Farm Bill

Cansler Keynotes Annual Conference for Tennessee Farm Bureau Presidents

Tim Cansler — Fri, 11 Aug 2017 23:05:03 +0000

“Tim Cansler’s behind the scenes Washington knowledge on agricultural and farm issues makes him an excellent choice for hearing the “rest of the story” about current Washington happenings. His agricultural and Farm Bureau background provide a solid foundation and understanding of the issues important to farmers.” Jeff Aiken President Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation Cansler Consulting,…

Food Labeling and Whom it Impacts Most

Tim Cansler — Tue, 31 Jan 2017 23:18:06 +0000

In response to agency regulations and laws enacted last year food & beverage companies are preparing to spend billions of dollars to change their food labels for nutrition and the presence of bioengineered material. Previous food labeling policy discussions centered on country-of-origin labeling, organic labeling and menu labeling. More recently, policy discussions have begun on how…

Collection of Accurate & Voluntary Data = Federal Program Integrity

Tim Cansler — Fri, 20 Jan 2017 14:30:03 +0000

On January 19, farmdoc Project- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign posted a USDA Study by Robert Johansson, USDA Chief Economist, Anne Effland, USDA Economic Research Service and Keith Coble, Mississippi State University, entitled “Falling Response Rates to USDA Crop Surveys: Why It Matters.” As background and explained in the report, “USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)…

Farm Bill Focus

Tim Cansler — Wed, 21 Dec 2016 19:24:29 +0000

The 2018 Farm Bill will focus on a few major issues. 75% of the Farm Bill revolves around the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as the Food Stamp program). The general consensus is that most federal lawmakers and stakeholders want to keep a nutrition title included in the Farm Bill. At one time,…

Time For a Farm Bill

Tim Cansler — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 19:25:12 +0000

Talks regarding the 2018 Farm Bill are heating up. Major players in the agriculture industry agree that now is the time to develop your strategy ensuring that your viewpoints are heard. The National Corn Growers Association Sam Willett with the National Corn Growers Association says it is not too soon to discuss the next Farm…

Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture on Upcoming Farm Bill

Tim Cansler — Fri, 02 Dec 2016 21:17:52 +0000

The debate that preceded the passage of the 2014 Farm Bill was the most contentious in recent history. In a video article on From The Ground Up on KBTX, the Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture had this to say … “The last time we did a farm bill in 2014 our production agriculture industry…

Farmer-Friendly Farm Bill

Tim Cansler — Fri, 02 Dec 2016 20:13:51 +0000

The Farm Foundation recently hosted a forum on the goals of the next Farm Bill likely to be written in the 115th Congress. Participants heard from varying interests in the Farm Bill including representatives from the Environmental Working Group and the fiscally conservative Heritage Foundation. Also on the panel was Chuck Conner, President, National Council Farmers…

Farm Bill Planning Needs to Happen Now!

Tim Cansler — Fri, 02 Dec 2016 13:20:51 +0000

The agriculture industry is experiencing a dramatic downturn as commodities pile up and prices fall to historic lows. Some in the ag industry are hoping the next Farm Bill can help — sooner as opposed to later. With farm loans steadily deteriorating, many farm groups are hoping to get the Farm Bill process started early.1…

It’s not as far off as you think, work on the 2018 Farm Bill

Tim Cansler — Tue, 01 Nov 2016 14:11:48 +0000

In a recent article titled “It’s not as far off as you think, work on the 2018 Farm Bill“, the Farm Press‘s Hembree Brandon discusses the upcoming Farm Bill and how soon organizations need to act in order to get their point of view heard by the law makers that are framing the agricultural legislation.…

New Farm Bill: Preview and Analysis

Tim Cansler — Thu, 29 Sep 2016 14:47:57 +0000

Since the 1930’s and the Great Depression about every 5-years the U.S. Congress adopts a Farm Bill. The Farm Bill contains production agriculture & food policies under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Farm Bill titles include Commodity Programs, Conservation, Trade, Nutrition, Credit, Rural Development, Research & Extension, Forestry, Energy, Horticulture and Crop…

Farm & Food Bill: $100 billion/year at Stake

Tim Cansler — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 14:00:54 +0000

2018 Farm Bill: Tough Row to Hoe

Tim Cansler — Wed, 21 Sep 2016 16:48:48 +0000

The Agricultural Act of 2014 (P.L. 113-79), or “2014 Farm Bill” authorizes the continuation of agricultural and other programs of the Department of Agriculture through September 30, 2018. Since the Great Depression in the 1930’s Congress has typically adopted a comprehensive Farm Bill every 5 years. However, since the mid-1990’s Congress has struggled to timely…

