The American Farm Bureau says labor visa backlogs could threaten 2016 crops. The U.S. dairy industry wants continued defense of common cheese names in trade agreements. International Dairy Foods Association is urging flexibility for dairy in federal ‘gluten-free’ rules. This and other U.S. dairy policy news can be found here.
Labor visa backlogs threaten 2016 crops
U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) delays in processing visas for agricultural workers in the U.S. are fast approaching crisis proportions, American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) president Zippy Duvall said.
Paperwork delays have created a backlog of 30 days or more in processing H-2A applications at both the DOL and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Communications with state Farm Bureaus across the nation have revealed worker shortages in more than 20 states.
U.S. dairy industry urges continued focus on defending common food names
With major trade agreements pending, U.S. organizations representing producers and export marketers welcomed the Obama Administration’s ongoing efforts to ensure the European Union’s (EU) geographical indication (GI) initiatives do not undercut U.S. dairy market access opportunities.
An annual Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) “Section 301” report identifies trade barriers to U.S. companies and products. According to heads of the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC), those barriers are increasingly taking the form of GI restrictions.
The EU argues names such as parmesan, feta and asiago can only appear on cheeses produced in Italy and Greece, despite becoming generic names around the world, the U.S. groups contend. When these requirements are incorporated into trade agreements, the restrictions block U.S. sales of the products to the EU and increasingly affect sales to various other foreign markets.
“U.S. dairy exporters believe it is critical for USTR to maintain a strong focus on the importance of firmly rejecting barriers to U.S. products driven by our competitors’ desires to use GIs to monopolize the use of common food names around the world,” said Tom Suber, USDEC president.
“Our dairy industry has been gearing up to compete globally and open markets to our products,” said Jim Mulhern, NMPF president and CEO. ”It’s vitally important that U.S. trade policy reject the EU’s attempts to slam doors shut in areas in which we are increasingly competing head to head against their producers.
USDA offers antimicrobial resistance research funds
USDA is offering $6 million to fund research addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This funding is available through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI).
The research funding is designed to support the Obama Administration’s Combating Antimicrobial Resistant Bacteria (CARB) National Action Plan and USDA’s Task Force for Combating Antibiotic Resistance. Goals are to promote the development of sustainable and integrated food safety strategies that reduce public health risks along the entire food chain from producer to consumer.
Applications are due August 3.
IDFA urges flexibility for dairy in FDA ‘gluten-free’ rule
The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) encouraged the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be flexible in determining methods for dairy foods companies to prove the truthfulness of their gluten-free claims.
Last November, FDA proposed a new rule requiring makers of fermented and hydrolyzed ingredients and foods, including yogurt and cheeses, to conduct testing and keep records to prove the products meet the agency’s definition of gluten-free prior to fermentation or hydrolysis.
In comments to FDA, IDFA noted milk and many dairy products are inherently gluten-free, and should be exempt from tests and recordkeeping. Among its requests, IDFA asked FDA to remove fluid milk as an example of an ingredient to test.
Canadian government pledges dairy farmer support on EU trade deal
Canadian government leaders pledged financial compensation for dairy farmers potentially impacted by a pending Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with the European Union (EU). The trade deal could take effect in 2017.
Lawrence MacAulay, minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, and Chrystia Freeland, minister of International Trade, said the government will work with the country’s dairy industry to identify a support package.
USDA offering organic certification cost sharing
USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will make $11.6 million available through state departments of agriculture for organic producer and handler certification.
The funding, which covers as much as 75 percent of an individual applicant’s certification costs up to a maximum of $750 annually per certification scope, is provided by two programs.
About $10.7 million is available to organic farms and businesses nationwide through the National Organic Certification Cost Share Program.
Another $932,000 is available to organic crop and livestock operators in 15 states through the Agricultural Management Assistance Organic Certification Cost Share Program (AMA). Eligible states are Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming.
Application deadline is September 30, 2016. Organic producers and handlers should contact their appropriate state agencies via the National Organic Program (NOP) cost share website.
Checkoff programs and FOIA
A U.S. House appropriations committee report urging USDA to exempt agricultural commodity checkoff programs from Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests is drawing criticism from advocacy organizations and others. The language is non-binding, but reflects the opinion of the committee in advising USDA on policy.
Previously, 14 agricultural commodity trade organizations submitted a letter to the House ag appropriations subcommittee seeking the exemption asking that producer-funded checkoff promotion programs not be subject to public records requests.
The National Farmers Union said the request gives the impression agricultural groups have something to hide in an environment where consumers are seeking more transparency in foods and food marketing. PD
-
Dave Natzke
- Editor
- Progressive Dairyman
- Email Dave Natzke
