The American Farm Bureau Federation has released the results of a poll from Morning Consult regarding the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement. Most participants favor fair trade, which is something AFBF would like to remind candidates running in the 2016 Election. “Most Americans support free trade,” American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall said, “and most farmers do, too. Exports account for … Read More
Farm Groups Praise Obama for Signing Labeling Bill
Multiple farm organizations have released statements, thanking President Obama for signing the food labeling bill into law. The new law was created to protect the food supply from a patch-work of state labeling laws and to offer consumers a more transparent, national system. “We are grateful to President Obama for swiftly signing into law a bill that is crucial for … Read More
House Sends #GMO Disclosure Bill to President
The U.S. House yesterday approved the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard by a vote of 309 to 117. The legislation, which preempts individual state laws to require labeling of foods containing genetically engineered ingredients, was passed by the Senate last week and is expected to be signed by President Obama. “I have said this is the most important food and … Read More
AFBF Calls on Congress to Assist with Labor Shortages
The American Farm Bureau Federation has produced a new video highlighting the difficulties farmers face in finding workers to harvest crops. The video shows the plight of peach production in Georgia, but the message outlines the scope of the problem nation wide. Hiring a seasonal skilled workforce to bring crops in from the fields to America’s tables has proved to … Read More
AFBF Pleased with Supreme Court Ruling
A unanimous Supreme Court ruling was handed down yesterday. The law of the land says landowners may challenge the federal government and the Army Corps of Engineers over improper regulations designed to protect water. Landowners have attempted many times to challenge Corps rulings known as jurisdictional determinations, but the government successfully argued that those determinations were not “final agency actions” … Read More
FB Tells Congress EPA, Army Corp of Engineers Violate Law
The American Farm Bureau Federation told the Senate Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water and Wildlife that the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers have violated their own regulations. The groups have effectively invented new rules to enforce the Clean Water Act, said senior director of congressional relations, Don Parrish. These interpretations of the law are threatening the livelihoods of Americas who … Read More
AFBF Reports Farmers Want Data Control
The American Farm Bureau Federation has released the results of a survey that shows America’s farmers and ranchers want to control their data. The survey also showed that farmers believe a cooperative-style central repository for their information would be the best way to control security and ensure its value. “We asked our members what they thought about data, and it … Read More
AFBF Tells Congress About Farm Financial Pressure
The continued commodity price slump is hurting American farmers and Zippy Duvall is trying to make sure Congress understand just what that means to agriculture. The American Farm Bureau Federation President (AFBF) explained to the Agriculture Subcommittee that, while all farmers and ranchers will be affected, new and young farmers will struggle most as they work to build equity, write … Read More
Bearish Market Predicted for Row Crops
The news for row crop prices isn’t great, according to the Prospective Plantings Report, with corn and rice likely to continue their current trend through the end of 2016. “The report really highlights how challenging the market is right now for major crops,” said John Anderson, deputy chief economist of the American Farm Bureau Federation. “We currently have adequate supplies … Read More
Surprising Crop Report from USDA
The 2016 Prospective Plantings report out today from USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) shows farmers expect to plant more corn and less soybeans this year. U.S. corn growers expect to plant 93.6 million acres to corn this year, the first increase in corn planted acreage since 2012 and, if realized, will be the third largest corn acreage since 1944. … Read More