04/04/05 Good and bad news from Canada

A day after the European Union announced it would implement retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. for failure to repeal the Byrd Amendment as ordered by the World Trade Organization, Canada announced it too would do the same. But the impact may not be as great to Northwest producers as it will be on other parts of the nation. Canada will impose a fifteen per cent surtax on U.S. live swine, and certain specialty fish starting May First. But in lieu of that announcement, Canadian officials say they are trying to harmonize North American import standards for b.s.e. agreed upon by the three nations recently. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has expanded access under its import regulations to allow for U.S. commodities, such as feeder cattle less than thirty months of age, and goats and sheep less than twelve months of age. This marks the first time those products would be allowed into Canada since the U.S. b.s.e. case in December 2003. Is there more to Governor Dirk Kempthorne's veto of eight Idaho State House bills in retaliation for House failure to move his $1.6 billion dollar highway construction plan? From an ag and water stand point, yes, in an indirect way. The standoff between Kempthorne and the House is over the Governor's proposed funding mechanism&federal Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicle bonds. But the fear of Kempthorne's vetoes and holding up adjournment of the legislature prompted the Idaho State Senate to hold off consideration of several bills designed to address water disputes in Southern Idaho. Now with today's "Food Forethought", here's Susan Allen. ALLEN: What we eat, who should eat and how much should be eaten, received prime time coverage on the national news this Spring. While the pope was receiving nourishment Easter weekend from a feeding tube Terri Shiavo's was being removed. Starvation, a condition usually associated with third world countries, tragically paid a visit on the world's wealthiest nation. It is my hope that that the poignant spotlight on death by starvation will further the awareness and willingness to share our agricultural bounty beyond our borders. Ironically the second most covered food topic, was for want of a better word, gluttony. For the last few years the medical community has tried in vain to warn us of this burgeoning obesity epidemic, and failed to raise the eyebrows of the "highbrow culturally elite" until it was brought to light how our quickly our children are being poisoned by obesity. The agricultural community has in my opinion a wonderful platform to promote the fact that we grow the solution to the problem & safe and nutritious milk, meat and produce, the recipe for healthy children. The time is "ripe" to promote that fact. I'm Susan Allen and this is Food Forethought.