Washington Continued from page 7 Progress in Prosecuting Grease Theft By Charles W. Gittins Valley Proteins, Inc. Combating used cooking oil theft continues to be a priority for the National Renderers Association (NRA) and its members. Highlighting the importance of the issue to its membership, in November 2012 NRA retained the Freeh Group, led by former federal judge and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Louis Freeh. The goal was to meet with senior Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI officials in Washington, DC, to educate them on the magnitude of the grease theft problem in the rendering industry and the collateral criminal activity that accompanies the individual thefts, including interstate transport of stolen grease, money laundering, and tax evasion. An example of evidence collected by a local police officer showing the interstate nature of the enterprise from the local Washington, DC, area served to illustrate the Freeh Group’s presentation. The meetings with senior DOJ and FBI officials occurred in August. Independent of the NRA-Freeh Group efforts, individual renderers have employed investigators, attorneys, and employees to combat theft of used cooking oil through education of local law enforcement officials and by conducting independent investigations. These efforts are beginning to show results as law enforcement authorities have begun to be persuaded that the grease theft problem entails more than individual misdemeanor thefts. The cooperation of local mid-Atlantic NRA members with law enforcement authorities has led to several highprofile federal prosecutions. In Philadelphia, PA, Bernard Corbin has been indicted on three-counts for conspiracy, interstate transportation of stolen property, and aiding and abetting. Corbin’s company, Simply Green, was little more than a “front” for a theft operation, stealing used cooking oil from legitimate renderers’ used cooking oil collection equipment in the Philadelphia area. The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has also provided notice of intent to forfeit property, including bank accounts and other tangible property, in the amount of $382,584. In Baltimore, MD, the dominoes have fallen in a longrunning federal investigation involving the Internal Revenue Service and Baltimore County Police Department. Ahmad Qaabid Abdul-Rahim pleaded guilty to transporting stolen property as part of a scheme to steal used cooking oil. He admitted in a plea agreement to receiving nearly $99,000 for selling more than 94,000 gallons of stolen used cooking oil during a nine-month period in 2012. Abdul-Rahim faces up to 10 years in prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 3, 2013. the product of genetic modification (GM) – and by extension over 80 percent of US food products contain at least some form of GM ingredient – consumers here seem to be generally okay with that. However, Europe is the world’s bastion of biotechnology animus, going so far as to influence developing nation use of the technology based on what it will and will not import from those nations. The EU has struggled over the years to ban outright the use of GM ingredients, requiring labeling for even the possible presence of GM ingredients – there’s that “precautionary” thing again – yet science overwhelmingly demonstrates there are no food safety issues. Some of the world’s preeminent hunger experts contend we cannot meet world food demand over the next few decades without judicious use of biotechnology, whether for disease, drought, or saline resistance, or in animals that grow faster, eat less feed, produce less waste, and are resistant or immune to animal disease. Interestingly, the EU has a practical side as seen in its waiver a couple years back of its ban on some GM feed grains and oilseeds when European farmers faced a feeddeficit continent. These talks must succeed, but the devil will be in the details of a finished agreement. Most observers agree the formula for success of the TTIP negotiations is to rely on fact and not philosophy, science and not politics, and the reality of risk, not precautionary principles. Both governments are beholden to their constituents and this will mean less or no progress in some areas than in others. Both governments must be wary of overzealousness. And let’s not forget, both governments must ratify whatever the negotiators hammer together, and ultimately that ratification will turn on whether affected constituents feel good about it. The United States cannot be blinded by dollar signs and/or political legacy; this is not a one-shot opportunity to redress its European trade deficit. From an ag perspective, the United States has enjoyed record exports for a number of years because what this country produces is what the world demands and no one can supply it in the amounts or quality available from the United States. Therefore, concessions need not be made that may mean increased exports in the shortterm, but long-term pain or losses for US industry over time. The United States must also be keenly aware of its domestic legal authorities and be vigilant it does not overpromise what can’t legally be delivered. The EU is hugely challenged in accepting the negotiation of this agreement. In some key areas, it will fundamentally need to shift its existing position and collective philosophy if trade with the United States is to be truly increased, open, and tariff free. However, it would be naïve of the United States – farmers, ranchers, consumers, or politicians – to expect that Europe will commit to a 180-degree turn on anything. Returning to the EU position paper cited above, the key line is as follows: “…it is not possible for one side to impose its system on the other.” Nor should either side be so heavy handed as to even attempt such a strategy. However, politics is the art of the possible, as they say, and the United States and EU are now engaged in a heavy exercise of the “what ifs” Continued on page 39 should they fail. R 12 October 2013 Render www.rendermagazine.com
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