A3O-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 25, 2003
Farmers Air Concerns
(Continued from Page A 1)
Dr. Phil Stone introduced U.S.
Rep. Bob Goodlatte, (Va.-6th).
Goodlatte chairs the House Agri
culture Committee.
“Nobody in Congress is more
attentive to the needs of agricul
ture,” said Stone.
Congressman Goodlatte went
straight to the heart of the blows
dealt to agriculture in recent
times, not only to Shenandoah
Valley farmers but those beyond.
Hurricane Isabels unleashed dev
astation was the most recent dis
aster in a sequence of misfortunes
to hit the industry. Add flash
floods, ice, snow, avian influenza,
low dairy prices, and a drought.
Yet, when they are compared
to those of other countries, U.S.
farming operations are proved
the most efficient and productive.
Goodlatte reported that while
only two percent of the U.S. pop
ulation is active in farm produc
tion, U.S. households overall are
able to buy all their food for a
mere nine percent of total in
come.
So between surplus production
and exports balance becomes an
issue. Agriculture in the area of
the U.S. trade surplus is a tre
mendously important issue to
American farmers and ranchers.
Chief Agriculture Negotiator from the Office of the
United States Trade Representative, Allen Johnson, right,
talks with Matt Leggett at the 2003 Agriculture Confer
ence. The event for Shenandoah Valley farmers was con
ducted at the Bridgewater College.
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“Its important to negotiate, but
agriculture should be at the fore
front,” Goodlatte said, alluding
to trade talks.
Deputy Secretary of Agricul
ture Jim Moseley said he is con
cerned about homeland security,
because the terrorism conflict is
different than all others we have
dealt with in the world. He said
the nature of it is very complex,
however, and each citizen has to
take some responsibility for its
prevention.
“What you do as an agricul
ture operation is your decision,”
he said, but reminded everyone in
the room about their proximity to
the nations Capitol.
Location is one reason farmers
and ranchers in the west arent as
worried about their operations.
The miles existing between
Washington and themselves are
perceived as a security zone.
Moseley indicated that in order
to do its job right, the U.S. De
partment of Agriculture must
find new and better ways to fulfill
its function.
“The Department of Agricul
ture is there to try to change
things,” Moseley said. “We must
change with the changes. We
want to listen. Help us.”
Undersecretary for Food Safe
ty Elsa Murano drew smiles from
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the audience in describing herself
an educator, researcher, and col
lege professor disguised as a bu
reaucrat, then turned serious
about her topic.
“Food safety is important be
cause we are all consumers,” she
said.
Two years ago when she came
to Washington, Murano said she
didnt realize that politics played
such a part in food safety.
Policies must be based on sci
entific research.
“The challenge is to commu
nicate food safety to the public,”
she said. ‘We need to think of
ourselves as a link in a chain.”
She cited statistics about the
increased number of USDA food
inspectors at food processing
plants every day.
One question is: should the
producers themselves have some
responsibility for the safety of
their product? Murano said pro
ducers now, more than ever, are
being encouraged to reduce or
eliminate human pathogens. She
said guidelines are being prepar
ed that will support this effort.
“We are trying to assess vul
nerability and plug the holes,”
she said.
Food in some cases is infected
because mistakes are being made
at the time of preparation. Per
haps the person preparing it
failed to wash their hands. Per
haps the utensils being used arent
clean. Perhaps the food was not
refrigerated promptly.
The other crucial aspect about
food safety is countries can use it
as a tool in trade negotiations.
The Chief Agriculture Negoti
ator from the Office of the United
States Trade Representative
(USTR) Allen Johnson discussed
needing to find markets for this
countrys agriculture as the indus
try continues to become more
and more efficient.
The scope of agriculture is very
great. In trade negotiations, when
it comes to bringing about imple
mentation, and then making sure
whatever has been agreed upon
can also be enforced, there are
challenges.
“You cant assume a country is
going to do what it is supposed to
do,” he said.
A case in point is Russia with
regard to U.S. poultry. That ex
perience hit home in Goodlattes
district, where Rockingham
County, poultry production lead
er, is located.
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Following a question-and-answer session at the 2003
Agriculture Conference, Teresa Glass of Rockbridge
County and Bill Joseph, general manager of the Shenan
doah Valley Livestock Market, discuss their concerns
about horses. During the session, one question con
cerned the Horse Slaughter Prevention Act.
other issues, however, in trade
negotiations with other countries.
The Trade Promotion Authority
can exercise its authority, John
son said.
“The USDA and USTR work
together,” Johnson said. ‘We
work very hard to get the very
best deal for U.S. agriculture.
United States farmers are very
efficient. The other side is not.
They get very nervous about
that.”
During audience participation
dairy farmer, Sidney Grove, ex
pressed concern about the pricing
collapse for dairy farmers. He
pointed out there is an increasing
flow of dairy into the country
when prices are at an historically
low levels. Then the farmer has
to turn to the Farm Bill to get
help for the farmer.
“Sometimes it seems our ac
tions are counterproductive,” he
said. “USDA has been part of the
problem.”
According to Goodlatte, the
problem is caused by the produc
tion of milk protein concentrates.
He said that policies right now
favor nonfat dried milk, and the
program has to be adjusted to the
demand.
Teresa Glass, a horse industry
producer, wanted to discuss the
Horse Slaughter Prevention Acts
impact on the industry.
Another person wondered
about having greater flexibility
with regard to how people use re-
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Steve Saufley, beef farm
er, right, has a moment to
consult with U.S. Rep. Bob
Goddlatte, the House Agri
culture Committee chair
person. Saufleys concern is
youth migrating away from
the farm.
tirement accounts when it comes
to farm preservation.
That was a topic that interest
ed the congressman greatly, al
though he said that sort of thing
becomes part of a larger legisla
tive process. He definitely wants
more input on the subject.
Marlin Burkholder has a small
fanning operation. He asked,
what is being done to improve
the situation for animal waste
disposal for small producers?
He was told about the creation
of energy incentives to get ani
mals to slaughter facilities.
Youth are leaving family farms
for good and that is Steve Sauf
leys big concern.
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