The transition comes as the United States swears in its U.S. Trade Representative.
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“Report Calls Sow Housing Options a Draw”

A report released by the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology looked at many studies of how pregnant sows are housed, with respect to their wellbeing. According to the report – many scientific evaluations have concluded that the state of being of the pregnant sow is equivalent whether sows are kept in Individual Gestation Accommodations or in group pens.

The report continues – first, one might decide that, because sow welfare is equivalent in either IGAs or group pens, and because capital and operating costs are less with IGA systems, then IGAs should be scientifically refined to improve sow welfare in systems where sows are kept in IGA. At the same time the report says – group keeping systems should be scientifically refined to improve sow welfare in systems where sows are kept in groups.

The report concluded – As the choice is being made, it must be borne in mind that although the choice will range from relatively trivial to virtually nonexistent with respect to its overall effect on the pregnant sow’s state of being, it will be of substantial consequence with respect to sow and piglet health, the cost of pork production, and the availability and price of pork product.
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“Russians Ban Poultry From Three U.S. Processors”

Effective March 27, Tyson Foods' plant in Cumming, Georgia, Peco Foods' plant in Canton, Mississippi, and Sanderson Farms' plant in Hammond, Louisiana will not be able to sell poultry to Russia. USDA has confirmed the reason is residue findings, possibly from antibiotics or anti-parasitics. USDA has requested and is awaiting additional information from Russian authorities.

USDA spokeswoman Bryn Burkard told “Meatingplace” - we will then work with the establishments to determine if in fact the antibiotics and anti-parasitics were used and will then take appropriate actions.
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“Vietnam Food and Hotel Trade Show Set”

Several U.S. companies have been invited to exhibit at Food and Hotel Vietnam October 1-3, 2009. The Food and Hotel Vietnam show is held biennially and is one of the country’s most important exhibitions for the food and hospitality industry. The 2007 show welcomed 240 exhibiting companies from 22 countries and attracted more than 83-hundred trade professionals from Vietnam and around the world.

Vietnam’s 2001Free Trade Agreement with the United States and its accession into the World Trade Organization in 2007 has helped accelerate its economic growth, making it an important export destination for U.S. products. U.S. agricultural, fish and forestry exports to Vietnam totaled more than one billion dollars in fiscal year 2008.

Products with the best market prospects include dairy products; chilled and frozen meat; frozen poultry; fresh fruits; snack foods; canned fruits, vegetables, meat, juices, condiments, and sauces; dried fruits and tree nuts; wines, beer, and confectionary.
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“Federal Truck Weight Law Introduced”

U.S. Senators Jim Inhofe, Jeff Merkley and Tom Coburn have re-introduced bipartisan legislation to address a problem faced by a number of farmers and ranchers around the country. When producers drive their goods between two states that do not have a reciprocity agreement for farm truck weights they are exceeding an unnecessarily low federal weight definition for commercial motor vehicles and are being ticketed and fined.

Terry Detrick of American Farmers & Ranchers says - the new legislation is a step in the right direction in allowing farmers and ranchers to transport their commodities without unreasonable regulations that have no impact on roadway safety. Mike Spradling of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau says the bill will - allow farmers and ranchers to drive between states without triggering the federal CMV definition of 10,001 pounds for interstate commerce.
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“White House Has First Ever Vegetable Garden”

With National Ag Day now over and many of us turning our thoughts to fresh vegetables out of the garden, first lady Michelle Obama has established the White House’s first official vegetable garden. It’s on the South Lawn. Mrs. Obama will urge volunteer labor to grow those vegetables. Students from a Washington, D.C. elementary school will help with planting in the coming weeks and harvesting later this year. The Obama family will be involved in tending the garden.

This vegetable garden will include 55 kinds of vegetables, including peppers, spinach and arugula. This selection was requested by the White House chefs. This White House vegetable garden will be organic – utilizing organic seedlings, organic fertilizers and organic insect repellents.
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“Renewable Energy Summit To Be Held”

The 5th National 25X’25 Renewable Energy Summit is coming up March 31 and April 1 at the Sheraton Crystal City in Arlington, Virginia. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar will present the keynote addresses. The Secretaries are among dozens of prominent experts who will talk about the role renewable energy development will play in countering a downturn in the economy, boosting energy independence and enhancing the environment.

The summit features a day-long plenary session April 1 when participants will hear about the opportunities and challenges for agriculture and forestry in an economy that will call for a reduction in carbon utilization and emissions. The summit will be preceded the afternoon of March 31 by a state-issues workshop designed specifically for state alliance leaders.
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“Tubs Turned Into Bee Nursery Facilities”

Researchers with the Agricultural Research Service say corrugated plastic bins like the kind sold for handling mail and packages can be quickly and easily converted into a durable "nursery" for wild bees. James H. Cane, with the agency's Pollinating Insects Biology, Management and Systematics Research Unit in Logan, Utah, says female wild bees will readily use a properly placed, suitably furnished tote as a shelter for their nests.

Cane says all you have to do is turn a tote on its long side, and then hold it firmly in place on a wooden or metal post by means of a lightweight steel chain and a customized metal support frame. And as for the furnishings…Cane suggests nesting materials such as five-sixteenths-inch diameter paper drinking straws enclosed in cardboard tubes and stuffed inside empty cardboard milk cartons. Wild female bees such as the blue orchard bee can use the straws as homes for a new generation of pollinators.

This breeding ground for bees may help rebuild our nation's bee population as many e honey bee colonies have been decimated by colony collapse disorder or weakened by varroa and tracheal mites or the microbes that cause diseases such as chalkbrood and foulbrood. However, it appears there may be one major problem with using one of those tubs that contain a statement on the side – that uses the words “federal offense.”
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