Praise for USDA Rule & New Rabobank Poll

Praise for USDA Rule & New Rabobank Poll plus Food Forethought. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Northwest Report.

A new poll just out by Rabobank of 350 executives from leading companies in the North American food, beverage and agribusiness industry shows China’s continued influence on agricultural commodity demand and global economic growth, along with increasing weather extremes, stand out as key issues for North American food, beverage and agribusiness in 2013. Several other key issues were brought out by the poll.

Calling it vital to the U.S. pork industry’s ability to more quickly control and eradicate foreign animal diseases and keep export markets open, the National Pork Producers Council has praised the USDA for issuing a final rule to implement a national animal identification system. NPPC pointed out that many major livestock-producing countries, including Canada, the European Union and Japan, have implemented, or are implementing, animal traceability systems. And most meat-importing countries require such a systems as a condition for importing meat.

Now with today’s Food Forethought, here’s Lacy Gray.

Milk consumption in the United States has been on a steady decline since the mid-seventies, causing many in the dairy industry to rethink how they market their product. Growing up we drank pretty much nothing but milk, and in fact had our milk delivered right to our doorstep from a local farmer. Back then, milk was considered “the healthy drink of choice” for kids. Now, milk has to fight for a spot on school lunch menus. A fad diet drink or a caffeine loaded energy drink has a better chance of making it under the radar on school campuses than milk does. Some would argue that the problem is the price of milk nowadays, but in reality Americans pay much less for dairy products than nearly any other nation in the world. I’m sure that a gallon of energy drink or vitamin water would cost far more than milk. Then there are those that complain about milk not being pure anymore, all while sipping on drinks that are loaded with extra sugars, chemicals, and preservatives. Ah, well, my family will continue to do our part in supporting the dairy industry, because nothing goes with PB&J, chocolate chip cookies, banana bread, or a bowl of cereal like cold milk.

Thanks Lacy. That’s today’s Northwest Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.