Occasional thoughts on the politics and activities of Washington, D.C., as they may have relevance to our tree fruit industry.
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Schlect: On the red carpet with President Xi
President of the People's Republic of China, Xi Jinping, speaking at a welcoming dinner
Schlect: A cold Arctic blast
● USDA announced last Friday its deregulation of a Canadian firm's--Okanagan Specialty Fruits, Inc.--two varieties
Schlect: State of the Union
● The Foreign Agricultural Service has long been viewed as an elite arm of the
Schlect: On the docks
● This fall's disruptions of ocean shipping--that have lacerated our tree fruit exports--beg for some
Good Point: That unwashed grape
FSMA is another example of how a good idea (here, improved food safety for consumers) is forged into a federal law with little understanding by legislators of the complexities of the actual situation.
Schlect: Immigration
● Now that President Obama has issued his executive order related to immigration, advocates for
Schlect: Cow paths and ports
● A virtual shutdown of West Coast ports has severely damaged export efforts of our
Schlect: Elections aftermath
● Greg Walden (R/Oregon) should be happy today. The chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee
Schlect: Cherry Street
● The Produce Marketing Association has hired a new team, Cornerstone Government Affairs, to represent it
Schlect: Focus on United
● The New York Times Magazine issue of October 12 contains a feature article on the school
Schlect: Food Safety — We’re Covered
● Last Friday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued its anticipated revisions to four
Schlect: Mr. Hastings
● Yesterday, Congressman Doc Hastings (R/Washington), who will be retiring at the end of the
Schlect: From Russia without love
● Russia's economic ban on U.S. agricultural goods will affect the Pacific Northwest's apple and
Schlect: Rediscovery of an advisory committee
● Secretary Tom Vilsack announced yesterday his long-awaited appointment of 25 members to the Fruit
Schlect: Vetter clears Senate, takes U.S. chief agricultural negotiator job
● Darci Vetter, on July 10, cleared the Senate's confirmation process and now holds the
Schlect: D.C. departures
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) (Courtesy kevinmccarthy.house.gov) ● Eric Cantor's primary defeat and subsequent
Schlect: United Thawed
● The American Frozen Food Institute has launched a 30 million dollar national effort to
Schlect: On a roll
Anne MacMillan has left her post as deputy chief of staff to Secretary Vilsack at USDA to join Roll Global,
Schlect: Quiet flows the Potomac
● Jim Bair, the new leader of the United States Apple Association, will be making his
Schlect: Immigration reform and dried cherries to the rescue
● Democrats are attempting this week to underscore the lack of movement on immigration reform
Schlect: The Serbian scallywag
● Sarah Bittleman, who was the senior agricultural counselor at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Locke out
● Two non-browning Arctic Apples have cleared an important regulatory hurdle, with USDA's Animal Plant
Mr. Foley
● Initiative-522, on labeling genetically-engineered foods, failed this week (55.83% to 45.17%) in Washington state.
The Big Easy
● On Wednesday, I travel to New Orleans for the annual convention and trade show
Shut Down
Last week I attended, along with about 500 others, the United Fresh Produce Association's annual
That fellow behind the tree
Earlier this week I attended a legal education seminar on estate planning as part of
The Big Apple
● I was in New York City for three days on a family visit, before
Cuba Still Defying the Law of Gravitation
● Syria has managed to generate headaches not only for Middle East policy experts, but
The Windy City
● Last Wednesday and Thursday the United States Apple Association held its 2013 Apple Crop
Safe at the Plate
● FDA took to the highway this week for an informational tour of the fruit
SAHCODHA — Bureaucratic acronyms run amok
● Newly proposed safety rules aimed at food imports contain one of the better examples
Do I dare to eat a peach?
● Last Friday the Food and Drug Administration rolled out two more of its proposed
Unlevel Fields
● A new Farm Bill is still a far ways from a Rose Garden bill-signing. With
Farm Bill Brouhaha
● Today, in a surprisingly quick move, the House of Representatives passed by a vote
The Friendly Skies
● Immigration reform legislation has passed the U.S. Senate, but now faces tough times in
Farm Bill In Flames
● Today the House of Representatives failed to pass a new five-year Farm Bill by
DC Shufflings
● USDA has shuffled its leadership deck, especially as related to international trade policy. Sue
The Apple Cart
● A new group is being formed to help American agricultural interests better understand and
Boughs Loaded With Fruit
● I attended United Fresh 2013 last week in San Diego, the annual convention and
To The Midway
Immigration Reform and the Farm Bill are both moving, however haltingly, on Capitol Hill. We
Stern Truths
● Last Friday, I attended a breakfast meeting in Yakima hosted by the William D.
STAX
● Max Baucus (D/Montana) announced on Tuesday he will not run for re-election to the
A Week Awhirl
● This week provided a spike of activity on three major agricultural policy fronts: food
Food Safety
● The May 16 deadline looms for public comments on two of the proposed rules
Snap, crackle, pop
Our tree fruits often find themselves featured in the logos designed for special events. Some
Merry Gone
One of the federal sequestration cuts is the suspension by USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service
Return from Barcelona
● This past Sunday I arrived back from Barcelona, Spain. There, I had attended the
Sasquatch
● Sequestration is set to go into effect on March 1. I do not see
Recess
● A powerful court decision handed down this past Friday involving Noel Canning and the
Potomac Views
● The Subcommittee on Horticulture, Research, Biotechnology and Foreign Agricultural Service of the House Agriculture