The 2018 Farm Bill Conference Committee will hold its first public meeting this week on Wednesday, September 5 at 9:30 am Eastern. Agriculture Committee Chairmen Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and Rep. K. Michael Conaway, R-Texas, and Ranking Members Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., announced the meeting last month, saying that they are “committed to working together … Read More
Reaction to President Trump’s SOTU
President Donald Trump made no direct mention of agriculture in his first State of the Union address, but he did address important issues for agriculture and rural America including infrastructure and immigration, trade and taxes. Trump called on Congress to “produce a bill that generates at least $1.5 trillion for the new infrastructure investment that our country so desperately needs,” … Read More
Survey Spurs Farm Groups to Action on Opioid Crisis
Two of the nation’s largest farm groups plan to work together in response to staggering numbers released in a recent survey on opioid abuse in rural America. The Morning Consult survey shows farmers and ranchers are more affected than the rest of their rural neighbors, with 74 percent confirming they’ve been directly impacted by opioid abuse. The American Farm Bureau … Read More
The Paris Accord and Agriculture
Unlike everyone else, agriculture interests had very little to say about President Trump pulling the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Accord. “President Trump promised that he would put America first and he has rightly determined that the Paris accord was not in the best interests of the United States,” said Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue in a statement. “The Earth’s … Read More
NFU Wants Producers to Weigh in on Farm Bill
The National Farmers Union (NFU) is offering growers a chance to have their opinions heard regarding the next Farm Bill by offering a survey for farm and ranch families across the U.S. The survey is in addition to multiple member listening sessions being held that also offer a chance for feedback. “As a farmer-led organization, we work closely with our … Read More
NFU Joins Field to Market
Sustainability continues to be a key initiative among farmers around the world. The National Farmers Union (NFU) has joined Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, an initiative to unite the agricultural supply chain in defining, measuring and advancing the sustainability of agriculture production in the United States. Just last week Cool Planet announced its support of the program … Read More
Ag Groups Respond To EPA Scrutiny of Enlist Duo
Yesterday the American Soybean Association partnered with a coalition of major farm groups to issue a letter to EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy pressing the EPA to withdraw its request to vacate the registration for Dow’s Enlist Duo herbicide, stressing the importance of and highlighting the urgent need for new modes of action to tackle resistant weeds on farms across the … Read More
Farmers Need RFS Certainty to Remain Profitable
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expected to announce final rules for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) this November after months of delay and push back from the agriculture and biofuels industries. As it currently stands, the volume levels set for 2015 and 2016 are lower than the law mandates. As a result, a new white paper finds that American farmers … Read More
NFU Pleased with the Future of Drones
Roger Johnson, president of the National Farmers Union (NFU) has praised the FAA for the work it has done to address the challenges and future of UAVs. Recently two individuals at the administration have been selected to spear head the integration of UAVs into U.S. airspace. “UAVs have significant potential to benefit America’s family farmers and ranchers,” said Johnson. “NFU … Read More
Lawmakers Ask FDA to Help Farmers with FSMA
Senator Chris Murphy and Rep. Rosa DeLauro, both Democrats from Connecticut, this week joined with 12 other members of Congress in calling for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to implement programs to help family farmers and ranchers comply with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). In letters to FDA Acting Commissioner Dr. Stephen Ostroff, the lawmakers stressed the importance … Read More