We’ve been telling you the 2020 Florida Legislative Session is scheduled to end March 13th. But this last week it was evident that isn’t going to happen, as Legislators will need extra time to hammer out the state budget for next fiscal year. Florida Cattlemen’s Association (FCA) Director of Governmental Affairs, Sam Ard, explains. The some $1.5 billion gap between the proposed …
Ag Lime Labeling Bill Moving in Alabama Legislature
Alabama lawmakers have made it through five weeks of the 2020 Alabama Legislative Session, but thus far there haven’t been many bills of interest to agriculture in the state discussed. But Alabama Agribusiness Council (AAC) Executive Director Leigha Cauthen looks at a few that have, including the ag lime labeling bill. To keep up with the bills being discussed this …
House, Senate Face Negotiations on E-Verify
(NSF) — As the legislative session wanes, competing proposals that would require employers to check whether new hires are legally eligible to work in the United States are heading to the House and Senate floors. Both measures would force all public employers — such as state agencies and local school districts — to use E-Verify, a federal immigration program that …
Budget Work in Final Days of Florida Legislative Session
The 2020 Florida Legislative Session is getting closer to wrapping up, as with only this and next week left, it’s crunch time on finalizing various issues including the budget. According to Mary Ann Hooks, University of Florida/IFAS director of government affairs, committees will be hearing bills this week. So the time to get bills in the proper posture to be …
Florida Lawmakers Down to Final Two Weeks
The 2020 Florida Legislative Session is getting closer to wrapping up, as with only two weeks left, it is crunch time on finalizing various issues including the budget. With a $1.5 billion gap between the proposed Senate and House bills, budget conferees have much work to do to come to a compromise. And according to Florida Cattlemen’s Association (FCA) Director …
Water Legislation Discussed by Florida Lawmakers
There are only three weeks left to the 2020 Florida Legislative Session, and according to Florida Cattlemen’s Association (FCA) Director of Governmental Affairs Sam Ard, this week was a busy one. He notes that discussions this week included a bill concerning water. And Ard also has an update on the budget, which lawmakers will be working to wrap up before …
Georgia House Budget Restores Some Ag Funding
Week six of the 2020 session for the Georgia General Assembly was another busy one, according to Georgia Agribusiness Council (GAC) President, Will Bentley. He looks at the latest budget news along with an update on a bill of interest to agriculture. To keep track of activities during the 2020 Legislative Session go to the Georgia Agribusiness Council website, ga-agribusiness.org.
Bills of Interest to Rural Alabama in Legislature
Three weeks of the 2020 Alabama Legislative Session are now in the books, as various bills of interest to rural parts of the state have been discussed. Alabama Agribusiness Council (AAC) Executive Director, Leigha Cauthen, looks at a few of those. For more information go to the AAC website.
House of Representatives Clears Bill Boosting Ag Specialists at Borders
On Feb. 10, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that would address the shortage of agricultural specialists and inspectors at U.S. ports of entry. According to Customs and Border Patrol estimates, there is currently a shortage of nearly 700 inspectors across the country. The Senate companion bill was introduced by Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) and passed in October …
NRCS Chief on Implementation of Farm Bill Programs
Last month, head of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Resources Conservation Service(NRCS) updated a House Ag subcommittee on progress in implementing programs connected to the 2018 Farm Bill. And NRCS Chief Matt Lohr told Southeast AgNet that it’s been an exciting year. And NRCS recently announced that sign up is underway for their Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). …