Transcript of remarks by Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns To the 2005 World Pork Congress
Transcript of remarks by Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns To the 2005 World Pork Congress
SEC. MIKE JOHANNS: "Thank you very much. Thank you for that very nice introduction. I appreciate that immensely.
"I was at an event recently and a nice introduction was done just like the last one, and my wife Stephanie was sitting next to me. And she leaned over and she whispered in my ear while the introduction was going on, 'Mike, all that bio proves is that you've had a tough time holding a job in your life.' So maybe there's some truth to that.
"It is good to be here, and I do want to say thank you for your hospitality. I have some issues that I'm very anxious to visit with you about, but most importantly today I want to start by saying on behalf of the United States Department of Agriculture welcome to all of our international guests in the audience.
"I know that the National Pork Board and everyone here from the United States industry is very delighted that this prestigious event is being held for what I understand is the first time in Washington in the United States, so we're happy to have you here.
"I do want to recognize the International Meat Secretariat, the National Pork Board, and all of the sponsors who are instrumental in making this conference possible and successful.
"Ladies and gentlemen, agriculture is what ties us all together. The frontiers that we explore in production, in trade, in science, and the choices that we make will affect the future of our farmers, our ranchers, our economies, and our ability to feed growing world populations.
"At the same time those choices must be wise enough to conserve our natural resources.
"Some 60 years ago Winston Churchill said this: 'We do not covet anything from any nation except their respect.'
"The mutual respect among all our nations opens dialogs like this meeting, and the willingness to learn from each other stands behind the prosperity of American agriculture and world agriculture and specifically this industry worldwide. Building on this foundation of cooperation and focusing our energies on our common goals we'll do everything we can to not only work together but to expand free trade and use the advances of science to create a safer and a prosperous world.
"Earlier this year USDA raised our export forecast from $56 billion to $59 billion. That would make 2005 the third highest export sales year ever in the history. Pork exports along with producer-funded research and promotion have played a very key role in this success. Because USDA recognizes the benefit of properly administered check-off programs we continue to work with the Justice Department to defend them in court.
"On the global stage, USDA is projecting world pork exports at a record 4.6 million tons this year. Last year the U.S. was the world's second largest exporter of pork and pork products. We followed the EU in this success. We project this will be the 15th consecutive year that U.S. pork exports will reach record value and volume, more than one million tons.
"But the U.S. industry like those of other nations faces global challenges such as trade barriers in major export markets for pork, and countries that pursue favorable market access to other major pork exporters and producers at the expense of U.S. exports.
"Let me talk to you about an issue that is getting a lot of attention here in Washington these days, and that is CAFTA, the Central America Free Trade Agreement. To keep growing export opportunities for all producers here, we must do all we can to level the playing field and open doors to new and growing markets. That is why CAFTA is so important.
"Last month Guatemala approved the agreement joining Honduras and El Salvador. CAFTA nations have a total population of about 44 million people with expanding economies and rising consumer incomes. U.S. ag exports to CAFTA nations totalled about $1.8 billion in 2004. U.S. pork now faces duties as high as 47 percent, and the WTO would allow them to rise to 60 percent.
"CAFTA will benefit both the U.S. and Central American and Dominican exporters. For U.S. pork producers, duties will be eliminated over 15 years while duties on some products including bacon will be eliminated immediately.
"CAFTA nations I might add already have access to the U.S. market. And 99 percent of their products including pork enter the United States duty-free under other agreements. Under CAFTA we are likely to double U.S. exports into these countries, and for all six CAFTA-DR countries, CAFTA means that they will lock in duty-free access for pork in the U.S.
"With 96 percent of the world's population outside of the United States, new trade opportunities are absolutely necessary for agriculture's continued success and the success of the American and world economy.
"On another issue related to market access, we're very pleased that the Australian market is now open to imports of U.S. boneless pork for cooking. We appreciate that. This is a success story that followed years of work including that of the National Pork Board. We appreciate their work.
"In the arena of food safety and science-- as we open doors and increase global trade in food and agriculture between our countries, we also quite honestly increase our interdependence, and in some areas our vulnerability.
"USDA's science-based policies are effectively protecting the health and the well-being of millions of consumers, not just here but worldwide. Dramatic declines in food-borne illnesses or the incidence of pathogens in products show that our risk-based approach does work.
"But there is more work to do, and our commitment is to keep going strong. One example is in the area of research. With a budget this year of more than $100 million we have 260 scientists conducting food safety research at 26 different locations, including research in methods to reduce food-safety pathogens in swine and the connection between handling and transportation stress on pathogen biology.
"Another important area of research is the Swine Genome Sequencing Project which will get underway later this year, and I also want to recognize the industry for helping to fund this project. Thank you.
"Along with genomic information that's already available on many pathogens, this project will help us study ways to reduce the impact of disease in swine production.
"Food security also occupies our attention these days. Since our country was attacked on 9/11, the definition of "food safety and security has taken on a whole new dimension. We have stressed to our food and ag sector that homeland security is our most urgent and it is our most compelling partnership because the threat of a terrorist attack is very real.
"The same interconnectedness that stands behind the strength of the global food system can become a weakness in the event of an attack or natural disease outbreak. Witness the U.S. incidence of BSE.
"Focusing on both intentional and unintentional threats to our food supply, USDA works very closely with the Department of Homeland Security on a strategy of Prevention, Surveillance, Response and Recovery. We're educating producers and veterinarians on livestock biosecurity, working through our labs and with our universities on food-borne illness, pre and post harvest food security and rapid diagnostic testing, and so much more.
"We ask every link in the farm-to-table chain to consider homeland security its number one priority. Last year -- I want to share this with you, the National Pork Producers Council came to the USDA and DHS for technical help in conducting an industry-wide vulnerability assessment. The Council took the initiative, used its own time and resources to examine its vulnerabilities and then to work to correct them.
"I want to say thank you for that very proactive way of viewing the world. On the response end, USDA along with state and industry partners is moving forward with the National Animal Identification System. This system will let us do a fast trace of infected or exposed animals during an outbreak, whether that outbreak would be intentional or unintentional. Participation is voluntary right now, and we're reviewing comments on moving to a mandatory system.
"There's one more aspect to food security that I do want to touch on, and that's the relationship between animal agriculture and our environment. The 2002 Farm Bill makes clear that conservation needs are a policy priority. Our portfolio of conservation programs recognizes that farmers can be productive, they can be profitable, and they can be wise stewards of the land.
"EQIP is one program that recognizes that compatibility. Funding for EQIP has increased from $200 million in 2001 to more than $1 billion in 2005. To help the farmer maintain land health, USDA also applies the latest research such as wastewater and manure treatments. We'll continue to look for conservation partnerships with this industry and look to learn from the examples of other countries where we can learn from their prior history.
"The relationship of farmers to the land makes them stewards of our environment and guarantors of our future ability to produce an adequate and most importantly a safe supply of food.
"In the words of an African proverb: "Treat the earth well. It was not given to you by your parents, but it is lent to you by your children."
"For all of you who are here participating in this conference, thank you for your commitment to this industry and to our world. Thank you very much."
[Applause.]
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