Written Testimony for the House of Representatives Committee on AgricultureA Look at Food Insecurity in AmericaMarch 11th, 2021Presented By:Zippy DuvallPresidentAmerican Farm Bureau Federation Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, my name is Zippy Duvall. I am a third-generation farmer and president of the American Farm Bureau Federation. I am pleased to offer this testimony on behalf of Farm Bureau …
Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack on Passage of the American Rescue Plan Act
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack made the following statement today on the passage of the American Rescue Plan Act by the U.S. Congress. The bill now goes to President Biden for his signature. For a detailed review, see the USDA fact sheet (see below). “President Biden wasted no time fulfilling his pledge to the American people to bring substantial financial relief within …
Support the Death Tax Repeal Act of 2021 Shown by Agriculture Groups
AFBF Applauds Introduction of Estate Tax Repeal Bills The American Farm Bureau Federation is calling on Congress to remove barriers to farm ownership. Bills aimed at eliminating the estate tax were introduced in the Senate and House. Both are supported by the American Farm Bureau Federation. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) and 25cosponsors introduced S. 617 and Reps. Jason Smith (R-Mo.) and Sanford Bishop …
Agriculture Included in New COVID-19 Relief Package
The $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, known as “The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021” is now official as President Biden signed the bill late last week. We’ve all heard how the package will include $1,400 stimulus checks for qualifying individuals, extends unemployment benefits, and more. But it also increases assistance through USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). And according …
Farm Workforce Modernization Act Introduced in U.S. House
The legislation was introduced this week in the U.S. House of Representatives that would reform the H-2A visa program to address the agricultural labor shortage. The “Farm Workforce Modernization Act”, introduced by Representatives Zoe Lofgren from California and Dan Newhouse of Washington, would amend the H-2A program to allow a capped number of visas for farmworkers to work year-round. In …
Georgia Legislature Deals with Certain Ag Issues
Week eight of the 2021 Georgia State Legislative Session was a week where lawmakers spent time dealing with various issues of interest to agriculture. Georgia Agribusiness Council (GAC) President Will Bentley explains what some of those issues and bills were. Go to the GAC website to keep track of any bills during the 2021 legislative session. Sponsored ContentNuseed Carinata Covers New GroundAugust …
Florida Legislative Session is Underway
The 2021 Florida Legislative Session officially kicked off Tuesday morning, as the House and Senate convened in a joint session. According to the News Service of Florida (NSF), during the event Gov. Ron DeSantis gave a 28-minute State of the State address that focused heavily on the state’s actions during the COVID-19 pandemic. But he also touched on protecting the state’s natural resources …
Cattle Market Transparency Act Introduced in U.S. Senate
The Cattle Market Transparency Act of 2021 was introduced in the U.S. Senate. If enacted, the legislation would direct the Secretary of Agriculture and the Office of the Chief Economist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish regional mandatory minimums for negotiated trade of fed cattle. The act, introduced by Senator Deb Fischer of Nebraska, would also direct …
Gov. Ron DeSantis Gives His State of the State Address to Florida Joint Session
(NSF) — Gov. Ron DeSantis gave his State of the State address Tuesday to formally start the 2021 legislative session. Here are his remarks, as prepared for delivery: Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, members of the House and Senate, and fellow citizens: I see, in many parts of our country, a sad state of affairs: schools closed, businesses shuttered and lives …
Lawmakers Introduce Emergency Feed Bill
Legislation introduced this week in the Senate would provide farmers and ranchers with additional flexibility to alleviate feed shortages in years with widespread excessive moisture, flooding or drought. The Feed Emergency Enhancement During Disasters with Cover Crops Act would create an emergency waiver authority for the Secretary of Agriculture to allow for haying, grazing or chopping of a cover crop …