Fresh Produce Discussion Blog: Aug 6, 2010

Friday, August 6, 2010

Fw: SNA Commends Senate; But Calls on House to Change CNR Bill

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From: "Pratt-Heavner, Diane" <dpratt-heavner@schoolnutrition.org>

Date: Fri, 6 Aug 2010 15:23:20 -0500

To: Pratt-Heavner, Diane<dpratt-heavner@schoolnutrition.org>

Subject: SNA Commends Senate; But Calls on House to Change CNR Bill

NOTE - Apologies for the delay on this release. SNA's servers have been down due to yesterday's thunderstorms.

SNA Commends Senate Passage of Child Nutrition Reauthorization;
But Calls on House to Make Critical Changes to the Bill

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD (August 5, 2010) – The School Nutrition Association (SNA) commends the US Senate for advancing Child Nutrition Reauthorization legislation prior to the body's August recess.

"The Senate, Agriculture Committee Chairman Blanche Lincoln and Senator Chambliss should be applauded for their tireless efforts to meet the nutritional needs of America's school children," said SNA President Nancy Rice, M.Ed., RD, LD, SNS, State Director of the Georgia Department of Education, School Nutrition Division. "The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act will expand access to healthy school meals and improve the nutritional quality of food sold throughout the school by giving the Secretary the authority to regulate food sold in vending machines."

SNA also called on the House of Representatives to make critical changes to the legislation before Congress completes its work on reauthorization.

"While school nutrition professionals commend the Senate's commitment to providing additional resources for healthy school meals, we have serious concerns about taking those funds from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which serves the families of children we support," said Rice. "In the effort to raise 'Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids' we don't want to risk compromising their dinner to improve their lunch. The School Nutrition Association calls on the House of Representatives to find a different offset for Child Nutrition Reauthorization."

SNA is also concerned about a provision in S. 3307 (Section 205) which would mandate schools to increase paid meal prices regardless of local circumstances.

"School nutrition professionals know from experience that significant price increases to school meals lead to significant drops in participation, impacting the quality of meals for all students," said Rice. "By mandating price hikes, Congress could inadvertently turn The National School Lunch Program from a successful education and nutrition program serving all children, into a means-tested, income security, welfare program, stigmatizing children who rely on school meals."

The School Nutrition Association hopes the House will take quick action in September to build on the Senate efforts to pass a strong Child Nutrition Reauthorization.

Diane Pratt-Heavner

Director of Media Relations

School Nutrition Association

120 Waterfront Street, Suite 300

National Harbor, MD 20745

Phone: (301) 686-3100

Direct: (301) 686-3124

Cell: (703) 576-7526

Fax: (301) 686-3115

www.schoolnutrition.org

Spread the word about healthy school meals and submit your school nutrition success story!

www.TrayTalk.org

Fw: Lincoln, Chambliss Introduce Legislation to Halt EPA's Effort toOver-Regulate

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From: "Rowe, Courtney (Agriculture)" <Courtney_Rowe@agriculture.senate.gov>

Date: Fri, 6 Aug 2010 15:38:05 -0500

Subject: Lincoln, Chambliss Introduce Legislation to Halt EPA's Effort to Over-Regulate

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 6, 2010

Contact: Courtney Rowe, Ben Becker (202) 224-9315

Lincoln, Chambliss Introduce Legislation to Halt EPA's Effort to Over-Regulate

Farmers, Foresters, Ranchers

Washington — U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and Ranking Member Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) today announced they have introduced legislation that aims to clarify that additional permits are not required for pesticide application in accordance with the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). The bill, S. 3735, will bring legal and regulatory certainty for our farmers, foresters and ranchers regarding the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) recent actions related to the Clean Water Act.

"Subjecting our farmers, foresters, and ranchers to an additional layer of bureaucracy under the Clean Water Act was never Congress' intent," said Lincoln. "Our legislation is very simple: as long as a producer is complying with FIFRA, then no Clean Water Act permit will be required. During the more than 35 years since the enactment of the Clean Water Act, the EPA has never required a permit for the application of FIFRA-registered crop protection products. Our bill would extend this common-sense approach and avoid duplicative, unnecessary burdens on our farmers, foresters, and ranchers."

"Once again the EPA has overreached its authority, causing serious consequences our agriculture sector," said Sen. Chambliss. "By refusing to defend current law and its own reasonable regulations, the EPA is unfortunately in the position to place unnecessary, burdensome and duplicative permit requirements on producers, mosquito control districts and states. Our legislation would simply prevent the EPA from imposing an erroneous regulation that does absolutely nothing to further protect or enhance the environment."

American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman said, "American Farm Bureau Federation strongly supports legislation introduced today by Senators Lincoln and Chambliss to remedy the harmful effects of a court decision that puts farmers at risk of unnecessary and burdensome regulation. This legislation does nothing more than clarify what has been the situation for nearly forty years – that lawful application of pesticides under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) does not trigger regulatory requirements in other programs. Congress must step up and take action to clarify the questions raised by a flawed court ruling that, if left to stand, will have ramifications for farmers and ranchers around the country. Farmers know the label on each chemical they use is the law of the land and that they must use chemicals properly. Having additional regulations and bureaucratic red tape will not improve food safety or the environment. We commend the senators for their leadership on this important issue."

