Month: March 2023

Senate votes to overturn Biden’s ‘waters of the United States’ rule The Senate joined the House on Wednesday in voting to overturn the Biden administration’s “waters of the United States” regulation, which spells out the upstream reach of water pollution laws. The White House said earlier this month that President… Continue reading

In a farm bill preview, farm-state Republicans attack SNAP The Biden administration is spending too much on SNAP and is unwilling to restrict access to food stamps, farm-state Republicans told Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Tuesday. They called for stricter work requirements for SNAP and said, millions of migrants might… Continue reading

One in seven on House ag panel collected farm payments Eight current members of the House Agriculture Committee received farm subsidies at some point since 1998, said the Environmental Working Group on Tuesday. Seven of the eight describe themselves on their congressional websites as farmers or the offspring of a… Continue reading

U.S. dominance in ag export race is softening The United States lost its place as the world’s largest wheat exporter a decade ago, and now its leadership in exports of corn, cotton and tree nuts is being challenged, said a new USDA report. “Changes in global patterns of production and… Continue reading

Put ‘the food back into food aid,’ say grain millers The 2023 farm bill should reverse the international trend toward cash donations for hunger relief, said the North American Millers Association on Thursday. In a three-page list of farm bill priorities, NAMA said it supports putting “the food back into… Continue reading

Boost Conservation Reserve, hold steady on working lands assistance If Congress follows the farm bill recommendations of the Conservation Coalition, it would revive a $5-an-acre discount on crop insurance premiums for farmers who plant cover crops. The coalition, an alliance of farm, land stewardship, and environmental groups, also said on… Continue reading

Organic farmers ask for $100 million annual research funding The 2023 farm bill should gradually scale up federal funding for organic agriculture research and extension to $100 million a year, said the National Organic Coalition on Tuesday. The alliance of farm, environment and consumer groups also said the USDA should… Continue reading

Key House Democrat says ‘no way’ to SNAP cuts Congress will write the 2023 farm bill without harming SNAP, notwithstanding Republican suggestions to restrict food-stamp eligibility, said the senior Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee on Monday. “There is no way we are going to accept any cuts in this… Continue reading

In the background for the farm bill: How many farms and what size? Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack reached back to the Carter era in calling for a transformational 2023 farm bill that helps small and medium-size farmers earn more from the land rather than move to town. Secretary Bob Bergland… Continue reading

Senator warns of farm-size conflict in farm bill negotiations At the same time that Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack called for more attention to small and midsize farmers, who see limited revenue from agriculture, a key Southern senator cautioned on Thursday against “a small farm versus big farm conflict” in writing… Continue reading