Climate Bill’s Progress Delights Obama - Not Its Tariffs

Though President Obama said Sunday that the House took an extraordinary first step by passing a climate bill on Friday - he’s hopeful Congress will remove a clause that would impose a tariff in 2020 on imports from countries without systems for pricing or limiting carbon dioxide emissions. Obama says the nation has to be very careful about sending protectionist signals right now - when the economy is still deep in recession. He believes there are other ways of making sure there’s a level playing field internationally.

The bill passed in the House with a vote of 219 to 212 - but could face a more difficult challenge in the Senate where concerns about its effect on the economic recovery are strong. Without Republican support - the votes of all 58 Democrats and two independents are needed to bring the bill to a vote. President Obama has asked Senators to disregard what he calls misinformation offered by critics of the bill. Obama said the misinformation suggests there’s a contradiction between investing in clean energy and economic growth - which just isn’t true.

Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill said she hopes leaders can fix cap and trade so it doesn’t unfairly punish businesses and families in coal dependent states like Missouri. Obama said he has broad criteria the House bill meets. He knows there will be provisions in the House and Senate bills that he questions as to their effectiveness - so he will take a look at the final product and embrace the bill - if it meets those broad criteria.

Graves Proposes Bill for Accelerating Energy Projects; Calls For Less Bureaucracy

Congressman Sam Graves of Missouri has reintroduced legislation to streamline the approval process for energy related projects - including ethanol plants and wind farms - that would increase the nation’s domestic energy supply, create jobs and help alleviate the high energy prices people are facing. The legislation would require federal agencies to expedite their review of permits and take other actions necessary to speed up the completion of energy related projects. The bill also establishes an inter-agency task force to monitor and assist federal, state and local agencies in their efforts.

Graves said the country hasn’t built a new refinery in over 20 years because bureaucratic red tape has delayed production of the energy needed. He says this bill will simplify the process - while not changing current environmental laws. Graves says the bill is a step in the right direction - but is only part of the solution to reducing prices at the pump and weaning consumers off of foreign oil. He says it’s important to pass common sense legislation that makes the nation more energy independent and creates jobs.

The legislation - H.R. 3005 - has been referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

ARS Scientists Conducting Research on Deadly Cattle Disease

New research from USDA Ag Research Service scientists focuses on the relationship between compounds and a disease that affects grazing animals and costs the cattle industry nearly 600-million dollars a year. Tall fescue - a main forage grass in many states - can cause Fescue Toxicosis in cattle if it’s infected with endophytic fungus. The disease causes lameness and reduces production efficiency - and can also be fatal if infected animals are in stressful situations like extreme heat or long-distance transport.

Scientists believe symptoms of toxicosis are caused by ergot alkaloids. One sign of the disease is a narrowing of blood vessels. Three alkaloids have been tested - and one - ergovaline - was most effective at making veins contract. More research is underway to figure out how these compounds influence other tissues, organs and physiological systems. Information from this research could help scientists determine which compounds are most toxic and how to protect cattle from them.

R-CALF USA Calls for National Disease Strategy, Not NAIS

R-CALF USA recently sent a letter to the Chairwoman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture Rosa DeLauro expressing its appreciation for her decision to hold back further funding for the National Animal Identification System until USDA finishes its listening sessions. R-CALF USA states in its letter that the U.S. needs to create a national strategy to improve livestock disease prevention, control and eradication instead of implementing NAIS.

According to the letter - the NAIS proposal tramples over the rights and privileges of U.S. family farmers and ranchers - and the program isn’t an effective vehicle to achieve animal health and livestock market benefits. Along with saying ‘no’ to NAIS - R-CALF says farmers and ranchers across the country have said at listening sessions that USDA is inviting the introduction of diseases into the U.S. R-CALF President Max Thornsberry says it’s unconscionable that USDA is knowingly introducing dangerous diseases - they cite BSE from Canada and TB from Mexico - while blaming livestock producers for not cooperating with its failed NAIS program.

R-CALF CEO Bill Bullard says DeLauro has been informed of an eight-point plan that should be the starting point for the creation of a national disease strategy that will better protect the health of the nation’s livestock and the safety of meat produced from the livestock. Bullard says R-CALF is hopeful USDA will redirect its resources to begin development of a national disease prevention strategy.