5 years, 9 months ago AFBF
The House of Representatives placed the farm bill back in the court of the Senate, voting to move towards conference. The voice vote approval paves the way for the Senate to consider similar action so the two chambers can appoint conferees to mend differences between the House and Senate versions of the farm bill. The House also passed a Democratic motion to instruct conferees to insist on 10-year permanent funding for an animal vaccine program. That motion passed the House 392 – 20. The House bill has permanent funding, but the Senate bill has only an authorization for appropriations. The motion to proceed also makes it possible for the House to appoint conferees. The Senate must also vote to proceed to conference and appoint conferees. However, when the conference committee will convene remains uncertain, before or after the August recess. The current farm bill expires September 30th.
Following the vote, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi named democrats to serve on the conference committee, including 10 Agriculture Committee members. Listed by committee, they include:
Agriculture: Collin Peterson (D-Minn.), David Scott (D-Ga.), Jim Costa (D-Calif.), Tim Walz (D-Minn.), Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Filemon Vela (D-Texas), Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.), Ann Kuster (D-N.H.), Tom O’Halleran (D-Ariz.)
Education and Workforce: Alma Adams (D-N.C.)
Energy and Commerce: Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.)
Financial Services: Maxine Waters (D-Calif.)
Foreign Affairs: Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.)
Natural Resources: Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.)
Oversight and Government Reform: Stacey Plaskett (D-V.I.)
Science, Space and Technology: Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas)
Transportation and Infrastructure: Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.)
Republican conferees had not yet been announced at time of publishing.
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Egg Producers Urge Support for Commerce Language in Farm Bill
The National Association of Egg Farmers is urging lawmakers to support language included in the farm bill that seeks to uphold the U.S. Constitution commerce clause. The clause says Congress is to regulate commerce among states, but the group alleges certain states are implementing laws regulating how eggs are produced outside the state and then imported into that state. The Association says states are pressing for the removal of cages for egg-laying hens on the basis of animal welfare. However, the Association says cages reduce mortality rates for chickens. The specific language supported by egg producers, introduced by Iowa Representative Steve King, is the Protect Interstate Commerce Act. The association says the legislation prevents activist states like California from unconstitutionally regulating interstate commerce in agriculture by imposing regulatory hurdles on other states. King says the language ensures “agricultural products are not denied access to some of the nation’s largest markets.”
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Japan, EU, Sign Trade Agreement
While the United States remains engaged in a trade disruptive environment, the European Union and Japan have signed a free trade agreement. The agreement, signed Tuesday, is hoped to counteract the protectionist trade environment fueled by the U.S. and President Donald Trump, according to Reuters. The agreement creates one of the world’s largest open economic areas. Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (sheen-zoh ah-bay) said: “I want Japan and the EU to lead the world by bearing the flag of free trade.” The deal removes EU tariffs of ten percent on Japanese cars and will also scrap Japanese duties of some 30 percent or more on EU cheese and 15 percent on wines, along with allowing for more EU dairy products to enter Japan. The move comes as the U.S. is in the middle of a trade war with China, and ongoing trade disputes with others, that started with steel and aluminum tariffs implemented by the Trump Administration.
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Biodiesel Producers Ask EPA to Raise RFS Volumes and Ensure They Are Met
The National Biodiesel Board says the Environmental Protection Agency should set the 2020 Biomass-based Diesel obligation at 2.8 billion gallons and appropriately account for small refinery exemptions. Testifying to the EPA during a public hearing on the Renewable Fuel Standard Wednesday, NBB and its members asked the EPA to make the change based on the agency’s own analysis in the proposed rule showing that the volume is achievable next year. NBB also told the EPA it must reduce the uncertainty it has caused by issuing retroactive small refiner hardship exemptions. The action, according to NBB executives, is needed to “provide the certainty that the biodiesel industry needs.” EPA has estimated that the small refinery hardship exemptions it retroactively granted to refiners reduced the 2016 and 2017 RVOs by a combined 2.25 billion gallons. NBB estimates the 2016 and 2017 exemptions reduced demand for biodiesel by more than 300 million gallons.
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Dinneen to Become RFA Advisor, Cooper CEO
Renewable Fuels Association President Bob Dinneen will transition into an advisory role later this year. Serving as CEO since 2001, Dinneen has been with the organization for more than 30 years and will become RFA’s Senior Strategic Advisor in October. Executive Vice President Geoff Cooper will assume the position of president and CEO. Cooper joined RFA in 2008 as the organization’s Director of Research and Analysis and had ascended to executive vice president by 2016. He previously worked on ethanol issues for the National Corn Growers Association and served as a Captain in the U.S. Army, specializing in bulk petroleum product logistics. In recent years, Cooper has led RFA’s regulatory activities, while also overseeing the association’s research and technical initiatives, supporting public and media relations efforts, and managing the Renewable Fuels Foundation. RFA Chairman Mick Henderson mentioned Dinneen spent most of his professional life dedicated to the ethanol industry, and for that “we will always be grateful.”
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AFBF Foundation: Apply for John Deere Teacher Resource Kits by Aug. 15
Kindergarten through fifth-grade educators working in schools are encouraged to apply by August 15th for resource kit grants courtesy of John Deere and the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture. John Deere is sponsoring the distribution of 300 kits, each containing one copy of the Foundation’s 2018 Book of the Year, “John Deere, That’s Who!,” an educator guide and a classroom set of Ag Innovation ag magazines for kids. Grant winners will be randomly selected from the pool of applicants. Resource kits will be sent to selected teachers in time for National Read a Book Day, September 6th. Applications are being accepted online. Learn more at agfoundation.org.