It Just Seems Like Neither of Them Care About Us

Tim Cansler — Mon, 19 Sep 2016 15:42:41 +0000

“I’ve read both the presidential candidates policy platforms for agriculture and it just seems like neither of them care about us.” The statement above is from a farm wife in northeast Ohio — a state that will play a significant part in determining who the next President of the United States will be. She seemed…

Cansler to Deliver Remarks on Next Farm Bill

Tim Cansler — Mon, 09 May 2016 20:08:27 +0000

On May 19th, Tim Cansler, founder and chief strategist of Cansler Consulting, will be speaking during the Annual Conference of the California Agricultural Commissioners and Sealers Association in Mammoth Lakes, CA. Cansler, a former USDA official and farm policy specialist, will present a major discussion on the 2018 Farm Bill and its political and policy…

ARC de’ Triomphe

Tim Cansler — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 21:32:09 +0000

ARC (the Agriculture Risk Coverage program) was introduced in the 2014 Farm Bill as a way for farmers to manage crop production and price risks. According to the USDA1, nationwide, 96% of soybean farms, 91% of corn farms, and 66% of wheat farms elected ARC-County. 76% of all base elected ARC-County. Cansler Consulting worked with…

Farmers Have to Choose a New Risk Management Program

Tim Cansler — Tue, 30 Sep 2014 08:00:24 +0000

Let’s face it farming is not easy and manging risks amists Mother nature’s whims is even more risky. The only upside is that Congress is trying to help producers with new, innovative 21st Century risk management programs. Farmer will have to make a choice between Risk Management Programs very soon. The US Department of Agriculture…

Online Tools to Help You Choose Farm Risk Management

Tim Cansler — Tue, 30 Sep 2014 08:00:16 +0000

To help farmers choose between Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC), USDA helped create online decision tools that allow farmers to enter information about their operation and see projections about how each program will benefit them under possible future scenarios. The new tools are now available at www.fsa.usda.gov/arc-plc. How Do I Use…

USDA Releases New Programs to Help Farmers Manage Risk

Tim Cansler — Tue, 30 Sep 2014 08:00:15 +0000

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced much anticipated new programs to help farmers better manage risk, ushering in one of the most significant reforms to U.S. farm programs in decades. These new programs, including the Agriculture Risk Coverage program (ARC), are a departure from New Deal-era target price policies and represent one…

Natl Corn Growers Sign Cansler Consulting

Tim Cansler — Fri, 25 Apr 2014 16:54:16 +0000

The National Corn Growers Association signed on Cansler Consulting to assist them with their government relations in Washington D.C. Cansler Consulting will be employing our knowledge of the U.S. regulatory system and protecting the interest of NCGA during the implementation of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (AA). The AA totals over $960 billion. It maintains 12…

Congress Approves Increase for Cansler Consulting Clients

Tim Cansler — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 18:26:21 +0000

40% Increase for Federal Programs Important to Cansler Consulting Client Cansler Consulting often advises current & potential clients that advocating for important federal programs and legislation is like running a marathon instead of a sprint. Our client, California Agricultural Commissioners and Sealers Association (CACASA)understands this and so it is especially gratifying that after employing our strategies over the past few…

FDA Announces New User Fee Rates Under FSMA

Tim Cansler — Thu, 01 Aug 2013 19:13:19 +0000

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today, August 1, the fiscal year (FY) 2014 fee rates for domestic and foreign facility re-inspections, failures to comply with a recall order, and importer re-inspections authorized by the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA, Public Law 111-353). Specifically, Section 107 of FSMA added section 743 to the Food…

USDA Will Need 9 Months To Implement Farm Bill

Tim Cansler — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 14:32:31 +0000

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will need at least 9 months to implement the 2013 Farm Bill that Congress continues debating. This timeline spans from the day The President signs the bill into law to the initial producer sign-up for programs. Impact Government Wide USDA maintains an internal structure that ensures program implementation is…

Farm Bill Heads to Senate Floor Today: Future Uncertain

Tim Cansler — Mon, 20 May 2013 14:52:31 +0000

Today the 1,100-page Farm Bill (totaling $955 billion over the next ten years), heads to the floor of the U.S. Senate. The measure, S.954 faces an uncertain future as amendments exacerbating deep regional and partisan divides on issues including budget, trade and nutrition could upend the legislation. U.S. Senate Agriculture Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and…

Informed & Connected = Proactive

Tim Cansler — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:59:27 +0000

Cansler Consulting stays connected to the pulse of upcoming government trends and issues. We not only keep our clients informed of events as they happen, but proactively predict issues that may impact their organization in the future. It’s not clairvoyance, we’re just informed and connected to those who know. On March 14th, we first reported…

Long-Term Reauthorizations a Thing of the Past?

