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AgNews Summary for USDA Executives
Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2009
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MARKETING & REGULATORY PROGRAMS
BIRD FLU VIRUS STILL CAUSE FOR CONCERN (101 Reuters 2/3) The H5N1 bird flu
virus, which has now sickened more than 400 people globally, is infecting birds and people
all across China, and is still a cause for serious concern, flu experts said Tuesday.  Recent
cases are the expected winter seasonal surge seen for many types of viruses, they said,
and there is no evidence that H5N1 is mutating into a more dangerous form.  Chinese
officials confirmed a new case Monday.  All the patients were around chickens, so there is
little concern that people are passing the virus to one another, the flu experts told a news
briefing at a meeting in Washington of the Infectious Disease Society of America.
ANIMAL WELFARE GROUPS SUE RINGLING, ALLEGE ABUSE OF ELEPHANTS (102
L.A. Times 2/4) The article leads with allegations by a former Ringling Bros. employee who
says he regularly saw handlers abusing the circus endangered Asian elephants when he
worked there in the 1990s.  Ringling denies the allegations, saying it has never been cited
for animal cruelty.  But today, a nearly nine-year-old legal case over the elephants
treatment will come to trial in U.S. District Court.  Using the Endangered Species Act
instead of animal cruelty laws, animal welfare groups will testify that Ringling abuses its
elephants by using a hooked pole that the suit says sometimes punctures the animals
hide.  The animal rights groups also allege that trainers chain the beasts together for as
much as 70 hours at a time.  An attorney for the circus said the elephants are healthy,
alert and thriving, and that the circus routinely passes federal, state and local inspections.
She said the lawsuit is part of activists long-running crusade to eliminate animals from
circuses, zoos and wildlife parks.  See AgNews 2/2 #108.
RESEARCH, EDUCATION & ECONOMICS
DRY CONDITIONS RAISE CONCERNS FOR U.S. WINTER WHEAT (103 Reuters 2/3)
Winter weather has not been friendly to the new U.S. hard red winter wheat crop, and
concerns are mounting this week about poor conditions that could significantly limit 2009
production.  The good news is that in Kansas, the top U.S. wheat-growing state, most of
the crop was rated this week in good to excellent condition.  But to the south, in the key
growing states of Oklahoma and Texas, dry soils are stressing young plants struggling to
emerge from dormancy.  Overall, its bleak, said a Texas A&M agronomist of new wheat
fields through key growing areas in Texas, which has an estimated 5.9 million acres
seeded to winter wheat and is second only to Kansas in planted acres.  Recent rains were
beneficial, but more was needed to boost crop prospects as topsoil moisture remained
mostly very short to short across the state.  Things were only slightly better in Oklahoma,
where farmers have planted an estimated 5.4 million acres to winter wheat.
RURAL DEVELOPMENT
CRITICS SAY BROADBAND PLAN ATTACKS WRONG PROBLEM (104 Des Moines
Register 2/4) Two versions of the stimulus bill each contains billions of dollars to extend
broadband to rural areas.  But some officials question the emphasis on expanding the
high-speed Internet access when many Americans cannot afford the service that is
already available to them.  House and Senate versions of the economic stimulus bill
provide $6 billion to $9 billion to carry out President Obamas campaign promise to extend
true broadband to every community in America.  In Iowa, broadband is more widely
available in rural areas than in urban areas, according to a state survey.  But industry
officials say that existing service could be upgraded to faster speeds, and pockets of the
state without high-speed options could be served.  Critics say the program is a poor use
of taxpayer money.  Equipment manufacturers will pocket a lot of the broadband money
simply by raising their prices, and money is likely to be wasted because of the speed with
which the grants and loans must be dispensed, said a representative of the Cato Institute,
a conservative research group.
