Source:  Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE.COM, 6/19/09

                                      

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said Thursday he is looking for ways to help the struggling pork industry, including relief from restrictions on use of funds that might allow more government pork purchases.

"We're in the process of taking a look at ways in which we can be of assistance. So, we've obviously encouraged institutional buyers of pork or protein products to purchase pork," Vilsack told journalists on a conference call.

He went on to say, "We are a little bit limited in terms of our capacity to purchase pork here at USDA because of restrictions that have been placed on use of funds by Congress. But we are in the process of trying to determine whether or not there's any way we can create some flexibility in our authority that would allow us to be a little more aggressive than we have been. So, we're going to continue to look for ways to help these pork producers."

NAIS

Asked on the call for his reaction to a recent House appropriations subcommittee vote to cut off funds for the National Animal Identification System, Vilsack said the action reinforces the fact that legislators have concerns about the efficiency and effectiveness of the existing system.

He added, however, that USDA's listening sessions are continuing across the country and he has yet to make any decisions on what to recommend to Congress about the program.

"There is obviously a long way in the appropriations process to go … I haven't made any specific decisions because I want to give the listening-session process its full measure of consideration," Vilsack said.

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