The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) recently sent letters to producers across the country discussing the challenging year that many have faced. This includes the threat of tax hikes, to the uncertainty around the Water of the United States (WOTUS) and many more issues. During the recent Alabama Cattlemen’s Association Convention Mary Bea Halimeh, director of membership and affiliated services for NCBA, …
Chlorpyrifos Ban Will Stand
Agriculture groups had two requests for a stay of the Environmental Protection Agency’s ban on chlorpyrifos turned down by a federal court. DTN says the court will allow the groups’ latest suit against the agency to go forward. Farmers still can’t use the insecticide on food or feed crops because its food residue tolerances got revoked. The leading groups of …
Georgia State Legislative Session Passes Crossover Day
Week ten of the 2022 Georgia State Legislative Session saw lawmakers get through the important Crossover Day. Georgia Agribusiness Council (GAC) President Will Bentley says this means there are now 12 legislative days left to the session. The 2022 Georgia State Legislative session is scheduled to run through April 4th. To keep track of any of the bills during the session, go to the GAC website. …
Florida Announces Dates of 2023 Legislative Session
Now that the 2022 session has ended, dates for the 2023 Florida Legislative Session have been announced. A schedule that was posted this week on the Florida Senate website shows it will run from March 7 through May 5, 2023. According to the News Service of Florida, while the 2022 session did end Monday, it remains unclear whether lawmakers will need to hold a special …
DeSantis Says Water Bill ‘Much Different’
(NSF) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said a controversial environmental bill is “dramatically” improved from when he severely criticized the measure during the middle of the legislative session. The Senate voted 33-0 and the House voted 99-8 on Monday to approve the budget-related bill (SB 2508) as they finished the session. While DeSantis wouldn’t say whether he will sign the bill, …
Florida Legislative Session Ends
Florida lawmakers passed a record $112.1-billion budget Monday to end a legislative session dominated by fierce debates about issues such as education, abortion and immigration. The election-year spending plan was pumped up by federal stimulus money and higher-than-expected state tax collections. It funnels money to many issues, including higher funding for public schools and pay raises for state employees. The …
Bill Would Provide Relief on Fertilizer Tariffs
Senator Roger Marshall and Representative Tracey Mann introduced the Emergency Relief from Duties Act. The bill would create emergency waivers for duties levied on fertilizers by the U.S. International Trade Commission. “Fertilizers and other inputs have been at an all-time high, and the war in Ukraine promises to drive up the price of products even more,” says Chris Edgington, President …
Georgia Lawmakers Preparing for Crossover Day
Week nine of the 2022 Georgia State Legislative Session saw Lawmakers busy working with various bills, as an important day is coming up next week. Georgia Agribusiness Council (GAC) President Will Bentley explains why Crossover Day in the Legislature is so important to the process of getting bills through the session. Crossover Day will be next Tuesday, March 15. To …
Florida Lawmakers Give DeSantis More Appointment Power
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his successors will have more power over some high-level state appointments under a bill headed to his desk. Without debate, the Florida House on Wednesday voted 77-34, mostly along party lines, to approve a measure (SB 1658) that would increase the governor’s power to appoint the secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection, the commissioner of …
Iowa Senators: Time to Unleash Biofuels
With gas prices hitting all-time highs, Iowa Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst are asking the president to “unleash biofuels” immediately. They want Biden’s support on their bipartisan plan to replace Russian oil with clean-burning, American-made renewable fuels that are available right now. The new bill is called the Home Front Energy Independence Act and would put the ban on …