USDA -- MULTI-MISSION
NEW USDA OFFICE TAKES LEAD ON CLIMATE CHANGE (105 Christian Science Monitor
2/4) The Obama administration is off to a running start on climate change, pushing to let
California and other states set tougher restrictions on greenhouse gases and accelerating
higher gas mileage standards for cars and trucks.  But those are just the most obvious
early moves reflecting a philosophy likely to be seen throughout the federal government,
involving rural as well as urban areas.  Already, first steps are being taken to engage
farmers, woodlot owners, and the federal land management agencies that oversee
hundreds of millions of acres of public land  areas with the potential to capture
considerable amounts of carbon dioxide that would otherwise escape into the atmosphere
and accelerate warming of the planet.  Taking the lead is a new bureaucratic mouthful
called the Office of Ecosystem Services and Markets.  Its part of USDA, which not only
works with farmers and ranchers but also includes the Forest Service and its 193 million
acres.  Heading the new office is Sally Collins, a former Forest Service ranger who
reports directly to Secretary Tom Vilsack.  Collins believes the approaches of her office
may open a new era in which urban industrial emitters of carbon dioxide will partner with
private landowners to plant new forests or crops to soak up CO2, or in which revenues
generated from a carbon tax will pay for planting trees in federal forests lost to wildfire.
DeLAURO TO PROPOSE OVERHAUL OF FDA (106 New Haven Register, Conn. 2/4) With
as many as eight deaths and more than 500 illnesses attributed to peanut products, Rep.
Rosa DeLauro will introduce a bill today calling for the Food and Drug Administration to be
split into two agencies, one overseeing food safety and the other regulating drugs and
medical devices.  I think this peanut butter crisis may be  it remains to be seen  the
straw that broke the camels back, DeLauro said Tuesday.  Her bill would address what
she called the dysfunctional nature of the FDA.  The fact is, there is no one at the
federal level, there isnt one significant official...who is accountable for food safety, she
said.
EX-EMPLOYEES SAY RODENTS, ROACHES COMMONPLACE AT PLANT (107 Chicago
Tribune 2/4) The article leads with brief quotations from interviews with former
employees of the now-closed Peanut Corp. of America plant in Blakely, Ga.  The
employees cited unsanitary conditions and one said his simple rule was that he never ate
the plants peanut butter, or allowed his children to eat it.  The article reviews the recall of
more than 1,000 food products that include peanut butter or peanut paste from the
Peanut Corp. of America plant, and the possibility of criminal charges resulting from the
investigation into plant operations.  The case is emblematic of the Food and Drug
Administrations troubles in protecting the food supply.  President Obama plans to
announce a new FDA commissioner and other officials who will implement a stricter
regulatory structure to improve oversight in food safety inspections, a White House
spokesman said.
PRODUCERS WANT MORE ETHANOL IN GAS (108 Washington Times 2/4) Despite being
pinched by the economic downturn, ethanol producers are expanding so rapidly that they
are pressing the government to overturn its 25-year-old rule that limits to 10 percent the
amount of corn-based ethanol that can be put into a tank of gasoline.  The effort comes
as the industry finds itself well ahead of its federally mandated schedule to produce, by
2015, 15 billion gallons of ethanol each year for use in U.S. vehicles.  Federal
environmental rules now limit to 10 percent the amount of ethanol that can be added to a
gallon of gasoline.  On Tuesday, ethanol industry representatives told reporters and
editors of the Washington Times that they plan to lobby hard to expand that amount to as
much as 15 percent.
ADM SAYS 21 PERCENT OF U.S. ETHANOL CAPACITY IS IDLE (109 Reuters 2/3)
Ethanol producer and grain processor Archer Daniels Midland Co. said Tuesday that nearly
21 percent of U.S. ethanol production capacity has been shut due to weak demand and
poor margins.  U.S. ethanol plants with a production capacity of 10.2 billion gallons per
year are currently operating, down from a peak of 12.9 billion sometime mid-to-late last
year, an ADM executive said in a conference call with analysts.
JATROPHA THE NEXT BIG BIOFUEL? (110 Time 1/29) If President Obamas green-
energy rhetoric is on the level, this should be the year the U.S. gets clued in to what much
of the rest of the world is already betting: that jatropha  a tree that produces seeds that
produce clean-burning diesel fuel  will help revive a biofuels movement battered by
charges that it diverts too many crops from too many mouths.  India has set aside 100
million acres for jatropha, and expects the oil to account for 20 percent of its diesel
consumption by 2011.  Australia, China, Brazil and Kenya have also embraced it.  In
December, a Boeing 747 was successfully test flown by Air New Zealand using a 50-50
blend of jatropha and aviation fuel.  A University of Florida researcher plans to publish
findings this month that jatropha trees thrive so well in Florida that they may yield up to
eight times as much oil as they do in places like India and Africa.