Tim Cansler — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 19:25:37 +0000

For legislative advocates and Washington policy wonks engaged in the debates on long term reauthorizing legislation like the Highway Bill, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Farm Bill you have to be wondering about the future of long-term legislative reauthorizations given the current environment in Congress. In June of last year U.S. House Agriculture Committee Chairman…

2-Year Farm Bill Extension & Changes to SNAP

Tim Cansler — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 21:12:30 +0000

For Farm Bill advocates the waiting is the hardest part. But it is likely that advocates will have to continue waiting, perhaps for years to come. Yes, U.S. House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) did pledge to members of the Ohio Farm Bureau on March 5, “We are going to do a farm bill this year.” …

House Leadership Signal Again Action on Farm Bill But No Specifics

Tim Cansler — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 14:53:29 +0000

On Friday, the U.S. House Leaders from both political parties had an exchange on the floor of the U.S. House regarding the fate of the 2012 farm bill. (An excerpt from the November 30 Congressional Record is below.) During the exchange House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) again reiterated that House leaders plan to take…

House Leaders: Still No Plan For Farm Bill

Tim Cansler — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 03:48:03 +0000

For those counting Monday, November 26 marks 138 days, over one-third of the entire year, since the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture adopted (35-11) the 2012 Farm Bill (H.R. 6083) the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act, on July 12. And, according to the recently released U.S. House floor schedule by Majority Leader Eric…

As If We Needed It…..Another Hurdle for the Farm Bill

Tim Cansler — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 17:30:35 +0000

Recall that prior to Congress adjourning for their August recess a stand-off erupted and lasted for two weeks after the House Agriculture Committee approved H.R. 6083, the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2012 by a vote of 35-11 on July 12. House leaders rebuffed calls by the US Senate and agriculture groups…

House Agriculture Committee Unveils Draft Farm Bill

Tim Cansler — Sun, 08 Jul 2012 19:06:36 +0000

House Agriculture Committee Unveils Draft Farm Bill With $12 Billion in Additional Savings Over Senate Companion Legislation Last week the US House Agriculture Committee released their draft version of a farm bill dubbed, the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act (FARRM). Some highlights of FARRM include: Saves more than $35 billion in mandatory funding,…

2012 Farm Bill: Long Row to Hoe! ’08 Farm Bill Extension?

Tim Cansler — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 22:39:41 +0000

Amidst 73 germane and non-germane amendments offered in the U.S. Senate, the passage of the Farm Bill, a half-trillion dollar bill containing farm and nutrition policies for the next five-years was an incredible feat accomplished by Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Ranking Member Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Senate leadership last week. Many pundits are now…

2012 Farm Bill in Senate; Ag Approps In House

Tim Cansler — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 16:46:55 +0000

This week the U.S. Senate is scheduled to take up S. 3240, the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2012 (commonly known as the 2012 Farm Bill). The Farm Bill passed out of the Senate Agriculture Committee on April 26 with a bipartisan vote of 16–5. Multiple and varying amendments are expected during floor…

Farm Bill Moves in Senate; Congress Easter Recess Return

Tim Cansler — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 16:19:42 +0000

Congress is back next week from their Easter recess. The U.S. House and Senate are scheduled to be in session through April 27. Congress will be off the week of April 30 and return for a two-week session from May 7 – 18. All total for the month of May the House will be in…

Farm Bill: With Clock Ticking Proposals Begin to Surface

Tim Cansler — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 23:26:46 +0000

The JSCDR must generate at least $1.2 trillion in budget savings over 10 years. Between $10 and $50 billion of budget savings are targeted from the Farm Bill. Agricultural businesses need to push for legislative reforms that enable them to survive and thrive, which subsequently keeps more people employed.

US Regulations Under Intense Scrutiny in the Search for Efficiencies

Tim Cansler — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 06:51:55 +0000

OMB sharpens pencils looking for efficiencies Budget constraints, high under-and-unemployment and recent bailout legislation are high among the many driving forces for policy makers to eliminate waste, fraud, abuse and duplicity in government programs. Across the U.S., lawmakers continue to seek ways to streamline operations without upending essential public programs and services. Last month the…

Don’t Get Thrown Under the Policy Bus – Again

Tim Cansler — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 23:29:25 +0000

Learning Lessons From Trade Dispute Votes in Congress Recently, the Obama Administration announced that U.S. and Mexican negotiators finalized a program that will allow Mexican trucks carrying imported goods to travel throughout the U.S. to their destinations, a promise made by the U.S. eighteen years ago and codified in the North American Free Trade Agreement…

A Farm Policy Battle Continues This Week, But The War is Far From Over!

