Florida Senate Passes Property Insurance Overhaul

Dan Agri-Business, Economy, Florida, Funding, Legislative, Regulation

(NSF/TALLAHASSEE, FL/December 14, 2022) — The Florida Senate on Tuesday overwhelmingly passed a bill aimed at shoring up the troubled-property insurance system by curbing lawsuits, injecting tax dollars into reinsurance coverage and trying to shrink the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. The Republican-dominated Senate voted 27-13 largely along party lines to approve the bill (SB 2-A), which is expected to …

Workforce Modernization Act

Workforce Modernization Act Could Save Billions in Labor Costs

Dan Agri-Business, Labor and Immigration, Legislative, Regulation

The Farm Workforce Modernization Act awaits Senate action during the lame-duck session, and it’s the closest meaningful immigration reform has come to the finish line in years. Research by David Bier, Cato Institute associate director of immigration studies, shows farmers would save billions over the next few years if the Senate passes the legislation. “The Farm workforce Modernization Act would …

Florida Holding Special Legislative Session

Dan Florida, Legislative

Florida lawmakers will hold a special legislative session December 12-16 in Tallahassee. Lawmakers were already scheduled to be in the Capitol during that week for committee meetings. According to the News Service of Florida, with the state’s property-insurance system in turmoil, lawmakers could be poised to take major steps to try to stabilize the market during the special session. A …

Ag Research Hearing at Senate Ag Committee

Dan Agri-Business, Funding, Legislative, Research

The Senate Ag Committee took up the topic of the research title in the Farm Bill during a hearing this week. Witnesses testified on the need to fund cutting-edge ag research, the power behind modern, high-tech agriculture. But USDA research chief Chavonda Jacobs-Young said funding for research is on the decline. “Federal investments in agricultural research have declined by a …

Thompson Elected Chairman of House Agriculture Committee

Dan Agri-Business, Legislative

(WASHINGTON, DC/December 8, 2022) — Yesterday, the House Republican Steering Committee elected Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson (PA-15) as Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture for the118th Congress. Mr. Thompson will be the first Chairman from Pennsylvania in nearly 170 years. After the vote, Mr. Thompson issued the following statement: “I am honored to lead the Committee on Agriculture and build on the accomplishments of the past two …

Cattle Markets Bills Likely Must Wait Until New Congress

Dan Cattle, Legislative, Marketing, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), Regulation

Controversial Senate cattle market reform bills may be ‘cooked’ for this year, as the lame-duck Congress takes its last breaths this week and next. Here is the way Senate author of the Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act, Chuck Grassley, sees last-minute chances for his bill. “(I) think it’d be tough…that’s about all I can say.” The Grassley bill with …

NCBA Applauds Protect Farmers from the SEC ACT in Senate

Dan Cattle, Environment, Legislative, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), Regulation

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) supports the Senate version of the Protect Farmers from the SEC Act, a companion bill to legislation introduced into the House of Representatives by Oklahoma Republican Frank Lucas. “The Securities and Exchange Commissions’ overly broad rulemaking has the potential to increase burdens on cattle producers by requiring data that’s impossible to provide,” says NCBA …

Agriculture Groups Applaud Passage of Bill that Blocks Rail Strike

Dan Agri-Business, Legislative, Regulation

(NCGA/December 1, 2022) — The Senate voted 80-15 to pass a bill that would head off a potential rail strike that could have disrupted the movement of grain and input shipments. The vote comes a day after the House approved similar legislation. The National Corn Growers Association applauded the development. “We are extremely relieved that Congress took action to head …