OF&W Attorneys
Olsson Frank Weeda Terman Bode Matz PC(202) 789-1212
1400 Sixteenth Street, N.W. Suite 400 Washington, DC 20036
Creative Solutions to Difficult Problems
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Bookmark UsPrinter Friendly

What's New at USDA

USDA

USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) Releases Reports Outlining Improvements to Crop Insurance Programs for Organic Crops – August 30, 2010

RMA has said that it will offer an organic price election for four crops (cotton, corn, soybeans and processing tomatoes) during the 2011 production year. In conjunction with that decision, RMA released three reports that provide the framework for improvements to crop insurance programs that are available to producers of certified organic crops.

For more information, please contact: Public Policy Group

Congressional Budget Office Releases Cost Estimate of H.R. 5504, the Improving Nutrition for American Children Act – August 25, 2010

The legislation would reauthorize and amend child nutrition programs—primarily the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), the School Breakfast Program (SBP), and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).  Those authorizations would extend through 2015.

For more information, please contact: Public Policy Group

USDA Selects Massachusetts to Test Ground-Breaking Nutrition Pilot Program – August 19, 2010

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that Hampden County, Mass., will conduct the first-ever Healthy Incentives Pilot (HIP), an incentives-based program to empower low-income Americans to eat more fruits and vegetables. The 2008 Farm Bill authorized $20 million to research whether incentives for participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly the Food Stamp Program) will increase their purchase of healthful foods.

For more information, please contact: Public Policy Group
 

FSIS Briefing on its Public Health Information System – August 10, 2010

The Food Safety and Inspection System (FSIS) held a briefing for industry representatives on its Public Health Information System (PHIS). Scheduled to be implemented in late Fall of this year, PHIS will replace existing FSIS systems, including Performance Based Inspection System (PBIS), Resource Information System (RIS), and Automated Import Information System (AIIS).

For more information, please contact: Dennis Johnson

H.R. 6087, a bill to amend the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, is Referred to House Committee on Agriculture – August 10, 2010

Today, Representative Frank Lucas (R-OK) introduced H.R. 6087, a bill to amend the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act by improving the use of certain registered pesticides. With 6 cosponsors, it is a companion bill to Senator Blanche Lincoln’s (D-AR) bill, S. 3735, which was introduced on August 5.

For more information, please contact: Public Policy Group

FSIS Proposed Rule on Inspector Donning/Doffing of Required Protective Gear – August 9, 2010

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has published a proposed rule in the Federal Register that would make inspector donning (time spent putting on gear) and doffing (time spent taking the gear off) included in the basic, 8-hour inspector work day. Comments on the proposal are due September 8, 2010.

For more information, please contact: Dennis Johnson

S. 3307, The Child Nutrition Reauthorization Bill, Passes Senate by Unanimous Consent – August 5, 2010

Today, the Senate passed Senator Blanche Lincoln’s (D-AR) Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act to reauthorize federal child nutrition programs. Passed unanimously, the legislation comes as child nutrition programs are set to expire on September 30, 2010. The legislation makes the largest investment in child nutrition programs since their inception, setting nutritional standards that ensure schools are serving healthier meals.

For more information, please contact: Public Policy Group

S. 3701, a bill to amend the Food Security Act of 1985, is referred to Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry – August 4, 2010

Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) introduced S. 3701, a bill to amend the Food Security Act of 1985 by restoring integrity to and strengthening payment limitation rules for commodity payments and benefits.

For more information, please contact: Public Policy Group
 

FSIS Notice 42-10: Using the Kidney Inhibition Swab (KISTM) Test to Detect Antimicrobial Drug Residues in Cattle in Selected Establishments - Phase II - July 30, 2010

This Notice was issued to inform inspection personnel assigned to all cattle slaughter establishments that the KISTM test will begin to replace the FAST Antimicrobial Screen Test (FAST) for in-plant residue screening, where the KISTM test is not already in use. This process will begin August 16, 2010.

For more information, please contact: Barbara J. Masters

GIPSA Extension Misconception & Explanation Document - July 26, 2010

Yesterday, the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) announced that it has extended the time period for filing comments on its proposed rule, "Implementation of Regulations Required Under Title XI of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008: Conduct in Violation of the Act," until November 22, 2010. Moreover, to purportedly address "misunderstandings about what is actually proposed in the rule," GIPSA has also posted on its website a "Misconception and Explanation" document that is intended to "clarify" several provisions of the proposed rule.

