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THE CHALLENGE OF HUNGER 2008.
International Food Policy Research Institute. Klaus Von Grebmer et al. October 14, 2008.
Full Text: [PDF format, 44 pages]

The report comes at a time of dramatic changes in world food markets, with high food prices threatening the food security of millions of vulnerable households. Hunger and malnutrition are back in the headlines. The report incorporates data only until 2006, the most recent available. However, it highlights the countries and regions facing the greatest risk in the current context of high food prices. 33 countries have levels of hunger that are alarming or extremely alarming. The index shows that South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa continue to suffer from high levels of hunger, and whereas South Asia has made rapid progress in combating hunger, Sub-Saharan Africa has made only marginal progress. For hungry and malnourished people in these regions, rising food prices pose serious threats.

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THE STATE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE 2008.
U.N. Food Agriculture Organization. Web posted October 15, 2008.
Full Text: [PDF format, 138 pages]

The report explores the implications of the recent rapid growth in production of bio-fuels based on agricultural commodities. The boom in liquid bio-fuels has been largely driven by policies in developed countries in support of climate-change mitigation, energy security and agricultural development. The growing demand for agricultural commodities for the production of bio-fuels is having significant repercussions on agricultural markets, and concerns are mounting over their negative impact on the food security of millions of people across the world.

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WILL THE PLUNGE IN GRAIN PRICES MEAN LOWER FOOD PRICES AT THE SUPERMARKET?
Renewable Fuels Association. October 15, 2008.
Full Text: [PDF format, 7 pages]

The 2008 corn, wheat, and soybean crops are well on their way to being among the largest ever in the United States. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Crop Production Report, farmers are expected to produce the second-largest corn crop ever, the largest wheat crop in over 10 years, and the fourth-largest soybean crop on record.1 USDA's most recent report estimated the 2008 corn crop at 12.2 billion bushels with an average yield per acre of 154 bushels. The expectation of increased production, coupled with a decrease in speculative investment in the commodities markets and recent fall in oil prices, has led to sharply lower grain prices in recent weeks. Based on the recent arguments of the grocery industry, meat processors and others, lower grain prices should mean lower retail food prices for consumers. Thus far, however, it seems highly unlikely that reduced grain and oilseed prices alone will lead to lower retail food prices, as there are many complex factors that influence retail food pricing.

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Pollan, Michael FARMER IN CHIEF New York Times Magazine, October 9, 2008
Full Text: [HTML format, 10 pages]

In an article framed as a letter to the President-elect, the author notes that food, an issue barely mentioned during the election campaign, may become a primary issue facing the next administration. While both candidates spent a lot of time talking about health care, energy independence and climate change, Pollan notes that the next President "will quickly discover that the way we currently grow, process and eat food in America goes to the heart of all three problems". Food production, processing and distribution in the U.S. is one of the biggest consumers of fossil fuels, using ten calories of hydrocarbon energy to bring one calorie of food energy from the farm to the supermarket. The goals of food production for most of the last few decades have been to produce large quantities of cheap, subsidized commodity crops, used in heavily processed convenience foods, contributing to the poor diet of most Americans. Pollan notes that the main challenge is to wean U.S. food production off fossil fuels and back onto "incoming sunlight" by relocalizing agriculture.

 

AGRICULTURAL PROGRESS IN CAMEROON, GHANA, AND MALI: WHY IT HAPPENED AND HOW TO SUSTAIN IT.
OECD Food, Agriculture, and Fisheries Working Papers, No. 9. Joe Dewbre and Adeline Borto de Battisti. September 2008.
Full Text: [PDF format, 61 pages]

The ten to twenty year record of agricultural performance in three countries in the region: Cameroon, Ghana and Mali, is the basis for the study. Since the mid-1980s food crop production in all three has more than kept up with population growth fuelling significant increases in per capita food availability. Ghana's cocoa exports have quadrupled and Mali's cotton exports tripled. Multiple factors contributed to the turnaround in agricultural performance. Growing per capita incomes boosted domestic demand and prices paid for food crops and livestock and generally positive trends in world prices of cocoa and cotton helped. Most importantly, in all three countries, recovery in agriculture coincided with major re-orientations of macroeconomic and agricultural sector policy.

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FOOD SAFETY AND IMPORTS: AN ANALYSIS OF FDA FOOD-RELATED IMPORT REFUSAL REPORTS.
Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Jean C. Buzby et al. Web posted September 11, 2008.
Full Text: [PDF format, 47 pages].

The study examines U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) data on refusals of food offered for importation into the United States from 1998 to 2004. The study found that import refusals highlight food safety problems that appear to recur in trade and where the FDA has focused its import alerts, examinations, and other monitoring efforts. The data show some food industries and types of violations may be consistent sources of problems both over time and in comparison with previous studies of more limited data. The three food industry groups with the most violations were vegetables (20.6 percent of total violations), fishery and seafood (20.1 percent), and fruits (11.7 percent).

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Pinstrup-Andersen, Per; Herforth, Anna FOOD SECURITY: ACHIEVING THE POTENTIAL Environment, vol. 50, no. 5, September/October 2008, pp. 48-60

Full text available from your nearest American Library

The authors evaluate how far world governments have come in meeting global food security since the World Commission on Environment and Development (the Brundtland Commission) stated two decades ago that more than 730 million people were insufficiently nourished to lead productive lives despite an abundance of food. Presenting figures from the past and present, they discuss the critical role of food distribution. They predict food security problems will worsen unless governments prioritize protection of food supplies in rural communities as well as urban centers, promote sustainable food production, and introduce policies that improve natural resources management and tackle trade distortions to ensure people can obtain the diverse, balanced diet required for good health.

 

 

DO NEIGHBORHOOD ECONOMIC CONDITIONS INFLUENCE THE CONSUMPTION OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES?
RAND Corporation. Web posted August 31, 2008.
Full Text: [PDF format, 3 pages]

The fact sheet summarizes a study examining the variation of the intake of fruits and vegetables for blacks, whites, and Mexican Americans, in addition to the relationship between neighborhood socioeconomic status and this intake.

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BIOFUELS AND THE FOOD PRICE CRISIS: A SURVEY OF THE ISSUES.
Center for Global Development. Kimberly Elliott. Web posted August 11, 2008.
Full Text: [Link to the PDF document]

While the precise contribution of bio-fuels to surging food prices is difficult to know, policies promoting production of the bio-fuels are not achieving objectives of increased energy independence or reduced greenhouse gas emissions. It has been known that the net energy and greenhouse gas emission benefits of corn-based ethanol are relatively small because its production is energy-intensive. Recent scientific studies suggest that the current generation of bio-fuels, including bio-diesel made from palm oil, soybeans, and rapeseed, as well as corn-based ethanol, actually add to greenhouse gas emissions relative to petroleum-based fuels when land use changes are taken into account.

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A CALL FOR A STRATEGIC U.S. APPROACH TO THE GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS.
Center for Strategic & International Studies. Web posted July 31, 2008.
Full Text: [PDF format, 14 pages]

In response to the growing global food crisis, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) launched a task force to assess the rising humanitarian, security, developmental, and market impacts of rising food costs and shortages. It argues for modernizing and doubling emergency assistance, elevating rural development and agricultural productivity to be new foreign policy priorities. It also calls for revising the U.S. approach to bio-fuels so that fuel and food security objectives are not in conflict with each other.

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WHAT’S DRIVING FOOD PRICES? Farm Foundation. July 2008.
Full Text: [PDF format, 84 pages]
Understanding the complex and multiple factors influencing food prices today is important as future policy options are debated, according to the study. Economic growth and rising human aspirations are putting greater pressure on the global resource base. The study identifies three broad sets of forces driving food price increases: global changes in production and consumption of key commodities, the depreciation of the U.S. dollar, and growth in the production of bio-fuels.
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ARE LOW FOOD PRICES PRO-POOR?: NET FOOD BUYERS AND SELLERS IN LOW-INCOME COUNTRIES. World Bank. M. Ataman Aksoy and Aylin Isik-Dikmelik. June 2008.
Full Text: [PDF format, 32 pages]

The study examines the characteristics of food sellers and buyers in nine low-income countries. Three of the nine countries examined showed a substantial proportion of vulnerable households affected by the food price increases. The average incomes of food buyers were found to be higher than food sellers in eight of the nine countries examined. Thus, food price increases would transfer income from generally higher income food buyers to poorer food sellers. The analysis also finds that the occupations and income sources of sellers and buyers in rural areas are significantly different. In rural areas where food production is the main activity and where there are limited non-food activities, the incomes of buyers might depend on the incomes and farming activities of food sellers.
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PROGRESS ON DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION: SPECIAL FOCUS ON SANITATION. World Health Organization, United Nations. Web posted July 20, 2008.
Full Text: [PDF format, 58 pages]

Every day, over 2.5 billion people suffer from a lack of access to reliable sanitation and nearly 1.2 billion practice open defecation, the riskiest sanitary practice of all, according to the report. The report assesses global, regional and country progress using an innovative “ladder” concept. This shows sanitation practices in greater detail, enabling experts to highlight trends in using improved, shared and unimproved sanitation facilities and the trend in open defecation. Worldwide, however, the number of people who lack access to an improved drinking water source has fallen below one billion for the first time since data were first compiled in 1990.
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NO-TILL: HOW FARMERS ARE SAVING THE SOIL BY PARKING THEIR PLOWS Reganold, John; Huggins, David Scientific American, vol. 299, no. 1, July 2008
Full Text: [HTML format, 8 pages]

The age-old practice of turning the soil before planting a new crop is a leading cause of farmland degradation. Many farmers are looking to make plowing a thing of the past. Conventional plow-based farming leaves soil vulnerable to erosion and promotes agricultural runoff. Growers in some parts of the world are turning to a sustainable approach called no-till that minimizes soil disturbance. High equipment costs and a steep learning curve are two factors hindering widespread adoption of no-till practices.

 

OECD-FAO AGRICULTURAL OUTLOOK 2008-2017.
Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development and Food and Agriculture Organization, U.N. May 2008.
Full Text [PDF format, 73 pages]

With exceptional increases in prices for many agricultural commodities, the report faced a considerable challenge in preparing the projections and assessing the “durability” of the various influences shaping these prices. The report comes at a timely moment and provides important information, with a view to enlightening the discussion on food-price increases, their causes and their likely consequences for agricultural markets as well as for the policy formulation process.

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RISING FOOD PRICES AND GLOBAL FOOD NEEDS: THE U.S. RESPONSE.
Congressional Research Service, RL34478, Library of Congress. Charles E. Hanrahan. Web posted May 18, 2008.
Full Text [PDF format, 22 pages]

Rising food prices are having impacts across the world, but especially among poor people in low-income developing countries. Since 2000, wheat prices in international markets have more than tripled, corn prices have doubled, and rice prices rose to unprecedented levels in March 2008. Such increases in food prices have raised concerns about the ability of poor people to meet their food and nutrition needs and in a number of countries have lead to civil unrest. More than 33 countries, most of which are in Sub-Saharan Africa are particularly affected by food prices increases. Rising oil and energy prices have affected all levels of the food production and marketing chain from fertilizer costs to harvesting, transporting and processing food. The World Bank and USAID are two aid agencies that are promoting agricultural development and growth in low-income countries. Both indicate that African agricultural development should be a priority.

 

RISING FOOD PRICES IN EAST ASIA: CHALLENGES AND POLICY OPTIONS.
World Bank. Milan Brahmbhatt and Luc Christianensen. May 2008.
Full Text: [pdf format, 18 pages].

[Note: Contains copyrighted material.]

Rising food prices are affecting most developing countries in East Asia. They are contributing to higher inflation, slowing the pace of poverty reduction, and raising concerns about civil unrest. One of the key reasons for higher food prices are the advanced country biofuel policies. The policies aim to promote a more climate-friendly source of energy, but they have also induced a sharp increase in world demand for grains and in grain prices. Recent export restrictions by rice exporting countries concerned about food security have worsened the situation. There is an urgent need for more international dialogue to allow a more open and stable global market in food and to continue progress towards environmentally friendly energy sources.

 

FIXING FOOD SAFETY: PROTECTING AMERICA'S FOOD SUPPLY FROM FARM-TO-FORK.
Trust for America's Health. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Web posted May 5, 2008.
Full Text: [pdf format, 26 pages]

[Note: Contains copyrighted material.]

About 76 million Americans, one in four, are sickened by food borne diseases each year. Of these, an estimated 325,000 are hospitalized and 5,000 die. Medical costs and lost productivity due to food borne illnesses in the U.S. are estimated to $44 billion annually. Major outbreaks can also contribute to significant economic losses in the agriculture and food retail industries. Experts estimate that most food borne illnesses could be prevented if the right measures were taken to improve the U.S. food safety system. This report identifies major gaps in the nation's food safety system, including obsolete laws, misallocation of resources, and inconsistencies among major food safety agencies.

 

CHEMICAL CUISINE: A GUIDE TO FOOD ADDITIVES.
Center for Science in the Public Interest. Web posted May 5, 2008.
Full Text: [pdf format, 7 pages]

[Note: Contains copyrighted material.]

If a waiter offered you some BHT in a restaurant, you'd probably decline. However, that chemical is one of scores of hard-to-pronounce additives that routinely show up in the fine print on packaged foods' ingredients lists. Is BHT safe? For the record, food manufacturers use it to keep oils from going rancid, but animal studies differ on whether in promotes or prevents cancer. The Center for Science in the Public Interest says it warrants caution.

 

GLOBAL AGRICULTURAL SUPPLY AND DEMAND: FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE RECENT INCREASE IN FOOD COMMODITY PRICES.
Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Ronald Trostle. Web posted May 2, 2008.
Full Text: [pdf format, 30 pages]

World market prices for major food commodities have risen sharply, to historic highs of more than 60 percent above levels just 2 years ago. Some reasons are slower growth in production and more rapid growth in demand. Increased global demand for biofuels, feed stocks, and adverse weather conditions in the last two years in some major grain- and oilseed-producing areas are other contributing factors. The declining value of the U.S. dollar, rising energy prices and increasing agricultural production costs have also led to food commodity price inflation.

 

PUTTING MEAT ON THE TABLE: INDUSTRIAL FARM ANIMAL PRODUCTION IN AMERICA.
Pew Charitable Trusts and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Web posted April 30, 2008.
Full Text: [pdf format, 124 pages]

[Note: Contains copyrighted material.]

This report is the result of a 2½-year study of the effects of industrial farm animal production on public health, the environment, rural communities, and animal welfare. It highlights the varying regulations from state to state and focuses on the "concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO)" and how these are regulated at the federal and state levels.

 

FOOD PRICE INFLATION: CAUSES AND IMPACTS.
Congressional Research Service, RS22859, Library of Congress. Tom Capehart and Joe Richardson. April10, 2008.
Full Text: [pdf format, 6 pages]

In 2007, U.S. food prices rose 4% and are expected to gain 3.5% to 4.5% in 2008. Higher farm commodity prices and energy costs are the leading factors behind higher food prices.

The report states that the farm commodity prices have surged because

• demand for corn for ethanol is competing with food and feed for acreage;
• global food grain and oilseed supplies are low due to poor harvests;
• the weak dollar has increased U.S. exports;
• rising incomes in large, rapidly emerging economies have changed eating habits; and
• input costs have increased. Higher energy costs increase transportation, processing, and retail costs.

 

AGRICULTURAL PROJECTIONS TO 2017.
U.S. Department of Agriculture, OCE-2008-1. February 10, 2008.
Full Text: [pdf format, 110 pages]

This report provides projections for the agricultural sector through 2017. Projections cover agricultural commodities, agricultural trade, and aggregate indicators of the sector, such as farm income and food prices. The projections are based on specific assumptions regarding macroeconomic conditions, policy, weather, and international developments.

