The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) welcomed a Supreme Court brief filed by the Biden administration in favor of ag groups regarding California’s Proposition 12. The state law seeks to ban the sale of pork from pigs that do not meet the state’s arbitrary production standards, including pork from pigs raised on farms outside of California. NPPC assistant vice president and general …
Cattle Market Reform Bill Passes Senate Agriculture Committee
The Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act passed out of the Senate Agriculture Committee. The legislation, sponsored by U.S. Senators Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) passed by a voice vote with only two no votes. The bill now moves to the Senate floor. The senators unveiled the updated version of the legislation back in …
Growers Disappointed Supreme Court Decides Not to Hear Glyphosate Case
Agriculture groups expressed disappointment regarding a Supreme Court decision denying consideration of the case Monsanto v. Hardeman, which pertains to state glyphosate health warnings. A coalition of groups issued a joint statement regarding the decision Tuesday, including the American Farm Bureau Federation, American Soybean Association, National Corn Growers Association, National Association of Wheat Growers, and National Cotton Council. The joint …
Growers Frustrated with EPA Regarding Pesticide Impacts
American farmers are again at odds with the Environmental Protection Agency over the Endangered Species Act. The final EPA biological evaluations of neonicotinoids and their impacts on endangered species are overly conservative and don’t use all available data, according to the farm groups. Grower groups like the American Soybean Association and the American Farm Bureau Federation are concerned the evaluations …
Representatives Discuss Access to SNAP Benefits for Undocumented Immigrants
Do undocumented immigrants have access to SNAP benefits? That was a topic of discussion at the recent House Agriculture Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations hearing on SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Funding for the program is included in the farm bill, and the hearing was part of the committee’s work on the 2023 farm bill. …
U.S. House Passes Ocean Shipping Reform Act
Tuesday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Ocean Shipping Reform Act (S.3580), which basically streamlines the process for the importation and export of all goods. It’s designed to end the unreasonable practice of ocean carriers returning to foreign ports empty when they could be carrying U.S. exports, particularly those vessels capable of delivering agricultural products. U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) …
House Ag Subcommittee Discusses SNAP Benefits
The House Agriculture Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations held a hearing on the Farm Bill last week, with a focus on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – or SNAP. Food and nutrition programs account for more than 75 percent of the funds in the farm bill. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA) commented on the scrutiny given to SNAP applicants. …
Senate Ag Subcommittee Discusses Impacts of Western Drought
The Senate Ag Subcommittee on Conservation, Climate, Forestry, and Natural Resources took up the topic of the Western Drought during a recent hearing. Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado opened the hearing with comments on the situation of drought in his state and how it’s affecting the Colorado River. “My state sits at the headwaters of the Colorado River, which starts …
U.S. Peanut Federation Discusses Trade with Lawmakers
This week the U.S. Peanut Federation (USPF), which serves as a unified voice in Washington, D.C. for all sectors of the peanut industry, took part in a sub-committee hearing to discuss trade issues. Tyron Spearman has more details. USPF is comprised of the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation, the American Peanut Shellers Association, and the National Peanut Buying Points Association. U.S. Peanut Federation …
DeSantis Vetoes Controversial Everglades Bill
(TALLAHASSEE/NSF/June 8, 2022) — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday vetoed a controversial measure tied to Everglades restoration that, even after being watered down during the legislative session, continued to draw concerns about potential wetlands destruction. Senate President Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, pushed to pass the bill (SB 2508) during the session that ended in March. DeSantis criticized an initial version, leading …