For more information, please contact: Brett T. Schwemer

House Agriculture Committee Hearing on Specialty Crop and Organic Agriculture Programs - July 21, 2010

Today, the House Committee on Agriculture, Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture, held a hearing on specialty crop and organic agriculture programs in advance of the 2012 Farm Bill. The purpose of the hearing was to determine which programs from the 2008 Farm Bill have been effective and which have not. The panel was composed entirely of specialty crop producers so as to better understand the industry perspective.

For more information, please contact: Public Policy Group

Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry on Farm Bill Energy and Rural Development Programs - July 21, 2010

On July 21, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry held a Full Committee hearing entitled, "Empowering Rural Communities, the Status and Future of the Farm Bill's Energy and Rural Development Programs."

For more information, please contact: Public Policy Group

 House Agriculture Committee Hearing on 2012 Farm Bill - July 20, 2010

On July 20, the House Agriculture Committee, Subcommittee on Rural Development, Biotechnology, Specialty Crops and Foreign Agriculture, held a hearing "To Review Rural Development Programs in Advance of the 2012 Farm Bill." This hearing was one in a series of hearings that concentrated on diligent and critical examinations of programs already in place through the 2008 Farm Bill.

For more information, please contact: Public Policy Group

Food Safety and Inspection Service Notice 38-10, "Fifth Food Defense Plan Survey" - July 20, 2010

The United States Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued FSIS Notice 38-10: "Fifth Food Defense Plan Survey." The Notice announces the fifth in a series of surveys conducted by FSIS inspection program personnel (IPP) to determine industries' voluntary adoption of functional food defense plans. This survey will, for the first time, collect information from processed egg product plants and official import inspection establishments. The survey must be conducted between August 1, 2010 and August 31, 2010.

For more information, please contact: Barbara J. Masters

Food Safety and Inspection Service Notice 36-10, "Communicating with the Office of Inspector General (OIG)" - July 15, 2010

The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued FSIS Notice 36-10, "Communicating with the Office of Inspector General (OIG)." In May 2008, FSIS and OIG signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) which designated the Assistant Administrator (AA), Office of Program Evaluation, Enforcement and Review (OPEER) as primary liaison between the two departments and this Notice reminds FSIS employees on communication needs between FSIS and OIG regarding investigations and enforcement activities for food safety, food defense, and related regulatory issues.

For more information, please contact: Jody Swaim

H.R. 5504, "Improving Nutrition for America's Children Act," Hearing Mark Up - July 15, 2010

This morning, the House Committee on Education and Labor completed the mark up of H.R. 5504, the "Improving Nutrition for America's Children Act" and ordered the bill to be reported favorably out of Committee by a vote of Y: 32, N: 13. The only additional amendment offered would require the Secretary to provide information about the availability of grants that are intended for improving access to local foods to eligible entities that are socially disadvantaged agricultural producers. This amendment was agreed to by a voice vote.

For more information, please contact: Public Policy Group

H.R. 5504, "Improving Nutrition for America's Children Act," Hearing Mark Up - July 14, 2010

On July 14, the House Committee on Education and Labor held a hearing to mark up H.R. 5504, the "Improving Nutrition for America's Children Act." Nineteen amendments were offered to the legislation, one of which was withdrawn and will be re-submitted. The Committee will resume the hearing tomorrow (7/15/10) at 10:00 a.m. to review the additional amendment and take several recorded votes. Nine amendments were agreed to by voice vote. Below is a brief summary of the mark up.

For more information, please contact: Public Policy Group

Analysis of each section of Chairman Miller's recently introduced Child Nutrition Reauthorization legislation, H.R. 5504 - July 9, 2010

On June 10, House Committee on Education and Labor Chairman George Miller (D-CA), along with co-sponsors Representative Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) and Representative Todd Platts (RPA), introduced the language of a bill to reauthorize child nutrition programs. H.R.5504, or the "Improving Nutrition for America's Children Act" is much more expansive than its counterpart, S.3307, the "Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010" in the Senate. H.R.5504 is projected to cost $8 billion over the next ten years, while S.3307 has a projected price tag of $4.5 billion over the same period.

For more information, please contact: Public Policy Group

International Food Information Council Foundation "Food and Health Survey" - July 7, 2010

On July 7, 2010, the International Food Information Council Foundation (IFICF) held a webcast conference to release its fifth annual "Food and Health Survey: Consumer Attitudes Toward Food, Nutrition, and Health." The conference was moderated by Eric Mittenthal, IFICF Director of Media Relations, and featured Marianne Smith Edge, IFICF Senior Vice President for Nutrition and Food Safety, and Wendy Reinhardt Kapak, IFICF Senior Director for Health and Wellness. Mr. Mittenthal opened the conference by stating IFICF's goal to widely communicate science-based information on heath nutrition and food safety to enhance the public good.

For more information, please contact: Public Policy Group