The following may be attributed to American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall: “Farm Bureau applauds Congress for its progress in reforming the tax code. This new tax plan moves us closer to a tax system that rewards the hard work and entrepreneurship of America’s farm and ranch families. “Today’s proposal includes expanded, immediate expensing while continuing the business interest …
Farm Bureau Supports Proposed Safety Net Fix
Legislation introduced by Senators Heidi Heitkamp and Joni Ernst would make changes to the Agricultural Risk Coverage program. American Farm Bureau Federation and other farm groups penned a letter to the Senators this week expressing support for the bill. AFBF congressional relations director Mary Kay Thatcher says the bill would change the program to better serve farmer’s needs. The bill …
Budget Passage Critical for Tax Reform
The House has passed its budget bill, and the Senate has passed its version out of committee. The two chambers must come together to iron out the difference to provide tax relief to farmers and ranchers once the Senate bill moves forward. American Farm Bureau Federation congressional relations director RJ Karney says a budget must be finished to allow tax …
Farmers, Ranchers Ready for Long-overdue Immigration Reform
The following statement may be attributed to American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall: “Every year, farmers and ranchers face greater challenges in finding enough workers to keep their businesses running. The labor shortage on America’s farms and ranches is growing, and the lack of a stable, legal supply of workers places the health of too many farms at risk. …
Farm Income Projected to Increase Slightly
The recent projections of farm income released by USDA’s Economic Research Service in their 2017 Farm Sector Income Forecast suggest that while farm income may have hit rock bottom in 2016, there will be an uptick in both net farm and net cash income in 2017 American Farm Bureau. Federation Chief Economist Dr. Bob Young says livestock sales are driving …
Ag Groups Applaud Dairy MPP Exit Announcement
American Farm Bureau Federation The following statement may be attributed to Zippy Duvall, president, American Farm Bureau Federation: “The American Farm Bureau Federation is pleased by the announcement by the Agriculture Department to allow dairy farmers to exit the Margin Protection Program for dairy producers. Dairy farmers need access to effective risk management tools. Farm Bureau and our grassroots members …
Reba McEntire Named Farm Bureau Keynote Speaker
Iconic entertainer Reba McEntire will join AFBF President Zippy Duvall during the Closing General Session of the 2018 AFBF Annual Convention and IDEAg Trade Show on Monday, Jan. 8, 2018, for a Q&A keynote touching on her rural roots, family, career and, of course, country music. Reba is no stranger to agriculture—she grew up in rural Oklahoma on her family’s …
AFBF, AFBIS, Others, Propose Dairy Revenue Protection Insurance Concept
A proposal submitted to the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation by the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), American Farm Bureau Insurance Services (AFBIS), and others would provide a revenue-based insurance option for dairy farmers, different from the current margin-based insurance options available. AFBF Market Intelligence Director John Newton explains how the Dairy Revenue Protection insurance concept will work for dairy farmers. …
GAO Estimates 200,000 Wild Horses Roaming on Federal Lands
A new report by the Government Accountability Office estimates that 200,000-some wild horses, burros, and mules, are free-roaming on federal and tribal lands. The report released this week also says there could be as many as 9.2 million domesticated horses, burros, and mules in the United States. The GAO says there are several challenges in managing the wild herd, including …