The American Meat Institute Foundation (AMIF) will host the Animal Care and Handling Conference for the Food Industry from March 25-26, 2010, in Kansas City, MO. The conference is the leading animal welfare educational opportunity for meat companies, their customers, and those involved in the production and management of livestock and meat products. NMPF is a co-sponsor of the conference.
After being part of the NMPF staff for six years, Mary Knigge (Manager, Government Relations) left the organization in February to join the House Agriculture Committee professional staff. In her new role, she will be assisting the Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Subcommittee for Chairman David Scott (D-GA) and Ranking Member Randy Neugebauer (R-TX).
Dairy animal care is likely to get additional attention regionally and nationally in 2010, and NMPF’s response to that focus is to both stress the steps farmers take to provide proper animal husbandry, and tout the benefits of the new National dairy FARM program unveiled in 2009. The Farmers Assuring Responsible Management program offers a nationwide, verifiable animal well-being program that demonstrates U.S. milk producers are committed to the highest quality standards.
The FARM program’s quick user reference guide is now available for distribution to producers, as a prelude to the on-farm education process later this year. NMPF cooperatives interested in sharing that information with their farmers should contact Betsy Flores on the NMPF staff.
Certain animal care practices, such as tail docking and dehorning, have been portrayed by animal rights groups and some in the media as unacceptable practices that should be banned from on-farm use. With the proper protocols in place and the use of anesthetics, these practices can be used safely and completed with minimal pain to the animals. Producers using these practices should consult with a veterinarian to review protocols and procedures.
In a letter sent last week to the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), NMPF again pressed for full exclusion of New Zealand’s dairy products in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Free Trade Agreement (FTA). This new U.S. trade initiative would include New Zealand, Vietnam, and Brunei, as well as four existing U.S. FTA partners: Australia, Chile, Singapore, and Peru.
Although NMPF believed in the importance of balanced trade and in the potential for well-negotiated trade agreements to benefit the U.S. dairy industry as a whole, each agreement must be judged on its own merits.
A U.S.-New Zealand TPP would negatively impact the U.S. dairy industry. NMPF estimated that milk prices received by producers would drastically drop and gross revenues received by U.S. dairy farmers would plunge by a cumulative $20 billion over the first 10 years of the FTA if U.S. dairy restrictions on exports from New Zealand were fully phased out in the TPP FTA.
Nearly 50 House members of the Congressional Dairy Farmer Caucus also sent a letter to USTR Ambassador Ron Kirk expressing their support for exclusion of U.S.-New Zealand dairy trade under the TPP.
The International Trade Commission (ITC) will hold a hearing in March on the economic impact of this new FTA. NMPF has already met with ITC staff about their analysis and plans to testify at the hearing.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), introduced a disapproval resolution last month to stop the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from regulating greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. The Senator was joined by 40 Senate colleagues, including Chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee Blanche Lincoln (D-AR).
Should the resolution pass, it would not only prevent EPA from moving forward on regulating greenhouse gasses, it would also send a clear signal that the Senate is not ready to move on climate change legislation this year. There is no word yet regarding when the resolution would come up for a vote, but it will not likely be before March. A similar or companion resolution has not been introduced in the House of Representatives, but there are several pieces of legislation that restrict EPA from regulating greenhouse gases.
NMPF, along with more than 130 other agriculture organizations, signed the letter supporting Sen. Murkowski’s resolution. The letter is available on the NMPF website.
The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) held its 91st annual meeting in Seattle last month. The delegates debated resolutions and policy amendments, and dairy policy was debated for nearly an hour.
The Farm Bureau passed a resolution stating the organization’s opposition to mandatory supply management. AFBF policy continues to support the CWT program. Delegates removed a resolution supporting lower somatic cell counts in fluid milk. Lastly, AFBF reiterated support for more dairy products to be consumed through the Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) nutrition program.
In order to bolster NMPF’s capabilities regarding scientific and technical issues, NMPF has hired Dr. Beth Briczinski as the Director of Dairy Foods & Nutrition. She began on Feb. 1.
Briczinski’s main responsibilities include food processing and security, food safety and public health, human nutrition, labeling, and domestic and international standards of identity. She joins Jamie Jonker, Vice President of Scientific & Regulatory Affairs and Betsy Flores, Director of Regulatory Affairs in the regulatory department.
