NAMA News September 2010
Inside this Issue
|
 Representative Jerry Moran (R-KS) with NAMA President Mary Waters at the Urban Wheat Field in DC. |
Urban Wheat Field in DC
The second Urban Wheat Field sponsored by the Wheat Foods Council was held on September 23-24 in Washington, DC. A live wheat field, approximately one quarter of an acre in size, a full size combine, a demonstration flour mill and a mobile baking laboratory took center stage on the streets of the nation's capital in an effort to promote food literacy via farm-to-fork wheat education. NAMA, along with fellow members of the nation's wheat industry, united to deliver an authentic experience to city dwellers and key influencers. The National Association of Wheat Growers began the event with a grand opening reception for Congressional staff, VIPs and the media. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson made remarks at the ribbon cutting ceremony.
The event included a guided tour showing wheat's growth cycle in the field and progression from the mill to baked goods. NAMA members Ron Lindgren, ADM Milling Company, and Mike Veal, ConAgra Mills, demonstrated the process on mini mills. Sheryl Stennett of Horizon Milling, Terri Long, NAMA Director of Communications and Betsy Faga, NAMA immediate Past President assisted them. To view pictures from the event, please visit NAMA’s web site at .
NAMA's Technical Committee meets to discuss issues
The Fall 2010 meeting of NAMA’s Technical Committee was held September 21-22 in Washington, DC. Topics of discussion included sanitary transport of foods, Reportable Food Registry, mycotoxins, biotech wheat, fumigants, wheat and oat research, National Source Performance Standards, combustible dust, audits, food safety legislation, allergen labeling, and DHS chemical regulations.
Members of NAMA's Technical Committee walk through the Wheat Food Council's Urban Wheat Field. From left: Carl Schwinke, Siemer Milling Company; Mike Fassezke, Star of the West Milling Company; Brian Anderson, Bunge Milling, Inc.; Nick Weigel, ADM Milling Company; and David Katzke, General Mills, Inc. (kneeling).
 | Waters meets with industry leaders at IBIE |
Charlie Stout of Pendleton Mills gave Ms. Waters a tour of the event and they viewed many of the 700 exhibits showcasing cutting-edge technologies, equipment and new products. Ms. Waters participated in ABA sponsored meetings with ABA Chairman Allen Shivers of Flowers Foods. Additionally, the Grain Foods Foundation held a nutrition panel discussion, which Ms. Waters attended. Speakers included Dr. Elizabeth Arndt who spoke about gluten-free diets; Dr. Glenn Gaesser who discussed the importance of carbohydrates for weight control; and Sylvia Melendez-Klinger who spoke about minority nutrition and the importance of enriched grains.
Bair speaks with Canadian millers about mycotoxins Pictured right: Gordon Harrison, president, Canadian National Millers Association with Jim Bair, vice president, NAMA at CNMA’s Annual Meeting. |
 |
Food safety legislation approval and funding uncertain
The food safety legislation passed by the House in 2009 faces an uncertain future. The bill requires food manufacturers to implement safety plans, provides FDA more access to company records and makes it easier to trace the sources of contamination.
In August a bi-partisan group of Senators unveiled a food safety amendment that they plan to offer during floor consideration. This language is an improvement to the House bill. Specifically the trace back system is a risk-based system that will be implemented after pilot projects are finished.
The House version is funded in part through enhanced fees. However, a source of funds for the $1.4 billion cost of the Senate bill has not been identified and this has raised objections from Senator Coburn (R-OK). Majority Leader Reid (D-NV) has made plans for consideration of the bill in the lame duck session (a legislative session held after elections) on November 15.
NAMA President Mary Waters attended a panel discussion on food safety hosted by Hogan Lovells law firm. Panelists included Albert Sanders (Senator Durbin), Virgil Miller (Chairman John Dingell), Scott Faber, (Grocery Manufacturers Association), Chris Waldrop (Consumer Federation of America), and Joseph Levitt (Partner, Hogan Lovells US LLP and former Director, FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition). The House staffers were firm in their support for their own version of the bill, not the Senate amendment unveiled in August.
NAMA submits application for methyl bromide usage through 2013
In September NAMA submitted its petition to allow continued usage of methyl bromide for calendar year 2013. NAMA requested 386,000 pounds of the fumigant, projecting the milling industry would need to fumigate 287 million cubic feet.
NAMA's CUE application now undergoes multiple levels of review within EPA, USDA and the State Department before being submitted to the United Nations Environmental Program for ultimate approval under the Montreal Protocol, a global environmental treaty.
In the CUE application, NAMA stated, "Each year when NAMA submits its CUE application, we voluntarily reduce the quantity of methyl bromide we request. We do so to demonstrate our good faith effort to reduce our use of methyl bromide down to a level not higher than what is absolutely necessary. Usage data prove that NAMA members have fulfilled that commitment by making real and substantial cuts in their methyl bromide usage."
The request for usage through 2013 is down significantly from 2003 when the milling industry used 800,000 lbs of the gas in fumigating 640 million cubic feet of space. Successful NAMA efforts to overturn bans in 1997, 2001 and 2005 have resulted in an orderly reduction of this fumigant by millers.
Soft Wheat Quality Lab reopens after tornado damage
The Soft Wheat Quality Laboratory at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center reopened on Monday, September 27 after it was forced to close the previous week due to damage from a tornado. While laboratories experienced only minor window and roof damage, the greenhouses were severely damaged.
Conference calendar
2011 Division Meetings, Marco Island, FL
Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort & Spa
March 12-14, 2011
2011 Annual Meeting, Colorado Springs, CO
The Broadmoor Colorado Springs
October 6-8, 2011
2012 Division Meetings, Naples, FL
Naples Grande Beach Resort
March 10-13, 2012
2012 Annual Meeting, Asheville, NC
The Grove Park Inn
October 25-27, 2012
2013 Division Meeting, Palm Coast, FL
Hammock Beach Resort
March 23-26, 2013
The North American Millers' Association prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, marital or family status, age, disability, political beliefs or sexual orientation. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact NAMA at 202.484.2200 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to Mary Waters, President, 600 Maryland Avenue SW, Suite 825W, Washington, DC, 20024 or call 202.484.2200 ext. 12. NAMA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Back to Top