 

ANIMAL CLONING: A RISK ASSESSMENT.
Center for Veterinary Medicine, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. January 8, 2008.
Full Text: [pdf format, 968 pages]

For this study, clone is defined as an "animal produced asexually from a single animal by somatic cell nuclear transfer." This risk assessment is a science-based review of the information available on cloning in species used for food; i.e., cattle, swine, sheep, and goats. The assessment also looks at the impact of the health of the animals involved and food consumption hazards that might arise from these clones.

This risk assessment is based on a "qualitative analysis that identifies and characterizes the nature of hazards that may be introduced into animals as a result of cloning. . ."

 

THE STATE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE: PAYING FARMERS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES.
Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO Agriculture Series, United Nations. November 2007.
Full Text: [pdf format, 240 pages]

Despite global economic growth, 1.1 billion people live in extreme poverty and more than 850 million suffer from chronic hunger. Poverty reduction, food security and environmental sustainability have moved to the top of the international agenda as reflected in the Millennium Development Goals.

Agricultural development is crucial to alleviating poverty, but agriculture often is the center of ecosystem degradation. This report highlights the potential of agriculture becoming an enhanced part of "ecosystem services." In other words, paying farmers for environmental services or viewing environmental protection as a business transaction.

 

DISTORTIONS TO AGRICULTURAL INCENTIVES IN AUSTRALIA SINCE WORLD WAR II.
Kym Anderson, Peter Lloyd, and Donald MacLaren. Policy Research Working Paper, World Bank. Web posted January 9, 2008.
Full Text: [pdf format, 54 pages]

[Note: Contains copyrighted material.]

"Australia's lackluster economic growth performance in the first four decades following World War II was in part due to an anti-trade, anti-primary sector bias in government assistance policies. This paper provides new annual estimates of the extent of those biases since 1946 and their gradual phase-out during the past two decades." This study reveals that the timing of the sector assistance sometimes improves but sometimes worsens the distortions to farmers' incentives.

 

FOOD PRICES, CHEAP NO MORE.
Economist, vol. 385, no. 8558, December 8, 2007, pp. 81-83

Full text available from your nearest American Library

During the last couple of years, food prices have risen dramatically, and are at their highest levels in years. In the past, high food prices have usually been the result of poor harvests, but they are now occurring during a time of great abundance: the total cereals crop for 2007 is about 1.66 billion tons, the largest on record, and 89 million tons more than the 2006 harvest. At the same time, world grain reserve stocks as a percentage of production are at all-time lows. Several factors are contributing to this rise. First, demand for meat is growing in China and India, resulting in much greater consumption of grain to feed animals. Secondly, production of biofuels is consuming an ever-greater percentage of corn and other crops, that would otherwise go to feed people. Third, rising oil prices are increasing the cost of growing, processing and transporting grain. This has had an effect on other non-grain crops, as farmers devote more acreage to growing corn or soybeans for biofuels. The increase in food prices will hit developing countries the hardest; while farmers will benefit, the majority of the world's poor are net food buyers.

 

WORLD BANK ASSISTANCE TO AGRICULTURE IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: AN IEG REVIEW.
Nalini Kumar, April Connelly, and Ridley Nelson. World Bank Independent Evaluation Group (IEG), International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, World Bank. Web posted October 11, 2007.
Full Text: [pdf format, 228 pages]

[Note: Contains copyrighted material.]

Sub-Saharan Africa is a complex region of 47 countries with 7 different colonial histories. It is highly diverse with more than 700 million people and at least 1,000 different ethnic groups. Sub-Saharan Africa is "a critical development priority" since it includes some of the poorest countries in the world.

The underperforming agricultural sector is not only a drag on Africa's development but it also accounts for a large share of the gross domestic product and employment. This study found that the agricultural sector has been neglected by governments and donor communities. Additionally, technical skills to support agricultural development have declined. This report makes three key recommendations to improve agricultural productivity, increase quality and quantity, and rebuild technical skills.

 

CLEANER, GREENER COTTON: IMPACTS AND BETTER MANAGEMENT PRACTICES.
World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Web posted October 24, 2007.
Full Text: [pdf format, 28 pages]

[Note: Contains copyrighted material.]

Cotton is a water-intensive crop, requires a heavy concentration of pesticides, receives inconsistent subsidies between rich and poor countries, and creates labor issues from the farm to the retail store. This report focuses on ways of making cotton more sustainable.

 

WORLD DEVELOPMENT REPORT 2008: AGRICULTURE FOR DEVELOPMENT.
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, World Bank. Web posted October 19, 2007.
Full Text: [pdf format, 386 pages]

[Note: Contains copyrighted material.]

Three out of four poor people in developing countries rely directly or indirectly on agriculture for their livelihoods. "This Report provides guidance to governments and the international community on designing and implementing agriculture-for-development agendas that can make a difference in the lives of hundred of millions of rural people." The report highlights two major regions: Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.

 

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Grunwald, Michael DOWN ON THE FARM (Time Magazine, November 12, 2007, pp. 28-36)
View article on ProQuest (password required)

The administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt started farm aid in response to the Dust and Depression of the 1930s, but the author notes that in Washington, "the emergency has never ended" -- the government gives more subsidies than ever to farmers, in the form of price supports, funding for restoration and clean-up projects, irrigation, and ethanol mandates. Grunwald notes that most of the funding goes to a small fraction of farms; while the subsidies help industrial-scale farms increase their expansion, it makes it more difficult for small-scale farmers to survive. Most of the cash goes to fund a small number of row-crop monocultures, such as corn, rice, cotton and soybeans. The continuation of the subsidies is testimony to the political clout agribusiness commands in Washington, where the latest attempts at agricultural reform were watered down.

 

AA07408
Paynter, Ben THE OTHER, OTHER WHITE MEAT (Wired, vol. 15, no. 11, November 2007, pp. 235-241)
Full Text: [Available for the publisher's website]

The National Academy of Science conducted a study in 2002 finding that meat from cloned animals is safe to eat. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration came to the same finding in 2006, but has not issued affirmation that these products can enter the commercial food supply chain. In the meantime, the agency has also received almost 150,000 comments from the public opposing the sale of cloned meat and milk. Some American livestock producers invested heavily in clones of prize livestock early in the decade, anticipating commercialization of the products. Paynter profiles a few such producers who now face serious losses because the supermarkets are not open to their products. Paynter also describes his own taste test of cloned meat and milk products. While agriculture groups are still hoping for approval of the products by 2008, Paynter writes that public squeamishness about consuming cloned foods remains an obstacle.

 

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Glover, Jerry; Cox, Cindy; Reganold, John FUTURE FARMING: A RETURN TO ROOTS? (Scientific American, Vol. 297, No. 2, August 2007, pp. 82-89)

Full text available from your nearest American Library

Cereal grains, legumes and oilseed crops occupy 80 percent of global agricultural land and provide most food for humans. Grown annually from seeds, these crops have shallow root systems and require frequent and expensive care. In contrast, perennial species of these plants have much deeper root systems that make the plants highly productive for years and are critical to water, carbon and nitrogen cycling in the ecosystem. The authors, researchers in sustainable agriculture, detail the research needed to develop perennial crop species through domestication of wild plants or hybridization of annual crops with their wild relatives. Acknowledging that it will be decades before perennial grain crops are widely available, the authors argue that a transition to growing these varieties would reduce herbicide use, reduce farm machinery fossil-fuel use, improve soil quality, increase biodiversity, and allow marginal land to be cultivated sustainably to meet projected food needs as the global human population increases.

 

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Raney, Terri; Pingali, Prabhu SOWING A GENE REVOLUTION (Scientific American, Vol. 297, No. 3, September 2007, pp. 104-111)

Full text available from your nearest American Library

Raney and Pingali, economists with the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, review the impact during the past decade of genetically modified crops. In the 22 countries where transgenic crops are grown, harvests have increased, raising the income of many farmers and reducing their use of pesticides. Multinational corporations have developed transgenic soybeans and maize suitable for temperate-zone farms, but little public or private research is being done on developing transgenic varieties of the crops -- wheat, rice, sorghum, pearl millet, pigeon pea, chickpea and groundnut -- which provide the majority of the food supply in developing countries. Most such countries lack both the research capacity to develop the varieties and the support structure for farmers to realize the benefits of growing them. The authors note that "only if formidable institutional challenges are met can transgenic crops achieve their full potential to improve the livelihoods of farmers in the developing world."

 

NORTH AMERICAN PLAN FOR AVIAN & PANDEMIC INFLUENZA.
Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America, U.S. Department of State. August 22, 2007.
Full Text: [pdf format, 53 pages]

Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. face a growing threat of the avian influenza and a potential threat of a human influenza pandemic. In March 2006, the leaders of these countries agreed to develop a comprehensive, coordinated, and science-based approach to prepare for and manage avian and pandemic influenza. This Plan builds on the core principles of the International Partnership on Avian and Pandemic Influenza, the standards and guidelines of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the rules and provisions of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

 

AGRICULTURAL PRICES: 2006 SUMMARY.
National Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Web posted July 21, 2007.
Full Report: [pdf format, 239 pages]

This report shows prices received by farmers for commodities sold as well as prices paid for goods and services. These figures were then weighted and aggregated into price indexes. The indexes reflect a relative price for agricultural changes in outputs and inputs. Inputs are based on voluntary reports from agri-businesses, merchants, dealers, and farmers.

 

MILK MADNESS.
Chris Edwards. Tax and Budget Bulletin, Cato Institute. July 2007.
Full Text: [pdf format, 2 pages]

The U.S. government has subsidized and regulated the dairy industry since the 1930s through price support, income support, import barriers, and export subsidies. These subsidies result in a dairy industry that is the "most rigidly controlled of all agricultural markets." The author argues that the 2007 farm bill should repeal many of these special interest subsidies.

[Note: Contains copyrighted material.]

 

FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL IMPORTS FROM CHINA.
Geoffrey S. Becker. Congressional Research Service (CRS), Library of Congress. Updated July 17, 2007.
Full Text: [pdf format, 18 pages]

U.S. food and agricultural imports have increased significantly in recent years especially from China, which increased 346% from 1996 to 2006. Recent incidents of imported food products have raised questions in Congress concerning the current U.S. food safety system. Congress has held hearings, requested reports, and introduced bills on food safety oversight with the possible creation of a new food safety administration.

 

U.S. AGRICULTURAL SALES TO CUBA: CERTAIN ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF U.S. RESTRICTIONS.
Roger Corey, Andrew Gately, Brad Gehrke, Fred Forstall, John Fry, Vincent Honnold, and Joseph Kowalski. USITC Publication, U.S. International Trade Commission. Web posted July 19, 2007.
Full Text: [pdf format, 180 pages]

"This report provides

• an overview of Cuba's purchases of U.S. agricultural, fish, and forestry products since 2000;
• an analysis of the effects that U.S. government restrictions on export financing terms and travel to Cuba by U.S. citizens have on those Cuban purchases; and
• estimates of likely U.S. agricultural sales if export financing restrictions and travel restrictions are lifted.

The report was prepared in response to a request from the Senate Committee on Finance."

 

TRADE DEFICIT IN FOOD SAFETY: PROPOSED NAFTA EXPANSIONS REPLICATE LIMITS ON U.S. FOOD SAFETY POLICY THAT ARE CONTRIBUTING TO UNSAFE FOOD IMPORTS.
Mary Bottari, Erica Maharg, Todd Tucker, Lori Wallach and Sandra Zhao. Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch, Public Citizen. July 2007.
Full Text: [pdf format, 32 pages]

This report analyzes the seafood import safety problems in the new free trade agreement (FTA) countries. The authors assert that current policies to protect consumers from dangerous or potentially deadly imported food products are failing. Existing trade rules limit safety standards on imported products to foreign governments' regulations. Under the proposed free trade agreements (FTAs) with Peru and Panama, safety standards and inspections will be limited to "what safety standards the United States can require for imported foods and how much inspection is permitted."

[Note: Contains copyrighted material.]

 

AA07298
Kolbert, Elizabeth STUNG: THE MYSTERIOUS DECLINE OF THE HONEYBEE New Yorker, August 6, 2007, pp. 52-59
View article on ProQuest (password required)

The mysterious and rapid decline of honeybee populations in the United States beginning in the fall of 2006 has dismayed and alarmed scientists and beekeepers. The cause of this calamity, known as colony-collapse disorder, in which honeybee colonies suddenly and nearly completely disappear, is still unknown. Honeybees are crucial to U.S. agriculture, and the spread of colony-collapse disorder represents a major threat to the U.S. food supply. Because the country's vast commercial orchards must be pollinated on a scale beyond the capacity of any local population of pollinators, growers hire traveling beekeepers to bring in honeybee colonies for short periods of time; the bees have become, in effect, migrant farm workers who do their jobs and move on. Evidence suggests that a kind of "honeybee AIDS" virus, spread by the long-distance transport of bee colonies during harvest season, is attacking the bees' immune systems. In the words of a recent report, "pollinator decline is one form of global change that actually does have credible potential to alter the shape and structure of the terrestrial world."

 

SUGAR BACKGROUNDER.
Stephen Haley and Mir Ali. Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. July 2007.
Full Report: [pdf format, 59 pages]

This sugar market report outlines the challenges facing sugar producers, users, and policymakers in the U.S. Currently, the sugar program uses domestic marketing allotments, price supports, and tariff-rate quotas to elevate U.S. sugar prices above world market levels; however, in 2008, as part of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), all Mexican trade restrictions on sweeteners will be removed.

 

COLONY COLLAPSE DISORDER ACTION PLAN.
CCD Steering Committee, Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), U.S. Department of Agriculture. Web posted July 13, 2007.
Full Report: [pdf format, 28 pages]

Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) is the significant disappearance of honey bee colonies. CCD threatens crops that are dependent on bee pollination and honey production. Current theories about the causes of CCD include an invasive mite, new or emerging diseases, pesticide poisoning, and immune-suppressing stress.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is taking the lead in determining the causes of CCD, initiating critical research, responding to needs of the players, and suggesting a plan of action. The federal strategy is to (1) survey and collect data; (2) analyze samples for various pests, pathogens, pesticides, or other factors; (3) conduct controlled experiments; and (4) develop methods to improve the health of bees.

 

AMERICA'S DIVERSE FAMILY FARMS: 2007 EDITION.
Economic Information Bulletin, Economic Research Service (ERS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). June 2007.
Full Report: [pdf format, 12 pages]

This report provides an overview of family farms in America. The Economic Research Service (ERS) categorizes farms into three categories:

• Small family farms (sales of less than $250,000);
• Large-scale family farms (sales of $250,000 or more); and
• Nonfamily farms.

Small family farms (90% of the farms in the U.S.) account for 25% of production and 68% of farm assets. Small farms are more likely to have a negative profit margin; however, when farm and off-farm income sources are considered, most farm households have a median income.

 

AGRARIAN HOUSEHOLDS IN SEMI-ARID TROPICS: EVALUATING POLICY OPTIONS.
Arnab Mukherji. Pardee RAND Graduate School, RAND Corporation. Web posted June 14, 2007.
Full Report: [pdf format, 145 pages]

About one-fifth of the world's population is poor. Most are "resource scarce agrarian households," and most live in rain-fed, semi-arid tropical areas (SATs). Livelihoods in SATs are more uncertain than those in "areas of intensive farming with short burst of intense rainfall, high soil erosion and cycles of drought."

