Farm and livestock groups will continue to fight for an exemption from emergency reporting of manure emissions after the EPA lost a federal court decision to environmental groups that sued over the exemption. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit denied a request by pork, poultry and other livestock and farm groups to rehear its rejection of an …
American Farm Bureau Lists Farm Bill Goals
With serious economic challenges facing agriculture, underscored by even deeper concerns in some commodity sectors, the American Farm Bureau Federation board of directors outlined the organization’s key objectives for the 2018 farm bill. After its meeting this week in Washington, D.C., the AFBF board sent its goals and recommendations to leadership on the Senate and House agriculture committees in anticipation …
Pruitt, Zinke Visit State Farm Bureau Presidents
During a Washington, D.C. meeting earlier this week, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt told state Farm Bureau President’s that “The farming industry deserves regulatory certainty.” While speaking during the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Council of President’s meeting, Pruitt told the group EPA is returning power to the states and “standing with farmers who have been hurt by misguided policies …
American Farm Bureau Federation and National FFA Organization to Work Together to Share the Story of Agricultural Education
The American Farm Bureau Federation and National FFA Organization signed a memorandum of understanding to grow leaders, build communities and strengthen agriculture. The MOU outlines how the two organizations will work together to discover opportunities that benefit both their members and agricultural education students in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. “This is an opportunity for …
Groups Applaud EPA Proposed Rule To Repeal WOTUS
American Farm Bureau Federation The following statement may be attributed to Zippy Duvall, president, American Farm Bureau Federation: “Farmers and ranchers across this country are cheering EPA’s proposal to ditch its flawed Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule. We know the importance of clean water, and farmers and ranchers work hard to protect our natural resources every day. “But this …
AFBF: NAFTA Renegotiations Must Prioritize Ag
A modernized North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) must build upon market gains for U.S. agriculture and settle remaining challenges for our nation’s farmers and ranchers in our neighboring markets, Don Shawcroft, Colorado Farm Bureau president, stated in a hearing before the U.S. Trade Representative today. “NAFTA has been overwhelmingly beneficial for the vast majority of farmers and ranchers across …
All-American July 4th Cookout Down Slightly
Remains Under $6 Per Person A cookout of Americans’ favorite foods for the Fourth of July, including hot dogs, cheeseburgers, pork spare ribs, potato salad, baked beans, lemonade and chocolate milk, will cost slightly less this year, coming in at less than $6 per person, says the American Farm Bureau Federation. Farm Bureau’s informal survey reveals the average cost of a …
Water Rights Protection Act Offers Relief from Federal Water Extortion
The Water Rights Protection Act, introduced in the House, could bring U.S. ranchers much-needed relief from ongoing efforts by the federal government to extort privately held water rights from law-abiding citizens, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. “It’s time to put a stop to federal strong-arming of ranchers by a government that owns the majority of the land for …
AFBF Details NAFTA Renegotiation Priorities
The North American Free Trade Agreement has been overwhelmingly beneficial for U.S. farmers and ranchers—and their counterparts in Canada and Mexico—but there are several good reasons to update and reform NAFTA from agriculture’s perspective, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. Under NAFTA, U.S. farmers and ranchers have seen their exports to Mexico and Canada grow significantly, from $8.9 billion …
Farm Bureau Asks Senate Committee to Advance EPA Nominee Susan Bodine
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall has asked the leadership of a Senate committee to approve the nomination of Susan Bodine to Assistant Administrator for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assistance of the Environmental Protection Agency. Duvall’s letter to Chairman John Barrasso and Ranking Member Tom Carper of the Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works praised …