Southern
Crop
Production
Association
P.O. Box 7000, Dawson GA 39842
Phone (229) 995-2125
Fax (229)
995-4000
southcrop@earthlink.net
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On Guard
August 23, 2010 Thumbnail summaries prepared for Busy Executives of underreported events and information recently noted by SCPA. The views expressed in these articles are not necessarily the views of SCPA but the articles were felt to be worthy of your attention. Biotech Issues “The ruling from U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White in the Northern District of California came down in the evening following a hearing in which environmental groups specifically pushed for an even broader injunction against the Roundup Ready sugar beet crop. The late ruling left much of the discussion about the potential impact from the decision to begin in earnest on Monday. “USDA officials stated, ‘We are reviewing the judge’s order to determine appropriate next steps.’” Yesterday’s article indicated that, “Luther Markwart, executive vice president of the American Sugarbeet Growers Association, said Monday that officials at APHIS [USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services], which oversees biotechnology regulation, will have to determine how to proceed. The ASGA was one of several major businesses and industry groups that had intervened in the case and will weigh whether to appeal the ruling. “‘APHIS clearly understands the urgency in all of this,’ Markwart said. ‘But those discussions are going to happen this week. There are options available, but APHIS is in the drivers’ seat.’” Mr. Clayton added that, “Markwart said he sees two key points for the industry moving forward. First, the crop in the ground can be harvested, processed and the sugar sold. ‘That’s the most important thing,’ he said. ‘There was not an injunction against any of that. Second, people will have to have some patience for USDA officials to sort out the details and see how to proceed. We don’t have a lot of answers today, and we’re not going to get out in front of APHIS on it.” Rep. Adrian
Smith (R-Neb.) stated that, “‘This is a ruling which has the
potential to disrupt an industry which is vitally important for western
Nebraska. Our producers in Nebraska and nationwide need certainty, and I promise
to do everything in my power to help ensure sugar beet growers aren’t going to
be left out in the cold next planting season.” Animal Agriculture “Some combination of the two is driving big changes in the industrialized treatment of farm animals, including egg-laying hens, the vast majority of which live out their lives packed tightly in ‘battery cages.’ Ohio, the second-largest producer of eggs after Iowa, is the latest to adjust its standards. Animal welfare advocates and farmers there agreed recently to phase out small crates for gestating hogs and veal calves, and to ban new cages for egg-laying hens. (Existing cages can remain.)” In related news, Rod Smith reported at
Feedstuffs Online that, “Ohio
agriculture can go forward with ‘predictability’ and ‘stability’ now that the
agricultural community in the state and The Humane Society of the United States
(HSUS) have reached an agreement that took an HSUS ballot measure out of this
fall’s state election, according to Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland.
The initiative would have had ‘costly, divisive and harmful outcomes’ for Ohio
agriculture and other sectors, he said in an exclusive interview with Feedstuffs
last week. EPA Issues Mr. Anderson noted that, “‘Every operation is different—every operator has a different set of factors that he’s working with—topography, the way he feeds,’ Brooks says, ‘so in some cases, the changes may be ones that you can make without a huge financial investment. In fact, in most cases, I think it’s not a huge financial investment.’ “And
Brooks once again denied charges that this EPA is targeting agriculture, and
specifically the livestock industry.” Senate Committee Approves Three-year Extension of Chemical Security
Rules The committee voted on a modified version of a bill introduced in March by Sen. Susan Collins which originally proposed a five-year extension of CFATS. Left out of the Senate bill were inherently
safer technology, coverage of drinking water and wasterwater facilities and
coverage of port facilities – all included in the House bill. Lucas, Lincoln, Chambliss
Bill to "Protect" Ag from EPA Pesticide Regs
Texas Joins Court
Challenge of EPA Greenhouse Gas "Tailoring" Rule |