"The rice industry has been greatly concerned about the overreaching of the Clean Water Act into areas that have been historically and successfully regulated by FIFRA, and the additional burdens that this proposal is going to bring to everyone that uses pesticides; and while we don't believe that this proposed permit system applies to rice production, we are pleased that Senators Lincoln and Chambliss are stepping up to provide legislation to correct this misinterpretation by the courts. The US rice industry works hard to provide a safe and affordable crop to both domestic and international consumers and the ability to do that is jeopardized whenever laws that were never intended to regulate a process are mistakenly used to do just that. We believe that this legislation will put the Clean Water Act back on the course originally intended by Congress," said Ray Vester, Arkansas rice producer and Chairman of the USA Rice Federation's Environmental Regulatory Subcommittee.

"Once again Senator Lincoln is demonstrating her leadership and support for those issues important to Arkansas by joining Senator Chambliss in introducing this common sense bill that will allow the continued responsible, efficient, and cost effective use of pesticides by the forestry and agriculture community. We applaud Senators Lincoln and Chambliss on their quick response to this very important issue," said Max Braswell, Executive Vice President of the Arkansas Forestry Association.

"We applaud the efforts of Senators Lincoln and Chambliss in introducing legislation to allow the use of pesticides or herbicides in forestry operations without the need of a Clean Water Act permit so long as the pesticide or herbicide is being used in accordance with labeling requirements. The requirement of a permit would be yet another stumbling block to an industry struggling to survive during financially hard times. The timber industry is vital to Arkansas' economy and Arkansas families and we are grateful for this effort to support the sustainability of our industry through some very difficult challenges," said Larry Boccarossa, Executive Director, Arkansas Timber Producers Association.

"The proposed NPDES permit for pesticide use would provide no additional environmental protection yet would impose additional regulatory burdens on U.S. cotton producers. We commend Senators Lincoln and Chambliss for their foresight and diligence on this new bill which would ensure that U.S. agriculture is not subject to unnecessary and redundant regulations," said Ronny Lee, National Cotton Council Environmental Task Force member from Bronwood, GA.

"This bill will restore certainty for cotton farmers who use crop protectant products safely and responsibly. Pesticides have been regulated successfully by FIFRA for years. This bill will prevent EPA from imposing unnecessary, duplicative, and confusing regulatory burdens on farmers," said National Cotton Council Chairman Eddie Smith, a Floydada, TX, cotton producer.

"NCGA is pleased that Senators Lincoln and Chambliss have taken a bold step towards restoring common sense pesticide regulations and appreciates the bipartisan effort," NCGA President Darrin Ihnen, a farmer in Hurley, S.D., said. "The new permitting program is scheduled to take effect in April 2011, and it is imperative that Congress take action on this bill prior to that date."

"Senator Lincoln's bill ensuring that the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) has primacy over the use of pesticides is a win for both the environment and agriculture. Extremely robust science must be collected under FIFRA proving the safety of a pesticide to water and a number of other environmental components. The Sixth Circuit decision requiring water permits for pesticides would result in a bureaucratic morass, and unnecessary, costly and time-consuming procedures for farmers and applicators. This would notably hamper their ability to provide food, fiber, bio-fuel and to protect the public health. Senator Lincoln deserves the appreciation of American farmers and farm-service providers for all of her efforts to repeal the 6^th Circuit's decision in National Cotton Council, et al. v. EPA, 553 F.3d 927," said Andrew D. Moore, National Agricultural Aviation Association Executive Director.

The bill makes it clear that producers that are in compliance with requirements of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) do not need to obtain Clean Water Act permits. The bill will protect public health and safeguard the environment by ensuring that producers are in strict compliance with FIFRA while simultaneously eliminating duplicative regulatory obligations that would be imposed if Clean Water Act permits are required.

During the more than 35 years since the enactment of the Clean Water Act, the Environmental Protection Agency has never required a Clean Water Act permit for the application of FIFRA-registered farm chemicals. The FIFRA Paperwork Reduction Act will prevent EPA from doing so in the future.

-30-

Fw: USDA AMS Fruit and Vegetable Programs News, Fall 2010 Edition

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From: "Purdy, Christopher" <Christopher.Purdy@ams.usda.gov>

Date: Fri, 6 Aug 2010 11:14:03 -0500

To: Purdy, Christopher<Christopher.Purdy@ams.usda.gov>

Subject: USDA AMS Fruit and Vegetable Programs News, Fall 2010 Edition

Dear Produce Industry Member,

We are pleased to present the Fall 2010 edition of "AMS Fruit and Vegetable Programs News." Here are just a few of the articles that appear in this issue…

· "Enhancing our Outreach and Education Efforts" (to the produce industry)

· "USDA Grants Support Specialty Crop Production"

· "PACA Searches Aid Decisionmakers"

· "Marketing Order Import Compliance Improves with Use of Marketing Order Online Service System"

· "USDA Farm to School Program Makes the Connection"

· "USDA Offers Produce Industry Inspection Training"

Please let myself or Christopher Purdy know if you have any questions about our newsletter or any of AMS Fruit and Vegetable Programs services. Christopher can be reached at (202) 720-3209 or christopher.purdy@ams.usda.gov.

Sincerely,

Robert C. Keeney

Deputy Administrator

USDA AMS Fruit and Vegetable Programs

robert.keeney@ams.usda.gov

www.ams.usda.gov

Previous issues of the newsletter can be found by clicking on this link…

http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/ams.fetchTemplateData.do?template=TemplateD&navID=FVNewsletter&rightNav1=FVNewsletter&topNav=&leftNav=CommodityAreas&page=FVBrochures&resultType=&acct=fvgeninfo

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