This study considered three intervention policies for SAT areas:

• Livestock intervention;
• Soil and water conservation; and
• An employment guarantee scheme.

The study found that livestock management and soil and water conservation have "minimal impact on asset holdings, while the employment guarantee scheme provides substantial asset protection throughout the lifetime of these households. However, livestock intervention is the most cost-effective intervention."

[Note: Contains copyrighted material.]

 

U.S. FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL IMPORTS: SAFEGUARDS AND SELECTED ISSUES.
Geoffrey S. Becker. Congressional Research Service (CRS), Library of Congress. May 21, 2007.
Full Report: [pdf format, 6 pages]

"U.S. food and agricultural imports have increased significantly in recent years, leading to concerns about whether current federal programs and funding for them are sufficient to ensure their safety." The discovery of adulterated pet food ingredients from China raised Congressional interest in agricultural imports; consequently, nine bills have been introduced thus far in the 110th Congress. This report provides an overview of this legislation.

 

U.S. FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL IMPORTS: SAFEGUARDS AND SELECTED ISSUES.
Geoffrey S. Becker. Congressional Research Service (CRS), Library of Congress. May 21, 2007.
Full Report: [pdf format, 6 pages]

"U.S. food and agricultural imports have increased significantly in recent years, leading to concerns about whether current federal programs and funding for them are sufficient to ensure their safety." The discovery of adulterated pet food ingredients from China raised Congressional interest in agricultural imports; consequently, nine bills have been introduced thus far in the 110th Congress. This report provides an overview of this legislation.

 

AVIAN INFLUENZA IN POULTRY AND WILD BIRDS.
Jim Monke and M. Lynne Corn. Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress. Updated March 29, 2007.
Full Report: [pdf format, 17 pages]

"Avian influenza is a viral disease that primarily infects birds, both domestic and wild." It is rarely fatal to wild birds, but it is high contagious and often fatal to domestic poultry, prompting countries to restriction trade to prevent the spread of avian flu.

Since 2003, the H5N1 strain of high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) spread throughout Asia. By 2006, it had spread to Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Since wild birds carry the H5N1 virus, federal, state, and other agencies have increased surveillance of wild and migratory birds. To date, the highly contagious strain of H5N1 has not been detected in the U.S.; nor has it mutated to allow efficient human-to-human transmission.

This report will be update periodically.

 

WTO COMPLIANCE STATUS OF THE CONSERVATION SECURITY PROGRAM (CSP) AND THE CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM (CRP).
Randy Schnepf. Congressional Research Service (CRS), Library of Congress. May 21, 2007.
Full Report: [pdf format, 13 pages]

The Uruguay Round Agreement on Agriculture limited and reduced most distortive domestic support subsidies as identified in Annex II. Several of these subsidies were identified as causing minimal distortion. These subsidies are also called "Green Box" exemptions. One of the Green Box policies for conservation is the Conservation Security Program (CSP) that makes payments to landowners who use methods to conserve natural resources. Another Green Box exemption is the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) that compensates producers for removing environmentally sensitive land from production for ten years or more. This report describes both programs, the WTO Annex II provisions, and issues involved in evaluating compliance.

 

REGIONAL ENVIRONMENT AND AGRICULTURE PROGRAMMING MODEL.
Robert Johnansson, Mark Peters, and Robert House. Economic Research Service, Technical Bulletin, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Web posted March 30, 2007.
Full Report: [pdf format, 119 pages]

This report describes the theoretical and modeling system specification for the Regional Environment and Agriculture Programming (REAP). The data used by REAP can serve as a guide for setting up and running model simulations. In the past "REAP has been applied to soil conservation and environmental policy design, water quality, environmental credit trading, irrigation policy, climate change mitigation policy, trade and the environment, livestock waste management, wetlands policy, new or alternative fuels from agriculture products, crop and animal disease, and regional effects of trade agreements."

 

AGRICULTURE AND CLIMATE CHANGE: GREENHOUSE GAS MITIGATION OPPORTUNITIES AND THE 2007 FARM BILL.
Evan Branosky and Suzie Greenhalgh. WRI Policy Note, World Resources Institute. March 2007.
Full Report: [pdf format, 6 pages]

[Note: Contains copyrighted material.]

The agriculture sector emits large amounts of greenhouse gases (GHGs) which is a contributing factor to global warming. The purpose of this paper is to outline some GHG mitigation opportunities for the agricultural sector, highlight some of the potential trade-offs, and offer options for addressing climate change that are contained in the 2007 Farm Bill. This policy note does not go into detail regarding biofuel products nor does it discuss the Forest or Rural Development Title of the Farm Bill.

 

THE GLOBAL DYNAMICS OF BIOFUELS: POTENTIAL SUPPLY AND DEMAND FOR ETHANOL AND BIODIESEL IN THE COMING DECADE.
Daniel Budny. Brazil Institute Special Report, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. April 2007.
Full Report: [pdf format, 8 pages]

[Note: Contains copyrighted material.]

This paper reports the results and recommendations from a recent conference held at the Wilson Center for U.S. and Brazilian experts that assessed the agricultural implications of increased production and trade of biofuels. The energy policies of both countries have implications beyond their own borders; therefore, the consequences of their policies must be "analyzed within the international context and be conscious of market interconnections." The conference participants detailed a six-policy alternative for the U.S. energy sector.

 

FEED GRAINS BACKGROUNDER.
Lindwood Hoffman, Allen Baker, Linda Foreman and C. Edwin Young. Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Web posted March 30, 2007.
Full Report: [pdf format, 58 pages]

This paper discusses the outlook for U.S. feed grain prices. There has been widespread debate over the use of grain for fuel instead of food products. Because of the quantity and speed with which corn is being used by the ethanol industry, the feed grain sector faces unprecedented demand. Feed grain prices are now rising above farm program support levels; consequently, the authors predict higher feed grain prices and uncertainty about the levels of government support.

 

THE CHANGING FACE OF THE U.S. GRAIN SYSTEM: DIFFERENTIATION AND IDENTITY PRESERVATION TRENDS.
Aziz Elbehri. Economic Research Report, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Web posted February 28, 2007.
Full Report: [pdf format, 39 pages]

"This report examines current trends in the U.S. grain industry." U.S. grains are listed on commodity markets characterized by standard grades. However, specialty grains; i.e., fiber-enriched wheat as an ingredient in low-carbohydrate foods, require adjustments in the marketing system to preserve their added value or to prevent accidental commingling with standard grains. As a result, "U.S. grain markets must increasingly conform to a new regulatory environment reliant on traceability and identity preservation."

 

AA07132
Cameron, Kenneth M. BAR CODING FOR BOTANY
(Natural History, Vol. 116, No. 2, March 2007, pp. 52-57)
View article on ProQuest (password required)

In recent years, zoologists have been developing DNA databases for various animal species. This has resulted in changes to the classification of species, and a better understanding of evolution and the relationships among animal life forms. This new type of classification is known as barcoding -- pinpointing DNA sequences that are common, yet distinctive for each species. Barcoding animal DNA is relatively easy since almost all possess a genome known as cox1 -- universal yet distinct. Botanists have been slow to undertake similar research on plant life due to the difficulty in identifying a common yet distinctive gene or gene set. The author, Director of Molecular Systematics Studies at the New York Botanical Garden, reports on recent breakthroughs of a worldwide effort to find the five or six gene sequences which will enable developing a molecular basis for plant classification. The research has already resulted in changes in classification of certain species. Cameron envisions applications that would include identifying species rapidly before they become extinct, reducing the sale of "fake" herbal supplements to consumers, intercepting plant smugglers and open up new areas of medical research as plant families are more accurately identified. A new classification diagram of flowering plants accompanies the article.

 

AA07156
Friedmann, Alice. PEAK SOIL: WHY CELLULOSIC ETHANOL, BIOFUELS ARE UNSUSTAINABLE AND A THREAT TO AMERICA
(Culture Change, April 10, 2007)
Full text: [html format]

In this extensively-referenced article, the author, a freelance journalist specializing in energy and a systems architect/engineer in California, points out that the current headlong rush into ethanol and biofuels in both the U.S.A. and around the world is unsustainable, and will take a heavy toll on the environment. All biofuels have a negative net energy return, and contribute to deforestation, water pollution, and topsoil depletion, due to continued extraction of plant material. In a special section on cellulosic ethanol, Friedemann enumerates the many daunting roadblocks to creating cellulosic fuels -- no organism or enzyme has yet been discovered that will handle widely varying plant feedstocks in impure environments, and the logistical challenges are immense. A 2000-dry-ton-per-day biorefinery would require "200 trucks per hour delivering biomass during harvest season ... and would need 90% of the no-till crop residues from the surrounding 7,000 square miles with half the farmers participating," and would require a covered storage structure encompassing 100 acres with the bales stacked 25 feet high. She notes that the destruction of topsoil has never been considered in the biofuels boom, and laments that soil scientists have largely been left out of the debate. Friedemann concludes: "Responsible politicians need to tell Americans why their love affair with the car can't continue. We are betting the farm on making cellulosic fuels work at a time when our energy and financial resources are diminishing. No matter how desperately we want to believe that human ingenuity will invent liquid or combustible fuels despite the laws of thermodynamics and how ecological systems actually work, the possibility of failure needs to be contemplated. There need to be plans for de-mechanization of the farm economy if liquid fuels aren't found."

 

USDA SHOULD IMPROVE ITS MANAGEMENT OF KEY CONSERVATION PROGRAMS TO ENSURE PAYMENTS PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS.
United States Government Accountability Office (GAO). January 17, 2007.
Full Report [pdf format, 15 pages]

The Department of Agriculture's Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Security Program (CSP) are designed to promote conservation. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) reviewed these programs to optimize environmental benefits, monitor performance and reduce duplication between the two programs.

GAO found that the funds allocated did not clearly optimize environmental benefits; the National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) which monitors these programs has begun to develop long-term, outcome-oriented performance measures; and duplicate payments are still being made despite legislative and regulatory provisions.

 

PANDEMIC INFLUENZA AND THE VALUE OF INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS.
Joshua M. Epstein, D. Michael Goedecke, Feng Yu, Robert J. Morris, Diane K. Wagener, and Georgiy V. Bobaskev. Center on Social and Economic Dynamics (CSED) Working Paper No. 46, The Brookings Institute and RTI Institute. December 12, 2006.
Full Report [pdf format, 44 pages]

[Note: Contains copyrighted material.]

"Rvachev and Longini (1985) developed a deterministic, equation-based SEIR model to study the role of global air travel in the 1968-1969 influenza pandemic." This study updates that model using current population levels, air travel patterns, and adjusted seasonality parameters to come up with a current model. The authors' conclusion was that "the cost to the U.S. economy of international air passenger travel restrictions is minimal: on the order of 0.5% of gross national product. Since the benefit of travel restrictions can be substantial while their costs are minimal, their dismissal as an aid in dealing with a global pandemic seems premature."

 

ANIMAL CLONING: A DRAFT RISK ASSESSMENT.
Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM), U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Department of Health and Human Services. December 28, 2006.
Full Report [pdf format, 678 pages]

"The Draft Risk Assessment is the result of a qualitative analysis that identifies and characterizes the nature of hazards that may be introduced into animals as a result of cloning, and puts them in the context of other assisted reproductive technologies currently practiced in the United States. The strongest conclusions that can be drawn regarding positive outcomes in risk assessments of this type are "no additional risk" because outcomes are weighed against known comparators."

"Applied to the safety of edible products derived from clones, a finding of "no additional risk" would mean that food products derived from animal clones or their progeny would not pose any additional risk relative to corresponding products from conventional animals, or that they are as safe as foods that we eat every day. As with all risk assessments, some uncertainty is inherent either in the approach we have used or in the data themselves. Where uncertainties exist, CVM has attempted to identify the degree of uncertainty and the reasons for its existence."

 

QUANTIFICATION OF THE IMPACTS ON US AGRICULTURE OF BIOTECHNOLOGY-DERIVED CROPS PLANTED IN 2005.
Sujatha Sankula. National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy. November 2006.
Full Report [pdf format 110 pages]

[Note: Contains copyrighted material.]

This report updates a 2004 report. It confirms that American growers continue to choose biotechnology-derived crops and that they derive significant benefits from these crops. This report evaluates the response for adopting biotechnology-derived crops and analyzes the producer and crop production impacts of these crops.

Alfalfa, canola, corn, cotton, papaya, soybean, squash and sweet corn are the eight biotechnology-derived crops grown in the U.S. The use of biotechnology has improved crop production by 26%, has lowered production costs, and has reduced the use of pesticides by 12%. Biotechnology provides the best hope to growers to improve yields while enhancing pest protection. The acreage planted with biotechnology-derived crops continues to grow each year and has resulted in positive impacts for the American growers.

 

USDA SHOULD IMPROVE ITS MANAGEMENT OF KEY CONSERVATION PROGRAMS TO ENSURE PAYMENTS PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS.
United States Government Accountability Office (GAO). January 17, 2007.
Full Report [pdf format, 15 pages]

The Department of Agriculture's Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Security Program (CSP) are designed to promote conservation. The General Accountability Office (GAO) reviewed these programs to optimize environmental benefits, monitor performance and reduce duplication between the two programs.

GAO found that the funds allocated did not clearly optimize environmental benefits; the National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) which monitors these programs has begun to develop long-term, outcome-oriented performance measures; and duplicate payments are still being made despite legislative and regulatory provisions.

 

AGRICULTURAL SUBSIDES, POVERTY AND THE ENVIRONMENT: SUPPORTING A DOMESTIC REFORM AGENDA IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.
Antonio La Vina, Lindsey Fransen, Paul Faeth, and Yuko Kurauchi. WRI Policy Note, World Resources Institute. January 2007.
Full Report [pdf format, 6 pages]

[Note: Contains copyrighted material.]

"Agricultural subsidies are one of the factors determining whether and how agriculture helps poor in developing countries…" The authors offer the following recommendations:

• Laws and policies that empower the poor; such as, rights-based land tenure policies, economic incentives, and marketing;
• Macroeconomic policies and measures that integrate poverty alleviation and environmental goals; e.g., taxation, credit, and technology;
• Laws and regulations that protect ecosystems including soil conservation, crop diversification and other ecologically safe agricultural practices; and
• Agricultural governance such as decentralization, stakeholder processes and stronger enforcement of environmental laws.

 

AGRICULTURAL TRADE LIBERALIZATION.
Congressional Budget Office [CBO]. November 20, 2006
Full Report: [pdf format, 7 pages]

The United States and other countries have benefited from agreements which have reduced the tariffs and subsidies on international trade of manufactured goods. According to studies reviewed by the Congressional Budget Office, if similar subsidies for agricultural products were applied, U.S. agriculture would gain more from increased exports than it would lose from increased imports. According to CBO's review, all major developed countries and most developing countries would see a net economic benefit from the reduction of agricultural tariffs. By 2015, the likely total annual benefit would be roughly estimated to be $50 billion to $185 billion.

 

RETURNING FORESTS ANALYZED WITH THE FOREST IDENTITY.
Pekka E. Kauppi, Jesse H. Ausubel, Jingyun Fang, Alexander S. Mather, Roger A. Sedjo, and Paul E.Waggoner. Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences. Web posted November 14, 2006.
Full Report [click automatic download]: [pdf format, 7 pages]

[Note: Contains copyrighted material.]

Using the data from the Food and Agriculture Organization's comprehensive Global Forest Resources Assessment 2005, the report concluded that the data suggest a reversal of forests decline in many regions of the world. Forest Identity quantifies the sources of change and the quantitative impact on forest expanse of timber harvest to regions and plantations where density grows faster. The forest identity could serve as a tool for setting forest goals to accelerate or retard forest transitions.

