Provisions aimed at helping farmers were included in the $1.3 trillion omnibus spending bill the U.S. House and Senate passed March 22. The bill funds the government through fiscal year 2018, which ends Sept. 30. In the appropriations bill, the Fair Agricultural Reporting Method (FARM) Act permanently exempts farmers from reporting air emissions under CERCLA rules. The bill also prohibits …
Chefs to Prepare Delectable Delights at Annual Flavors of Florida
Some of Florida’s top chefs will showcase their skills, while featuring Florida’s bountiful agricultural products at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences’ fifth annual Flavors of Florida. Renowned Gainesville chef Bert Gill will lead a team of chefs with Florida producers contributing to the menu. Gill, who owns Blue Gill Quality Foods and Mildred’s Big City …
Farm Bureau Concerned About Possible Chinese Trade Retaliation
The following statement on possible trade retaliation by China against U.S. farm exports may be attributed to American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall: “If the trade situation continues to deteriorate, our lives as farmers and ranchers will become more difficult. America’s farmers and ranchers export more than $21 billion of farm products to China – more than 20 percent …
NBB Disappointed with No New Biodiesel Tax Credit
The omnibus appropriations bill that’s already won approval in the House of Representatives doesn’t reinstitute the biodiesel tax credit. Kurt Kovarik, National Biodiesel Board VP of Federal Affairs, says his organization is disappointed that Congress once again hasn’t provided pro-growth tax certainty for a domestic energy industry that has broad bipartisan support. “The lack of urgency by Congress to extend …
Farmers for Free Trade: Tariffs Make American Farmers a Target
Brian Kuehl, Executive Director of Farmers for Free Trade, says the Section 301 tariff announcement against China is bad news for American agriculture. The group says these tariffs will put a target on the backs of American farmers. Kuehl says, “In fact, in testimony this week, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer says that ‘farmers get the short end of the …
Omnibus Spending Bill Also Contains Livestock “Fixes”
The U.S. Cattlemen’s Association was pleased to see that the omnibus appropriations spending bill released on Wednesday night has what it called “two common-sense solutions to regulatory overreach in the Fiscal Year 2018.” The spending bill includes a one-year delay of the Electronic Logging Devices mandate for livestock haulers. It also excludes livestock producers from the reporting requirements of the …
Appropriations Bill Agreed Upon by Congress, Contains Section 199A “Fix”
The Hagstrom Report says congressional leaders have agreed on an omnibus appropriations bill to fund the government through September 30. It passed a House vote, 256-167, and is expected to pass in the Senate before the weekend. There may still need to be a short-term continuing resolution if any senators object to the bill. The bill does contain a fix …
More U.S. Trading Partners Exempted from Tariffs
During testimony before the Senate Finance Committee, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer confirmed that the European Union, Australia, Argentina, Brazil, and South Korea will be exempted from tariffs on steel and aluminum. A Politico report says Lighthizer told the committee that, “the president has decided to pause the imposition of the tariffs with respect to those countries.” The levies are …
Trump: China Tariffs Will Total $50 Billion
President Donald Trump announced an estimated $50 billion in tariffs against Chinese imports today. Bloomberg says it’s a retaliatory move against intellectual property violations. The move will take effect on more than 100 different types of Chinese products. The overall value of the tariffs was based on economic estimates of the damage caused by those intellectual property violations. Last year, …
Chinese Retaliation On U.S. Pork Exports Will Harm The Rural Economy
The National Pork Producers Council warned that possible Chinese tariffs on U.S. pork could have a significant negative impact on rural America. China has indicated it will impose the duties in response to U.S. tariffs and restrictions – being placed on a host of Chinese goods. “We sell a lot of pork to China, so higher tariffs on our exports …