Pork producers from across the country are gathering virtually this week, taking part in the National Pork Producers Council’s (NPPC) Legislative Action Conference (LAC). Various topics are being discussed with lawmakers, including expanding market access to Vietnam, visa reform to address a livestock agriculture labor shortage, and foreign animal disease prevention. “Trade remains crucial to the continued success of the U.S. pork …
Florida House and Senate Pass Individual Budgets
Week six of the 2021 Florida Legislative Session saw action on the state budget, as both the House and Senate passed their individual budgets. According to the Director of Governmental Affairs for the Florida Cattlemen’s Association, Sam Ard, there are some differences to be worked out. (audio) But as lawmakers head to conference to piece together a new spending plan, they are looking …
ASA/AFBF: Stepping on Stepped-up Basis Has Big Consequences
Any change in capital gains tax policy that eliminates or scales back stepped-up basis could result in a massive tax burden on the agricultural sector. A new analysis by the American Soybean Association and the American Farm Bureau Federation confirmed the findings. To minimize the impact of burdensome capital gains taxes, farmers and ranchers use a stepped-up basis, which provides …
NCBA Welcomes Preserving Family Farms Act
House lawmakers recently introduced the Preserving Family Farms Act of 2021, a priority for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. NCBA has long supported efforts to reduce tax burdens on farmers and ranchers. This bipartisan legislation to expand IRS Code Section 2032A would allow cattle producers to take advantage of the Special Use Valuation and protect family-owned businesses from the impact …
Florida Legislative Session Reaches Half-way Point
Week five of the 2021 Florida Legislative Session saw discussions on various issues. Sam Ard, director of governmental affairs for the Florida Cattlemen’s Association (FCA), says they also just finished the halfway point of the session. The Florida Legislative Session is scheduled to end April 30. (Florida Cattlemen’s Association): http://www.floridacattlemen.org/ Sponsored ContentWhat Sets Provysol® Fungicide ApartJuly 8, 2025CIR Agriculture Harvester ProductsJuly 1, …
Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried: 30-Day FDACS Legislative Update
(FDACS) — This is the halfway mark of Florida’s 60-day annual legislative session. Below, Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services offer an update of the department’s priority legislation for the 2021 legislative session. “I’m proud of our common-sense, bipartisan legislative priorities this year, which include fighting child and family hunger, supporting Florida’s farmers, major climate and energy …
Legal Protections for Farmers Moving in House
(NSF) — A Senate-backed proposal to expand the state’s “Right to Farm” law continued to move Tuesday through the House over objections that it could block lawsuits about the potential health impacts of burning sugar cane. The House Environment, Agriculture & Flooding Subcommittee voted 14-4 to support the proposal (HB 1601), which is a priority of Senate President Wilton Simpson, …
House Hearing will be Foundation for Anti-Discrimination Legislation
Last week, the U.S. House Agriculture Committee held a hearing to review the state of U.S. black farmers. Committee Chairman David Scott from Georgia said the hearing will lead to future anti-discrimination legislation. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says American agriculture needs much more diversity. The new American Rescue Plan introduced by the Biden administration does include steps to help address discrimination …
Florida Lawmakers Begin Budget Process
When it comes to the 2021 Florida Legislative session, the budget process has begun. According to University of Florida/IFAS Director of Governmental Affairs, Mary Ann Hooks, both the Senate and House Appropriations Subcommittees released the first version of their budget proposals this week. She notes fortunately, UF/IFAS did not receive any reductions to existing programs in the Senate subcommittee budget proposal. Plus, …
House Ag Hearing Focuses on Black Farmers
(NAFB) — The U.S. House Agriculture Committee held a historic hearing Thursday reviewing the state of Black farmers in the United States. The hearing detailed decades of systemic racism and discrimination against Black Farmers by the Department of Agriculture. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told lawmakers, “We will over the next four years do everything we can to root out whatever …