 

HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY IN THE UNITED STATES, 2005.
Mark Nord, Margaret Andrews, Steven Carlson. Economic Research Service. U.S. Department of Agriculture. November 2006.
Full Report: [pdf format, 68 pages]

Eighty-nine percent of American households are food secure meaning they have access, at all times, to enough food. The remaining households were food insecure. The report is based on data from the December 2005 food security survey. Food-secure households spent 34 percent more on food than the typical food-insecure households. More than half of the food-insecure households participated in one or more of the three largest Federal food assistance programs during the month prior to the survey while 22 percent obtained emergency food from a food pantry at some time during the year.

 

AGRICULTURE'S ROLE IN GREENHOUSE GAS MITIGATION.
Keith Paustian, John M. Antle, John Sheehan, and Eldor A. Paul.Pew Center on Global Climate Change. September 2006.
Full Report: [pdf format, 87 pages]

Executive Summary: [html format, 3 printed pages]

 

[Note: Contains copyrighted material.]

This report notes the unique position of the agriculture and forestry sectors both as sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (including carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide) and as "sinks" that can remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Looking at present and future options, this report stresses the following aspects of agriculture's potential role in GHG mitigation:

• If farmers widely adopt the best management techniques to store carbon, and undertake cost-effective reductions in nitrous oxide and methane, aggregate U.S. GHG emissions could be reduced by 5 to 14 percent.
• With technological advances, biofuels could displace a significant fraction of fossil fuels and thereby reduce current U.S. GHG emissions by 9 to 24 percent. Using biomass to produce transportation fuels could also significantly reduce U.S. reliance on imported petroleum.

The authors advocate programs of "suitable payments" that encourage farmers to adopt new management practices to store carbon in agricultural soils, and reduce agricultural emissions of methane and nitrous oxide. Policy incentives also are needed, the authors say, to reduce costs of producing biofuels and accelerate key technologies. The report notes that climate mitigation could potentially become a source of new income and cost reductions for farmers. However, access to financing, changes in economic conditions and technologies, and policies will be key factors that will affect farmers' willingness to play a part in climate solutions.

 

MEAT AND POULTRY INSPECTION: BACKGROUND AND SELECTED ISSUES.
Geoffrey S. Becker. Library of Congress, Congressional Research Service (CRS). Updated July 6, 2006.
Full Report: [pdf format, 23 pages]

There are four longstanding statutory authorities relevant to meat and poultry inspection in the United States:

• Federal Meat Inspection Act of 1906
• Poultry Products Inspection Act of 1957
• Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946
• Egg Products Inspection Act of 1970 (subsequently amended; see 21 U.S.C. 1031 et seq.)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is responsible for inspecting most meat, poultry, and processed egg products for safety, wholesomeness, and proper labeling. Federal inspectors or their state counterparts are present at all times in virtually all slaughter plants, and for at least part of each day in establishments that further process meat and poultry products. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is responsible for ensuring the safety of virtually all other human foods, including seafood, and for animal drugs and feed ingredients.

The main issues discussed in this report are:

• Microbiological Contamination and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCPs);
• Pathogen Performance Standards, specifically with regard to Salmonella, E.coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes;
• Funding and Resources;
• Risk-Based Inspection System;
• User Fee Proposals;
• State Inspected Products;
• Recall and Enforcement Proposals;
• Meat Traceability;
• Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE or "mad cow" disease");
• Humane Slaughter;
• Questions on the acceptability of killing horses for human food;
• Establishment of a Single Food Agency;
• and Food Security and Emergency Preparedness.

 

AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS (AREI), 2006 Edition.
Keith Wiebe and Noel Gollehon, Editors. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Economic Research Service (ERS). July 2006.
Full Report: [pdf format, 239 pages]

Table of Contents: [chapters in pdf and html formats, various pagings]

 

This 2006 edition of Agricultural Resources and Environmental Indicators (AREI) examines U.S. farmers' production and conservation practices, the resources they use, and the conservation programs that help shape their choices.

Among the findings of the analysts are the following:

• Land continues to shift between agriculture and other uses. Cropland has declined but losses do not threaten the nation's capacity to produce food and fiber.
• Competition for water is increasing, but the potential remains to increase agricultural water conservation through improved irrigation technology and management.
• Increasing concentration in animal production can have adverse impacts on air and water quality. A variety of voluntary and regulatory measures have been introduced at federal, state and local levels to mitigate these impacts.
• Public and private agricultural research and development (including advances in biotechnology) have helped drive rapid growth in agricultural productivity, but public and investment and productivity growth have slowed in recent years.
• Most farms are operated by a single operator or an operator and spouse, but most production comes from farms with larger and more complex management teams. Full-time operators of larger and more complex enterprises are more likely than other operators to adopt recommended conservation practices.
• Soil erosion declined by more than a billion tons per year between 1982 and 1997, a quarter of which can be attributed to conservation compliance requirements.
• Use of commercial fertilizers and pesticides has been steady or declining in recent years, due to improvements in technology and other factors.
• Certified organic farmland more than doubled between 1992 and 2003, and USDA national standards for organic production and processing came into effect in 2002.
• The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 sharply increased funding for conservation programs. Land retirement remains a key strategy, but much of the increase focused on programs for working cropland and grazing land.

 

WORLD HUNGER SERIES (2006): HUNGER AND LEARNING.
World Food Programme and Stanford University Press. July 12, 2006
Full Report: [pdf format, 200 pages]

Summary: [pdf format, 16 pages]

 

[Note: Contains copyrighted material.]

This is the first edition of the World Food Programme's new World Hunger Series, an annual publication that will focus on practical strategies to end hunger. The 2006 publication focuses on the relationship between hunger and learning.

Over 300 million children worldwide are regularly hungry and approximately 100 million of these are school-aged children who don't go to school because their parents are too poor. This report addresses how learning and hunger are entwined - even if they do manage to go to school, undernourished children are unable to concentrate on their lessons. The report presents options for policy makers to move forward, including basic steps to implement effective strategies to fight hunger and inadequate learning.

 

PREPARING FOR A PANDEMIC INFLUENZA: A PRIMER FOR GOVERNORS AND SENIOR STATE OFFICIALS.
Stephen Prior. National Governors Association (NGA), Center for Best Practices. June 2006.
Full Report: [pdf format, 32 pages]

[Note: Contains copyrighted material.]

If a pandemic outbreak occurs in the United States, it is likely to affect hundreds or even thousands of communities across the country simultaneously, and could come in a series of waves, each lasting weeks at a time. This report says that state and local governments need to be prepared to manage their responses independently, without relying on the outside assistance that would be available for natural disasters or other localized incidents.

Essentially a guide for state governors, the report cites four basic principles for effective response planning:

• The effects of a pandemic flu will be broad, deep and simultaneous, and states must focus resources to ensure continuation of essential services.
• Medical response capability in a pandemic will be limited, strained and potentially depleted during a pandemic.
• Government must work closely with the private sector to ensure critical operations and services are maintained.
• A pandemic will force many key decisions to be made in a dynamic environment of shifting events, and partnerships must be built now and tested to ensure appropriate and rapid action.

 

AA06287
Brown, Lester R. SUPERMARKETS AND SERVICE STATIONS NOW COMPETING FOR GRAIN (Earth Policy Institute Eco-Economy Update, July 13, 2006)

Full text available from your nearest IRC

The author, founder of the Earth Policy Institute, warns that most of the increase in world grain production this year will be consumed by the burgeoning ethanol and biofuels industry. In the state of Iowa, for example, fifty-five ethanol plants are either in operation or are being proposed -- if they all are built, they would claim the entire corn harvest of Iowa. Additionally, many countries are embarking on ethanol or biofuels programs. Brown notes that the fuel appetite of automobiles is "insatiable", and the growing demands of biofuels on grain production will directly impact food availability. He notes that global grain stocks are currently at their lowest levels since 1973, and warns that big price increases for food are on the horizon. He urges greater auto fuel efficiency standards, and advocates finding renewable-energy sources for powering vehicles.

 

AVIAN INFLUENZA: AGRICULTURAL ISSUES
Jim Monke. Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service. Updated May 10, 2006
Download the document [pdf format, 6 pages]

In the United States the highly pathogenic avian influenza strain H5N1 of current global concern has not reached the United States, neither in poultry nor humans. To reduce the possibility that H5N1 enters U.S. borders, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has blocked imports of poultry and poultry products from affected countries, and increased smuggling interdiction efforts. The Department of Homeland Security helps with enforcement through Customs and Border Protection. Since wild birds can carry the disease, the United States has increased surveillance where flyways overlap because officials suspect migrating birds in Asia could carry the virus to Alaska this spring, and down the Pacific and other flyways in the fall of 2006.

 

STRUCTURE AND FINANCES OF U.S. FARMS: 2005 FAMILY FARM REPORT
Robert A. Hoppe and David E. Banker. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Economic Research Service (ERS). May 2006.
Download the document [pdf format, 50 pages]

Most farms in the United States-98 percent in 2003-are family farms. They are organized as proprietorships, partnerships, or family corporations. Even the largest farms tend to be family farms. Very large family farms account for a small share of farms but a large-and growing-share of farm sales. Small family farms account for most farms but produce a modest share of farm output. Median income for farm households is ten percent greater than the median for all U.S. households. Small-farm households also receive substantial off-farm income.

This report has four major findings important to understanding farms and farm-operator households today and in the future:

• Large family farms, very large family farms, and nonfamily farms account for most production. Shifts in production away from small farms are likely to continue.
• Small-farm households may farm for reasons other than generating a profit. Nevertheless, within each farm type, some farms have an operating profit margin of at least 10 percent.
• Three-fifths of U.S. farms do not receive government payments. For households operating these farms, changes in taxes and the nonfarm economy are probably more important than government payments.
• Primary operators of farms are older than other self-employed persons. Secondary operators on multiple-generation farms may have a role in replacing aging primary operators as they exit farming.

 

FOOD SECURITY ASSESSMENT 2005
Birgit Meade, Stacey Rosen, and Shahla Shapouri. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Economic Research Service (ERS). May 2006.
Download the document [pdf format, 58 pages]

Summary: [pdf format, 2 pages]

 

In this report the Economic Research Service (ERS) estimates and projects the number of hungry people in each of the 70 lower-income countries studied. Hungry people are defined as those consuming less than the nutritional target of 2,100 calories a day. The report also measures the food distribution gap (the amount of food needed to raise consumption of each income group to the nutritional requirement), and examines the factors that shape food security. Food security is defined as access by all people at all times to enough food for an active and healthy life.

In 2005 a total of 777 million people were food insecure in the 70 lower-income countries reviewed in this report. On average there has been a slight decline in the number of hungry people, from 688 million in 1992-94 to 639 million in 2002-04. Both Asia and the Commonwealth of Independent States experienced a 30 percent drop in the number of hungry people. The number in Latin America and the Caribbean has varied slightly over time, but there has been no discernible trend across the region as a whole. Despite strong growth in food production, Sub-Saharan Africa is the only region where the number of hungry people has risen-over 19 percent-during the last decade.

In 2005 a total of 777 million people were food insecure in the 70 lower-income countries reviewed in this report. On average there has been a slight decline in the number of hungry people, from 688 million in 1992-94 to 639 million in 2002-04. Both Asia and the Commonwealth of Independent States experienced a 30 percent drop in the number of hungry people. The number in Latin America and the Caribbean has varied slightly over time, but there has been no discernible trend across the region as a whole. Despite strong growth in food production, Sub-Saharan Africa is the only region where the number of hungry people has risen-over 19 percent-during the last decade.

The authors cite three of the 70 countries as success stories: Ghana, Peru, and Vietnam. All three countries introduced major reforms in the late 1980s or 1990s. These reforms were based on a stronger reliance on market forces, which fostered economic stability. The agricultural sectors, in particular, benefited from improvements in access to credit and government support of research and extension services.

 

AGRICULTURE-BASED RENEWABLE ENERGY PRODUCTION
Randy Schnepf. Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service. May 18, 2006
Download the document [pdf format, 44 pages]

Since the late 1970s, U.S. policy makers at both the federal and state levels have enacted a variety of incentives, regulations, and programs to encourage the production and use of agriculture-based renewable energy. Motivations cited for these legislative initiatives include energy security concerns, reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and raising domestic demand for U.S.-produced farm products. Agricultural households and rural communities have responded to these government incentives and have expanded their production of renewable energy, primarily in the form of biofuels and wind power, every year since 1996.

The main points Schnep emphasizes in this report are:

• Agriculture has been rapidly developing its renewable energy production capacity (primarily as biofuels and wind). However, this growth has depended heavily on federal and state programs and incentives;
• Rising fossil fuel prices improve renewable energy's market competitiveness; however, significant improvement of existing technology or the development of new technology still is needed for current biofuel production strategies to be economically competitive with existing fossil fuels in the absence of government support; and
• A review of available data suggests that farm-based energy production is unlikely to be able to substantially reduce the nation's dependence on petroleum imports unless there is a significant decline in consumption. Also, other uses (food, animal feed, industrial processing, etc.) of biomass feedstocks are likely to be adversely impacted by rapid growth in use for bioenergy.

 

AGRICULTURE POLICY AND TRADE REFORM: POTENTIAL EFFECTS AT GLOBAL, NATIONAL, AND HOUSEHOLD LEVELS
Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), Joint Working Party on Agriculture and Trade. June 2006.
Download the document [pdf format, 157 pages]

[Note: Contains copyrighted material.]

This study by the OECD stresses the importance of reducing market access barriers in agriculture for the achievement of economic benefits for both developed and developing countries. Among the data presented in the report:

• Of the total welfare gain generated from freer trade in all types of goods, agricultural liberalization accounted for 59% of all gains on a global basis, generating 69% of gains to OECD countries and 28% of gains to non-OECD countries.
• Gains to developing countries from agricultural trade reform come almost entirely from tariff cuts, versus cuts in domestic support. Increased market access (that is, tariff cuts) accounts for the largest share - nearly 79% - of the global welfare gains from agricultural trade liberalization.
• The global welfare gain from goods trade liberalization splits 76% for OECD countries, 24% for non-OECD countries. However, relative to the size of their economies, non-OECD countries gain twice as much as OECD countries (0.2% of GDP versus 0.1% of GDP).

 

SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY (SPS) CONCERNS IN AGRICULTURAL TRADE
Geoffrey S. Becker. Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service. June 15, 2006.
Download the document [pdf format, 31 pages]

Sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures refer to any of the laws, rules, standards, and procedures that governments employ to protect humans, other animals, and plants from diseases, pests, toxins, and other contaminants. Examples of SPS measures include meat and poultry processing standards to reduce pathogens, residue limits for pesticides in foods, and regulation of agricultural biotechnology.

The United States participates actively in the three major international scientific bodies designated by the World Trade Organization (WTO) to deal with SPS matters: the Codex Alimentarius Commission for food safety, the Office of International Epizootics (OIE) for animal health and diseases, and the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) for plant health. These bodies meet often to discuss threats to human and agricultural health, evaluate SPS-related disputes, and develop common, scientifically based SPS standards. The United States also has signed, or is negotiating, numerous regional and bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs) that may contain SPS language.

Many Members of Congress are already following closely a number of ongoing SPS-related trade disputes that they believe have negatively affected agricultural producers in their states and districts. Also, lawmakers have expressed concern that as recently signed trade agreements lower agricultural tariffs, countries may turn more and more to SPS measures to protect their farmers from import competition. These Members have stated that SPS matters will be among the factors they will consider in voting for new FTAs.

