House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX), Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-MN) and members of the committee hosted a farm bill listening session at the Farm Progress Show Thursday in Decatur, Illinois. It was the fifth such session the committee has held so far. “This was a terrific listening session that will benefit us as we write the next farm … Read More
Congressmen Talk Farm Bill at Peanut Meeting
U.S. Representatives Mike Rogers (R-AL) and Austin Scott (R-GA) both shared their perspectives on the new administration, gridlock in Congress, and the outlook for a 2018 farm bill at the 2017 Southern Peanut Growers Conference Saturday. “It’s going to be a tough fight, I don’t want anybody to fool themselves,” said Rep. Rogers about getting the next farm bill passed … Read More
House Ag Hearing on Specialty Crop Innovations
The House Agriculture Committee heard testimony Wednesday on technology and innovation in specialty crops as input toward the making of the 2018 farm bill. “As we look at the farm bill through the lens of the current farm economy, innovation and technology will remain essential for farmers and ranchers to continue producing more food and fiber with fewer resources,” said … Read More
“Peanut Program Works” Website and Video Launched
As preparations for the 2018 Farm Bill begin, the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation (SPFF) has launched a website and video to showcase the benefits of the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program in the 2014 Farm Bill. Through the website, SPFF aims to educate policymakers, farmers and the agriculture community about why the Peanut Program must be retained in the upcoming … Read More
ASTA Preparing Farm Bill Input
Virginia Houston The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) has an interest in several titles of the farm bill, so the organization is making preparations for the 2018 legislation. The research title is extremely important to the industry, and trade promotions are absolutely critical, Jane DeMarchi, VP of Government and Regulatory Affairs and Virginia Houston, Associate Director for Domestic and Government … Read More
Trump’s Proposed Budget Meets Mixed Reviews
Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue offered a positive perspective, but farm groups are reacting to Trump’s proposed 2018 budget in the opposite way. American Farm Bureau Federation, National Corn Growers Association, American Soybean Association, National Association of Conservation Districts, and whole list of Crop Insurance organizations oppose the $4 billion in cuts to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “I don’t … Read More
Sugar Farmers Address Farm Bill Policy
Galen Lee, President of the American Sugarbeet Growers Association, addressed the audience at Agri-Pulse’s Farm Bill Summit last week. The sugar industry is currently dealing with lower sugar prices than when Jimmy Carter was in office, so the importance of a strong safety net can’t be understated. “While we are smaller than other crops we still support 142,000 jobs in … Read More
#FarmBillSummit Bridges Food/Farm Gap
The “Bridging the Gap Between Farm and Food Policy” panel hosted by Agri-Pulse during their Farm Bill Summit was moderated by Agri-Pulse Senior Editor, Phillip Brasher. The panelists were all veterans of past farm bills and familiar with wrestling issues like SNAP. “I think the alliance between farmers and people who work in the nutrition field or people who worry … Read More
Ag Groups Testify at House Hearing
National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) President Wesley Spurlock, and American Soybean Association (ASA) President Ron Moore both addressed the House Agriculture Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management earlier this week. Both testimonies spoke about the need for a strong risk management plan in a weak farm economy, noting the current prices of both corn and soybeans. “Farm prices … Read More
#FarmBillSummit Addresses Crop Insurance
Tom Zacharias, president of National Crop Insurance Services (NCIS), was among the speakers invited to address this week’s Agri-Pulse Farm Bill Summit in Washington, D.C. Zacharias stressed the role crop insurance plays in ensuring a strong and vibrant agricultural sector, which is critical to the well-being of our economy and society as a whole. “The role of both state and … Read More