House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and House Agriculture Committee Republican Leader Glenn “GT” Thompson sent a solutions-focused letter to President Joe Biden on Tuesday calling on the Administration to reverse overly burdensome regulations and policy barriers to U.S. agriculture production that have caused uncertainty for farmers, ranchers and working families. The letter to the president outlines administrative actions which would immediately …
Freeze Effect: Legislation Introduced to Protect Growers
U.S. Representatives Greg Steube (R-Fla.) and Darren Soto (D-Fla.) introduced The Temperature Endorsement for Multi-Peril Policies (TEMP) Act this week. It will protect farmers impacted by crop-damaging freezes. Rep. Steube proposes this legislation for inclusion in the 2023 Farm Bill. “This winter, a freeze caused significant damages to Florida’s citrus, sugarcane, ornamental plants, and many fruits and vegetables. Currently, specialty-crop insurance policies are expensive, leaving …
Commissioner Fried Shares Fertilizer Production Concerns with USDA
In response to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announcing plans for a $250 million investment to support additional domestic fertilizer production for American farmers facing rapidly rising prices, Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried offered the following statement: “Florida farmers help feed families across our state, nation, and world, even in the face of unprecedented challenges in recent years. But …
Growers Discuss Priorities for 2023 Farm Bill
The 2018 Farm Bill is set to expire in 2023, so preparations are underway to craft the behemoth legislation into law sometime next year. However, it is common for negotiations to extend into the following year. Whether the new farm bill is passed in 2023 or 2024, there’s a lot of work ahead. The farm bill was the focus of …
Rubio, Warnock Introduce Bill to Bolster Local Agriculture, Expand Access to Florida-Grown Products on Military Bases
Washington, D.C. — Two U.S. senators recently introduced bipartisan legislation that would help local agriculture and expand access to locally-grown products on military bases. U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Raphael Warnock (D-GA) introduced the Farm to Base Food Security Act to help the federal government better understand the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) food procurement policies and bolster relationships …
Chlorpyrifos Controversy: Thompson, Boozman Address EPA in Letter
WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Representative Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (R-PA), Republican Leader of the House Committee on Agriculture, and U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR), Republian Leader of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, are leading a bicameral effort calling on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to rescind its decision to revoke all food tolerances for chlorpyrifos and ensure its future actions related …
Standing in Opposition: AFBF Opposes Build Back Better Act
Count the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) as one organization that opposes the Build Back Better Act currently is being discussed in the House of Representatives. AFBF President Zippy Duvall sent a letter to the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday outlining some of the concerns he has with the pending legislation. “I write to urge you to oppose the …
Favorable Outcome for UF/IFAS
The 2021 Florida legislative session will be described in the history books as unique. COVID-19 protocols resulted in empty and eerily quiet hallways in the Capitol. Masks and regular COVID-19 tests were required, and citizens and lobbyists made public comments virtually from a building blocks away from the Capitol. The beginning and end of the session were polar opposites. Based …
FFVA: Let Your Voice Be Heard
The legislative session in Florida provides opportunities for farmers to voice their concerns on what programs need funding. The Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association (FFVA) encouraged its producers to contact senators and representatives about the need to fully fund the Fresh From Florida program at $10.05 million. “Appropriate funding for the Fresh From Florida program is incredibly important. We understand …
Southeast Agriculture Well Represented on House Ag Committee
Bob Redding, who works for the Redding Firm and serves as a lobbyist for agricultural groups in Washington, D.C., believes the 117th Congress yields a positive outlook for vegetable and specialty crop producers in the Southeast. Prominent Georgians are represented on the House Ag Committee. The committee is empowered with legislative oversight relating to the U.S. agriculture industry, forestry, nutrition …