WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill is joining a bipartisan group of colleagues to urge the Department of Agriculture and the United States Trade Representative to reject recent efforts by the European Union to restrict the export of commonly named meats.

The Senator’s letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman called for continued action against the EU’s growing efforts to use what is known as “geographical indication” as a means to restrict U.S. meat exports around the globe, particularly to nations with which the U.S. already has free trade agreements.

“This trade barrier is of great concern to meat and other food manufacturers in our states,” the Senators wrote. “We urge you to continue to push back against the EU’s efforts to restrict our meat exports, particularly to nations with which we already have free trade agreements.”

“In country after country, the EU has been using its FTAs to persuade trading partners to impose barriers to U.S. exports under the guise of protecting geographical indications (GI),” the Senators continued. “We ask that USTR and USDA continue to work aggressively to ensure the EU’s GI efforts on commonly used meat product names do not impair the ability of U.S. businesses to compete both domestically and internationally. We ask you to make this a top priority through official TTIP, Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) and bilateral negotiations.”

The EU is attempting to block products using certain place names as part of the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations. However, many of the place names represent styles of meats that have long been produced in the United States, to the point that they have become functionally generic, such as “black forest ham,” “wiener schnitzel,” “bologna,” and “bratwurst.” If the European Union were successful, it could severely harm the U.S. meat industry.

Last month, McCaskill joined a bipartisan group of colleagues in urging the U.S. trade agencies to reject efforts by the EU to restrict the export of commonly named cheeses.

KANSAS CITY (AP) – Members of Kansas City’s film community say they are looking forward to more “lights, camera, action” after funding was restored for a city film office.

The city budget, which takes effect May 1, provides $50,000 in tourism tax dollars for the film office. That will be matched by the Convention and Visitors Association. The funds will pay for a full-time director who will lead efforts to attract movies, commercials, reality TV and more to Kansas City.

The Kansas City Star reports the film office in 2002 because of budget problems. It had partial funding from the Convention and Visitors Association before closing about two years later. Volunteers had tried to keep film efforts going but had difficulty coordinating with crews interested in working in the city.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City’s Boulevard Brewing Co. plans to expand its sales across the U.S. and into Europe.

Two women were injured in separate Sunday accidents in Livingston County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Chevy Malibu driven by Kelsey A. Brown, 26, Tina, Mo., was southbound on Highway Z three miles south of Chillicothe. The driver swerved to avoid a vehicle parked in the roadway, ran off the left side of the road and rolled once coming to rest on its top in the northbound lane. Brown was transported to Hedrick Medical Center.

Earlier in the day a 2011 Toyota minivan driven by Nancy J. Slonecker, 63, Trenton, Mo. was southbound on U 65 five miles south of Chillicothe. The vehicle went off the west side of the roadway, struck a driveway and went airborne. The vehicle hit the ground and overturned onto the driver’s side.

Sloneker was transported to Hedrick Medical Center.

The MSHP reports both women were wearing seat belts.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri House committee plans to review Senate-backed legislation seeking to address student transfers form the state’s most troubled school districts.

Unaccredited districts must pay for students to transfer to a better-performing nearby public school. That has led to financial problems and prompted concern about the ability of districts to control the number of students.

LEE’S SUMMIT (AP) – A small airplane has crashed in suburban Kansas City, Mo. and two people are injured.

Lee’s Summit Police Sgt. Chris Depue said first responders were headed to the scene of the crash in the suburban community.

It was not immediately clear where the plane had taken off or exactly where it had gone down. No other details of the condition of the two injured were available and it was not known if they were on board the aircraft.

We will publish details as they become available.

JEFFERSON CITY (AP) – Key Missouri lawmakers appear ready to allow a cannabis extract to be used by people whose epilepsy is not relieved by other treatments.

A Missouri House committee could hold a public hearing and vote this week on legislation filed by Republican Caleb Jones, of Columbia. The measure’s co-sponsors are the Republican House speaker, majority leader and Democratic leaders. It also is supported by a Republican state senator whose son has epilepsy.

The bill would allow use of “hemp extract” that has little of the substance making users feel high and greater amounts of a chemical called cannabidiol or CBD. Patients would need to have epilepsy that a neurologist has determined is not responding to at least three treatment options.

Other states also have considered legislation dealing with the cannabis extract.