The following may be attributed to American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall: “The American Farm Bureau Federation applauds today’s action by the U.S. EPA and Army Corps of Engineers to delay implementation of the hopelessly vague 2015 rule that expansively defined ‘waters of the United States (WOTUS).’ That rule would have put a stranglehold on ordinary farming and ranching …
Former AFBF Lobbyist Takes Syngenta Job
Syngenta announced this week that former American Farm Bureau Federation lobbyist Mary Kay Thatcher will join its government relations team. Thatcher will join Syngenta in mid-February as senior lead of Federal Government Relations, based in Washington, D.C., according to a Syngenta news release. In the role, the company says Thatcher will support the company’s strategic federal government relations activities including …
Precision Ag Bill Seeks Resolve to Broadband Connectivity Issues
The Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act of 2018 would create a task force to evaluate high speed internet access on cropland and ranchland related to precision agriculture technologies. Supported by the Ag Broadband Coalition, which the American Farm Bureau Federation is a member of, the task force would develop policy recommendations to get farm equipment connected. AFBF congressional relations director R.J. …
EPA Sends WOTUS Delay Rule to White House
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has sent a final rule to the White House that would prevent the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) Rule from taking effect. The EPA rushed the rule to the White House because of the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling placing the legal jurisdiction of the rule in federal district courts, not federal appeals courts, where …
AFBF Trade Adviser: TPP Deal Finalized Without the U.S.
The American Farm Bureau’s (AFBF) trade adviser says now that a TPP deal has been finalized without the U.S., Washington has little choice but to look for other trade deal partners in the Asia-Pacific, which is not the ideal situation. Canada’s Prime Minister announced last week that his country had finalized its own TPP with 10-nations in the Asia-Pacific region, …
USDA Principles a Great Start for Farm Bill
With the release of USDA’s farm bill principles, agriculture has a path forward regarding what to expect in the next farm bill. While USDA cannot write policy, AFBF public policy executive director Dale Moore says that the action by the Secretary Sonny Perdue sets the tone moving forward. Tone Moore says the principles outlined by Secretary Perdue mirror the farm …
Farm Bureau: USDA Principles a Great Start for Farm Bill
The following may be attributed to American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall: “Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue today released his roadmap for the 2018 farm bill, and it is a good one for farmers, ranchers and rural communities. The secretary’s farm bill principles look to the future while securing the present for farmers and ranchers who continue to face a …
Farm Bureau Members Focusing on Trade
The sixth round of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) talks are underway in Canada, and the American Farm Bureau Federation is looking to the talks as a way to modernize the agreement and improve on gains for U.S. ag. AFBF senior director of congressional relations Dave Salmonsen says top trade officials are attending the talks this week, and could …
Farm Bureau Statement on WOTUS Jurisdiction Decision
The following may be attributed to Ellen Steen, General Counsel of the American Farm Bureau Federation: “The U.S. Supreme Court ruled correctly that federal district courts—not federal courts of appeals—have jurisdiction to review the 2015 Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule. This Supreme Court decision brings greater clarity to an important issue that has bogged down the litigation over this …
Ag Coalition Formed to Support NAFTA
A new coalition of agriculture groups is focusing on the importance of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). More than 30 organizations across the agriculture sector announced the formation of Americans for Farmers & Families, noting that food and agriculture supports 43 million U.S. jobs and depends on trade with Canada and Mexico. The group was formed to “ensure” …