Providing for Congressional Disapproval of the Rule Submitted by the Department of Agriculture

PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL OF THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE RELATING TO RISK ZONES FOR INTRODUCTION OF BOVINE SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHY -- (Senate - March 03, 2005)

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. THUNE. I thank the Senator from North Dakota for yielding the time.

I join today with him and others in the Senate in support of this resolution. I hoped it would not come to this, that we could achieve a result, an outcome short of having to have this debate in the Senate. However, I have to say I wholeheartedly agree with the premise of this resolution; that is, that the rule in question is wrong. It is wrong timing.

Agriculture is the No. 1 industry in South Dakota. The cattle industry, the livestock industry, is the biggest component of that. This industry has an enormous impact on the economy, the gross domestic product in my State. In fact, as noted earlier today by another speaker, we have probably five or six times the number of cattle than we have people in South Dakota.

Growing up on the Plains of western South Dakota, I have witnessed firsthand the incredible work ethic of our livestock producers, the willingness to go out during calving season and fight the elements and conditions, and to work to nurture the herds and bring them to the marketplace, to go through the weather we have to deal with in South Dakota on an ongoing yearly basis, and to haul water and to haul feed to those herds, to get them to where they can take them to the marketplace.

As a member of the House Ag Committee when we were debating the 2002 farm bill, I advocated and fought on behalf of country-of-origin labeling because I believe it is important that American consumers know where their products are coming from. It was included in the 2002 farm bill.

More recently, in the last year or so, this body and the House adopted legislation that would delay the implementation of country-of-origin labeling, which is unfortunate because I think it would alter and change the dimensions of the debate we are having here today.

So I come here today to speak in support of this resolution, and I do so knowing full well that as a three-term Member of the House, I come here with a record supporting free trade. I supported trade promotion authority for both President Clinton and President Bush because I believe our leaders in this country need to have the authority to go out there and make the best possible deals for our agricultural industry and other industries in our country, always reserving the right to vote against those trade agreements if I do not believe they are in the best interests of American agriculture.

I do not harbor any ill will toward Canada. Canada has been an important trading partner in the past and will continue to be in the future. I am hopeful that when this is all said and done we will be able to restore that relationship. But, frankly, this issue is not about protectionism. It is about safety. It is about science. It is about making sure that America's consumers have a safe supply of beef products in this country, and also that those that we do business with overseas, our trading partners, are fully confident in the exports we send their way.

I believe exports are important to America. They are important to agriculture. In this country today, one in every three rows of corn goes to the export markets. We would like to see more of it going into ethanol. I hope it will. But the reality is, we depend heavily upon export markets for the success and prosperity of American agriculture.

So I supported increasing trade opportunities for our producers. But the fact is, we have not been able, at this point, I believe, to provide the level of confidence and assurance to the American consumer and to producers in this country that, in fact, the Canadians are taking the steps necessary to ensure that their herds are 100 percent in compliance with the ruminant feed ban.

My first official act, after being sworn in as a Senator, was to ask the President to delay the opening of the border beyond March 7. I have insisted that decision to open the border be based, first, on two prerequisites: sound science and a return of our foreign cattle export markets--namely, the Pacific rim. This has not been answered.

USDA's own risk assessment in 2002 states the Canadian feed mills were not--were not--100 percent complying with the feed ban. The borders should not be open until that allegation is fully investigated and it is confirmed that the ban is being properly enforced. The most recent assessment completed by the USDA team this year concluded that the feed ban is reducing the risk of transmission of BSE in the Canadian cattle population. That is not 100 percent. Cattle imports from Canada should not be accepted until we can be sure feed mills are 100 percent compliant. American consumers need to be assured the meat they are buying at local supermarkets is safe before the border opens, not after, and American cattle producers need to be assured that live cattle coming from Canada are BSE free.

As I said earlier, another important aspect is regaining the Asian cattle export market. If the trade with these countries is not resumed and the border is opened, South Dakota ranchers will be competing against Canadian cattle without the benefit of exporting our cattle to other countries. Since being sworn in as Senator, I have been in ongoing discussions with the USDA and Secretary Johanns trying to find a way to resolve this border issue. I cosponsored legislation to modify the rule to allow only beef products from animals under 30 months of age. In response to that, the USDA then modified their rule to do just that. I appreciate the Secretary's and the administration's work on this matter.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from South Dakota has spoken for 5 minutes.

Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I have to yield, but I simply close by saying, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution to send a strong message to our producers and consumers that we are going to support making sure that the feed ban is being complied with, and we are going to work hard to make sure our export markets are open before this rule is implemented.

I yield the floor.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

http://thomas.loc.gov