Tim Cansler — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 17:26:06 +0000

A Farm Policy Battle continues to wage in the U.S. House of Representatives this week showcasing the escalating issue over how Congress must change current U.S. agricultural programs in the 2012 Farm Bill ruled as “trade distorting” by the World Trade Organization (WTO). “Do NOT Pay the $147 Million…” Passed By Voice Vote During the U.S.…

U.S. Senate Kicks-off Farm Policy Debate on 2012 Re-authorization

Tim Cansler — Sat, 28 May 2011 05:00:38 +0000

On Thursday, May 26, the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee held its first hearing on the five-year reauthorization of the Farm Bill. The panel is beginning what many believe will be a long, arduous process as they write the nation’s farm policy amidst looming federal budget cuts. While witnesses generally focused on U.S. farmers productivity and their ability to feed a…

Michigan Farm Bill Hearing

Tim Cansler — Tue, 17 May 2011 00:36:48 +0000

Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, announced the Committee’s first Farm Bill field hearing on the 2012 Farm Bill in East Lansing on May 31st. The hearing will focus on the upcoming reauthorization of the 2012 Farm Bill and will examine agriculture issues including specialty crops, energy, conservation,…

Ideas for Farm Bill Funding

Tim Cansler — Sat, 14 May 2011 18:31:21 +0000

Ideas on re-directing federal farm bill funds toward 21st century challenges in agriculture:Streamline the approval processes of biotechnology products; Coordinate U.S. agricultural policies with Public Health Policies; Advance Biofuels and more.

Are Your Programs on the Chopping Block in the Next Farm Bill?

Tim Cansler — Wed, 11 May 2011 18:29:48 +0000

In the last few weeks, the U.S. House of Representatives adopted a budget resolution (235-193) for fiscal year 2012. It estimated that the 2012 Budget proposes $178 billion in agriculture program cuts over the next 10 years.

Groups Call for Significant Changes in Next Farm Bill

Tim Cansler — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 15:53:31 +0000

Impacting future budget negotiations (and the writing of the 2012 Farm Bill) is a report released last month by the Government Accounting Office (GAO). Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) requested the report which researched the federal budget for opportunities to reduce potential duplication and streamline government programs, save tax dollars, and enhance revenue.

Congressional Budget Office Releases Budget Projections

Tim Cansler — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 06:52:57 +0000

Recently, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released their annual budget projections for direct spending costs of farm legislation over the next 10 years. These, and perhaps subsequent projections, will be used by lawmakers to write the upcoming 2012 Farm Bill. Congress is set to begin writing the next re-authorization of the Farm Bill as most…

The Farm Bill & Brazil’s Impact

Tim Cansler — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 06:34:13 +0000

Lawmakers must decide on how to change farm programs in the 2012 Farm Bill, otherwise Brazil is entitled to retaliatory measures, including cross-retaliation, imposing trade tariffs against up to $829 million in U.S. goods and $268 million in eligible cross-retaliatory countermeasures. If Brazil believes that the 2012 Farm Bill continues trade distorting policies, they can increase tariffs on a variety of U.S. products and commodities.

Pace of 2012 Farm Bill Intensifies

Tim Cansler — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 16:55:16 +0000

Are the programs of the 2012 Farm Bill that impact your organization being moved forward right NOW? This week Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND) Chairman of the US Senate Budget Committee kept up the intense pace of his Committee hearing schedule by bringing leading economists to testify on topics including the state of the U.S economy…

The Farm Bill Pt. 3

Tim Cansler — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 11:58:44 +0000

Some pundits already saying that nutrition programs will not be considered during reconciliation. Don’t count on it. Look for House republicans to slow down action on issues. The economic, budgetary, social and political complexities of farm policy will continue delivering the opportunity for lawmakers to make tough choices.

The Farm Bill Pt. 2

Tim Cansler — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 12:32:25 +0000

Every candidate in 2012 must take a position on farm policy. Other forces will play in this Farm Bill.

The Farm Bill Pt. 1

Tim Cansler — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 19:22:47 +0000

Budget reconciliation will force [The Farm Bill] to happen. Budget reconciliation should be completed in tandem with farm policy provisions as aggies should be leading to make necessary changes to reach budget targets. One thing you can bet on is that the number will most certainly be significantly above the $1.9 billion annual average for agriculture under previous budget reconciliations.