Farm labor a priority in House for immigration reform Immigration reform, including legal status for farmworkers, is vital for assuring U.S. economic strength, said chairman Jerry Nadler of the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday. Congress has deadlocked repeatedly over immigration, whether comprehensive legislation or piecemeal reforms, but President Biden, on… Continue reading
Multibillion-dollar debt relief for minority farmers is backed by House committee The House Agriculture Committee approved a landmark $4 billion program of debt relief for socially disadvantaged farmers on Wednesday despite Republican objections that the aid was an unconstitutional form of reverse discrimination. Chairman David Scott, a Georgia Democrat, said… Continue reading
Washington, DC – House Committee on Agriculture Republican Leader Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (PA-15) issued the following statement after Committee Democrats passed the Agriculture Committee’s portion of the FY21 budget reconciliation bill on a party-line vote: “House Democrats made it explicitly clear today there was never any intention to reach across the aisle and that… Continue reading
House panel to vote on SNAP extension and minority farmer debt relief Following President Biden’s lead, the chairman of the House Agriculture Committee proposed an extension until Sept. 30 of the temporary 15 percent increase in SNAP benefits on Tuesday. Chairman David Scott also included a sweeping proposal for the… Continue reading
Thompson Statement on Agriculture Democrats Release of Partisan Reconciliation Measure Washington, D.C. – Today, House Agriculture Committee Republican Leader Glenn “GT” Thompson (PA-15) issued the following statement after Democrats released the Agriculture Committee’s portion of the FY21 budget reconciliation bill: “Democrats unveiled their $16 billion bill which was drafted behind… Continue reading
House Ag panel will start with climate change With the resolution of a disputed election in New York State, the House Agriculture Committee is ready for action with climate change as its top issue. “Everything will tie into climate change,” says the committee chief of staff and the first hearing… Continue reading
USDA predicts robust farm income in 2021, aided by market rally U.S. farm income will be a strong $111.4 billion this year, 20 percent above the 10-year average, thanks to a recovery in crop and livestock revenue and larger than usual federal payments, said the USDA. Higher market prices, particularly… Continue reading
Missed some Ag News this week? Here are seven stories to catch you up. (Farm Progress) 1. The Senate Agriculture Committee advanced former Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack’s nomination to lead the agriculture department again on Groundhog Day. Vilsack, 70, served as Agriculture Secretary for eight years in the Obama administration…. Continue reading
USDA seeks ways to ‘de-risk’ climate mitigation, says Bonnie Farmers face significant expenses in adopting climate mitigation practices, and the Biden administration is pondering how to “de-risk those investments,” possibly through a so-called carbon bank, said USDA climate adviser Robert Bonnie on Thursday. “Can we look at some new authorities… Continue reading
RFS ‘is definitely a priority for this administration,’ says EPA nominee The Biden administration plans a thorough review of recent EPA decisions involving the federal mandate to mix corn ethanol and other biofuels into gasoline, said Michael Regan, the White House nominee to run the agency, at his Wednesday confirmation… Continue reading
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