Originally from Camp Hill, PA, Briczinski earned a BS, MS, and PhD in Food Science from the Pennsylvania State University, where she eventually specialized in dairy foods research. Her thesis research focused on dairy microbiology, specifically the physiology and characterization of lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria.
Briczinski came to NMPF from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she served on the staff of the Food Science Department and developed and taught courses in the undergraduate curricula for both Food Science and Dietetics majors. She can be reached at bbriczinski@nmpf.org.
With 2010 promising to provide continued challenges to the U.S. dairy industry, such as milk price volatility, increased costs, increases in government regulations, and marketplace pressures, NMPF announced today a reorganization of its staff to achieve the best possible results in the year ahead.
"This reorganization will strengthen NMPF's expertise in all areas vital to its member cooperatives," noted NMPF President & CEO Jerry Kozak. "It will ensure that the structure of the organization will be commensurate with future priorities."
Staffing changes include the appointment of Jaime Castaneda to Senior Vice President, Strategic Initiatives & Trade Policy. In this role, Castaneda will be responsible for the development of NMPF's strategic direction on public policy, including the current work of the NMPF Strategic Planning Task Force, and continue as the lead person for immigration reform. In addition, he will continue to lead efforts on all matters related to trade policy and international relations. Castaneda will be supported in the latter role by Shawna Morris, who has been promoted to the position of Vice President, Trade Policy.
Congressional relations and other government relations activities will now be led by Dana Brooks, who has been promoted to Vice President, Government Relations. Brooks will be assisted in NMPF’s day-to-day advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill by Mary Knigge, Manager of Government Relations. Knigge will also continue her role as staff liaison with the Young Cooperators’ Program.
Jim Tillison will assume the position of Senior Vice President, Marketing and Economic Research, and continue to serve as the Chief Operating Officer of the Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) Program. He will supervise economic and market research efforts, including all matters related to Federal Milk Marketing Orders. Tillison will be supported in these activities by Peter Vitaliano, Vice President, Economic Policy & Market Research, and Roger Cryan, Vice President, Milk Marketing & Economics. With respect to CWT, Khadija Gibson-White will provide on-going support as the CWT Program Assistant.
NMPF's communications and public relations efforts will remain under the direction of Chris Galen, Senior Vice President, Communications. Galen will be supported by Sarah Olson, who has been promoted to Manager of Communications.
Executive Vice President Tom Balmer will continue to supervise administrative functions, in addition to serving as Executive Director of the National Ice Cream Mix Association (NICMA). He will be supported in this position by Gail Mobley, Director of Finance and Administration. Balmer will also have direct oversight of NMPF's scientific and regulatory efforts, which are led by Jamie Jonker, Vice President of Scientific & Regulatory Affairs. Betsy Flores will continue in her position as Director of Regulatory Affairs. Her principal responsibilities include management of animal health and welfare efforts through the National Dairy FARM Program.
In order to bolster NMPF’s capabilities regarding scientific and technical issues, NMPF is also hiring Dr. Beth Briczinski as the Director of Dairy Foods & Nutrition. Briczinski will begin her duties on February 1st. She comes from the University of Wisconsin, where she served on the staff of the Food Science Department. Briczinski received her PhD in Food Science from Pennsylvania State University where she specialized in dairy foods research.
Anuja Miner, Senior Director for Executive Office & Member Relations, will continue her role in managing the Executive Office and all matters pertaining to the NMPF Officers and Board of Directors. Miner also has the primary responsibility for membership recruitment, the associate member program, and the American Butter Institute (ABI).
U.S. dairy producers and exporters urged the government to exclude any dairy-related changes in the trade relationship between the United States and New Zealand as part of a new free trade agreement between the countries.
In a letter sent to U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, NMPF and the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) reaffirmed their commitment to seek full exclusion of trade in dairy products between the United States and New Zealand under the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Free Trade Agreement, because of the New Zealand dairy industry’s unique structure and excessive degree of control over dairy markets globally and in the United States.
