Ag Policy Blog

COOL Backers Point to Survey as New Label Rule Readied

Sun, 19 May 2013 14:09:00 GMT

As members of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees seek to repeal mandatory country-of-origin labeling, backers tout a new survey from the Consumer Federation of America citing that 90% of Americans favor labeling the origin of meat.

Farm Bills Give Everyone a Chance to Squawk

Fri, 17 May 2013 14:05:00 GMT

Now that the House and Senate Agriculture Committees have passed their versions of the farm bill, it's time to cherry pick all the things people hate about the legislation.

House Ag Committee Advances Farm Bill

Thu, 16 May 2013 04:50:00 GMT

Members of the House Agriculture Committee voted late Wednesday to advance a farm bill that would cut projected spending for farm programs and nutrition cuts by a projected $39.7 billion over 10 years.

On SNAP Cuts, What Would Jesus Do?

Wed, 15 May 2013 22:14:00 GMT

The Christian faith teaches to provide for the poor, but Jesus was never faced with having to reduce the budget for popular legislation and try to get that bill passed by the House of Representatives.

Attempt to Stop Clean Water Act Guidance Defeated

Wed, 15 May 2013 16:21:00 GMT

The U.S. Senate Tuesday rejected a proposed amendment to the Water Resources Development Act or WRDA that would have prevented the finalizing of a jurisdictional guidance to extend the number of water bodies subject to the Clean Water Act.

CBO Breakdown of Two Farm Bills

Tue, 14 May 2013 11:14:00 GMT

With the Senate holding its markup of its version of the farm bill on Tuesday, the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2013, the Congressional Budget Office released budget scores for both the Senate bill and the House version, which will be marked up on Wednesday. The House bill is called the Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013.

Farm Bills Diverge on Some Key Proposals

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:40:00 GMT

Breaking down some of the differences between the House and Senate versions of the farm bill.

A Comparison of Senate and House Target Price Proposals

Fri, 10 May 2013 12:00:00 GMT

The Senate bill unveiled on Thursday did reinstall a new target-price program Adverse Market Payments. According to the text of the bill, almost all commodities would have the same AMP reference price as the current Counter Cyclical program target price, with exceptions for rice and peanuts, which would receive increase in their target prices.

Groups Largely Praise Senate Fam Bill Draft

Fri, 10 May 2013 01:39:00 GMT

Farm groups that have weighed in on the release of the Senate farm bill largely praised the legislation, though there were concerns expressed by the Senate target-price program, which largely keeps the same target-price levels under the current counter-cyclical program.

Lucas No Fan of Conservation Compliance Plan

Thu, 09 May 2013 01:45:00 GMT

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas is opposed to the agreement announced earlier this week by farm, environmental and wildlife groups to link eligibility for crop-insurance premium subsidies to conservation compliance. Meanwhile, EPA officials remain opposed to openly discussing controversial issues.

Groups Strike Deal on Conservation, Crop Insurance: No Means Tests

Tue, 07 May 2013 01:41:00 GMT

A list "who's who" of groups in agriculture, conservation and wildlife has come together for a delicate compromise on the farm bill meant to avoid any means testing when it comes to crop insurance premium subsidies while keeping some provisions linking conservation compliance to crop insurance.

Egg Bill Goes Way of Humpty Dumpty and Takes a Fall

Mon, 06 May 2013 20:26:00 GMT

Backlash from livestock groups and fellow senators has likely prompted Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., to put the egg bill back in the carton.

WRDA Bill Coming to the Floor in Senate

Mon, 06 May 2013 16:50:00 GMT

The Water Resources Development Act will come up for a cloture vote early this evening in the U.S. Senate on whether to proceed with debate on the Water Resources Development Act, or S. 601.

Cantor Won't Hit Pause Button on Farm Bill

Sat, 04 May 2013 00:43:00 GMT

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor sent a memo out Friday to other House Republicans. In it, Cantor outlined several key agenda items for the spring and summer, including another repeal vote on Obamacare, legislation to avoid rising interest rates for student loans and a bill to require the Securities and Exchange Commission to conduct more cost-benefit analysis for rule-making.

Egg Bill Could Make Senate Farm Bill

Thu, 02 May 2013 20:13:00 GMT

Members of the United Egg Producers are confident the farm bill, at least in the Senate, will include language based on the egg producers' agreement on cages struck with the Humane Society of the United States.