Appendix A lists selected SPS concerns between the United States and its top 25 agricultural trade partners.

 

SAVING INCENTIVES: WHAT MAY WORK, WHAT MAY NOT
Thomas L. Hungerford. Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service. June 20, 2006.
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Saving is the portion of national output that is not consumed and represents resources that can be used to increase, replace, or improve the nation's capital stock. The U.S. net national saving rate reached a post-war peak of 12.4% in 1965 and has since trended downward to a low of 0.8% in 2005. It is difficult to say that the U.S. national saving rate is too low since there is no universally accepted definition of what constitutes a low saving rate. However, among the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, the United States has the third lowest saving rate.

In response to the perceived low saving rate, the government offers many saving incentives through the tax system. In addition, many employers offer some inducements to encourage their employees to save for retirement. This report examines why individuals and households save or don't save, and the effectiveness of the various incentives and inducements in increasing personal and national saving.

 

U.S. AND INTERNATIONAL RESPONSES TO THE GLOBAL SPREAD OF AVIAN FLU: ISSUES FOR CONGRESS.
Tiaji Salaam-Blyther. Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service. Updated May 1, 2006.
Full Report [pdf format, 37 pages]

There are many strains of avian influenza virus that can cause varying amounts of clinical illness in poultry. Bird (or avian) flu outbreaks have occurred at various times around the world. Influenza A/H5N1 is a strain of bird flu currently spreading across the world. The virus has infected some people and killed more than half of those infected. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the hallmarks of a pandemic are: 1) the emergence of a novel flu virus strain; 2) the strain causes human disease; and 3) person-to-person transmission is sustained. The pandemic steps usually occur in six phases. According to WHO categorization of pandemic phases, the current global H5N1 outbreak is in pandemic alert phase three, which means a virus new to humans is causing infections, but not spreading easily from one person to another.

This report summarizes the completed and planned actions of the following actors:

U.S. Congress; U.S. Department of State; U.S. Agency for International Development; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; U.S. Department of Agriculture; U.S. Department of Defense; United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization; World Organization for Animal Health; World Health Organization; World Bank.

• U.S. Congress
• U.S. Department of State
• U.S. Agency for International Development
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• U.S. Department of Agriculture
• U.S. Department of Defense
• United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization
• World Organization for Animal Health
• World Health Organization; World Bank.

 

PREPARING FOR HIGHLY PATHOGENIC AVIAN INFLUENZA: A MANUAL FOR COUNTRIES AT RISK.
V. Martin, A. Forman, and J. Lubroth. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO); World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). Updated 16 February 2006
Full Report [pdf format, 44 pages]

Governments around the world are worried about the potential of devastating damage to agricultural sectors from avian influenza (bird flu). There is a widespread call for information on the disease and on guidance for government officials responsible for animal health and the safety of animal products.

• The risks of introduction and dissemination of avian influenza from existing infected bird populations, from migratory birds, and from importation.
• Preparing for an outbreak, including early detection, surveillance and control methods.
• Communication and public awareness.
• Human health and safety considerations.

To control the spread of the disease once it is present in a bird population, the manual provides information on the different disinfection procedures for: Live birds; Bird carcasses; Animal housing/equipment; Humans; Electrical equipment; Water; Feed; Effluent; Human housing; Machinery and vehicles; and Clothing.

Annex 4 provides names and contact information for experts in avian influenza at FAO Reference Laboratories in Germany, United Kingdom, USA, Japan and Australia.

 

NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR PANDEMIC INFLUENZA: IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
Executive Office of the President. Homeland Security Council. May 2006
Full Report [pdf format, 233 pages]

The President announced the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza (Strategy) on November 1, 2005. See: National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza

The Strategy provides a high-level overview of the approach that the Federal Government will take to prepare for and respond to a pandemic, and articulates expectations of non-Federal entities to prepare themselves and their communities. The Strategy contains three pillars: (1) preparedness and communication; (2) surveillance and detection; and (3) response and containment.

 

The Implementation Plan outlines the following aspects of implementing the plan in the event of an outbreak of avian flu:

• Bolstering Domestic Surveillance
• Expanding the National Veterinary Stockpile
• Educating Bird Owners
• Advancing the Domestic Outbreak Response Plans
• Enhancing Infrastructure for Animal Health Research and Development

Separate chapters address specific parts of an integrated implementation plan:

• U.S. Government Planning for a Pandemic
• Federal Government Response to a pandemic
• International Efforts
• Transportation and Borders
• Protecting Human Health
• Protecting Animal Health
• Law Enforcement, Public Safety, and Security
• Institutions: Protecting Personnel and Ensuring Continuity of Operations

 

AA06127
Silver, Lee WHY GM IS GOOD FOR US; GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS MAY BE GREENER THAN ORGANIC ONES (Newsweek, International Edition, March 20, 2006)
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Organic farmers have always boasted that their approach is naturally better for the environment than so-called conventional farming, writes Silver. This is false, he says. Genetic modification (GM), he explains, could help solve many environmental and health problems. Examples: GM pigs would reduce the phosphorous pollution problem currently plaguing countries with widespread dependence on pig farming. More efficient crops produced with GM seeds would free up more land to return to the native ecosystem. Organic farmers use "natural" pesticides that are actually more dangerous to human health than modern "conventional" pesticides -- which have been carefully designed to dissipate so quickly they pose miniscule health risk to consumers. Despite these examples and many more potential benefits, he notes, it is unlikely many GM improvements will come to pass because of ingrained false beliefs about GM foods -- unless significant demands for alternatives are made.

 

AA06173
Allan, Shannon Michel; Leitner, Peter ATTACKING AGRICULTURE WITH RADIOLOGICAL MATERIALS - A POSSIBILITY? (World Affairs, vol. 168, no. 3, Winter 2006, pp. 99-112)
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The authors disagree with the conventional wisdom that terrorists planning a radiological attack would exclusively target urban population centers instead of rural agricultural targets. Allan and Leitner argue that dispersing radiological agents into the food supply is possible, considering the history of such attacks, the relative ease of procuring radiological agents on the open market, as well as terrorists' preference to maximize the symbolic nature, psychological impact, and elements of surprise of their attacks. Given the potential impacts of food contamination on the public, the domestic and international economy, U.S. humanitarian aid, even America's allies who may face further attacks, the authors agree that radiological attacks on agriculture is a risk that we ignore at our peril.

 

AA06170
Halweil, Brian CAN ORGANIC FARMING FEED US ALL? (WorldWatch, Vol. 19, No. 3, May/June 2006, pp. 18-24)
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For years, agricultural experts have argued that a widespread conversion to organic farming would result in lower crop yields and exacerbate the poverty of farmers in Third World countries. But, as Halweil proposes in this article, previous studies may have been based on faulty assumptions. Moreover, improved techniques that track world food production data indicate the economic viability of growing food without synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. Halweil describes the results and potential applications of studies conducted by scientists from the University of Michigan, who compared worldwide productivity of organic and non-organic farms. The article also notes the social benefits organic farming can generate by shifting the balance toward smaller, undercapitalized farms and stabilizing rural labor forces, while decreasing water pollution and soil erosion. Consumer demand for organic products continues to increase, but the author cautions that fundamental changes have to take place in the world food supply and distribution system, which at this time favors large agribusinesses and heavy chemical inputs, before organic farming can fulfill its potential.

 

HOMELAND SECURITY: MANAGEMENT AND COORDINATION PROBLEMS INCREASE THE VULNERABILITY OF U.S. AGRICULTURE TO FOREIGN PESTS AND DISEASE. [GAO-06-644].
United States General Accounting Office (GAO). Web-posted May 19, 2006
Full Report [pdf format, 74 pages]

[Note: Extra discretion advised. Portions of this item may not reflect current Department of State policy. Consult with an American officer in the Public Affairs/Public Diplomacy section before distributing to outside contacts.]

U.S. agriculture generates over $1 trillion in annual economic activity, but concerns exist about the sector's vulnerability to a natural or deliberate introduction of foreign livestock, poultry, and crop pests and disease. Under the Agricultural Quarantine Inspection (AQI) program, international passengers and cargo are inspected at U.S. ports of entry to seize prohibited material and intercept foreign agricultural pests. The Homeland Security Act of 2002 transferred AQI inspections from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and left certain other AQI responsibilities at USDA.

GAO examined:

• the extent to which USDA and DHS have changed the inspection program since the transfer,
• how the agencies have managed and coordinated their responsibilities,
• how funding for agricultural inspections has been managed since the transfer.

GAO recommends, among other things, that DHS identify and assess the major risks posed by foreign pests and disease, and develop and implement a national staffing model to ensure that staff levels are sufficient to meet those risks. It recommends that DHS and USDA analyze the full cost of performing AQI inspections and ensure that user fees cover the program's costs. USDA and DHS generally agreed with the report's recommendations.

 

AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION: USDA NEEDS TO BUILD ON 2005 EXPERIENCE TO MINIMIZE THE EFFECTS OF ASIAN SOYBEAN RUST (ASR) IN THE FUTURE. [GAO-06-337]
United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) February 24, 2006
Full Report [pdf format, 61 pages]

The report examines the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) strategy to minimize ASR's effects in 2005 and the lessons learned to improve future efforts and the USDA, EPA, and others' efforts to develop, test, and license fungicides for ASR and to identify and breed soybeans that tolerate it.

 

Allen, Pat Jackson. AVIAN INFLUENZA PANDEMIC: NOT IF, BUT WHEN. (Pediatric Nursing, Jan/Feb 2006. Vol.32, Iss. 1; pg. 76, 6 pgs)
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The author writes that all influenza A viruses originate in birds, and wild birds are the natural host for influenza A. Most subtypes of influenza A do not cause illness and death in birds but may cause morbidity and mortality if transferred to other mammals, including humans. The world is better prepared today to monitor and isolate a new influenza virus than it has ever been before. But the potential spread of infection from continent to continent is easier today than ever before due to our global economy and ease of travel.

 

THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL IMPACT OF AN AVIAN FLU PANDEMIC AND THE ROLE OF THE IMF.
International Monetary Fund. February 28, 2006
Full Report [pdf format, 30 pages]

We know that in the face of a pandemic, particularly a severe pandemic, the world could face financial disruptions. Operational risk to the financial system could arise from the impact of absenteeism on a number of key financial institutions such as the payment system providers or even major clearing banks, or there could be an increase in the demand for liquidity from the public. We also know that there could be financial sector disruptions if substantial asset price volatility were to occur, or if there were a spike in risk aversion among our risk players. But again, while we can identify these risks, it is difficult to try to quantify them in any meaningful way.

 

AA05415
Qaim, Matin AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY ADOPTION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES (American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Vol. 87, No. 5, December 2005, pp. 1317-1324)

Full text available from your nearest IRC

Qaim, an agricultural economist, says there are three main differences between agricultural biotechnology and previous crop technologies that influence availability and access to farmers. First, genetically modified (GM) crop developments are driven by the private sector, and therefore involve intellectual property rights (IPR). Second, GM crops are associated with new environmental and health risks that entail new and often cumbersome regulatory procedures at the national and international level. Third, GM traits can be incorporated into different varieties and adjusted to local conditions. The private sector's leading role means IPR and technical use restrictions impact GM seed prices, explains Qaim, but farmers retain the option to use conventional seed, so GM seed demand is price-responsive, which limits the companies' monopoly power. Additionally, he notes, since the private sector focuses on large and lucrative markets, poorer countries do not have the same opportunities to adopt GM crops as the more advanced developing countries. Biotechnology holds great potential for developing countries, he writes, but realizing the benefits on a larger scale requires complementary public endeavors to ensure wider dissemination.

 

MARKET FAILURE FOR THE TREATMENT OF ANIMALS.
Tylerr Cowen. Society, Jan/Feb 2006 Vol.43, Iss. 2; pg. 39-44

Full text available from your nearest IRC

Each year over hundreds million animals are legally hunted in the United States alone, and many more are illegally hunted. The existence of property rights in animals does not eliminated the basic externality problem. Animals lovers can buy animals, and free them, but an externality remains among animal lovers. Rather than buying the animals individuals may pay animal owners to treat their animals better, such as when individuals pay higher prices for free-range chicken. Agricultural subsidies, which provide one of the centerpieces of U.S. and European farm policy, may benefit animals. Many of these subsidies prevent small farmers from being absorbed by large agribusiness and factory farming. Family farmers tend to treat animals better than factory farmers. There is a general market failure with regard to treatment of animals.

 

GLOBAL FOREST RESOURCES ASSESSMENT 2005: 15 KEY FINDINGS
Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, November 2005
Download the document [pdf format, 9 pages]

Each year about 13 million hectares of the world's forests are lost due to deforestation, but the rate of net forest loss is slowing down, thanks to new planting and natural expansion of existing forests, FAO announced today. The annual net loss of forest area between 2000 and 2005 was 7.3 million hectares/year -- an area about the size of Sierra Leone or Panama-- down from an estimated 8.9 million ha/yr between 1990 and 2000. This is equivalent to a net loss of 0.18 percent of the world's forests annually.

 

FISH ECONOMICS: THE BENEFITS OF REBUILDING U.S OCEAN FISH POPULATIONS.
Ussif Rashid. Fisheries Centre, University of British Columbia, October 2005
Download the document [pdf format, 19 pages]

"U.S. fisheries managers could triple the value of ocean fish populations, if they followed through with official rebuilding plans, according to a new economic analysis by the University of British Columbia Fisheries Centre. The study found that 17 overfished stocks are presently worth just a fraction of what their value would be if restored to sustainable levels."

 

AA05333
Polak, Paul THE BIG POTENTIAL OF SMALL FARMS (Scientific American, vol. 293, No. 3, September 2005, pp. 84-91)

Full text available from your nearest IRC

The author asserts that large-scale water development projects and the Green Revolution to increase grain production have had limited success in raising small farmers out of poverty. Drawing on his more than two decades of experience as founder and president of International Development Enterprises, a U.S.-based nonprofit organization working with small farmers, Polak describes ways such farmers can use low-cost technology to increase their productivity. From treadle pumps to access groundwater to drip irrigation systems to conserve water, Polak illustrates the results from applying these techniques in Zimbabwe, Nepal, India and Bangladesh. He suggests that wider application of these and similar techniques would have substantive impact on the world's effort to cut poverty in half by 2015, as well as increase the food supply in anticipation of population growth of three billion by 2050. This article is one of a special series, CROSSROADS FOR PLANET EARTH, in the September issue of Scientific American.

 

AA05332
Pimm, Stuart; Jenkins, Clinton SUSTAINING THE VARIETY OF LIFE (Scientific American, vol. 293, no. 3, September 2005, pp. 66-73)

Full text available from your nearest IRC

The authors, conservation ecologists at Duke University, write that the extinction rates of plants and animals today are now about 1000 times higher than the normal geological rate. They have identified 25 "hot spots" around the world -- areas that have lost large numbers of native plants and 70 percent of their vegetative cover -- that should be immediately protected, to preserve the largest number of species at the least cost, as well as the world's three remaining tropical forests. This article is one of a special series, CROSSROADS FOR PLANET EARTH, in the September issue of Scientific American.

 

U.S. AGRICULTURE AFTER HURRICANE KATRINA: STATUS AND ISSUES. [RL33075]
Randy Schnepf and Ralph M. Chite. Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service. September 12, 2005.
Download the document [pdf format, 18 pages]

On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck the Golf Coast region leaving behind widespread devastation. This report examines Hurricane Katrina's impact on the three important factors affecting the U.S. agricultural sector: marketing infrastructure based on the Mississippi River waterway and Gulf port, production losses for major crop and livestock producers in the affected region; and potential consequences for agricultural production as a result of high costs.

