Cool Revisited

[PORKER]

Specialty crop money could fund COOL enforcement

By Tom Karst

(Jan. 6, 9:30 a.m.) Industry lobbyists raised alarm at the prospects of a U.S. Department of Agriculture raid on the Specialty Crops Block Grant Program to fund enforcement of the mandatory country-of-origin labeling law.

Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer has told Congressional leaders he will more transfer more than $3 million from the Specialty Crop Block Grant program to pay for enforcement and education activities of the Country-of-Origin Labeling law, United Fresh Produce Association lobbyist Robert Guenther said.

"We're disappointed in the decision," said Guenther, senior vice president of public policy for Washington, D.C.-based United Fresh. "We think this is unprecedented and it is not good policy."

Another lobbyist, who requested anonymity, asked, "Isn't there a cattle program — something else where money can be taken? Is it going to be that fruits and vegetables are always going to be the residual grab bag, where if you need money you go to a specialty crop program?"

Schafer does not need Congressional approval to make the move, though Guenther said this was the first time in his Washington experience that the administrative authority has been used to take money from fruit and vegetable programs.

Schafer, Guenther said, recently told House and Senate leaders of agriculture committees that he plans to move $3.2 million from the specialty crop block grant program to fund the oversight, education and enforcement aspects of the mandatory country-of-origin law.

Guenther said USDA will use the funds, beginning in April, to hire officials at the state level to assist with enforcement of the law.

"We're disappointed in the decision, obviously," Guenther said. "We think this is unprecedented, it is not good policy."

Specialty crop advocates question why the government would use the grant program when meat and seafood don't even participate in it, Guenther said.

"You put the burden on one sector that is impacted by COOL to fund the entire enforcement mechanism and that's unacceptable to us," he said.

The law calls for country-of-origin labeling on fish, beef, pork, poultry, fruits and vegetables, peanuts and pecans.

Guenther said United Fresh and the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance are expressing their opposition to the move to Congress and Schafer, in addition to president-elect Barack Obama's administration officials.

A six-month phase-in began in October, and the USDA plans to start enforcing the law and sending inspectors into stores to conduct audits in April.

"We're going to reach out to the Hill to see if there are opportunities to block (use of the grant money) if possible," Guenther said.

 

[Tex]

Specialty crop money could fund COOL enforcement

By Tom Karst

(Jan. 6, 9:30 a.m.) Industry lobbyists raised alarm at the prospects of a U.S. Department of Agriculture raid on the Specialty Crops Block Grant Program to fund enforcement of the mandatory country-of-origin labeling law.

Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer has told Congressional leaders he will more transfer more than $3 million from the Specialty Crop Block Grant program to pay for enforcement and education activities of the Country-of-Origin Labeling law, United Fresh Produce Association lobbyist Robert Guenther said.

"We're disappointed in the decision," said Guenther, senior vice president of public policy for Washington, D.C.-based United Fresh. "We think this is unprecedented and it is not good policy."

Another lobbyist, who requested anonymity, asked, "Isn't there a cattle program — something else where money can be taken? Is it going to be that fruits and vegetables are always going to be the residual grab bag, where if you need money you go to a specialty crop program?"

Schafer does not need Congressional approval to make the move, though Guenther said this was the first time in his Washington experience that the administrative authority has been used to take money from fruit and vegetable programs.

Schafer, Guenther said, recently told House and Senate leaders of agriculture committees that he plans to move $3.2 million from the specialty crop block grant program to fund the oversight, education and enforcement aspects of the mandatory country-of-origin law.

Guenther said USDA will use the funds, beginning in April, to hire officials at the state level to assist with enforcement of the law.

"We're disappointed in the decision, obviously," Guenther said. "We think this is unprecedented, it is not good policy."

Specialty crop advocates question why the government would use the grant program when meat and seafood don't even participate in it, Guenther said.

"You put the burden on one sector that is impacted by COOL to fund the entire enforcement mechanism and that's unacceptable to us," he said.

The law calls for country-of-origin labeling on fish, beef, pork, poultry, fruits and vegetables, peanuts and pecans.

Guenther said United Fresh and the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance are expressing their opposition to the move to Congress and Schafer, in addition to president-elect Barack Obama's administration officials.

A six-month phase-in began in October, and the USDA plans to start enforcing the law and sending inspectors into stores to conduct audits in April.

