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Shift Left
Obama and the
Democrats make sledding tougher for the cattle business.
by:
Wes Ishmael |
Things are much harder for
agriculture as a whole, especially for the cattle business,”
says Colin Woodall, Executive Director of Legislative Affairs
for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). “The new
administration is listening more to environmental and animal
rights activists than to mainstream livestock and agriculture
organizations.”
So goes legislative life since President Obama entered the White
House, which is no surprise.
“It was rather apparent throughout the campaign and on election
night that things were going to be different,” says Bill
Hammerich, Chief Executive Officer of the Colorado Livestock
Association. “Now, we each have to decide whether we’re going to
be part of affecting change, or whether we’re going to stand
back, drag our feet and complain.”
Of course, even those working most earnestly to affect change
positively are frustrated by what Woodall terms a void of
understanding about agriculture among lawmakers in Washington
D.C.
We’re not talking about there being only a few there who have
any personal experience with production agriculture. We’re
talking about few in the Obama administration—even within
USDA—and only a handful of Senators and Representatives who have
a real understanding of how agriculture works, period.
That means that folks like Woodall often have to begin at ground
zero, trying to educate them about the cattle and agricultural
industries even as they argue for and against legislation aimed
at the industry.
For perspective, there are three NCBA lobbyists. Considering
only the law makers, there are 535 Representatives and Senators.
Throw in their staffers—gatekeepers for what their employers
hear and know—and Woodall explains there are 1,000-1,200 folks
with whom they need to build and maintain relationships.
On the other hand, Woodall says that also means there is
tremendous opportunity for producers to get involved.
“Just pick up the phone and call your Congressman or Senator.
Ask for the agriculture staff person, introduce yourself,”
Woodall says. “Invite them to your operation. Find out when that
Congressman or Senator will be home to have a town hall meeting;
attend it. Begin building a relationship.”
Given the dearth of agricultural knowledge in Washington, D.C.,
Woodall emphasizes there’s more need than ever for individual
producers to become more engaged in the political process.
In order to affect change, Hammerich believes, “You have to be
part of something larger than yourself. Join your state
organization. The way the world operates today, you also need to
join your national organization.”
There’s no end to the issues at hand.
Clean Air Act (CCA)—Aimed at regulating greenhouse gas emissions
associated with global climate change—a major presumption in
itself—the regulation would require livestock operations to
obtain permits for greenhouse gas emissions caused by biological
processes.
In a letter sent in support of an amendment that would prohibit
the Environmental Protection Agency from imposing this burden on
agricultural producers, NCBA explained in part:
“The CAA is fundamentally ill-suited for regulating Greenhouse
Gas Emissions , and it was never the intent of Congress for the
Act to be used for this purpose. Instead, the Act was intended
to regulate traditional air pollutants from major emitters on a
state or regional level.
While the CAA has seen success in cleaning up criteria and other
pollutants, it is not adequately equipped to address global
climate change…
“Instead of being subject to climate change regulation, the
agriculture sector should be considered an important solution to
the climate change problem, as it provides critical sources of
soil carbon sequestration and renewable energy offsets. In fact,
according to EPA, land use, land use change, and forestry
activities resulted in a net carbon sequestration offset of
approximately 14.8% of total U.S. CO2 emissions, or 12.5% of
total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2006.”
Food Safety Bill—As introduced, this legislation would grant the
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to conduct
on-farm inspections. Aside from undermining USDA’s regulatory
authority to ensure meat safety, NCBA points out it would allow
FDA to tell producers how to raise their cattle.
Clean Water Restoration Act—Under current law, the federal
government has jurisdiction over the nation’s navigable
waterways. This regulation would essentially give them control
of all water, including that in stock tanks, drainage ditches
and any other water on private property, perhaps even ground
water.
According to a joint statement, “NCBA and Public Lands Council
strongly oppose this legislation, not only because it infringes
on private property rights, but also because it limits the state
partnerships and flexibility that have made the current Clean
Water Act so successful.”
These three are at the top of NCBA’s priority list currently
because Woodall explains, “They’re moving fast and producers can
still do something about them if they let their voices be
heard.”
Other highly visible issues in various stages of progress
include:
Livestock Market Fairness Act—This is the latest attempt aimed
at limiting packer ownership of cattle ahead of slaughter. If
passed as is, it would take away producers’ rights to trade
cattle how they want and with whom. It would unravel the
value-added systems individuals have labored for years to
create.
National Animal Identification System—Still a voluntary system,
there are increasing indications that congressional support is
growing to make the system mandatory.
Country of Origin Labeling—Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsack
has threatened to re-open the law if the industry fails to
comply with voluntary standards he is suggesting, which are not
part of the law.
Renewable Fuels Act—The mandate for minimum annual production of
grain-based ethanol has already turned commodity markets upside
down. Indications are there is plenty of congressional support
to increase the minimum level.
“We’re (the industry) really under siege right now from
activists and from our own administration,” Woodall says. “There
are more hungry people in the world today than at any time in
history, yet our Congress is looking to make it more difficult
for us to feed our own people, let alone people around the
world.
“We have to do everything we can to get the word out about the
beef industry, about agriculture, and the role producers play in
providing the world with safe, wholesome, abundant, affordable
food.”
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