 

MAD COW DISEASE: AGRICULTURAL ISSUES FOR CONGRESS. [IB10127]
Geoffrey S. Becker. Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service. Undated August 25, 2005
Download the document [pdf format, 19 pages]

In early August, it was reported that USDA had issued more than 1,000 "noncompliance reports" to packers for violations of its rules aimed at keeping higher-risk cattle parts out of the human food supply. Later in August, a Wisconsin meat processor recalled more than 1,800 pounds of beef products that might have contained higher-risk materials from a Canadian cow imported for slaughter that was one month older than the 30-month-old limit set by USDA. Critics asserted that these incidents exposed holes in the BSE safeguards; others played down their significance. On August 16, 2005, USDA proposed a rule that would enable Japan to export certain cuts of boneless beef to the United States. USDA has banned the importation of most Japanese ruminant products since September 2001 when the first of approximately 20 native cases of BSE appeared there. However, the Japanese have not yet implemented their own rule changes to permit U.S. beef imports.

 

ANIMAL HEALTH AT THE CROSSROADS: PREVENTING, DETECTING, AND DIAGNOSING ANIMAL DISEASES.
Committee on Assessing the Nation's Framework for Addressing Animal Diseases, National Research Council (via National Academies Press). 2005
Download the document [html format, 229 pages]

Download the summary [pdf format, 27 pages]

 

Currently, dozens of federal and state agencies, university laboratories, and private companies monitor and maintain animal health in this country. Many of the government agencies perform similar functions, while gaps in responsibility also exist, particularly in federal oversight of nonlivestock animal diseases. Animal Health at the Crossroads: Preventing, Detecting, and Diagnosing Animal Diseases says centralized coordination is needed to harmonize the work of public and private groups that safeguard animal health. The coordinating mechanism should facilitate the sharing of information among agencies and connect key databases, as well as improve communication with the public, especially during animal disease outbreaks.

 

WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT: TIMELY IDENTIFICATION OF LONG-TERM OPTIONS AND FUNDING NEEDS IS CRITICAL. [GAO-05-923T]
United States Government Accounting Office (GAO). July 14, 2005
Download the document [pdf format, 16 pages]

Over the last 5 years, the Forest Service in the Department of Agriculture and land management agencies in the Department of the Interior, working with the Congress, have made important progress in responding to wildland fires. The agencies have begun improving their data and research on wildland fire problems, made progress in developing long-needed fire management plans that identify actions for effectively addressing wildland fire threats at the local level, and improved federal interagency coordination and collaboration with nonfederal partners. The agencies also have strengthened overall accountability for their investments in wildland fire activities by establishing improved performance measures and a framework for monitoring results....

GAO recommended that the Secretaries of Agriculture and of the Interior develop a plan for completing a cohesive strategy that identifies options and funding needed to address wildland fire problems. The agencies agreed with GAO's recommendation and expect to develop such a plan by August 2005.

 

LOOKING AHEAD: LONG TERM PROSPECTS FOR AFRICA'S AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND FOOD SECURITY (2020 Discussion Paper No. 41)
Mark W. Rosegrant, Sarah A. Cline, Weibo Li, Timothy B. Sulser, and Rowena A. Valmonte-Santos. Washington DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) August 2005
Download the document [pdf format, 75 pages]

Published in time for the Millennium+5 Summit in New York City in September, where African policymakers and the international donor community will gather to discuss progress made in the Millennium Development Goals, this IFPRI report argues that at current trade policy and investment levels, Africa will not only fail to meet the Millennium Development Goal of cutting child malnutrition in half by 2015, but that child malnutrition will actually increase to 42 million children by 2025, with Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly countries in the Sahel region, being hit the hardest. The researchers used computer modelling to project future supply, demand and trade levels of 32 major food commodities in several regions in the developing world.

Limited access to markets and low investment in agriculture, coupled with poor governance and infrastructure contribute to low levels of agricultural production and subsequent effects on local food supply. If these current conditions persist or worsen, then the "pessimistic scenario" of increasing child malnutrition will prevail. However, improved policies and investment, under the "vision scenario" could turn this projection around and markedly decrease child malnutrition. The study also includes projections on water supply and demand.

The report lists several policy priorities that should be implemented to achieve the "vision scenario":

• reform of agricultural policies, trade, and tariffs;
• increased investment in rural infrastructure, education, and social capital;
• better management of crops, land, water, and inputs;
• increased agricultural research and extension; and
• greater investments in women."

 

AA05174
Gulbrandsen, Lars H. MARK OF SUSTAINABILITY? CHALLENGES FOR FISHERY AND FORESTRY ECOLABELING (Environment, Vol. 47, No. 5, June 2005, pp. 8-23)
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"Eco-labels" on food items and other materials were meant to increase consumers' choices and to motivate producers to adopt sustainable practices by rewarding them with a "certified" -- and potentially more lucrative -- brand. But has the use of such labels produced positive environmental impacts in farming, fishing, forestry, and other industries? The author, focusing on forestry and fishing, provides an historical overview of how eco-labeling developed and explores issues such as auditing, standards, supply-chain tracking and enforcement. He also describes the emergence of nongovernmental organizations as players in the certification structure. This extensively referenced article features comparison charts of international certification programs, case studies, and descriptions of international eco-certification laws.

 

MODERN FOOD BIOTECHNOLOGY, HUMAN HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT: AN EVIDENCE-BASEDS STUDY.
Food Safety Department, World Health Organization. JUNE 23, 2005
Download the document [pdf format, 84 pages]

This study was looking to place the overall contribution that modern food biotechnology can make to human health and development in context. It includes the application of modern food biotechnology to microorganisms, plants and animals. An integrated (holistic) approach was adopted to identify the key issues impacting directly or indirectly on human health and development, and establish the available evidence.

The main issues on which evidence was invited:

• Research and Development
• Impact on human health (food safety and environmental effects)
• Food security, cost and access to the technology
• Ethical, legal and social issues
• Capacity-building initiatives

 

AGRICULTURAL TRADE PREFERENCES AND THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.
John Wainio, Shahla Shapouri, Michael Trueblood, and Paul Gibson. USDA, Economic Research Report Number 6
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Nonreciprocal trade preference programs originated in the 1970s as an effort by high-income developed countries to provide tariff concessions for low-income countries. This study analyzes detailed trade and tariff data for the United States and the European Union (the two largest nonreciprocal preference donors) to determine the extent to which the programs have increased exports from beneficiary countries. The analysis finds that the programs offer significant benefits for some countries, mostly the higher income developing countries. Economic benefits in the least developed countries have been modest.

 

ASSESSMENT OF THE WORLD FOOD SECURITY SITUATIONS.
FAO. Committee on World Food Security, May 2005
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Armed conflicts are now the leading cause of world hunger with the effects of HIV/AIDS and climate change not far behind, according to an FAO report presented today at a meeting of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS).

 

RESISTANT BUGS AND ANTIBIOTIC DRUGS: STATE AND COUNTY ESTIMATES OF ANTIBIOTICS IN AGRICULTURAL FEED AND ANIMAL WASTE.
Karen Florini, Richard Denison, Terri Stiffler. Environmental Defense Fund, June 2005
Download the document [pdf format, 59 pages]

Massive quantities of antibiotics are added to the feed used in raising chickens, hogs and beef cattle. This trend helps spur the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that threaten human health. Environmental Defense's new report presents state and county estimates of antibiotics in feed and animal waste. Our estimates show that, in a few states, the amount of antibiotic feed additives given to animals raised for food is equal to the amount of antibiotics used nationwide for treating sick people. According to our estimates, nearly two-thirds of antibiotic feed-additive use occurs in just 10 states, while the nation's top-ranked county accounts for a greater quantity than the total amount used in 35 states. Antibiotics are also excreted in animal waste, contaminating the environment.

 

NATIONAL ANIMAL IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM (NAIS): DRAFT STRATEGIC PLAN 2005-2009
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Download the document [pdf format, 24 pages]

"Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today unveiled a thinking paper and timeline on the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) and called on agriculture producers, leaders, and industry partners to provide feedback.... Administered by USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the NAIS is a cooperative state-federal-industry program being created to track animal movements from birth to death for the purpose of disease tracking. It will be established over time through the integration of three key components: premises identification, animal identification and animal tracking."

 

USDA ISSUES TWO BIOTECHNOLOGY REPORTS, May 2005
Download Global Traceability [pdf format, 33 pages]

Download Preparing for the future [pdf format, 15 pages]

 

"U.S. Department of Agriculture issued two reports on agricultural biotechnology that cover the evolving world requirements for the traceability and labeling of agricultural biotechnology products and on the complexities of predicting the use of these products in the future. The reports, developed by USDA's Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture (AC21), are entitled (1) Global Traceability and Labeling Requirements for Agricultural Biotechnology-Derived Products: Impacts and Implications for the United States; and (2) Preparing for the Future."

 

EXEMPTING FOOD AND AGRICULTURE PRODUCTS FROM U.S. ECONOMIC SANCTIONS: STATUS AND IMPLEMENTATION.
Remy Jurenas. Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service. Updated February 25, 2005.
Download the document [pdf format, 19 pages]

The most significant policy change made by the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act (TSRA) of 2000 exempts commercial sales of agricultural and medical products to Cuba from the longstanding U.S. trade embargo on that country. At the same time, TSRA made permanent a prohibition on Cuba's access to U.S. private and other public financing to purchase exempted products. Although press coverage suggested that the debate was solely over a Cuba-specific measure, this act in fact codified an exemption for sales of agricultural and medical products in the conduct of U.S. sanctions policy with respect to five countries and the terms under which this exemption operates. In the 109th Congress, S. 328/H.R. 719 respond to an OFAC proposal to elaborate on the "payment of cash in advance" provision governing agricultural sales to Cuba.

The Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which administers the financial rules governing U.S. agricultural export sales to Cuba, on February 25, 2005, published a rule in the Federal Register to clarify the meaning of the term "payment of cash in advance." [Effective March 25, it requires that payment be received by the exporter or the seller's agent prior to the goods being shipped from the U.S. port. Prior to this change, payments were frequently made against the presentation of shipping documents in the Cuban port before title was transferred to the buyer.] The American Farm Bureau Federation has responded that this rule will disrupt and likely cut off U.S. farm product sales to Cuba. The USA Rice Federation stated this step will inhibit rice sales to the sixth largest market in volume in 2004, and along with the Farm Bureau, indicated its support for S. 328 to counter OFAC's action.

 

MAD COW DISEASE: FDA'S MANAGEMENT OF THE FEED BAN HAS IMPROVED, BUT OVERSIGHT WEAKNESSES CONTINUE TO LIMIT PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS.
United States Government Accountability Office (GAO). February 25, 2005; Web-posted March 15, 2005.
Download the document [pdf format, 79 pages]

More than 5 million cattle across Europe have been killed to stop the spread of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly called mad cow disease. Found in 26 countries, including Canada and the United States, BSE is believed to spread through animal feed that contains protein from BSE-infected animals. Consuming meat from infected cattle has also been linked to the deaths of about 150 people worldwide. In 1997, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a feed-ban rule prohibiting certain animal protein (prohibited material) in feed for cattle and other ruminant animals. FDA and 38 states inspect firms in the feed industry to enforce this critical firewall against BSE. In 2002, GAO reported a number of weaknesses in FDA's enforcement of the feed ban and recommended corrective actions. This report looks at FDA's efforts since 2002 to ensure industry compliance with the feed ban and protect U.S. cattle.

GAO makes the following recommendations:

• Develop uniform procedures for identifying additional firms subject to the feed ban.
• Require firms that process with prohibited material to notify FDA. If FDA believes it does not have the necessary statutory authority, it should seek that authority from Congress.
• Develop guidance for inspectors to systematically use tests to verify the safety of cattle feed and to confirm the adequacy of firms' procedures for ridding equipment and vehicles of prohibited material before they are used for processing or transporting cattle feed or feed ingredients.
• Collect feed test results from states that sample feed to help verify compliance with the feed ban.
• Develop a sample design for FDA's inspectors to use for sampling finished feed and feed ingredients that will allow FDA to more accurately generalize about compliance with the feed ban from the test results.
• Seek authority from Congress to require the cautionary statement on feed and feed ingredients that are intended for export and that contain prohibited material.
• Ensure that USDA and states are alerted when inspectors discover that feed or feed ingredients with prohibited material may have been fed to cattle.
• Modify the BSE inspection form to include questions inspectors can use to document whether firms that process or handle cattle feed or feed ingredients have procedures to ensure the cleanliness of vehicles they use to transport cattle feed and feed ingredients.
• Ensure that inspection results are reported in a complete and accurate context.

 

FOOD SAFETY: EXPERIENCES OF SEVEN COUNTRIES IN CONSOLIDATING THEIR FOOD SAFETY SYSTEMS.
United States Government Accountability Office (GAO). February 22, 2005.
Download the document [pdf format, 68 pages]

This report examines the food safety systems of Canada, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Although there are significant differences among these systems, they all have one aspect in common -- each established a single agency to lead food safety management or enforcement of food safety legislation.

These countries had two primary reasons for consolidating their food safety systems -- public concern about the safety of the food supply and the need to improve program effectiveness and efficiency. Countries faced challenges in:

• deciding whether to place the agency within the existing health or agriculture ministry or establish it as a stand-alone agency while also determining what responsibilities the new agency would have and
• helping employees adjust to the new agency's culture and support its priorities.

GAO describes the approaches and challenges these countries faced in consolidating food safety functions, including the benefits and costs cited by government officials and other stakeholders. In commenting on a draft of this report, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) said that the countries' consolidation experiences have limited applicability to the U.S. food safety system because the countries are much smaller than the United States. GAO, however, disagrees, pointing out that although the seven countries we reviewed are much smaller than the United States, they are also high-income countries where consumers have very high expectations for food safety. Consequently, GAO believe that the countries' experiences in consolidating food safety systems can offer useful information to U.S. policymakers.

 

THE STATE OF AGRICULTURE COMMODITY MARKET 2004.
United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)
Download the document [pdf format, 55 pages]

The goal is to raise awareness of the impact that developments on commodity markets have on the livelihoods and food security of hundreds of millions of people in the developing world, as well as on the economies of dozens of developing countries that depend on commodity exports for a substantial portion of their export earnings.

The report is divided into four main sections, supplemented by tables that provide basic data on current conditions and historical trends for commodity prices and terms of trade.

• The first section, Recent developments and long-term trends, considers trends and volatility in agricultural commodity prices and discusses current conditions and recent developments against this background.
• The second section focuses on Food import bills. It looks at the changing pattern of food imports as developing countries have shifted from being net exporters to net importers of food and other agricultural products. The section also examines the impact of international food price movements on the food import bills of developing countries in general and the least developed countries in particular.
• The third section, Agricultural export earnings, looks at the continuing importance of agricultural exports for the economies of many developing countries. This section examines the implications of declining commodity prices and price volatility for commodity-dependent countries and investigates how tariffs and subsidies have impeded growth in agricultural exports from developing countries.
• The fourth and final section explores Changing patterns of agricultural trade, with particular attention to their implications for commodity-dependent farmers and countries in the developing world. Issues addressed in this section include the shift in trade from primary to processed agricultural products, the growing importance and potential for commodity trade and regional trade agreements among developing countries, and the impact of increasing market concentration as agricultural commodity chains are increasingly dominated by a few transnational trading, processing and distribution companies.

