House Passes Disaster Bill and Goes Home

Cindy Zimmerman

The August recess begins today for Congress and despite a vote in the House approving disaster relief for livestock producers under an expired provision of the 2008 farm bill, lawmakers are leaving with very little accomplished toward either drought relief or new farm legislation. “I’m going to support this bill, it’s better than nothing but it’s not what we should …

Audio, Farm Bill

U.S. House Enters Can Kicking Event

Cindy Zimmerman

I have to give Kentucky farm broadcaster Jeff Nalley the credit for this one – If “can kicking” were an Olympic sport, we’d have a “gold medal Congress”. The leadership of the U.S. House has apparently decided to kick the farm bill can down the road and not to move forward with a vote on five-year farm legislation before the …

AFBF, Farm Bill, NCGA

House Ag Committee Chair at Peanut Conference

Cindy Zimmerman

Peanut growers are very happy with House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-OK) for his work in crafting a farm bill that is very different than the Senate bill in that it addresses the needs of southern farmers. Speaking at the Southern Peanut Growers Conference in Panama City Beach on Saturday, Rep. Lucas (R-OK) went through the process of how …

Audio, Farm Bill, Peanuts, SPGC, Video

Peanut Growers Gather to Work and Play

Cindy Zimmerman

The 14th annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference kicked off Thursday with the usual scoop of southern hospitality at the ice cream registration reception. Georgia Peanut Commission Executive Director Don Koehler is very excited about this year’s meeting of the Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi peanut producers. “It’s our biggest conference we’ve ever had, largest attendance. We’ve got more sponsors, we’ve …

Audio, Farm Bill, Peanuts, SPGC

Will FARRM Bill Make it to Floor?

Cindy Zimmerman

Agricultural organizations are calling for the House to move the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management (FARRM) Act, but whether that happens before the current bill expires is in question. American Farm Bureau Federation Farm Policy Specialist Mary Kay Thatcher is doubtful a new farm bill will be finished by September 30. “Our best option is probably to have some …

Farm Bill

FARRM Bill Amendments: What Made the Cut

John Davis

More was proposed than adopted, but in the end, the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act, better known as the FARRM bill, moved out of the House Agriculture committee with 43 amendments (see a complete list of what was approved, defeated, withdrawn and tabled here from our friends at Agri-Pulse.com). One of the more significant amendments that passed kills …

AFBF, Audio, Farm Bill, GIPSA, USDA

Committee, Ag Leaders React to FARRM Bill

John Davis

As Cindy already noted, it took nearly 15 hours, but members of the House Agriculture Committee were able to pass their version of the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act (FARRM) Bill. Committee Chair Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK) and Ranking Member Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN) praised the bipartisan legislation: “This is a balanced, reform-minded, fiscally responsible bill that underscores …

AFBF, Farm Bill, NAWG, NCBA, USDA

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