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Shining Light on Farm & Food Policy for 20 Years.
Thursday, April 25, 2024
This week’s guest on Open Mic features Kendal Frazier, CEO of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. In this informative interview, Frazier responds to the challenges presented by the EPA’s WOTUS rules and how new ozone standards can be a detriment to land management. On trade, Frazier says the TPP agreement must be ratified by Congress to maintain markets and gain access to the globe’s growing middle class. Frazier shares thoughts on a voluntary COOL proposal, the need for congressional action on endangered species laws and the ongoing effort with the CME group to address market volatility.
Jeff Nalley
Kendal Frazier, CEO of National Cattlemen's Beef Assoc.
This week’s guest on Open Mic is Paul Johnson,
co-chair of the U.S. Ag Coalition for Cuba.
President Obama’s historical trip to Havana last week was another step
in the administration’s effort to normalize relations between the U.S. and our
closest Communist neighbor to the south.
In this interview, Johnson says Cuban policy is no longer “somebody
else’s issue.” Johnson believes Cuban trade policy has implications throughout Latin America and says Secretary Vilsack has changed the game toward better
relations between the two countries and in establishing new market
opportunities between the two sides.
This week’s guest on Open Mic is U.S. Senator John Thune. In this interview, the South Dakota Republican shares his frustration with the chamber’s failure to craft a national voluntary labeling bill for foods that contain ingredients from genetically enhanced crops. Senator Thune points attention to the role the minority must play in bringing the issue to a successful conclusion. Thune also addresses President Obama’s plan to cut crop insurance funding and questions the administration’s commitment to seeing congressional approval of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal. While Senator Thune supports additional trade with Cuba, he has reservations about the steps President Obama has taken to normalize trading between the two countries.
This week’s guest on Open Mic is Rod Snyder, President of Field to Market. With nearly 100 members and growth in active projects, sourcing programs and participating acres, the alliance for sustainable agriculture is answering consumer calls for transparency in food production. In this interview, Snyder discusses how the food production industry is placing greater emphasis on sustainability and responds to calls for federal standards to define sustainable agriculture.
This week’s guest on Open Mic is John Bode, CEO and President of the Corn Refiners Association, who talks about the chaos, confusion and higher food costs that could result if Vermont’s GMO labeling law goes into effect July 1. Senate Agriculture leaders are wrestling with a path forward to preempt the law with a new federal labeling standard. In this timely interview, Bode offers results of a study measuring the per household cost of state mandated labels. Bode offers the Corn Refiners view of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement and suggests needed change in how the federal government develops federal nutrition policy.
This week’s guest on Open Mic is U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp, who shares make or break provisions of the GMO labeling bill scheduled for consideration this week. The North Dakota Democrat sees the food labeling debate as another opportunity to consider a voluntary Country-of-Origin Labeling program for meat. She also talks about currency manipulation and expanded trade opportunities for farmers and ranchers. Heitkamp favors expanded trade with Cuba and has introduced legislation to allow private financing for commodities. She’s concerned about attacks to current farm programs and has begun policy discussions on the next farm bill, with a focus on research and rural development.