 

Cummings, Claire Hope. TRESPASS: GENETIC ENGINEERING AS THE FINAL CONQUEST (World Watch, vol. 18, no.1, Jan/Feb 2005. pp. 24-35)
View article on ProQuest (password required)

Agricultural biotechnology — the "new biology" — is pushing a little-publicized agenda that brings unprecedented new risks to ecological stability and human security. Cummings focuses on the effects of genetically modified organisms (GMO) on biodiversity; the involvement of the University of California at Berkeley in the development of genetic engineering; and the effect of GMO on farmers. She also provides a list of agrochemical seed companies.

 

FOOD SAFETY AND AGRICULTURAL HEALTH STANDARDS: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEVELOPING COUNTRY EXPORTS.
World Bank. Web-posted January 25, 2005.
Download the document [pdf format, 166 pages]

According to this report, developing countries faced with rising sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards in their export markets can improve their market access by adopting a proactive approach to food safety, agricultural health and trade. At the same time, according to the authors, high-income countries should reorient assistance flows to such countries to help them build the capacity to effectively manage food safety and agricultural health safety risks.

SPS standards have been used by some countries as barriers to trade, but developing countries should see them as potential catalysts for modernizing their export supply and regulatory systems and adopting safer and more sustainable production and processing systems, a senior World Bank official said on Wednesday. "Food safety and agricultural health risk management should be considered as a core competence in the competitiveness of developing countries," the report says. "For those countries and suppliers who are well prepared, rising standards represent an opportunity; for those who are poorly prepared, they pose safety and market access risks."

The report incorporates case studies of high-value food products like fish and shrimp, fruits and vegetables, animals and animal products, and nuts and spices that have posed SPS compliance challenges for a significant number of developing countries. High-value food products now account for 50 percent of the total value of food exports of developing countries, up from 31 percent in 1980-1981.

 

BLOOD, SWEAT, AND FEAR: WORKERS' RIGHTS IN U.S. MEAT AND POULTRY PLANTS
Human Rights Watch, January 25. 2005
Download the document [185 pages in pdf format]

The report shows how the increasing volume and speed of production coupled with close quarters, poor training and insufficient safeguards have made meat and poultry work so hazardous. On each work shift, workers make up to 30,000 hard-cutting motions with sharp knives, causing massive repetitive motion injuries and frequent lacerations. Workers often do not receive compensation for workplace injuries because companies fail to report injuries, delay and deny claims, and take reprisals against workers who file them.

 

Les Christianson ANIMAL IDS IN THE FUTURE? (Resource. St. Joseph: Jan/Feb 2005.Vol.12, Iss. 1; pg. 11, 2 pgs)
View article on ProQuest (password required)

Although Les Christianson says that animal identification is not new, he recaps its short history and expounds on the current renewed interest initiated by the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in the UK. Underlying ID issues as well as present and new technologies are explored and examined.

 

THE STATE OF FOOD INSECURITY IN THE WORLD 2004 [SOFI 2004].
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). December 8, 2004.

Note: Contains copyrighted material.

Download the document [pdf format, 43 pages]

 

According to this latest annual report hunger and malnutrition cause tremendous human suffering, kill more than five million children every year, and cost developing countries billions of dollars in lost productivity and national income. Although efforts to reduce chronic hunger in developing countries are not currently on track to meet the World Food Summit and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of cutting by half the number of hungry people in the world by 2015, SOFI 2004 says that the goal can still be attained. The report says that without the direct costs of dealing with the damage caused by hunger, more funds would be available to combat other social problems: "A very rough estimate suggests that these direct costs add up to around $30 billion per year - over five times the amount committed so far to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria."

In addition, there are the indirect costs of lost productivity and income. For example, the report says that tolerating the current levels of child malnutrition will result in productivity and income losses over their lifetimes of between $500 billion to $1 trillion at present value. Authors of the report note that the resources needed to deal with the problem of hunger are small in comparison to the potential benefits. Every dollar invested in reducing hunger can yield from five, to over 20 times as much in benefits.

This year's SOFI also contains a special feature on globalization, urbanization and changing food systems in developing countries. The feature looks at the effects of rapid urbanization and globalization on food systems. It focuses on the spread of large retail chains, such as supermarkets and hypermarkets, in developing countries and examines the impact they are having on small farmers. FAO says this new commercial phenomenon poses serious challenges for policy-makers in developing countries who are trying to develop rural areas and improve the livelihoods of small-scale farmers. FAO recommends developing policies and programs that will help small farmers seize opportunities offered the new dynamic markets.

 

EXEMPTING FOOD AND AGRICULTURE PRODUCTS FROM U.S. ECONOMIC SANCTIONS: STATUS AND IMPLEMENTATION. [IB10061]
Remy Jurenas.
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service. Updated September 16, 2004.
Download the document [pdf format, 19 pages]

The Clinton Administration on April 28, 1999, announced it would lift prohibitions on U.S. commercial sales of most agricultural commodities and food products to three countries - Iran, Libya, and Sudan. Moreover, it indicated that it would not include these products in announcing future sanctions on other countries. The Administration's decision reflected its view that food should not be used as a foreign policy tool and officials' acknowledgment that U.S. sanctions policy had hurt the U.S. farm economy. The Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 (Title IX of H.R. 5426, as enacted by P.L. 106-387 on October 28, 2000; referred to below as TSRA) codified the lifting of U.S. sanctions on commercial sales of food, agricultural commodities, and medical products to Iran, Libya, North Korea, and Sudan, and extended this policy to apply to Cuba. Such sales are subject to export licensing procedures laid out in regulations. In a significant policy move, this act also gives Congress veto power over a President's proposal to impose a unilateral agricultural or medical sanction in the future.

Codifying the food and medical sales exemption for Cuba generated controversy and delayed passage of the FY2001 agriculture spending bill. Exemption proponents argued that prohibiting sales to Cuba harmed the U.S. agricultural sector, and that opening up limited trade would be one way to pursue a "constructive engagement" policy. Opponents countered that an exemption would undercut a U.S. policy designed to pressure the Castro government to make political and economic reforms. Though top Cuban officials initially stated that no purchases would be made with TSRA's conditions in place, food stock losses caused by a hurricane and an apparent shift in Cuban strategy have led to $667 million in cash purchases by Cuba of U.S. farm commodities and food products from December 2001 through July 2004.

Language in the FY2005 agriculture appropriations bill (Section 776 of S. 2803 would require the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to give "general licenses" for U.S. exporters and others seeking to travel there on eligible business. Current policy requires them to apply for a "specific license" for each prospective trip. Amendment supporters argue that the Bush Administration has used the rules to delay or refuse to issue travel licenses to those seeking to make farm sales in Cuba. Seeking to head off a possible similar initiative in the House in June when its agriculture appropriations bill was considered, the Administration stated that the bill would be vetoed if this provision was included. Administration officials argue the current licensing process "helps to ensure that travel to Cuba serves appropriate purposes and that sales to Cuba are done within the boundaries of the law."

 

AA04332
Raloff, Janet THE ULTIMATE CROP INSURANCE (Science News, Vol. 166, No. 11, September 11, 2004, pp. 170+)
View article on publisher's website

The new International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, which went into effect on June 29, is the culmination of many years of efforts to support seed repositories, or gene banks -- storehouses of seeds for traditional varieties of agricultural crops from around the world that mankind has cultivated over the millennia. National gene banks, which keep stocks of each other's material, constituted an informal international system, ensuring that plant genetic diversity survived natural disasters that wipe out crops, or destruction during wartime. The new treaty will break down obstacles to gene banking and breeding, and its supporters believe that it will bolster the worldwide gene-banking system and attract more funding to improve the storage conditions at gene banks in developing countries. Signatories to the treaty are still discussing issues related to ownership of and royalties for the use of national gene stocks. The author notes that the new treaty is a major step forward in preserving traditional plant varieties, as biological diversity wanes throughout the world, and native plants are increasingly being crowded out by uniform, high-yielding hybrids preferred by agribusiness.

 

AA04330
Kaplan, J. Kim ARS LEADS IN ASSESSING RISK IN TRANSGENICS (Agricultural Research, Vol. 52, No. 9, September 2004, pp. 4-9)
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is a world leader in biotechnology risk assessment research, Kaplan states. Risk must continue to be clearly and openly assessed if genetic engineering of living organisms is to gain in public acceptance, she said. "The public is entitled to know that we have considered the risks in whatever we are engineering," says an ARS scientist. ARS is developing new risk assessment models, and finding ways to limit the spread of transgenes, to transfer only desired genes, and to prevent new allergens from being created. The U.S. agency acts as an objective voice. In the 1999 case of a suggestion published in the journal Nature that biotech maize threatened monarch butterflies, ARS was able to quickly coordinate groups with widely different views to develop verifiable and scientifically sound data. ARS compared the potential risk toxicity of biotech maize on butterflies to that of conventional varieties requiring insecticides. The chemically treated maize was much more harmful, it concluded. "We strive to have solid information about what happens with transgenic organisms in the real-world environment, not just in the lab or under controlled conditions," says another ARS scientist. The article includes a "genetic engineering timeline" that starts in 8,000 B.C., when humans began selecting desired traits to domesticate crops and livestock.

 

AGROTERRORISM: THREATS AND PREPAREDNESS. [RL32521]
Jim Monke
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service. August 13, 2004.
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Agroterrorism is a subset of bioterrorism, and is defined as the deliberate introduction of an animal or plant disease with the goal of generating fear, causing economic losses, and/or undermining stability. Attacks against agriculture are not new, and have been conducted or considered by both nation-states and substate organizations throughout history. Agriculture and food production generally have received less attention in counter-terrorism and homeland security efforts. But more recently, agriculture has attracted more attention in the expanding field of terrorism studies. Laboratory and response systems are being upgraded to address the reality of agroterrorism.

The results of an agroterrorist attack may include major economic crises in the agricultural and food industries, loss of confidence in government, and possibly human casualties. Humans could be at risk in terms of food safety or public health, especially if the chosen disease is transmissible to humans (zoonotic). Public opinion may be particularly sensitive to a deliberate outbreak of disease affecting the food supply. Public confidence in government could be eroded if authorities appear unable to prevent such an attack or to protect the population's food supply.

Agriculture has several characteristics that pose unique problems for managing the threat. Agricultural production is geographically disbursed in unsecured environments. Livestock are frequently concentrated in confined locations, and then transported and commingled with other herds. Pest and disease outbreaks can quickly halt economically important exports. Many veterinarians lack experience with foreign animal diseases that are resilient and endemic in foreign countries.

Two bills addressing agroterrorism preparedness have been introduced in the 108th Congress, S. 427 (the Agriculture Security Assistance Act) and S. 430 (the Agriculture Security Preparedness Act).

 

AA04302
Mann, Charles C. THE BLUEWATER REVOLUTION (Wired, vol. 12, no. 5, May 2004)
View article on publisher's web site

Fish stocks in the world's oceans are becoming depleted, notes the author; meanwhile, worldwide demand for fish is growing, and could increase by 50 percent in the next fifteen years. Aquaculture is the logical solution, but traditional aquaculture -- in inland lakes and waterways -- will not provide the quantities of fish needed to satisfy mankind. Open-ocean aquaculture promises to revolutionize the raising of fish, and might even save the oceans, notes Mann. Open-ocean aquaculture involves huge motorized pens, large enough to contain tens of thousands of fish, which would feed on nutrients found in the open seas. The pens would follow the ocean currents for months, and are programmed to arrive at a certain port, and contain fully-grown fish when they arrive. The pens would float at sixty feet or more below the ocean's surface, unaffected by storms or waves above. Mann writes that the pens are designed to prevent intrusion by predators, and prevent interbreeding between domesticated aquaculture fish contained in the pens with those outside. Not only would this method avoid the pollution and overcrowding of traditional aquaculture operations, it could also prevent the extinction of many edible fish species in the future.

 

THE FUTURE OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS: LESSONS FROM THE GREEN REVOLUTION.
Felicia Wu and William Butz.
RAND. August 17, 2004.
Download the document [pdf format, 116 pages]

The world is now on the cusp of a new agricultural revolution, the so-called Gene Revolution, in which genetically modified (GM) crops are tailored to address chronic agricultural problems in certain regions of the world. In this document the authors compare the Green Revolution of the 20th century with the GM crop movement to assess the agricultural, technological, sociological, and political differences between the two movements.

The similarities and differences between the Green and Gene Revolutions lead Wu and Butz to posit that for the GM crop movement to have the sort of impact that would constitute an agricultural revolution, the following goals still need to be met and the related challenges overcome:

1. Agricultural biotechnology must be tailored toward, and made affordable to, developing-world farmers.
2. There is a need for larger investments in research in the public sector.
3. To garner the level of public interest that can sustain an agricultural revolution, agricultural development must once again be regarded as being critically important from a policy perspective in both donor and recipient nations.
4. Policymakers in the developing world must set regulatory standards that take into consideration the risks as well as the benefits of foods derived from GM crops.

Note: Contains copyrighted material.

 

ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE IN U.S. AGRICULTURAL POLICY: PAST PERFORMANCE AND FUTURE POTENTIAL. [Agricultural Economic Report No. (AER832)]
Roger Claassen, Vince Breneman, Shawn Bucholtz, Andrea Cattaneo, Robert Johansson and Mitch Morehart.
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Economic Research Service (ERS). June 2004.
Download the document [pdf format, 52 pages]

Since 1985, U.S. agricultural producers have been required to practice soil conservation on highly erodible cropland and conserve wetlands as a condition of farm program eligibility. This report discusses the general characteristics of compliance incentives, evaluates their effectiveness in reducing erosion in the program's current form, and explores the potential for expanding the compliance approach to address nutrient runoff from crop production. While soil erosion has, in fact, been reduced on land subject to Conservation Compliance, erosion is also down on land not subject to Conservation Compliance, indicating the influence of other factors.

Analysis to isolate the influence of Conservation Compliance incentives from other factors suggests that about 25 percent of the decline in soil erosion between 1982 and 1997 can be attributed to Conservation Compliance. This report also finds that compliance incentives have likely deterred conversion of non-cropped highly erodible land and wetland to cropland, and that a compliance approach could be used effectively to address nutrient runoff from crop production.

 

POVERTY REDUCTION AND AGRICULTURAL TRADE IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR USAID INTERVENTIONS.
Discussion Paper. May 2004. Submitted by Nathan Associates, Inc. US Agency for International Development
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This research suggests that agricultural sector growth in sub-Saharan Africa is capable of making a significant contribution to the economic growth of the region as well as improving the livelihoods rural communities. African agriculture, typified by small scale farming, possesses the physical, human and technological resources necessary for generating this growth. The implementation of intervention strategies to achieve growth, including improvement of production and marketing, reducing regional tariff barriers, compliance with international standards and developing coherent trade policies, are discussed.

 

STANDARDS AND AGRO-FOOD EXPORTS FROM DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: REBALANCING THE DEBATE.
Steven Jaffee and Spencer Henson.
World Bank. June 25, 2004.
Download the document [pdf format, 44 pages]

The proliferation and increased stringency of food safety and agricultural health standards is a source of concern among many developing countries. These standards are perceived as a barrier to the continued success of their exports of high-value agro-food products (including fish, horticultural, and other products), either because these countries lack the technical and administrative capacities needed for compliance or because these standards can be applied in a discriminatory or protectionist manner. This paper draws on available literature and work in progress to examine the underlying evidence related to the changing standards environment and its impact on existing and potential developing country exporters of high-value agricultural and food products.