Kirk notified Congress in December that President Obama intended to enter into negotiations of a regional Asia-Pacific trade agreement, known as the TPP, which would create a new free trade pact that would include seven other nations: Australia, Chile, Singapore, Peru, Brunei, Vietnam and New Zealand. The United States already has trade agreements with these countries, except for New Zealand, Vietnam, and Brunei.
New Zealand is the world’s largest dairy exporter, and benefits tremendously from the virtual dairy monopoly that currently exists there, whereby one company controls more than 90% of the country’s milk production.
“NMPF and USDEC firmly believe in the value of balanced trade agreements in reducing and ultimately eliminating [global] trade distortions,” the two organizations wrote. “This is why we have strongly supported the vast majority of FTAs pursued by the United States over the years, and it is why we also support the three FTAs currently pending congressional approval…as this Administration focuses on growing our competitiveness in Asia, we urge USTR to focus strongly on the agreement already in hand: the U.S.-South Korea FTA.”
The House of Representatives passed the Permanent Estate Tax Relief for Families, Farmers, and Small Businesses Bill of 2009 (HR 4154) by a vote of 225-to-200 on December 3, 2009. The legislation would have permanently extended the current exemption for estates up to $3.5 million per individual and $7 million for married couples and set a maximum rate of 45 percent on estates above this threshold. In addition, the measure would repeal the enactment of carryover basis rules that would require many heirs to pay additional taxes on built-in gains of property inherited starting in 2010.
The tax rate was not indexed for inflation and could affect more families each year. Based on historical inflation data, the value of the estate tax exemption could be cut in half with every passing generation.
The Senate failed to pass any estate tax measures, thereby allowing for permanent repeal of estate taxes for 2010 only. The Senate is expected to take up a tax package quickly upon return in January.
Congress is expected to pass an extension of 2009 rates for one year retroactive from January 1, 2010, prior to a bigger tax reform package being debated with additional changes to the estate tax.
NMPF will continue to support the highest exemption levels possible while maintaining the stepped-up basis. It is essential that Congress additionally deal with the unique problems that farmers and forest owners face with generational family transition.
Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) has been in the process of wrapping up its third herd retirement of 2009. Farm audits were completed in late November, and over 80% of the selected dairies have been paid. All dairies should be paid by the end of January 2010.
Meanwhile, NMPF’s Strategic Planning Task Force CWT Subcommittee will meet January 11th to continue the process of developing new CWT program options going forward.
Visit the CWT website for more information about the program: www.cwt.coop.
James P. “Tom” Camerlo, past Chairman of NMPF, passed away on December 3, 2009, after a courageous battle with cancer. Tom was truly a unique and special individual who profoundly impacted not only everyone at National Milk but the entire dairy industry – more than any individual in our history. Tom, who committed a lifetime of service to the global dairy industry, was known as the World’s Dairy Ambassador. His leadership skills were always on display, whether it was for NMPF, DFA, or the many organizations he represented during his many years of service.
Tom was the essence of friendship and fellowship whose warmth and infectious personality brought everyone together for the common good of the industry. Tom provided years of expertise and leadership to the dairy industry in the broader arenas of dairy trade, farm policy, cooperative marketing, and dairy product promotion.
He also provided leadership at the local level by being active with the Florence Elks, Lion Club, Chamber of Commerce, and St. Benedict’s Catholic Church. He also served on the board of the K-12 Foundation for Education and Destination ImagiNation. Tom’s leadership was rewarded by being named World Dairy Expo’s Dairyman of the Year in 2003. He also received the National Council of Farmer Cooperative’s National Cooperative Statesman Award in 1999; and in 1996 the Soil Conservation Service presented him the Conservationist of the Year Award. Tom was inducted into the Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame in 2001.
Tom was also devoted to his family which included his wife Barbara and four grown children, Tommy, Jimmy, Patty, and Brooke.
A scholarship to honor Tom’s legacy – the James P. “Tom” Camerlo, Jr. Memorial Scholarship – has been established at Colorado State University, his alma mater. Contributions in Tom’s name can be sent to the Colorado State University Foundation at P.O. Box 1870, Fort Collins, CO 80522. Checks should mention the James P. “Tom” Camerlo, Jr. Memorial Scholarship in the memo line.
