British International Trade Secretary Liam Fox and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer have taken the first steps towards a U.S.-U.K. free trade agreement. The duo recently met to create a working group that will “lay the groundwork” for a bilateral trade deal, according to Politico. However, official negotiations cannot begin until the United Kingdom formally leaves the European Union around …
Readout on Principals Meeting on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity Task Force
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue hosted a 90-minute working breakfast meeting involving principals who are members of the Agriculture and Rural Prosperity Task Force. The Task Force was created by President Trump’s Executive Order of April 25, 2017, with Secretary Perdue serving as chairman. “We’re synchronizing departments and agencies across the federal government so that citizens can truly believe that …
NMPF Urges FDA: Enforce U.S. Standards for Dairy Food Labeling
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) long absence of enforcement of its own food standards has allowed the marketing of hundreds of deceptively labeled dairy imitators – a situation requiring immediate action by the federal government, National Milk Producers Federation officials told the agency during a high-level meeting in Maryland. Food policy staff from the National Milk Producers Federation …
Farm Bureau Presents Farm Bill Goals to Congress
Congress must counter a steep, four-year drop in commodity prices that has left farmers and ranchers in worse shape than any time since the farm depression of the 1980s, Kentucky Farm Bureau President Mark Haney told the Senate Agriculture Committee. Haney’s testimony cited growing losses in farm country that increasingly threaten the livelihoods of millions of Americans. “2017 and 2018 …
NMPF Officer, Michigan Cooperative President Highlights Concerns with Dairy Safety Net in Senate Farm Bill Hearing
Congress must revise the dairy safety net program established in the 2014 Farm Bill to provide farmers with effective risk management protection that will increase participation in the program, according to Ken Nobis, president of the Michigan Milk Producers Association (MMPA) and first vice-chair of the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), who spoke at a 2018 Farm Bill hearing today. …
NCC: Bring Cotton Back Into Title I Commodity Policy
The National Cotton Council believes it is imperative that cotton is included in the next farm bill’s Title I programs so cotton producers can access the same complement of risk management tools available to other crops. That was the key message of Nick McMichen, a Centre, Ala., cotton producer, at today’s Senate Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry Committee hearing, “Commodities, Credit, …
NPPC Supports Legislation To Stop States From Dictating Production Practices In Other States
Stating that “pork producers, not animal-right activists, lawmakers or regulators, should make the decisions about what production practices are best for their animals and for producing safe food,” Neil Dierks, CEO of the National Pork Producers Council, in congressional testimony pledged the organization’s support for legislation that would prohibit a state from imposing tax or regulatory burdens on businesses, including pork operations, …
Rogers Testifies to U.S. Senate Ag Committee that Peanut Provisions in Farm Bill Work
Southern Peanut Farmers Federation Says Peanut Program Works and Must be Preserved Meredith McNair Rogers, a more than a 20-year veteran farmer from Camilla, Georgia, testified before the Senate Agriculture Committee that the peanut provisions included in the 2014 Farm Bill and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program work for farmers and consumers – and must be preserved in the next …
Senate Committee Blocks E15 Bill
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee has halted a bill that would have allowed gasoline with 15 percent ethanol to be sold year-round. The bill was co-sponsored by Republican Senators Deb Fischer of Nebraska and Chuck Grassley of Iowa, along with Democratic Senator Joe Donnelly of Indiana. Despite the bipartisan support, the legislation was unable to muster enough support …
Farm Groups Support Clovis Nomination
While some lawmakers have voiced concerns, agriculture groups Monday vocalized support for the nomination of Sam Clovis to a Department of Agriculture position. President Trump announced he would nominate Clovis to serve as the USDA undersecretary for research, education, and economics, which also serves as the departments chief scientist. Senate Agriculture Committee ranking member Debbie Stabenow, Senate Appropriations Committee ranking …