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Cattlemen’s Capitol Concerns

published: April 2nd 2010
source: NCBA

Support Moran-Blunt Resolution to Increase Access to U.S. Beef in Japan
    The National Cattle-men's Beef Association (NCBA) encourages members of the House to sign on to a resolution by Reps. Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Roy Blunt (R-MO) calling for increased market access for U.S. beef to Japan. H. Res. 1196 states that Japan should immediately expand market access for U.S. beef products, and urges the Obama Administration to insist on increased market access from Japan. Congressional offices interested in cosponsoring the legislation should contact Aaron Popelka with Rep. Moran's office at: Aaron.Popelka@mail.house.gov.
    NCBA also continues to support a similar resolution introduced earlier this month by Senators Mike Johanns (R-NE) and Blanche Lincoln (D-AR).
    Japan's unscientific trade restriction is not consistent with fair-trade practices nor with U.S. treatment of Japanese imports, and it continues to cost the U.S. beef industry--limiting us to about 25 percent of our potential market there, or $1 billion in lost beef exports each year.
    Last week, Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) and Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-IA) also addressed the issue of beef trade with Japan in a letter to Japanese Ambassador Ichiro Fujisaki. According to the March 16 letter, "this scientifically unfounded barrier to imports of U.S. beef is causing economic hardship for cattle and beef producers in Montana and Iowa. We urge Japan to base its beef trade policies on science and to open its market to all U.S. beef."
Child Nutrition Bill Passes out of Committee
    Yesterday, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry unanimously approved the Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 reauthorizing childhood nutrition programs. The bipartisan legislation invests $4.5 billion in new child nutrition program funding over the next ten years. The legislation invests in new initiatives to enroll more children in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs and takes step to address the epidemic of childhood obesity.
    Many studies show a direct link between nutrient intake and academic performance. In fact, zinc deficiency during the early years adversely affects cognitive behavior, including attention, short-term memory and problem-solving. Research shows that 12% of males ages 6-11, 29% of males ages 12-19, 26% of girls ages 6-11 and 47% of females ages 12-19 are not meeting the recommended dietary allowance for zinc. A 3-ounce serving of lean beef (184 calories) provides 74% of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of zinc for girls and boys 9-13, 54% of the RDA of zinc for boys 14-18, and 65% of the RDA of girls 14-18. As the number one food source for zinc, beef provides 25% of the total zinc in the American diet.
    Research also suggests that high-quality protein--such as found in lean beef--plays an increasingly important role in weight management. Twenty-nine cuts of beef meet
governmentguidelines for lean, with less than 10 grams of total fat, 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat, and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol per 3-ounce serving.  That same 3 ounce serving of lean beef is an excellent source of: protein, zinc, vitamin B, selenium and phosphorus; and a good source of niacin, vitamin B, iron, choline and riboflavin.
    Public Lands Council Supports Modifications to Federal Land Designations
    During its spring legislative conference held earlier this week in Washington, DC, the Public Lands Council (PLC) passed new policy calling for modifications to the Antiquities Act. The Act allows the President of the United States--without any input from the public or Congress--to expedite the designation of lands as "national monuments," thereby severely restricting the ability of the land to be used for multiple purposes, including ranching, forestry, mining, and other forms of economic development.
    Over the years, Presidents have aggressively used the Act to designate hundreds of thousands of acres of land across the western United States as national monuments. Most recently, a memo uncovered at the Department of the Interior revealed plans by the Obama Administration to seize more than 10 million acres of land from Montana to New Mexico.
    PLC's recently-passed policy supports: 1) Congressional review and modification of the Antiquities Act to include Congressional approval of Presidential Designations and a requirement that existing levels of grazing be maintained; 2) Congressional action to exempt the western states from the Antiquities Act; and 3) the reversal or repeal of past unnecessary National Monument designations. In the meantime, PLC will work with locally affected members and land management agencies to ensure that management plans for monuments incorporate livestock grazing and other uses.
    Ranchers not only produce nutritious food to feed the world, they also serve as critical stewards of our nation's public lands, investing immeasurable amounts of time and millions of dollars in range improvement projects each year. Maintaining open spaces and keeping ranchers on public lands makes our Western landscapes vibrant, healthy, and productive.