U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue met with Alabama farmers May 3 to hear their ideas for the farm bill Congress is drafting. Perdue held the meeting at the request of Alabama’s U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt, who chairs the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee. About 20 farmers attended a roundtable discussion with Perdue at Sam Spruell’s Marion County farm near Guin. …
Farmers Benefit from Appropriations Bill Provisions
Provisions aimed at helping farmers were included in the $1.3 trillion omnibus spending bill the U.S. House and Senate passed March 22. The bill funds the government through fiscal year 2018, which ends Sept. 30. In the appropriations bill, the Fair Agricultural Reporting Method (FARM) Act permanently exempts farmers from reporting air emissions under CERCLA rules. The bill also prohibits …
Agriculture Groups Respond to Tax Reform Package
American Farm Bureau Tax Reform Package to Benefit Farmers, Ranchers The following may be attributed to American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall: “The tax reform package passed by Congress this week will result in lower taxes for the vast majority of farmers and ranchers. This tax overhaul includes many changes to the tax code, most notably lower individual tax …
New Reporting Rule Takes Effect, Will Impact Animal Agriculture
Starting Nov. 15, Alabama farmers may be required to report the release of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide from their farms under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). This new requirement stems from an April 2017 court decision that struck down a rule exempting farms from reporting the releases. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of …