| Inside this Issue Register for NAMA’s 2008 Annual Meeting Technical Committee Meeting set for September 9-10 Whitebox Commodities joins NAMA Bad weather forces USDA to take another look at CRP policy NAMA rejects excluding biotechnology from sustainability standard NAMA urges the EU to use science to regulate biotech products Green interviewed for CNN report on food aid delivery UNEP issues report on Methyl Bromide GFF PSAs surpass the $1 million mark in advertising value Conference calendar Since the last newsletter |
 Scene at the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe, site of NAMA's 2008 Annual Meeting.
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Register for NAMA’s 2008 Annual Meeting
Information about NAMA’s 2008 Annual Meeting being held September 25-27 in Incline Village (Lake Tahoe), Nevada was emailed to NAMA members and invited guests. It included the meeting schedule and preliminary program, information on transportation, directions on how to register and a registration form. To register for the meeting, go to http://www.namamillers.org/2008_AM_Register.html. For further information contact Terri Long, Director of Meetings, 202.484.2200, ext. 11 or tlong@namamillers.org or visit NAMA’s web site.
Technical Committee Meeting set for September 9 - 10
September 9-10 is the date of the next Technical Committee meeting which will include tours of Syngenta and Bayer CropScience. A block of rooms has been reserved at the Radisson Research Triangle Park, NC. To register for the meeting, members of the committee should contact Jane DeMarchi, Director of Government Relations at 202.484.2200, ext. 13 or jdemarchi@namamillers.org before August 20. Hotel information and meeting schedule are on NAMA’s web site.
Whitebox Commodities joins NAMA
NAMA welcomes Whitebox Commodities as an Associate Member of NAMA. Amy Woodward, Trader–Commodities & Logistics, will represent the company in association activities. Her contact information is:
Whitebox Commodities
3033 Excelsior Boulevard
Minneapolis, MN 55416
T: 612.253.6001; F: 612.253.6100
awoodward@whiteboxadvisors.com
http://www.whiteboxadvisors.com
Whitebox is a grain merchandiser of oats, wheat, corn and soybeans.
Bad weather forces USDA to take another look at CRP policy
For years NAMA has been an advocate for the release of environmentally sustainable acres from the Conservation Reserve Program. For years USDA has resisted our requests, which are echoed by many other allies in the ag community.
Unprecedented bad weather is taking its toll on crop plantings and has forced USDA to reconsider its policies on the release of CRP acres. Hunting groups continue to fight back because the land is prime habitat for pheasants, quail, ducks and other wildlife. However, already high grain prices are expected to shoot up even further, ultimately being felt by the consumer in the grocery store.
This week NAMA joined other members of the Alliance for Agricultural Growth & Competitiveness in sending another letter to Secretary of Agriculture Schafer urging an early-out, penalty-free release of non-environmentally sensitive cropland. Read the letter and stay tuned.
NAMA rejects excluding biotechnology from sustainability standard
Members of the AgBiotech Planning Committee (ABPC), of which NAMA is a member, objected to the exclusion of biotechnology in any sustainability standard in a letter sent to the Leonardo Academy. The academy reregistered the sustainability standard with the American National Standards Institute without taking into account the comments provided by the industry.
Agricultural biotechnology has improved crop yields, provides growers with additional crop protection tools and offers significant contributions to soil and water quality.
NAMA urges the EU to use science to regulate biotech products
In a letter sent to José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, ABPC, of which NAMA is a member, advocated for implementing a scientific-based regulatory system for biotechnology food products.
The ag group acknowledged that introducing marketing tolerances could help avoid worsening the current trade disruption that has led to the inability of EU industries to import much needed commodities and ingredients. In the letter we suggested any tolerances should:
- Be commercially viable;
- Reflect tolerances applied by other major importing nations;
- Not be based on limits of detection; and,
- Include a workable origin certification system.
Green interviewed for CNN report on food aid delivery
On June 9 CNN aired a report on food aid delivery during the “American Morning” segment of their television broadcast. NAMA’s trade consultant, Paul Green, was quoted saying, “The food aid program is such a minuscule part of the market of most food companies and most grain- trading companies. This is less than one percent of their sales.” CNN reported more positives than negatives about providing in-kind food aid (food, not cash). CNN did not give an opinion or make an analysis.
Others interviewed for the report:
- Chip Bowling, Maryland Farmer
- Gawain Kripke, Policy Director, Oxfam America
- Mori Diane, International Shipping Broker
UNEP issues report on Methyl Bromide
The United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) issued “Current Status of Technical Efficacy, Costs and Adoption of Methyl Bromide Alternatives in Flour Mills.” UNEP members use the report to assess requests from organizations like NAMA for a Critical Use Exemption (CUE). CUEs allow for the continued use of methyl bromide, albeit in lesser and lesser amounts. The report does recognize the lack of alternatives that are both technically and economically feasible for controlling pests in the miller’s plant operations.
GFF PSAs surpass the $1 million mark in advertising value
The Public Service Announcements (PSAs) distributed by the Grain Foods Foundation are valued at over $1 million in advertising dollars. The PSAs have appeared in both print and broadcast media. Print media include women’s magazines Fitness, Health and InStyle. The broadcast PSAs have aired nearly 5,000 times over the past six months, reaching 11 million viewers.
Conference calendar
2008 Annual Meeting, Lake Tahoe, NV
Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe
Visit the resort's web site at http://laketahoe.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp
September 25-27, 2008
2009 Division Meetings, Ft. Myers, FL
Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa
Visit the resort's web site at http://www.sanibel-resort.com
March 21-24, 2009
2009 Annual Meeting, Washington, DC
Sofitel Lafayette Square Hotel
Visit the hotel's web site at http://www.sofitel.com/sofitel/fichehotel/gb/sof/3293/fiche_hotel.shtml
October 19-21, 2009
2010 Division Meetings, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
W Fort Lauderdale
Visit the resort's web site at http://www.starwoodhotels.com/whotels/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=1522March 20-23, 2010
Since the Last Newsletter
Members who would like to review the activities of NAMA staff during the past month go to http://www.namamillers.org/mbr_SLN_06_30_08.cfm.
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