04/21/05 MyPyramid; No AgJobs yet

The new federal dietary guidelines now have a new symbol to go with it. MyPyramid is tied to both the new interactive food guidance system called "Steps to a Healthier You", as well as the new dietary guidelines. The new program, which replaces the Food Guide Pyramid introduced in 1992, emphasizes an individual approach to improving diet and lifestyle. And U.S.D.A. Secretary Mike Johanns says the new system will attract the interest of citizens through its encouragement of moderation in food, and increased physical activity. AgJobs and similar proposals to reform the H-2A guest worker program and assure a steady agricultural workforce received their share of debate in the U.S. Senate this week. Prominent in the debate was the Ag Jobs measure co-sponsored by Idaho Senator Larry Craig. CRAIG: This is an issue whose time is coming. And we believe for agriculture, it's now. AgJobs faced competition from an amendment that does not award illegal immigrants with U.S. citizenship without immigrants' first going back to their native country to go through normal immigration procedures. But in the end, neither measure, designed as amendments to a supplemental budget for funding of military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, gained the necessary sixty votes for passage. But Craig says with AgJobs garnering fifty-three votes, he plans to reintroduce the measure later in the session. Now with today's "Food Forethought", here's Susan Allen. ALLEN: Here in the states the presence of BSE in Canadian cattle continues to create concern and passionate debates among opposing factions within the cattle industry. In Spain it isn't any different, cattle are at the crux a national controversy as well, one that pits those who raise the sheep, that make up the bulk of Spain's culinary and livestock industry against the ranchers that raise the fighting bulls for a sport that provides the country a $1 billion dollars worth of annual income, while continuing their centuries old cultural heritage. Spanish bulls are being infected with Blue Tongue, a disease that cattle can carry without ill effects but that can be devastating to sheep. The government has ordered the majority of ranches that produce fighting bulls to keep them quarantined to help contain the disease, meaning they might miss this season of bull fighting. It appears that many Spaniards simply can't fathom a year without bullfights and are simply irate over governmental actions. It remains to be seen if sheep will win prevail .But I know who the bulls are routing for. I'm Susan Allen and this is Food Forethought.