Sequester Cuts Means Less Ag Reports

Mar 13, 2013

USDA Says Some Agricultural Reports to be Suspended

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service announced that some of its agricultural reports won’t be issued this year due to the $85 billion sweeping federal budget cuts that are set to take place.
The reports that will be suspended include at least 10 agricultural reports, which range from milk, chickpeas, cattle, catfish and more.
The dairy groups seem to be the most vocal against the decision as the USDA reports on milk production estimates are considered one of the highest profile reports to be cut. These reports are used in the decision making process for milk marketing. It seems that there are no other entities that produce this type of data used in the dairy industry.
The USDA posted notice of the changes on its website on Tuesday, noting that the decision was not made lightly but was necessary given the agency’s fiscal constraints.

The full list of suspended USDA reports includes:

•All Catfish and Trout Reports including Catfish Feed Deliveries and Catfish Processing
•July Cattle Report
•Potato Stocks Reports
•All Non-Citrus Fruit, Nut and Vegetable Forecasts and Estimates
•June Rice Stocks Report
•All Hops and Hops Stocks Estimates
•Mink Report
•Milk Production Reports including Production, Disposition and Income
•June on- and off-farm stocks for Austrian Winter Peas, Chickpeas, Dry Peas and Lentils
•July acreage forecasts for Austrian Winter Peas, Dry Edible Peas and Lentils

Video: Finding a Balance of Innovation and Regulation - Dr. Peter Facchini

Regulations help markets and industry exist on level playing fields, keeping consumers safe and innovation from going too far. However, incredibly strict regulations can stunt innovation and cause entire industries to wither away. Dr. Peter James Facchini brings his perspective on how existing regulations have slowed the advancement of medical developments within Canada. Given the international concern of opium poppy’s illicit potential, Health Canada must abide by this global policy. But with modern technology pushing the development of many pharmaceuticals to being grown via fermentation, is it time to reconsider the rules?

Dr. Peter James Facchini leads research into the metabolic biochemistry in opium poppy at the University of Calgary. For more than 30 years, his work has contributed to the increased availability of benzylisoquinoline alkaloid biosynthetic genes to assist in the creation of morphine for pharmaceutical use. Dr. Facchini completed his B.Sc. and Ph.D. in Biological Sciences at the University of Toronto before completing Postdoctoral Fellowships in Biochemistry at the University of Kentucky in 1992 & Université de Montréal in 1995.