Nearly 100 members of the National Biodiesel Board are on Capitol Hill this week encouraging lawmakers to reinstate the biodiesel tax credit, which expired in December 2016. As part of an annual fly-in to the Capitol, NBB members are meeting with lawmakers to support the tax credit to “stabilize the business environment” for the industry, according to NBB CEO Doug …
Eliminating Poultry Trade Barriers Part of NAFTA Negotiation Objectives
New items added to the list of negotiation objectives include eliminating Canadian tariffs on U.S. poultry as part of the next round of North American Free Trade Agreement talks. The next round of negotiations, scheduled for next month in Washington, D.C., will include the new objectives by U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, according to meat industry publication Meatingplace. Lighthizer recently …
Canada Group Issues Report on Trade Without NAFTA
A Canada-based financial group outlines trade without the North American Free Trade Agreement in a new report called “The Day After NAFTA.” BMO Financial Group of Montreal published the report that says the Canadian food and beverage industry would be highly vulnerable without NAFTA, and that Canadian and U.S. crop producers would face a moderate level of vulnerability. Specifically, Canadian …
E-Verify Requirement Sought in Florida
Florida businesses would have to verify through the federal government that newly hired employees aren’t undocumented immigrants, under a measure that moved closer Tuesday to appearing before voters in 2018 despite opposition from agriculture interests. A panel of the Florida Constitution Revision Commission unanimously backed a proposal (P 29) that would require all employers in Florida to use the U.S. …
Putnam Requests Federal Disaster Relief for Florida Agriculture
Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam sent a letter to the Florida’s congressional delegation requesting much-needed disaster relief for Florida agriculture, which suffered a more than $2.5 billion hit due to Hurricane Irma. Excerpts from the letter are below: “As you know Hurricane Irma, among the strongest hurricanes ever to make direct landfall in the United States, dealt a devastating …
Growth Energy Applauds EPA Point of Obligation Decision
The Environmental Protection Agency decision to reject changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard point of obligation means consumers will continue to enjoy increasing choices at the pump. Growth Energy applauded the EPA for rejecting requests to change the point of obligation, a move that would have caused confusion in the marketplace. Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor says the move to …
Assistance Available for Irma Damaged Ag Land in Florida
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida has established a special Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) sign-up Nov. 28 – Dec. 28 to help agricultural producers who suffered damage from Hurricane Irma with financial and technical assistance. Conservation practices available through this EQIP funding specifically address natural resource concerns from hurricane flood and wind damage and provide future …
Newhouse Remains Confident Farm Bill Will Pass on Time
There’s been speculation by some in different ag circles that the new Farm Bill will not pass on-time. Some have speculated it won’t pass until 2019. Representative Dan Newhouse of Washington State recently acknowledged he’s heard those rumors, but cannot substantiate them. In addition, he says he doesn’t believe they are true. The Central Washington republican says House Agriculture Committee …
DOT Grants Agriculture Temporary Electronic Logging Device Waiver
A waiver by the Department of Transportation allows agriculture the exemption to electronic logging device requirements in commercial trucks that take effect next month. The 90-day waiver was granted in response to a petition by the American Farm Bureau Federation and other ag groups. AFBF congressional relations director Andrew Walmsley says the waiver allows the agency to reevaluate the mandate’s …
2017 Census of Agriculture Gets Underway
Questionnaires being sent to over 3 million U.S. producers The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) starts mailing the 2017 Census of Agriculture to the nation’s producers this week. Conducted once every five years, the census aims to get a complete and accurate picture of American agriculture. The resulting data are used by farmers, ranchers, trade …