I’m Mark Oppold with an American Agriculture History Minute. In the early 1930s, roughly 9 out of 10 rural homes were still without electric power. Farm families quickly learned to use every minute of sunlight for outdoor chores and lift their homes with kerosene lanterns at night. That would begin to change in May 1933, passage of the Tennessee Valley …
Lame Duck Session Seen as Last Chance to Save Farm Bill
The legislation that would set food and farm policy for the next five years is in limbo, waiting for lawmakers to decide its fate after the election. The latest deadline for the Farm Bill passed back on September 30th, without a push from lawmakers to pass a new bill or an extension. Congress will have to scramble in the lame-duck …
NCGA President Calls for Action during White House Meeting
During a meeting at the White House this week, National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) President Kenneth Hartman, Jr. told Biden administration officials that farmers are living through difficult economic times. But they and Congress can help farmers by removing barriers so growers can access expanding markets for U.S. corn. “On behalf of my fellow corn growers, I spoke about the need to …
Farmers Face Uncertainty as 2018 Farm Bill Extension Expires Without Replacement
With the expiration of the extension of the 2018 Farm Bill, U.S. farmers and ranchers could already be feeling the impact. Key programs supporting agriculture have been disrupted, and uncertainty looms over the industry. Sam Kieffer, vice president of public policy for the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), highlighted some of the immediate consequences. “Most impacts won’t be felt until …
Key Farm Programs End as Farm Bill Extension Expires
The one-year extension of the 2018 Farm Bill has ended, causing important farm programs to stop. Without action from Congress, more programs will shut down by the end of the year, leaving farmers in a tough spot. Programs that are ending now include the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Grassland Conservation, and programs that help promote …
New Scorecard Aims to Support Family Farmers
A new initiative called the Limited Government Agriculture Scorecard has been launched to help family farmers and ranchers in the United States. This scorecard is created by Competitive Markets Action, the Institute for Legislative Analysis, and the Organization for Competitive Markets. Its main goal is to fight against cronyism in agriculture and hold lawmakers accountable for their actions. The agriculture …
Potential Changes from Overturning the Chevron Doctrine
At the 2024 Annual Meeting, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) invited experts from the National Agricultural Law Center to discuss the possible impacts of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the Chevron doctrine. This important legal principle, established in 1984, has guided how courts defer to federal agencies in interpreting laws for nearly four decades. …
AM Radio Bill Moves to House Floor
Efforts to keep AM radio in the dashboards of U.S. vehicles have taken a step forward in the House. The House Energy and Commerce Committee voted 45-2 to send the proposed AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act to the full House for a vote. “It’s been a stalwart of American prosperity and information sharing,” says Representative Jeff Duncan (R-SC). “Having …
House Passes Bill to Protect U.S. Farmland
Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the “Protecting U.S. Farmland from Foreign Adversaries Act”. The legislation would increase scrutiny of foreign bids to purchase U.S. farmland, particularly from adversaries like China, North Korea, Russia, and Iran. It would add the Secretary of Agriculture to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States and include the secretary on …
NCBA/PLC on ESA Amendment Act
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and Public Lands Council (PLC) are giving strong support for the Endangered Species Act Amendments Act of 2024, introduced by Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA) and Rep. Bruce Westerman (AR). This legislation would reform the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to provide more timely conservation efforts on America’s rangeland. PLC Executive Director and NCBA Executive Director of …