Building a strong rural America through entrepreneurship Dr. Lisa Benson, director of rural development at the American Farm Bureau Federation, described to the House Small Business Agriculture, Energy and Trade Subcommittee the organization’s focus on programs to enhance entrepreneurship. “Entrepreneurship can be a tool to sustain economic growth, create local jobs and improve the quality of life for rural Americans,” …
American Farm Bureau Encouraged by Tax Framework, but Refinement Needed
The following may be attributed to American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall: “Comprehensive tax reform is essential to addressing the financial challenges faced by America’s farmers and ranchers. The tax-reform framework announced today is an important step toward a fair and equitable tax system that encourages success, savings, investment, and entrepreneurship. “Farm Bureau is encouraged to see that this …
Bacon and Chicken Up, OJ Too
Higher retail prices for several foods, including bacon, chicken breast, orange juice, sliced deli ham and flour resulted in a slight increase in the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Fall Harvest Marketbasket Survey. The informal survey shows the total cost of 16 food items that can be used to prepare one or more meals was $51.13, up $1.43, or about 3 …
AFBF Submits Regulatory Reform Priorities
AFBF used comments from Farm Bureau members to submit suggestions for regulatory reform to USDA as part of the agency’s efforts to implement the president’s regulatory reform agenda. Paul Schlegel, AFBF’s Director of Environment and Energy Policy, says overregulation by federal agencies is burdensome to all of agriculture. For example, he says regulatory creep has chipped away at the exemptions …
Farmers Looking for Relief in Tax Reform
Congress is back in session with a promise to work on tax reform this month. American Farm Bureau Federation tax specialist Pat Wolff says farmers need overall tax relief from Congress in any tax reform package. Wolff says there is a lot of talk about lowering corporate tax rates but says business structures vary for farms, most of which …
American Farm Bureau Asking Farmers to Share Their Story
Lawmakers need to hear about the challenges that farmers face so they can push for solutions that will help everyone in agriculture. If you’ve been affected by tax issues, an out-of-control regulatory system, water issues or other problems that have made it difficult or impossible to continue to run your farm or ranch, American Farm Bureau Federation wants to hear from …
Tax and Regulatory Reform Top AFBF Fall Agenda
Tax and regulatory reform and a new farm bill will top the American Farm Bureau’s fall agenda, according to Farm Bureau’s executive director. Dale Moore says tax reform looks the most promising right now as lawmakers face a very busy fall schedule. But there’s much more Farm Bureau’s pursuing. Moore hopes the Farm Bill will be wrapped up by early …
Farm Bureau Presents Farm Bill Goals to Congress
Congress must counter a steep, four-year drop in commodity prices that has left farmers and ranchers in worse shape than any time since the farm depression of the 1980s, Kentucky Farm Bureau President Mark Haney told the Senate Agriculture Committee. Haney’s testimony cited growing losses in farm country that increasingly threaten the livelihoods of millions of Americans. “2017 and 2018 …
Farm Groups Support Clovis Nomination
While some lawmakers have voiced concerns, agriculture groups Monday vocalized support for the nomination of Sam Clovis to a Department of Agriculture position. President Trump announced he would nominate Clovis to serve as the USDA undersecretary for research, education, and economics, which also serves as the departments chief scientist. Senate Agriculture Committee ranking member Debbie Stabenow, Senate Appropriations Committee ranking …
Farmers and Ranchers Push for Comprehensive Tax Reform
Tax policies to support and preserve agriculture are essential to every farmer and rancher in America, a group of Farm Bureau members in Washington, D.C., this week to meet with lawmakers say. “Tax reform is critical for farmers and ranchers,” said Isabella Chism, a corn and soybean farmer and Farm Bureau member from Indiana who is vice chair of the …