Ag News for Monday March 13, 2016

Ag News for Monday March 13, 2016 includes Merkley Opposes Vilsack GMO Labeling Approach, Canada Urging China to Stick to Science on New Canola Import Rules and Japan Starts TPP Ratification Process.

Merkley Opposes Vilsack GMO Labeling Approach

The author of a mandatory GMO labeling bill will not support a labeling proposal by USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack. Senator Jeff Merkley, a Democrat from Oregon, says he opposes Vilsack’s approach to GMO labeling. Merkley introduced a mandatory labeling bill just a day after the Senate Agriculture Committee approved a voluntary measure by Kansas Republican Senator Pat Roberts, Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee. Vilsack’s proposal, known as mandatory disclosure, would use smart labels and 1-800 numbers for consumers to find more information. Merkley responded by saying Americans do not want “to stand in a grocery store and make phone calls to companies,” according to the Hagstrom Report. All three proposals would ban state labeling laws, such as the Vermont law that takes effect in July. The Senate was expected to vote on the voluntary labeling proposal by Roberts in the coming week. Vilsack has said the federal system has to be mandatory to get the 60 votes to pass the Senate.

Canada Urging China to Stick to Science on New Canola Import Rules

Canada's Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay is encouraging China to stick to scientific facts as the country toughens standards for canola shipments. Pro Farmers First Thing Today reports China's quarantine authority last month alerted Canada it would allow canola shipments to contain no more than one percent of foreign material beginning April first, versus the current allowable range between two percent and 2.5 percent. While China says the change is due to concerns about the blackleg fungus, many speculate that the change is more about slowing imports of the crop. MacAulay says the new standards could cost Canada the equivalent of $1.51 billion in canola trade and expressed hopes the situation will be resolved.

Japan Starts TPP Ratification Process

The Trans-Pacific Partnership ratification process is getting underway in Japan. The Japanese government announced last week it is beginning efforts to ratify the trade agreement. The announcement came through a resolution that says the Japanese government will submit 11 bills to the Japanese Parliament aiming at ratifying TPP and enacting the bills required for approval, according to the U.S. Grains Council. The government intends to deliberate and pass the bills during the current session that ends June first to avoid making TPP an issue during the Japanese general election. In the United States, congressional leaders are cautious about addressing the agreement before November’s presidential election, given that many of the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates have expressed opposition to the trade agreement.

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