CALIF. WONT PENALIZE ORGANIC FARMERS OVER SPIKED FERTILIZER (111 AP
2/4) Californias organic certifier, the California Certified Organic Farmers, said it wont
penalize farmers or revoke their endorsements in the case of two fertilizer companies
suspected of peddling synthetic fertilizer as the natural stuff.  But the situation has
resulted in a blow to the integrity of the organic market, prompting new industry-wide
efforts to test and verify fertilizers.  The two products implicated had been popular
fertilizers among organic growers.  This is a great example of a gross violation of the
rules, in which case consumers arent getting what they expected, said a scientist with
the Consumers Union.  The most recent allegations surround Port Organic Products Inc.
near Bakersfield, where county environmental health experts found thousands of gallons
of aqueous ammonia, an ingredient used in synthetic fertilizers, in 2005 and 2007.  The
Port Organic factory was the site of a Jan. 22 search by FBI and USDA officials.
FARM GROUPS SUPPORT BILL TO HEAD OFF ANIMAL RIGHTS INITIATIVE (112 Tulsa
World, Okla. 2/4) Oklahoma farm and livestock groups are making a pre-emptive strike
against animal rights activists.  On the heels of a California initiative passed by voters in
November, a handful of farm groups  backed by many Oklahoma lawmakers  are
trying to pass a bill that would give the state Legislature the exclusive right to make laws
about farm animal treatment.  In an ag state like Oklahoma, the Legislature knows best
how to take care of the animals, said the chairman of the state House Agriculture and
Rural Development Committee, who is also sponsor of the House version of the bill.  The
California law puts restrictions on the poultry industry, such as giving chickens more living
space, and includes other measures related to the confinement of pigs and calves.
Oklahoma agriculture groups fear that supporters of the California law will try to put a
similar question on Oklahomas ballot.
MILK PRICE SOURS FOR N.Y. FARMERS (113 Albany Times-Union 2/4) The global
economic crisis has dramatically curbed demand for milk and cheese, leading to a crash in
the prices received by New York farmers and fears that some small farmers wont
survive the year.  The February price for beverage-class milk in the Capital Region
plunged to $13.42 per 100 pounds  thats $5 less than in January and a 40 percent fall
from a year ago, according to USDA statistics.  The drop is beneficial for shoppers, at
least in the short term, but amid predictions that the price declines will continue into
spring, many farmers are struggling to keep their bills paid.
EDITORIAL AND OPINION
FDAS FULL PLATE ON FOOD SAFETY (114 Denver Post 2/3) An editorial says the
salmonella outbreak again exposes just how vulnerable our food system is, and how
much we rely on an understaffed agency to keep us safe.  Modernization of the Food
and Drug Administration is long overdue, it says, and it welcomes comments by President
Obama that a complete review of the agency is necessary in the wake of the peanut
contamination (AgNews 2/3 #108).  The editorial says it is clear that FDA lacks the
inspectors needed to address food safety problems.  Nonetheless, contracting out
inspections of the peanut plant involved in the salmonella case to Georgia state inspectors
was no solution, it says, since the states 60 inspectors are responsible for inspecting
15,000 sites.  The editorial notes that several federal lawmakers have pitched a number
of promising food safety reforms.  Still, it concludes, what has been missing for the last
eight years is not ideas, but the political will to make them a reality.
AUTHORITIES SHOULD DO A BETTER JOB OF PROTECTING THE PUBLIC (115 Las
Vegas Sun 2/2) An editorial reviews the circumstances surrounding the contamination of
peanut products from a plant in Georgia, and says the company should be prosecuted for
its irresponsible behavior.  However, that alone will not fix the problems, it says.  It
looks in particular at the fact that food processors are not required to report the results
of internal testing for contamination.  It calls for such testing to be reported, and it calls
for more thorough inspections of processing plants.  The editorial concludes: It all adds
up to a food safety process that continues to have plenty of gaps, all of which should be
addressed immediately by Congress, the Food and Drug Administration and state
inspection agencies.
