Zinke Trump Aim for Energy Dominance and Beef Packers Certified to China
From the Ag Information Network, I'm Bob Larson with your Agribusiness Update.**Explaining a new focus for U.S. energy policy, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke says he and President Trump are going beyond "energy independence" to pursue "energy dominance," and fossil fuels and coal will certainly be part of the mix.
Addressing the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's annual "Energy Strong"" forum Tuesday, the former Montana congressman dismissed the possibility of using wind and solar power to replace the coal industry, which supplies "30 to 35 percent of our nation's energy."
Zinke says unlike the last administration's focus on what it called "the social cost of carbon," Trump's team recognizes the "social cost of not having a job."
**It's been just over a week since the U.S. and China announced a final agreement to lift the 13-year ban on American beef imports, and several U.S. packing operations have already been certified by the USDA.
Four companies and six packing facilities are now listed by USDA's Ag Marketing Service as compliant under the export verification program that the U.S. and China agreed upon, and their beef is being shipped to the Asian nation.
**Interested in learning more about the U.S. beef industry, a team of Japanese journalists visited the U.S. for a look at cattle production, presentation of beef at the retail level and how beef is prepared and served in American restaurants.
Tazuko Hijikata, U.S. Meat Export Federation consumer affairs senior manager in Tokyo, led the team on tours of cattle ranches in Wyoming and retail stops in California.