Regulation delays agricultural advancements

When asked about the state of the U.S. crop-protection industry, President and CEO of CropLife America, Jay Vroom, used words such as, “healthy, robust, forward-looking and extremely competitive.”

But in the next breath, Vroom expressed his concern about federal oversight hindering the industry’s continued progress in a recent podcasted Agri-Pulse interview.

According to CropLife America, “The overall goal of crop protection is to enable farmers to produce the best quality, highest-yield crops possible, in turn providing consumers with a safe, affordable and dependable food supply.”

Crop protection encompasses the research, development and application of pesticides and chemicals to accomplish four ultimate goals:

1. Increased food production
2. Decreased food-production costs
3. Safeguard human health
4. Cosmetic benefits

The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) established pesticide regulation in the U.S. It has been updated and modernized since its institution in 1947.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted proposals to Congress that would eliminate spray-drift applications and regulate pesticide applications within FIFRA. The EPA’s intent is to mandate permits for the use of pesticide products that are applied directly to water such as aquatic weed control and mosquito control. The EPA suggests a “zero tolerance” for spray drift that Vroom states is unrealistic.

Vroom thinks the EPA tactics put a “chokehold on modern agriculture.”

According to its site, CropLife America supports innovative technologies that promote spray-drift reduction and advocates for scientific research about spray drift effects, but opposes “zero-drift” policies that have already been acknowledged by EPA to set an impossible standard.

“The new label statements will help reduce problems from pesticide drift,” said Steve Owens, the assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances. “The new labels will carry more uniform and specific directions about restricting spray drift while giving pesticide applicators clear and workable instructions.”

The new instructions will prohibit drift that could cause adverse health or environmental effects, stated an EPA news release.

Vroom believes that increasing federal regulation is impacting crop-protection research and development costs, as well as the end-users of those products. He also believes many people “glamorize agriculture of the 50s and 60s” without regard to the benefits of modern advancements.

In a joint global study with the European Crop Protection Association, research revealed that the cost of “staying at the table,” in regards to crop-protection development, has increased as much as 40 percent within the past five years because of severe oversight and evaluation expenses.

According to data compiled in the CropLife 100 retailer survey, crop protection product sales fell $100 million to $6.4 billion in 2009.

“Every farmer out there has got to be engaged,” said Vroom, who said that it’s important for farmers to confront urban elites and environmental activists who are attempting to change the structure of the crop-protection industry, thereby threatening its progression at the expense of agriculture.

He described a state-management system as most effective for industry oversight, using adjectives such as “most steady,” “realistic” and “articulate” in comparison to federal control. He believes that everyone harnesses the power to influence the industry when making voting decisions, noting that society supports a logical regulatory system via state and federal elections.

He also believes that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has a responsibility to disseminate the significance of crop protection to society.

Vroom is hopeful for a management structure that is free of expensive, complex regulatory hurdles and allows the industry to be competitive and viable.

“We ignore the defense of modern agriculture at our own peril.”

Individuals interested in giving opinion can do so at http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#submitComment?R=0900006480a66c8d

*Photo obtained from: cdmsadvisor.net






May is National Beef Month

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) celebrates beef all month long as beef farmers nationwide are gearing up for grilling season and an increased demand from consumers.

As backyard gourmets fire up their grills, the summer season witnesses a surge in retail beef sales. It’s prime time for outdoor cooking, especially with the observance of three major holidays – Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day.

Seventy percent of grill owners barbecue on Fourth of July. Memorial Day is the second most-popular grilling day at 62 percent, while Labor Day is third at 55 percent (NCBA).

With the economy in recession, beef prices have been significantly reduced, with some cuts experiencing a 3-to-12 percent cost decrease, according to the Beef Checkoff, a producer-funded marketing and research program designed to increase domestic and international demand for beef.

With beef costs on the decline, coupled with the emerging grill season, beef producers and industry partners are ardently promoting their products with aggressive advertising, trade-show appearances, grocer promotions and partnerships.

BeefUSA is a Web site dedicated to furthering the success of the beef industry with links to health and farming information for consumers, producers, retailers, restaurateurs and industry partners.

Industry Beef Bites (Source: NCBA unless otherwise noted)

• Christopher Columbus brought cattle to America during his second visit in 1943.
• The U.S. beef industry is worth an estimated $175 billion with cattlemen conducting business in all 50 states and operating 800,000 individual farms and ranches.
• A smaller cowherd and fewer cattle in feedlots have provided generally smaller beef supplies in 2009 (Chris Hurt, Purdue Extension agricultural economist).
• 2009 retail beef prices have averaged $4.33 per pound compared to 2008’s $4.16 per pound price but are still greater than foodservice beef sales (Hurt).
• Fifty percent of beef sales come from foodservice (Hurt).
  

Health-conscious consumers tend to stray away from beef and opt for chicken and seafood fare instead. Many Americans link beef with cardiovascular health issues, but eating beef in moderation is healthy. The NCBA works to promote the health benefits of beef at BeefNutrition.org. The USDA has classified 29 cuts of beef as “lean,” including round, sirloin and flank, though the most popular cut of beef consumed in the U.S. is ground beef.

Nutrition Beef Bites (Source: NCBA)

• A serving qualifies as "lean" if it has less than 10 grams of total fat, 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol per 3.5-ounce serving.
• A 3-ounce serving of lean beef provides 51 percent of the daily value for protein total.
• A 3-ounce serving of lean beef contributes less than 10 percent of daily calories to a 2,000-calorie diet.
• Beef provides 10 essential nutrients, including iron, phosphorous and selenium and is the No. 1 food source for including zinc, protein and vitamin B.
• Beef is a source of creatine, an acid that helps in supplying energy to the nerve cells and muscle.

As temperatures rise, have you thought about what you’ll be grilling this season? For recipe ideas, visit BeefItsWhatsforDinner.com.

How does beef stack up compared to other protein options in terms of taste, cost and availability? Do you think health facts about beef contribute to beef sales? What can the beef industry and beef-industry partners do to increase sales?