050116 NE Governor Says Getting Beef to Japan Is “Priority No. 1”

Washington - Nebraska Gov. Mike Johanns pledged that reopening Japanese markets closed to U.S. beef over mad cow fears would be his "priority No. 1" as U.S. agriculture secretary.

"This is going to have my immediate attention from the very moment I become secretary," Johanns told members of the Senate Agriculture Committee at his confirmation hearing.

But later, when several Democratic senators urged Johanns to slow U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to resume imports of cattle from Canada, he declined to commit to specific action.

The exchanges illustrated the balancing act that the ag secretary's job requires

During the largely friendly three-hour hearing, Johanns won praise from Republicans and Democrats for his knowledge of agriculture.

Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., said farmers are eager for a "bully pulpit" leader like Johanns, who has a "passion for this job that's obvious."

The committee unanimously approved his nomination, sending it to the full Senate for a vote - possibly on its next day of business, Jan. 20.

Japan and Canada dominated the hearing. But Johanns also faced questions on food safety, forestry management, federal subsidies to farmers, a national livestock animal identification system and efforts to label beef as to its country of origin.

Several Democrats asked Johanns to delay Canadian cattle imports, pointing to the discovery earlier this month of another confirmed mad cow case there.

Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., questioned whether Canada is providing proper oversight of its cattlemen.

"I urge you to reconsider reopening trade with Canada until we have greater assurances they are following their own rules," he said.

The House and Senate Agriculture Committees plan hearings soon on the Canadian cattle question. Johanns, while not taking a stand, promised to be closely involved.

"I'm going to be as helpful as I can," Johanns said.

Regarding Japan, Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., suggested that Johanns and President Bush become directly involved in negotiations with the Japanese to reopen its market for U.S. beef.

"Otherwise it'll languish," Baucus told Johanns. "There's going to just be a lot of talk. Talkie, talkie, talkie, talk, talk, talk and not a lot's going to happen."

Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., characterized the need as urgent. She pointed to news that Tyson Foods Inc., based in her state, is closing five meatpacking plants for three to five weeks, in part because of the ban's impact on cattle and beef markets. Two of the plants are in Nebraska, one in Iowa.

Johanns called opening Japan to U.S. beef the "one paramount issue" he wants to tackle as agriculture secretary.

U.S. beef was banned around the world in December 2003 after a dairy cow in Washington state tested positive for bovine spongiform encephalopathy or BSE, commonly called mad cow disease. People who eat tainted meat can contract a fatal brain disease called variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

On another matter important to cattle ranchers, Johanns suggested that the USDA later this year may take a fresh look at a year-old rule barring U.S. meatpackers from slaughtering "downer" cattle as a caution against mad cow disease. Downers are sick or injured animals.

The department has since tested about 160,000 downer animals but has found no confirmed cases of mad cow disease, Johanns said. Cattlemen want to allow some injured animals back into slaughterhouses, saying those cattle pose no health risk to humans.

Several senators raised concerns that the federal agriculture budget could be targeted for cuts in Bush's 2006 budget. Johanns acknowledged that budget issues often arise but said he would work with Congress.

He was joined at the witness table by Nebraska's senators, Republican Chuck Hagel and Democrat Ben Nelson, who introduced him.

Hagel said that Johanns' childhood on an Iowa dairy farm and his experience in agriculture as governor meant that Bush "could not have picked a better person for this job."

Nelson called Johanns an "experienced leader" on issues such as ethanol, rural ag programs and drought aid.

Johanns told the committee he learned discipline on the farm: "I will always be a farmer's son with an intense passion for agriculture."

After the hearing, Johanns said he was surprised at the support he heard from committee Democrats and Republicans. He said he was impressed by the consensus about the Japanese beef ban.

"I thought it went well," he said of the hearing, adding: "And I'll be very candid, I'm kind of glad it's over, too."

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