Australia & Canada Explain Their Animal Identification Systems - The House Agriculture Committee held an informational hearing to review the experience Australia and Canada had in implementing their private sector-based animal identification (ID) systems. Congressman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, said, "Among the reasons I have been an advocate of a private sector-based approach to animal ID is the success of the Canadian and Australian systems. In a relatively short period of time, both nations have moved forward (with) systems that are the envy of many in the international livestock community, and I think their experience in developing these systems is well worth our time and attention." David Palmer of Meat and Livestock Australia testified that the "underlying driver behind this initiative is the need to maintain and build consumer confidence in beef, both in Australia and the markets we serve worldwide." Issues that members of the committee were interested in were: mandatory vs. voluntary, confidentiality, cost, access to information, Freedom of Information Act, and timeliness. The committee plans additional hearings this year on animal ID.

USDA Estimates Farm Production Losses - USDA estimates agricultural production losses due to hurricane Katrina at $900 million. Also, USDA estimates production losses due to the drought in the eastern Corn Belt at $1.3 billion. According to the report, Midwest corn and soybean producers have experienced reduced prices due to the "shipping interruption" in New Orleans ports.

Jones Act Waiver for Agriculture - Twenty-one agriculture organizations sent a letter to President Bush requesting a temporary waiver of the Jones Act for agriculture shipments due to the affects of Hurricane Katrina. The letter states that "U.S. agriculture needs additional transportation capacity to move U.S. grains and oilseeds to regions, such as the Southeastern U.S., traditionally served by domestic transportation modes that have been stretched beyond capacity." The Jones Act requires goods being transported by water between U.S. points must travel on U.S.-flagged, U.S.-built, U.S.-crewed and U.S.-owned vessels. There are a small number of these ships that are available for agriculture, which increases the cost of transportation. Some of the groups signing the letter included: Agricultural Retailers Association, American Farm Bureau Federation, American Feed Industry Association, American Soybean Association, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Chicken Council, National Corn Growers Association, National Grain and Feed Association, National Turkey Federation, and North American Export Grain Association.

USDA Actions To Ease Grain Transportation - USDA announced steps it is taking to help ease grain transportation problems caused by Hurricane Katrina. The actions include: 1) Assisting with the movement of barges of damaged corn from New Orleans; 2) Providing incentives for alternative grain storage; 3) Encouraging alternative shipping patterns to relieve pressure; and 4) Allowing producers to store USDA-owned corn on the farm with the option to purchase. For more information, producers should contact their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office or visit FSA's Web site at http://www.fsa.usda.gov.

Congress Urges President To Restore Beef Trade With Japan - A bipartisan group of 19 Senators and more than 100 Congressmen have written President George W. Bush urging him to make "restoring market access for U.S. beef to Japan your highest economic priority with Japan." The letter reminded the President that continued closure of this market was costing the U.S. beef industry $100 million/month. Senators Wayne Allard (R-CO) and Ben Nelson (D-NE) coordinated the Senate letter, while Congressmen Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Rick Larsen (D-WA) coordinated the House letter.

State Attorneys General Support Rehearing of BSE Case - Six state attorneys general filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in support of R-CALF USA's petition for a rehearing of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) case. The Ninth Circuit ruled earlier this summer to reopen the Canadian border to live cattle under 30 months of age and beef products. The state attorneys general represented were from Connecticut, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, and West Virginia.