SPECIAL EPISODE AgNet Weekly: U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Interview on Potential Shutdown

Sabrina Halvorson AgNet Weekly

In this special early episode, host Sabrina Halvorson talks one-on-one with U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack about the effects a government shutdown would have on farmers around the nation.  Each week we highlight essential legislative and policy conversations affecting agriculture nationwide. Host Sabrina Halvorson is a 30-year media veteran known nationally for her award-winning, balanced, and accurate reporting. For more …

AgNet Weekly: Ag Labor Wages and the AEWR

Sabrina Halvorson AgNet Weekly

There’s a call to reevaluate the required minimum pay for ag labor and the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) Rule . Michigan’s current minimum wage is $10.10 for workers who don’t get tips, but the minimum wage that farmers can pay their H2A workers is $17.34. The Executive Director of the Michigan Asparagus Association, Jamie Clover Adams, says the true …

AgNet Weekly: Rep. Kildee on Sugar Policy

Sabrina Halvorson AgNet Weekly

Find out why Congressman Dan Kildee (D-MI) says ‘don’t touch’ the nation’s sugar policy. He joins host Sabrina Halvorson in this week’s AgNet Weekly.  Each week we highlight essential legislative and policy conversations affecting agriculture nationwide. Host Sabrina Halvorson is a 30-year media veteran known nationally for her award-winning, balanced, and accurate reporting. For more than 10 years, she has …

AgNet Weekly: Brian Kuehl on Current Trade Topics

Sabrina Halvorson AgNet Weekly

The Farm Bill, progress on current agreements, and campaign promises. There’s a lot going on in the world of trade. Brian Kuehl, Executive Director of Farmers for Free Trade joins us this week to talk about all of those things. Each week we highlight essential legislative and policy conversations affecting agriculture nationwide. Host Sabrina Halvorson is a 30-year media veteran …

AgNet Weekly: EATS Act Part Two

Sabrina Halvorson AgNet Weekly

The battle over the EATS Act continues. We started this two-part series last week with Mary-Thomas Hart, Chief Council with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, which is in support of the EATS Act. This week we hear from the opposition. Marty Irby, President of Competitive Market Action and Board Secretary at the Organization for Competitive Markets tells us why he …

AgNet Weekly: EATS Act Part One

Sabrina Halvorson AgNet Weekly

Things are heating up over the EATS Act. Supporters of the bill say the Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act would prevent states from regulating farmers and ranchers nationwide. But opponents turned up the fire this week when a bipartisan group of more than 150 lawmakers sent a letter to House Agriculture Committee Chair G.T. Thompson (R-PA) and ranking member …

AgNet Weekly: Senator Cramer on Foreign Ownership of U.S. Ag Land

Sabrina Halvorson AgNet Weekly

How much of our U.S. ag land should belong to our adversaries?  About three percent of agricultural land in the United States is owned by foreign entities. But U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer, a Republican from North Dakota, says even that may be too much. He’s a cosponsor of the Foreign Adversary Risk Management (FARM) Act. Senator Cramer joins host Sabrina …

AgNet Weekly: Sens. Boozman, Cramer, and Hoeven on Farm Bill Issues

Sabrina Halvorson AgNet Weekly

This week host Sabrina Halvorson had the opportunity to meet in person with Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, John Boozman of Arkansas, along with Ranking Member of the Agriculture Appropriations Committee Senator John Hoeven of North Dakota. It was at a Farm Bill roundtable held in Fargo, and hosted by Senator Kevin Cramer of North Dakota. She got …

AgNet Weekly: Rep John Duarte on the GATES Act

Sabrina Halvorson AgNet Weekly

The Growing Access to Environmental Sustainability (GATES) Act seeks to reduce barriers that producers face in accessing agricultural conservation programs. Congressman John Duarte, a farmer from California, is on the coalition behind the act. He says current adjusted gross income (AGI) limitations of $900,000 disproportionately limit producers with high input costs from participating in certain USDA conservation-focused programs. The congressman …

AgNet Weekly: Representative Doug LaMalfa on Farm Labor Working Group

Sabrina Halvorson AgNet Weekly

Congress is looking into farm labor needs around the nation, but it is a challenging task. The House Agriculture Committee recently announced the creation of the bipartisan Agricultural Labor Working Group, which will focus on the workforce issues faced by agricultural producers around the nation. Congressman and farmer Doug LaMalfa of California joins host Sabrina Halvorson to discuss the group …