The evidence presented in this paper, although only partial, suggests that the picture for developing countries as a whole is not necessarily problematic and certainly is less pessimistic than the mainstream 'standards-as-barriers' perspective. Indeed, rising standards serve to accentuate underlying supply chain strengths and weaknesses and thus impact differently on the competitive position of individual countries and distinct market participants. Some countries and/or industries are even using high quality and safety standards to successfully (re-)position themselves in competitive global markets. This emphasizes the importance of considering the impacts of food safety and agricultural health measures within the context of wider capacity constraints and underlying supply chain trends and drivers. The key question for developing countries is how to exploit their strengths and overcome their weaknesses such that they are gainers rather than losers in the emerging commercial and regulatory context.

 

THE STATE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE 2003-04.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). May 17, 2004.
Table of Contents

Agriculture will have to sustain an additional 2 billion people over the next 30 years from an increasingly fragile natural resource base. The challenge is to develop technologies that combine several objectives - increase yields and reduce costs, protect the environment, address consumer concerns for food safety and quality, enhance rural livelihoods and food security, according to the FAO. More than 70 percent of the world's poor still live in rural areas and depend on agriculture for their survival. Agricultural research - including biotechnology - holds an important key to meeting their needs, according to this report.

According to the report's authors, biotechnology should complement - not replace - conventional agricultural technologies, FAO said. Biotechnology can speed up conventional breeding programs and may offer solutions where conventional methods fail. It can provide farmers with disease-free planting materials and develop crops that resist pests and diseases, reducing use of chemicals that harm the environment and human health. It can provide diagnostic tools and vaccines that help control devastating animal diseases. It can improve the nutritional quality of staple foods such as rice and cassava and create new products for health and industrial uses.

FAO recommends a case-by-case evaluation that considers the potential benefits and risks of individual transgenic crops. The report says that, while some benefits have been observed, adverse environmental effects have not been detected in commercial production. Continued monitoring is needed, FAO stressed. The report stresses the need for science-based biosafety assessments.

Note: Contains copyrighted material.

 

GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD IN THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN FOOD CRISIS OF 2002-2003.
Steven Hansch, Andrew Schoenholtz, Alisa Beyninson, Justin Brown, and Don Krumm. Georgetown University, School of Foreign Service. Institute for the Study of International Migration. March 2004.
Download the document [pdf format, 45 pages]

Concern about the health and agricultural effects of genetically modified (GM) food has been growing worldwide. As a trade issue, the stakes are very high, as evidenced by the May 2003 case brought before the World Trade Organization (WTO) by the United States and other countries against the European Union (EU). This issue has had an important impact on the delivery of food aid in the Southern Africa crisis of 2002 and 2003. This report discusses how and why GM food affected this humanitarian crisis.

But the major constraint to the ambitious 2002 food relief plan turned out to be recipient government policies on acceptance of GM food aid. A high percentage of the food aid, particularly maize, that had been received or purchased by the World Food Programme (WFP) appeared to have had GM content. And early on, concerned about the possibility of famine in the region, the United States put ships filled with relief maize on the high seas even before the official appeals went out; much of this maize had GM content. The governments of the affected nations did not have GM food policies in place. Despite the fact that GM foods had been circulating noticeably for years in the region, in August 2002 the GM issue started receiving intense attention by the region's governments. Governments suddenly decided they would not permit the relief maize into their countries, even though North American yellow maize has been the dominant form of emergency food aid for distribution throughout Africa for decades.

After presenting the historical background to this specific crisis, the authors discuss the implications of the political debates over GM foods and how humanitarian agencies might best prepare for food emergencies.

 

TRANSBOUNDARY ANIMAL DISEASES: ASSESSMENT OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACTS AND INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSES.
M. J. Otte, R. Nugent and A. McLeod.
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). February 2004.
Download the document [pdf format, 46 pages]

Increased movements of people and goods have facilitated the spreading of many transboundary animal diseases, while a number of new forms of diseases have appeared - the emergence and spreading of BSE in Europe and SARS in East Asia being notable examples. These developments strengthen the case for collective action at the regional and international level. According to this FAO report, some of the challenges are the following:

• Improve the economic evaluation of the costs of transboundary animal diseases and of various control efforts. This will help in choosing technically effective and cost-effective solutions and in devising appropriate mechanisms for cost-sharing and funding of preventive and remedial action. In many instances, new ways of managing the economic impacts (e.g. through insurance schemes) may be more cost effective than controlling the transboundary animal disease directly.
• Strengthen international and regional co-operation; the public good nature of prevention and control of transboundary animal diseases calls for collectively agreed, funded and managed responses.
• Enhance the capacity of developing countries both for national action and for participation in collective efforts; not all countries can by themselves face the cost of prevention and reaction to transboundary animal diseases. In particular, a clear need exists to help developing countries meet the requirements of the SPS Agreement of WTO in order to fully participate in the international trading system. Particular attention to their needs in terms of assistance is required.

 

HITTING AMERICA'S SOFT UNDERBELLY: THE POTENTIAL THREAT OF DELIBERATE BIOLOGICAL ATTACKS AGAINST THE U.S. AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD INDUSTRY.
Peter Chalk.
RAND. January 9, 2004.
Download the document [pdf format, 65 pages]

Over the past decade, the United States has endeavored to increase its ability to detect, prevent, and respond to terrorist threats and incidents. The agriculture sector and the food industry in general, however, have received comparatively little attention with respect to protection against terrorist incidents. This study aims to expand the current debate on domestic homeland security by assessing the vulnerabilities of the agricultural sector and the food chain to a deliberate act of biological terrorism and exploring the likely outcomes of a successful attack.

 

BOVINE SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHY (BSE).
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Updated December 24, 2003.
Gateway page [individual pages in html format, various pagings]

This APHIS site is a gateway for new reports and updated fact sheets on the BSE episode in the state of Washington. It includes updates on actions by trading partners with regard to the importation of U.S. beef.

Note: Also see the APHIS Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) Response Plan Summary at: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/issues/bse/bsesum.pdf

 

Note: for current and historical data on the U.S. beef industry, see the regularly updated page from USDA's Economic Research Service at: http://www.ers.usda.gov/news/BSECoverage.htm

 

THE STATE OF FOOD INSECURITY IN THE WORLD 2003.
United Nations, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). November 25, 2003.
Download the document [pdf format, 40 pages]

According to the report, preliminary analysis suggests that countries with significantly higher economic and agricultural growth had the most success in reducing hunger. Other factors that contributed to success include lower population growth and higher levels of economic and social development. Those countries with a high prevalence of chronically hungry people are also afflicted by frequent food emergencies and high rates of HIV/AIDS.

Worldwide, FAO estimates that 842 million people were undernourished in 1999-2001, the most recent years for which figures are available. This includes 10 million in industrialized countries, 34 million in countries in transition and 798 million in developing countries.

Regionally, only Latin America and the Caribbean had a decline in the number of hungry since the mid-1990s.

Only 19 countries, including China, succeeded in reducing the number of undernourished throughout the 1990s, says the report. "In these successful countries, the total number of hungry people fell by over 80 million."

 

AGRICULTURAL WATER USE AND RIVER BASIN CONSERVATION.
WWF. Web-posted October 15, 2003.
Download the document [pdf format, 40 pages]

This report summarizes a study carried out by WWF on the major irrigated crops and their respective water consumption in nine river basins (Niger River Basin and Lake Chad Basin; Zambezi River Basin; Indus River Basin; Mekong River Basin; Yangtze River Basin; Murray-Darling Basin; Great Konya Basin; Rio Grande Basin). The main aim of the study was to support WWF Living Waters Programme by identifying a limited number of global agricultural commodities that have probable impacts on priority freshwater ecosystems through their overall use of fresh water.

The study also recommends a series of measures for the four thirstiest crops—cotton, sugar, rice, and whea—that could be adopted by farmers and irrigation system managers to increase water efficiency while maintaining agricultural output.

Note: Contains copyrighted material.

 

OUTLOOK FOR FISH TO 2020: MEETING GLOBAL DEMAND.
Christopher L. Delgado, Nikolas Wada, Mark W. Rosegrant, Siet Meijer, Mahfuzuddin Ahmed.
International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). October 2, 2003.
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Using a global model of supply and demand for food and feed commodities, this report projects the likely changes in the fisheries sector over the next two decades given present trends. As prices for most food commodities fall, fish prices are expected to rise, reflecting demand for fish that outpaces the ability of the world to supply it. Alternative scenarios using different assumptions are also investigated.

The model shows that developing countries will consume and produce a much greater share of the world’s fish in the future, and trade in fish commodities will also increase. As aquaculture expands, especially in developing countries, environmental concerns such as effluent pollution, escaped farmed fish, land conversion, and pressure on stocks from fishmeal demand will only increase with time unless technologies and policies promote sustainable intensification. And small, poor producers are at risk of being excluded from rapidly growing export markets unless ways can be found to facilitate affordable certification of food safety and environmentally sound production.

Note: Contains copyrighted material.

 

COUNTRY-OF-ORIGIN LABELING: OPPORTUNITIES FOR USDA [U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE] AND INDUSTRY TO IMPLEMENT CHALLENGING ASPECTS OF THE NEW LAW. [GAO-03-780]
United States General Accounting Office. August 2003, Web-posted September 10, 2003.
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A provision in the 2002 Farm Bill requires grocery stores to identify certain commodities—beef, pork and lamb, fish and shellfish, fruits and vegetables, and peanuts—by country of origin. This provision also requires that an initial voluntary program be followed by a mandatory program by September 30, 2004. GAO was asked to identify existing programs that might be useful to USDA in crafting the new program, to update a 1998 USDA survey of major U.S. trading partners’ country-of-origin labeling practices, and to assess the reasonableness of the assumptions and methodology USDA used for estimating first year record-keeping costs.

Several existing programs may be useful to USDA as models in implementing the new country-of-origin labeling law, including USDA’s school meals programs and the Department of Defense’s Subsistence Prime Vendor Program, which rely on contract certifications and compliance visits to verify origin. Florida’s experience with its labeling program may be useful in providing marking options and for using a state’s existing enforcement infrastructure to help administer the new law. Within industry, the fee-for-service meat grading programs and origin-identity programs, such as Vidalia® onions, use affidavits from growers/producers to verify origin. However, as models, these programs have limitations because none was designed to address features of the new law that will present implementation challenges to USDA and industry, including how the law defines “domestic” meat and fish. The meat industry’s practice of not routinely maintaining origin identity for imported meat presents a further challenge.

Most of the USDA attachés for 57 U.S. trading partners that GAO surveyed reported that their host countries require country-of-origin labeling for one or more of the commodities covered by the new law. Most countries with programs conduct routine inspections and impose fines for labeling violations. Additionally, practices also varied among the nation’s larger trading partners—Canada, Mexico, and Japan. Their own practices notwithstanding, some trading partners view new U.S. identity requirements as possible trade barriers. [Survey results stratified by food product and by country are included in a special publication entitled Country-of-Origin Labeling for Certain Foods—Survey Results (GAO-03-781SP), which is available on the Internet at http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?gao-03-781SP

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BENEFITS BEYOND BOUNDARIES: THE FISHERY EFFECTS OF MARINE RESERVES.
Fiona R. Gell and Callum M. Roberts.
WWF. Web–posted August 28, 2003.
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Marine reserves are areas of the sea where fishing is not allowed. They provide refuges where populations of exploited species can recover and habitats modified by fishing can regenerate. In some places, closed areas have been used for fisheries management for centuries and, until recently, natural refuges also existed, inaccessible through depth, distance or adverse conditions. Developments in technology have left few areas of fishing interest beyond our reach. Recently, the idea of marine reserves as fisheries management tools has re–emerged with developing interest in ecosystem–based management, and observations of incidental fisheries benefits from reserves established for conservation. The authors argue that, by integrating large–scale networks of marine reserves into fishery management, we could reverse global fishery declines and provide urgently needed protection for marine species and their habitats.

 

AA04060
Miller, John J.
THE ORGANIC MYTH (National Review, Vol. 56, No. 2, February 9, 2004, pp. 35-37)
View article on ProQuest (password required)

Miller, national political reporter for National Review, says the organic food movement's whole market rationale depends on the belief that organic foods are somehow healthier for both consumers and Mother Nature. He notes that organic food products may be fresh, but they are also fresh from the manure fields and have often been sprayed with "natural" pesticides that are actually less safe than today's chemical pesticides, which are designed to break down into harmless compounds long before they reach our tables. He argues that organic farming is not sustainable and is more wasteful, yielding only about half as much produce per acre as conventional farming. Growing more food per acre leaves more land for unspoiled nature, and it is the only way the world's growing population can be fed, he states. Miller also points out that the organic industry does not consist of small, independent farmers -- it has become big business and the profit margins for organic products are larger than they are for their nonorganic counterparts.

 

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Pollan, Michael THE (AGRI)CULTURAL CONTRADICTIONS OF OBESITY (New York Times Magazine, October 12, 2003, pp. 41//48)

The author writes that the current obesity epidemic is not the first time the U.S. has faced a national public-health crisis -- in the early nineteenth century, alcoholism was a major problem. Then, as now, the underlying cause was that American farmers were producing way too much grain, flooding the market and causing prices to collapse -- a "surfeit of cheap calories that clever marketers sooner or later will figure out a way to induce us to consume." The agricultural price supports, enacted by the government during the 1930s to stabilize the grain markets, were dismantled in the 1970s by Earl Butz, President Nixon's agriculture secretary, in response to high food prices at the time, and replaced with direct subsidies to farmers. The new system of subsidized low prices has favored economies of scale, enabling big agribusiness firms to produce huge quantities of grain, which gets dumped overseas, causing devastation for farmers in the developing world, and turned into the ballooning variety of highly-processed snack foods at home. Pollan concludes, "unless we somehow deal with the mountain of cheap grain ... the calories are guaranteed to keep coming."

 

AA03277
A NEW WAY TO FEED THE WORLD (Economist, Vol. 368, No. 8336, August 9-15, 2003, p. 10)

Worldwide consumption of fish has almost doubled within the past half century; aquaculture—fish farming—has the potential to meet most of the worldwide demand for fish. New technologies and newly domesticated breeds of fish offer considerable promise for sustainable aquaculture. Although some critics portray fish farming as an environmental and health hazard, others note that agriculture contributes to environmental pollution as well. The article points out that aquaculture's challenge will be to increase productivity while minimizing environmental damage. It suggests that fish farming needs an internationally recognized certification scheme, similar to the dolphin-friendly tuna model, to help ensure sustainability, as aquaculture develops to meet the growing demand for fish.

 

AA03212
Evenson, R. E.; Gollin, D. ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF THE GREEN REVOLUTION, 1960 TO 2000 (Science, Vol. 300, No. 5620, May 2, 2003, pp. 758-762)

Evenson and Gollin summarize a study by the Special Project of Impact Assessment (SPIA) of the Consultative Group for Agricultural Research's Technical Advisory Committee, which analyzed the impact on the developing world of the increased productivity that resulted from genetic research for eleven major food crops. The authors say the development of modern high-yielding crop varieties (MVs) began in the 1950s; by the mid-1960s, successful launches of MV rice and wheat in Asia and Latin America became known as the "Green Revolution". The authors explain that differences in research funding and agricultural ecological zones resulted in uneven development of MVs and regional disparities in productivity. This left some poor farmers in the regions that trailed behind in the "Green Revolution" worse off than before, as global prices dropped in response to the increased productivity of major crops. Prospects for future green revolutions in the poor regions yet to benefit from MVs are threatened by budget cuts in publicly funded International and National Agricultural Research Centers. The authors say reliance on private-sector agricultural research in most of the developing world is not likely to generate significant improvements on production or social welfare. Evenson is in the Department of Economics at Yale University and Gollin is in the Department of Economics at Williams College.