"We're going to reach out to the Hill to see if there are opportunities to block (use of the grant money) if possible," Guenther said.

This is an attempt to break off Congressional support of COOL by dividing and conquering the legislators who pushed for the Specialty Crop elements in the farm bill.

It is yet to be seen whether the legislators will accept this brash move. Personally, if I were one of them, I would take the money from the USDA's poultry buying program completely gutting that operation and anyone associated with it. That program is used to buy poultry products (sometimes over market price) to help the poultry companies after they broke the Packers and Stockyards Act and and made an oversupply situation in the poultry industry which has pushed Pilgrim's Pride into Bankruptcy and was part of the reason Dick Bond lost his job at Tyson.

They could also take the money from NAIS programs. They USDA management needs to be investigated for these political moves and Harkin needs to get some nads and hold hearings on it. Perhaps he can enlist House member Bart Stupack to get to the bottom of it in the House. Collin Peterson is just not up to the job he has.

These political appointees must be held accountable and the puppet strings must be followed to get rid of the corruption in the USDA.

I see big money just pointing the finger at elected Senators and House members.

Perhaps Stabenow is getting a little kickback for her support for the National Pork Council's undoing of some of the provisions in the Farm Bill regarding contracting or perhaps it is just a show.

Whatever it is, these companies are pulling way too many strings in D.C. for manipulation of money and policy enforcement. It needs to be ferreted out.

If U. S. legislators can not get COOL enforced, they need to lose their jobs for working for everyone's interest but the people's. As a consumer, I don't care if foreign companies don't like the move, and I don't care if the Grocer Manufacturers or the Meat Industry don't like the move. Anyone putting their interests over the people's interests need to be rooted out of the government.

 

[Anonymous]

They could also take the money from NAIS programs.

Yep - take the $500,000+ they gave AAA- and NCBA-- and every reservation, dairy organization, and many states to pimp NAIS for them and they'd have way more than enough to enforce M-COOL which is a legislated law- instead of the NAIS which is a bureaucratic made rule..

 

[PORKER]

There is still money left in NAIS and USDA WILDLIFE SERVICES that has not been spent. It's in the MILLIONS $$$$$.

That was FFA for NAIS.

 

[Tex]

They could also take the money from NAIS programs.

Yep - take the $500,000+ they gave AAA- and NCBA-- and every reservation, dairy organization, and many states to pimp NAIS for them and they'd have way more than enough to enforce M-COOL which is a legislated law- instead of the NAIS which is a bureaucratic made rule..

Our agriculture committees in the House and Senate and the committee chairmen need to start doing their jobs or quit. I would like to see some hearings and see those bureaucratic laws be labeled as to those bureaucrats who are making them and pushing them. They need to be out of government and pay back all of the money they earned there as well as see some jail time for helping sell our democracy to the highest bidder.

What is going on is absolutely incredible.

Porker, what were you mentioning about FFA?

Here is the article on AMS purchases:

USDA makes bonus purchase of chicken
Dateline: Washington, D.C.
Release Date: Friday, December 26, 2008

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) this week purchased approximately 60.5 million pounds of chicken products at a cost of about $42 million to assist the broiler industry, which has experienced significant financial losses.

On November 18, the department announced its intent to purchase chicken products to create a much-needed market for broilers and broiler products. The products will provide a nutritional food commodity for USDA's domestic food nutrition assistance programs, including charitable institutions.

In a statement released by the National Chicken Council, NCC President George Watts expressed strong appreciation to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Edward Schafer. "At this special time of year and at this time of difficult economic conditions for many families, the National Chicken Council is most grateful to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Edward Schafer and his staff for working with NCC to have a bonus purchase program for chicken. By providing chicken through this program, USDA is helping feed many economically-stressed Americans while, at the same time, helping to stabilize the chicken market. NCC looks forward to continuing to work with AMS to help ensure full success of the program as delivery of the products begins in the new year," Watts said.
Increased slaughter levels and high feed prices, along with a diminished level of foodservice demand in the wake of the present economy, contributed to depressed market prices and financial turmoil for chicken producers during 2008.

 

[PORKER]

The National FFA was given a slug of money to sell the idea of NAIS. Every chapter even on the every reservation
was to teach how the premises codes was the savior of animal ID.