FARRM Bill Passes out of Committee

Cindy Zimmerman

They said they would get the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act out of committee in one business session come “hell or high water” and they did it. It took nearly 15 hours to go through some 100 amendments and did not end until just shy of 1:00 am Eastern time, but the final roll call vote to recommend …

Farm Bill

Ag Interests Dissect House Farm Bill Draft

Cindy Zimmerman

Despite the fact that the legislation impacts every single American, it’s still hard not to call it the “Farm Bill,” so the draft out of the House Agriculture Committee comes with a clever acronym to let us go ahead and call it that officially. The discussion draft released yesterday by Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-OK) and Ranking Member Collin Peterson …

Farm Bill, NCGA

Some Still Optimistic About a Farm Bill

Melissa Sandfort

Our latest ZimmPoll asked the question, ” When do you think Congress will complete a Farm Bill?” Our poll results: Twenty-two percent were optimistic and said before Sept. 30, 2012; twenty-eight percent were a bit more hesitant but said before the end of this calendar year; and twenty-five percent said both next year and maybe never. Our new ZimmPoll is …

Farm Bill, ZimmPoll

Winners and Losers in the Senate Farm Bill

Cindy Zimmerman

Most groups are saying very nice things about passage of the Senate Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012 and especially the quick work done by the Senate on the legislation. “The bipartisan farm bill approved today by the Senate (S.3240) provides farmers improved risk management tools consistent with Farm Bureau’s core principles,” said American Farm Bureau Federation president …

AFBF, Farm Bill, NCGA

Senate Passes Farm Bill

Cindy Zimmerman

Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS) calls it not the best possible bill, but “the best bill possible” – the Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012 passed the Senate this afternoon by a vote of 64 to 35. Both Roberts and Senate Ag Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) stressed the bi-partisan cooperation involved in getting the bill crafted and passed. …

Audio, Farm Bill

ASTA Members Hear from House Ag Leaders

Cindy Zimmerman

Members of the American Seed Trade Association were on Capitol Hill today getting updates on farm legislation from Congressional leaders, including House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-OK) and Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-MN). Chuck was there with them today during a busy day for progress on the 2012 Farm Bill, with the Senate whipping through amendments at lightning speed. …

ASTA, Audio, Farm Bill

Senate Cuts Farm Bill Amendments

Cindy Zimmerman

The number of proposed amendments to the Senate farm bill shrank from nearly 300 to 73 yesterday as senators struck a deal to get debate back on track. “This is not a great agreement, but it’s a good agreement,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announcing the deal late last night. The good news is that the “rotten egg …

Farm Bill

Egg Amendment is Top Priority for NCBA

Cindy Zimmerman

As the amendments to the 2012 Farm Bill are piling up in the Senate, one of the more than 240 stands out as causing the most concern to many agricultural organizations, including the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), and that is the rotten egg amendment. A “dangerous piece of legislation” is what NCBA calls amendment #2252, put forward by Senator …

Beef, Farm Bill, NCBA, Poultry

Pork Expo Farm Bill Update

Cindy Zimmerman

Pork producers know what they want in a 2012 Farm Bill, they’re just not sure if and when it will happen. Former National Pork Producers Council president Sam Carney of Iowa, co-chair of the organization’s farm bill policy task force, gave an update on the legislation, which happened at almost the very moment the Senate voted to advance the bill …

Audio, Farm Bill, World Pork Expo