On Tuesday, March 20th, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns visited the offices of Vance Publishing in Lenexa, Kan. and conducted a news conference with Food360 editors. Johanns addressed several topics, including animal identification, the 2007 Farm Bill and immigration. To read all of Secretary Johanns comments, click here.
The Secretary told Food360 editors he favors a market-driven, voluntary animal-identification system, describing mandatory animal identification as “Washington’s way or the highway.” A federal mandate would require additional programs for enforcement and oversight and could become unmanageably large and expensive, he said, and has little support in Congress or the livestock industry.
The market, he believes, will move producers toward ID and traceability. USDA’s focus, he says, is to build premises registration and establish technology to allow an effective response in an animal-health emergency.
The Secretary said trade issues and market access will a prominent role in the 2007 Farm Bill, adding that although farmers might need to give up some subsidies, they will benefit from better access to export markets.
Addressing the issue of immigration, Johanns says the American people are demanding action on the problem of illegal immigrants, who number around 12 million to 15 million. The Bush administration, he says, recognizes the need to enforce the law, but also understands that agriculture faces a labor crisis.