New
rules for labeling meat go into effect in US [Associated Press]
Shoppers
in the U.S. will soon have more information about where their meat comes from
after new federal labeling rules went into effect Thursday. The rules require
labels on steaks, ribs and other cuts of meat to say where the animal was born,
raised and slaughtered. Earlier U.S. Department of Agriculture rules only
required that countries of origin to be noted, so a package might say
"Produce of U.S. and Canada." Now, the label will specify "Born
in Canada, raised and slaughtered in the United States." The new rules
apply only to cuts of meat such as steaks and roasts, not to ground meat. The
USDA has required country of origin labels on seafood since 2005 and on meat
and other products since 2009. The new rules for meat are meant to bring the
U.S. in line with World Trade Organization standards after the organization
determined the old labels discriminated against livestock imported from Canada
and Mexico.
A
year later, U.S. trade with Colombia grows while anxiety mounts [McClatchy
Tribune News Service]
At
the Colombian Embassy in Washington, Ambassador Carlos Urrutia says there’s no
doubt that his country’s trade deal with the U.S. has paid off: Colombian
businesses are sending more socks and cosmetics to California, beet sugar to
New York and glass to Florida to help with hurricane repairs. U.S. officials
are equally excited, saying U.S. businesses have improved their sales to the
South American country by 20 percent. Manufacturers are exporting more
transportation equipment, petroleum and coal products, processed foods and a
long list of farm products, including soybeans, pork, wheat, grapes and dairy
goods. But a year after the agreement took effect, the growth in trade is
producing mounting anxiety in some quarters. In California, for example,
progress has come with a price for the once-dominant flower industry: Colombian
imports have jumped 7 percent in the past year. Less than 3 percent of the
Valentine’s Day roses sold in this country were grown here. On New Year’s Day,
just two of the 41 floats in the popular Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif.,
featured flowers grown in the Golden State.…The unhappiness extends well beyond
flowers. Opponents note that the balance of trade between the countries remains
out of whack: The United States imported nearly $25 billion in goods from
Colombia last year, while it exported only $16 billion.
U.S.
Senate votes to cut insurance subsidies to rich farmers [Reuters]
The
wealthiest 20,000 U.S. farmers should pay more for taxpayer subsidized crop
insurance, the Senate voted on Thursday, adopting a measure that blended
deficit reduction, populism and farm program reform. Senators approved the
amendment by a lopsided 59-33 vote, in defiance of Agriculture Committee
leaders. The move would save $1.3 billion over a decade by reducing the premium
subsidy for growers with more than $750,000 of adjusted gross income. Crop
insurance, which pays out if farmers' crops are damaged, is the costliest part
of the farm safety net, costing $9 billion a year. It would expand by 5 percent
in the Senate bill even as other farm, conservation and nutrition programs are
cut by $24 billion over 10 years….The Senate approved a similar adjusted gross
income limit to the 2012 farm bill that died in the House in an election-year
gridlock. Passage of the amendment marked the first time in a week of debate
that senators overrode Stabenow's advice on the terms of the farm bill.
Wine
industry optimistic despite labor, import concerns [Santa Rosa Press Democrat]
It’s
a time of optimism in the wine industry, with vintners buying vineyards to
secure supply, and grape growers and brokers easily selling their crop for
hearty prices. But there are issues on the horizon, including a dwindling labor
pool and an increase in bulk wine imports from overseas that could ease pricing
pressures on domestic grapes and wine. These trends were part of wide-ranging
discussions Thursday among 200 vineyard, winery and finance executives at the
18th annual Vineyard Economics Seminar in Napa. Nearly 98 percent of growers
and vintners were more profitable last year than the previous year, and 87
percent believe that next year will be even better, according to an annual
survey of wine executives….Growers in some parts of California are experiencing
a shortage of agricultural workers. On the Central Coast, some vineyard owners
have been accused of stealing farm workers from other crews, said Steve
McIntyre, founder of Monterey Pacific, a vineyard management company in the
Central Coast.
Editorial: On genetically
engineered food, let the market decide [Los Angeles Times]
The
movement to force the labeling of genetically engineered food is gaining
momentum. In November 2012, an initiative to require the labels in California
was on the ballot; it was defeated. Now, federal legislation carried by Sen.
Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) would mandate labeling most bioengineered food
nationwide. Yet the movement's argument is weakened by the lack of evidence
that inserting fragments of DNA into crops harms our health. Pro-labeling
activists — who also tend to be anti-Monsanto activists — point to polls
finding that most Americans want the information labeled. But there is plenty
about our food that consumers might like to know that is not on the labels….
There are justified concerns about genetically engineered foods. Some have
contributed to the rise of pesticide-resistant weeds and been linked to the
decimation of monarch butterfly populations in the Midwest. In addition,
because the crops' DNA is owned and controlled by the companies that produce
them, such as Monsanto, tough questions should be asked about the risks of
having so much of the country's food supply owned by a couple of companies.
Some 85% or more of the corn and soybeans grown in the United States is
genetically modified. But consumers who want to avoid bioengineered foods have
many ways of accomplishing that. Organic food is by definition not genetically
engineered. Some producers of cornstarch and other products offer, and label,
non-engineered versions for a higher price. Trader Joe's has announced that all
of the foods sold under its brand name are not sourced from bioengineered
crops, and there are websites and apps devoted to selecting non-engineered
foods. If there is a growing demand for such foods, the market will find a way
to offer them.
Ag
Today is distributed to county Farm Bureaus, CFBF directors and CFBF staff, for
information purposes, by the CFBF Communications/News Division, 916-561-5550; news@cfbf.com.
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