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Agroterrorism: Threats and Preparedness

Description: Although U.S. intelligence agencies have not identified any terrorist acts targeting agricultural production (i.e., agroterrorism) in the United States to date, the events of September 11, 2001 have awakened the nation to their possibility. Some experts estimate that a single agroterrorist attack using a highly contagious livestock disease could cost between $10 billion and $30 billion to the U.S. economy. This report addresses the use of biological weapons against agriculture, rather than the … more
Date: January 22, 2007
Creator: Monke, Jim
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Agricultural Biotechnology: The U.S.-EU Dispute

Description: This report focuses on a conflict between the European Union (EU) and the United States, Canada, and Argentina. The United States suggests that the European Union's moratorium costs the U.S. 300 million dollars in exports to the EU annually. Moreover, the report highlights other concerns the U.S. has with the EU's biotechnology policies.
Date: January 23, 2007
Creator: Hanrahan, Charles E.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Agricultural Issues in the 110th Congress

Description: This report considers the issues the 110th Congress was confronted with in relation to agriculture and the issues inherited from the 109th Congress. The report also includes details about the upcoming farm bill and the usual problems that are examined with the creation of a new farm bill.
Date: January 23, 2007
Creator: Chite, Ralph M.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The Federal Food Safety System: A Primer

Description: Numerous federal, state, and local agencies share responsibilities for regulating the safety of the U.S. food supply, which many experts say is among the safest in the world. Nevertheless, critics view this system as lacking the organization and resources to adequately combat foodborne illness, which sickens an estimated 76 million people and kills an estimated 5,000 each year in this country. The 110th Congress may face calls for a review of federal food safety agencies and authorities, and pr… more
Date: February 7, 2007
Creator: Becker, Geoffrey S. & Porter, Donna V.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE, or “Mad Cow Disease”): Current and Proposed Safeguards

Description: Through mid-Februray 2007, the United States had confirmed three cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (or "Mad Cow Disease"): the first in December 2003 in a Canadian-born cow found in Washington state, the second in June 2005 in cow in Texas, and the third in March 2006 in a cow in Alabama. This report contains information on the general issue, trade restrictions, the livestock 'feed ban', surveillance and testing in cattle, prevention in slaughter and processing, and related issues.
Date: February 13, 2007
Creator: Lister, Sarah A. & Becker, Geoffrey S.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Climate Change: The Role of the U.S. Agriculture Sector

Description: This report is organized in three parts. First, it discusses the extent of GHG emissions associated with the U.S. agriculture sector, and cites current and potential estimates for U.S. agricultural soils to sequester carbon and partly offset national GHG emissions. Second, the report describes the types of land management and farm conservation practices that can reduce GHG emissions and/or sequester carbon in agricultural soils, highlighting those practices that are currently promoted under exi… more
Date: March 6, 2007
Creator: Johnson, Renée
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Agriculture-Based Renewable Energy Production

Description: This report discusses federal programs on agriculture-based renewable energy and how people associated with agriculture have reacted. Moreover, the report discusses how this reaction has been positive and taken the form of an increase in ethanol production along with wind energy.
Date: March 7, 2007
Creator: Schnepf, Randy
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Agricultural Credit: Institutions and Issues

Description: The federal government has a long history of providing credit assistance to farmers by issuing direct loans and guarantees, and creating rural lending institutions. These institutions include the Farm Service Agency (FSA) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which makes or guarantees loans to farmers who cannot qualify at other lenders, and the Farm Credit System (FCS), which is a network of borrower-owned lending institutions operating as a government-sponsored enterprise. This report… more
Date: March 8, 2007
Creator: Monke, Jim
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Agroterrorism: Threats and Preparedness

Description: The potential of terrorist attacks against agricultural targets (agroterrorism) is increasingly recognized as a national security threat, especially after the events of September 11, 2001. This report focuses primarily on biological weapons (rather than chemical weapons) because biological weapons generally are considered the more potent agroterrorism threat. This report also focuses more on the threat of agroterrorism against agricultural production, rather than on food processing and distribu… more
Date: March 12, 2007
Creator: Monke, Jim
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Forestry in the 2007 Farm Bill

Description: This report briefly describes the Agricultural committees' jurisdiction over forestry, with examples of legislation addressed by the committees, and also presents information on the forestry provisions in the Administration's proposal for the 2007 farm bill.
Date: March 14, 2007
Creator: Gorte, Ross W.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Farm Bill Proposals and Legislative Action in the 110th Congress

Description: Many provisions of the current omnibus farm bill, the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, expire in 2007. Without new legislation, notably in the area of farm commodity and income support programs, permanent statutes will take effect. Most of these statutes were enacted decades ago and are no longer compatible with current national economic objectives, global trading rules, and federal budgetary of regulatory policies. This report follows major legislation relating to existing farm … more
Date: March 22, 2007
Creator: Johnson, Renée
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Soil and Water Conservation: An Overview

Description: This report discusses soil and water conservation topics, which are prominent in discussions of policy options for the next farm bill. Two omnibus conservation proposals have been introduced (H.R. 1551 and H.R. 1600), and many interest groups continue to offer policy recommendations ranging from general concepts to specific legislative language.
Date: April 10, 2007
Creator: Zinn, Jeffrey A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Air Quality Issues and Animal Agriculture: EPA’s Air Compliance Agreement

Description: This report discusses a plan announced by EPA in January 2005, called the Air Compliance Agreement, that would produce air quality monitoring data on animal agriculture emissions from a small number of farms, while at the same time protecting all participants (including farms where no monitoring takes place) through a “safe harbor” from liability under certain provisions of federal environmental laws.
Date: April 11, 2007
Creator: Copeland, Claudia
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Animal Agriculture: 2007 Farm Bill Issues

Description: With a few exceptions (such as milk), the products of animal agriculture are not eligible for the price and income supports that Congress historically has written into farm bills for major row crops such as grains, cottons, and oilseeds. However, the meat and poultry industries do look to the federal government for leadership and support in prompting their exports, resolving trade disputes, and reassuring markets that their products are safe, of high quality, and disease free. Farm bills can co… more
Date: April 11, 2007
Creator: Becker, Geoffrey S.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Animal Identification: Overview and Issues

Description: Livestock industry groups, animal health officials, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have been working to establish a nationwide identification system capable of quickly tracking animals from birth to slaughter, in order to combat a serious animal disease and/or to satisfy foreign market specifications. Some consumer groups are among those who believe animal identification also would be useful for food safety or retail labeling purposes. Some producers oppose new programs, fearing they wi… more
Date: April 26, 2007
Creator: Becker, Geoffrey S.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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The “Farm Bill” in Brief

Description: This report discusses the farm bill, which renewed about every five years, governs federal farm and food policy. The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-171) is the most recent omnibus farm bill, covering a wide range of programs including commodity price and income support, farm credit, agricultural conservation, research, rural development, and foreign and domestic food programs, among others.
Date: May 29, 2007
Creator: Johnson, Renée
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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