Senate Agriculture Committee Members Visit Alabama Farms

Dan Alabama, Farm Bill

Autauga County farmer Harold Gaines stood with his sons Dan and Levi as he told leaders of the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee his priority for the 2018 farm bill Saturday morning. “I want to be able to pass on this farm to the next generation and for them to be successful,” Gaines said as Sens. Luther Strange, R-Alabama, and Pat …

Florida Rep. Roth Recaps his First Year

Randall Weiseman Florida, Legislative

Rick Roth, West Palm Beach native and vegetable farmer, has completed his first year in the Florida Legislature serving the 85th district. He discusses his first year as a representative and his plans for his second year serving Florida. Roth says he found the legislative process to be very exciting. “It was an information party,” he says. As a vegetable …

American Farm Bureau Lists Farm Bill Goals

Dan Farm Bill

With serious economic challenges facing agriculture, underscored by even deeper concerns in some commodity sectors, the American Farm Bureau Federation board of directors outlined the organization’s key objectives for the 2018 farm bill. After its meeting this week in Washington, D.C., the AFBF board sent its goals and recommendations to leadership on the Senate and House agriculture committees in anticipation …

ASTA Testifies before House Ag Committee on Plant Breeding Innovation, Farm Bill

Dan Farm Bill, Seeds

American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) President & CEO Andrew W. LaVigne testified at a U.S. House Agriculture Committee hearing on the Farm Bill and innovation in specialty crops. LaVigne stressed the importance of promoting a climate of innovation through the funding of critical Farm Bill research programs, and the enactment of clear and consistent, science-based policies across the government. “As our …

Swine Veterinarian Fly-In

Dan Farm Bill, Pork

The National Pork Producers Council and the American Association of Swine Veterinarians are hosting their Washington, D.C. legislative fly-in today and tomorrow, July 11-12.  Swine veterinarians from across the country will visit congressional lawmakers, discussing their priority issues. The veterinarians are expected to urge members of Congress to include in the 2018 Farm Bill language establishing a vaccine bank to …

NPPC Testimony Details Benefits of NAFTA

Dan Legislative, Pork, Trade

Last week, the National Pork Producers Council submitted to the House Ways and Means Committee testimony on the importance of trade to the U.S. pork industry. The organization focused on the benefits of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), stressing the vital role the agreement has played in U.S. economic and agricultural expansion. According to the NPPC, in 2016 U.S. …

Research Money Prioritized for 2018 Farm Bill

Randall Weiseman Farm Bill

By Jaci Schreckengost During the first listening session to discuss the 2018 farm bill, continued or increased research programs were a common topic of discussion for the growers and ranchers in attendance. John Hoblick, president of the Florida Farm Bureau, said Florida received $31.2 million from specialty crop block grant programs from 2008 to 2015, which included money for research …

Florida Cattlemen’s Association Gives Farm Bill Input

Randall Weiseman Farm Bill, Florida

By Jaci Schreckengost The foot-and-mouth disease vaccine bank is one item needed in the 2018 farm bill, according to Dusty Holley and Jim Handley of the Florida Cattlemen’s Association. “Our industry is very susceptible to a huge, devastating problem if we don’t think ahead and buy this insurance in advance,” said Handley, executive vice president of the Florida Cattlemen’s Association. …

EPA Administrator Visits Southeast Agriculture

Randall Weiseman Alabama, Environment, Georgia, Legislative

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt is visiting the Southeast this week, bringing his Back-to-Basics positive environmental agenda with him. He visited Alabama and Georgia, where he was joined by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. Pruitt discusses his trip and Back-to-Basics initiative. “It’s been a wonderful two days,” Pruitt says. He started his trip on July 6 …

Peanut Farmers Debate Provisions for 2018 Farm Bill

Randall Weiseman Farm Bill, Legislative, Peanuts

By Jaci Schreckengost Provisions from the 2014 farm bill had lasting effects on peanut farmers in the Southeast. However, farmers are debating whether those effects were positive or negative. On June 24, a listening session was hosted in Gainesville, Florida, by the House Agriculture Committee to discuss the creation of the 2018 farm bill. “You hit a homerun. You wrote …