MFU President Doug Peterson participated in a roundtable on Agricultural issues with the new Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AK), Sens. Franken and Klobuchar, and a few other ag leaders on Monday of this week.  Peterson questioned Sen. Lincoln on dairy and anti-trust issues.  Lincoln also spent a lot of time on pork, climate and issues with the sugar industry.

-The bill includes $350 million in assistance to dairy farmers, of which $290 million will be used for direct payments and $60 million to purchase dairy products to reduce surpluses.  Recently Senator Boxer (D-CA), who feels that dividing the funds this way will benefit producers in the Northeast and Midwest and discriminate against Western dairies, has placed a hold on the bill in the Senate until she gets a chance to meet with Secretary Vilsack and voice her concerns. 

-The House version of the bill continued a ban on poultry imports from China established by the FY 2009 bill, citing food safety concerns.  This ban had prompted China to protest at the WTO and ban some U.S. chicken imports in retaliation.  However, the House-passed conference agreement allows Chinese poultry to be imported once USDA determines that the imports meet food safety standards equivalent to those in the U.S.

-The House version of the bill also removed funding for the National Animal Identification System.  However, the House-passed conference agreement reinstated $5.3 million for the system.  The conferees direct USDA to provide them with a detailed strategic plan for the program based on the listening sessions held around the country last year, and to make demonstrable progress in effectively implementing the system.