12/22/06 AWB, BSE & Meetings

Australian Wheat Board, BSE Case Closed and Meeting Time. I'm Greg Martin with today's Northwest Report. U. S. Ag Secretary Mike Johanns has announced the immediate suspension and proposed debarment of the AWB - formerly known as the Australian Wheat Board - and its affiliates. Not only does the Secretary want to keep them from participating in U.S. government programs - but also from contracting with the U.S. government. USDA's Foreign Ag Service is taking action against the AWB - 11 individuals - and a Minnesota-based company. The Secretary says sufficient evidence exists to suspect they engaged in bribery, kickbacks, and other similar behavior resulting in payments to the Saddam Hussein regime. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has closed its investigation into Canada's eighth case of BSE - discovered in a commercial beef cow on a farm in northern Alberta early this past August. An official says the source is most likely feed ingredients. The investigation confirmed that the BSE-infected animal was a Charolais crossbred. Officials say no part of the carcass entered the human food supply or animal feed chain. With the New Year comes the season for annual farmer's meetings. Many of these winter meetings will likely deal with the high price of corn and the changing demand structure for corn and its by-products. Most of these meetings will be held by local extension and government specialists - others will feature local and national business leaders. Now here's today's Washington Grange Report. (GRANGE) That's today's Northwest Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.