FOOD SAFETY: POISONOUS PEANUTS (116 USA Today 2/4) An editorial wonders why
the Peanut Corp. of Americas Blakely, Ga., plant was allowed to stay in business, given
the unsanitary conditions found by government investigators.  Though the company bears
primary responsibility for safe products, its the job of regulators to ensure that corners
arent being cut, the editorial says.  Why didnt they crack down sooner in this case?  It
notes that the resource-strapped Food and Drug Administration had delegated routine
inspections to the Georgia Department of Agriculture, which cited the plant frequently for
unsanitary conditions  although a Georgia official said the state saw only minor
problems at the plant.  Congress has reacted predictably to the latest crisis with a flurry
of proposals to give FDA more resources and more power to monitor food companies and
order food recalls, the editorial says.  Thats all fine, if belated, but one obvious fix
stands out: Had the Georgia plant been required to tell safety regulators about those 12
positive salmonella tests, officials could have stepped in sooner and required the plant to
clean up its act...If theres one thing Congress should fix, and quickly, thats it.
WE SHARE THE PUBLICS CONCERN (117 USA Today 2/4) The Peanut Corp. of America
declined to provide an opposing view to the USA Today editorial above.  USA today
provided excerpts from statements the company released last week.  In those
statements, the company said it shared the publics concern about the potential connection
between the salmonella outbreak and its products.  The company is deeply engaged in
the process of learning and understanding the facts and issues.  Its goal has always been
to follow the Food and Drug Administrations good manufacturing practices and to provide
a safe product for consumers.  The company categorically denies allegations that it
sought favorable lab results in order to ship its products.  It also notes that it does not
agree with all of the FDAs observations at the Blakely plant.  It concludes: We want our
customers and consumers to know that we are continuing to work day and night with the
FDA and other officials to determine the source of the problem and ensure that it never
happens again.
EXCEPTIONS CAN BE MADE TO OBAMAS EDICT ON LOBBYISTS (118 Washington
Times 2/2) A commentary says some of President Obamas biggest accomplishments in
the field of ethics and lobbying rules come with a but.  Lobbyists are banned, but
exceptions can and will be made, the writer says; she also says orders on ending torture
and secret prisons contain loopholes and provisos.  The lobbying issue has drawn the most
ire, she says.  She notes in particular criticism from a liberal talk show host who blasted
Obama for having former lobbyists in his administration.  White House aides say the
administration warned months ago that there would be exceptions to the lobbying bans for
people they consider exceptionally talented.  The writer says nearly two dozen executive
branch hires have been registered federal lobbyists, with the most prominent being
Secretary Tom Vilsack and William Lynn, the No. 2 man at the Pentagon.
AGRICULTURE AND TRADE PRESS
AGWEB.COM 2/3
(119) Peterson talks to beet growers; planned talk with Vilsack Tuesday
(120) Meat groups oppose boost in ethanol blend percentage
AGRICULTURE ONLINE 2/3
(121) Grassley back on ag competition warpath with new legislation
BROWNFIELD 2/3
(122) Peterson says derivatives bill is must pass legislation
(123) Grassley wants ag experts advising regulators
DELTA FARM PRESS 2/3
(124) Obama should overturn lands rule
(125) USDA seeks comments on six conservation programs
USGNET 2/3
(126) Breakthrough announced in development of ethanol-powered fuel cells
DTN 2/3
(127) Grassley backs higher ethanol blends
AND ALSO
THERE IS NO LEASH LAW FOR SNAKES (128 AP 3/3) A 23-foot, 100-pound python
can run, but it cant hide.  The orange reticulated python, the worlds longest snake
species, and a second python escaped from a terrarium inside their owners home in San
Luis Obispo, Calif., on Sunday night.  Police quickly warned residents that the snakes,
though domesticated, were large enough to make a meal of young children or pets.  But
both were captured in the neighborhood Monday afternoon.  Police said the snakes owner
will not be cited.  There is no leash law for snakes, said a police spokesman.
NETWORK NEWS
Tuesday, Feb. 3
CBS:	New revelations about Georgia peanut processing plant linked to the salmonella
outbreak; former worker says he witnessed filthy conditions
USDA RELEASES
Tuesday, Feb. 3
0035	USDA Announces Planting Transferability Pilot Project in 7 States
To obtain a USDA release, access USDAs Home Page at  http://www.usda.gov
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