Florida growers can now breathe a sigh of relief since disaster funding is coming their way. On Feb. 9, a relief package was passed to help the United States following the array of natural disasters in 2017, which included approximately $2.4 billion dollars specifically for U.S. agriculture. However, the big question on everyone’s mind is, how and when will growers …
E-Verify Could Mean Trouble for Growers
E-Verify was once a part of U.S. Congressman Goodlatte’s Agriculture Guestworker Act (AG Act), but now E-Verify is a standalone piece of legislation. According to Amy Wolfe, president and CEO of AgSafe, this separation could mean trouble for growers. Wolfe compares E-Verify to a digital I-9 form. “It’s (e-verify) the online, instant feedback equivalent to I-9. We’ve all filled out …
Conaway Warns of Crop Insurance Fight
A crop insurance fight may be on the horizon as the farm bill gets crafted. Congressman and House Agriculture Committee Chair Michael Conaway spoke about the potential fight at the 2018 Crop Insurance Industry Convention in Scottsdale, Arizona. “There’s a fight ahead perhaps on crop insurance,” Conaway told AgNet Media’s Gary Cooper. “The renewal of the farm bill will give …
Trucking Rule Gives Florida Growers an Edge
By Ernie Neff and Len Wilcox A federal rule requiring use of electronic devices to log truckers’ driving time was a boon to Florida vegetable grower, packer and shipper Chuck Obern, at least soon after implementation. Obern said the rule increased the time and cost of shipping vegetables from the West and Mexico to New York, giving Florida growers a …
Important H-2A Rules to Consider
Dan Bremer, president of AgWorks H2, LLC, recently spoke at the Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference in Savannah, Georgia, about the H-2A program. His presentation discussed labor options outside of the H-2A program, as well as what to expect from the H-2A program. Bremer began the presentation by going over options that growers can consider when seeking labor. The …
The Top 3 Things on Florida Farm Bureau’s Legislative Plate
The Florida Farm Bureau held its legislative days in Tallahassee, where it advocated for an “Ag Strong” legislative agenda. Adam Basford, director of legislative affairs for Florida Farm Bureau, was pleased with the turnout at this year’s events. Sporting “Ag Strong” pins, nearly 200 members of the Florida Farm Bureau made appointments with their legislators to advocate for critical agriculture …
Georgia Sets Goals for the 2018 Legislative Session
The Georgia legislative session began on Jan. 8, and agricultural leaders have set goals for what they would like to achieve this session. Bryan Tolar, president of the Georgia Agribusiness Council, spoke about the council’s priorities for the 2018 session. Tolar laid out a few key issues that will take much of his focus. He said he has spent the …
Secretary Perdue Outlines USDA Services in the Event of a Government Shutdown
(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue Friday outlined U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) services available in the event of a government shutdown. “USDA is committed to safeguarding life and property through the critical services we provide – and should the government shut down, we will continue to do just that,” said Secretary Perdue. “I am proud of …
An Update on the Farm Bill
Robert Redding, an attorney representing agriculture groups in Washington, D.C., recently gave a federal regulation update presentation during the Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference in Savannah, Georgia. His talk included the topic of the upcoming farm bill. Farm bill leaders, House Ag Chairman Mike Conaway and Senate Ag Chairman Pat Roberts, wanted to have the bill finished by the …
Bill Seeks Tighter Scrutiny of Organic Products
By Brian German Congress will be reviewing legislation that would establish greater oversight for organic products. The bill, known as the Organic Farmer and Consumer Protection Act, was introduced by Rep. John J. Faso (R-NY) and has 33 House cosponsors. The bill aims to update organic import documentation with new technology and create stricter enforcement of organic products coming into …