Category: Legislative Updates

American Farm Bureau Charts Path Forward

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by LICA-National
Farmer and rancher delegates to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 102nd Annual Convention adopted policies to guide the organization’s work in 2021. Key topics ranged from farm diversity to farm labor and dairy policy to livestock marketing. For the first time in AFBF history, delegates met and voted virtually due to COVID-19. “Our Farm Bureau delegates showed that no challenge, not even a pandemic, will keep them from working to improve the lives of America’s farmers and ranchers,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “Their work not only sets policy for 2021, it will also serve as a guide for AFBF as we prepare to work with a new president and a new Congress to ensure we continue to lead the world in producing healthy and safe food, fiber and fuel.”

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Former Mayor Pete Buttigieg Shares Transportation Priorities

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by LICA-National
Pete Buttigieg – former 2020 Democratic candidate for president and mayor of South Bend, Indiana – touted safety and infrastructure investment as his key priorities during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on January 21 to be the 19th U.S. Secretary of Transportation. “Safety is the foundation of the department [of transportation’s] mission, and it takes on new meaning amid this [COVID-19] pandemic,” Buttigieg said. “We must ensure all of our transportation systems – from aviation to public transit, to our railways, roads, ports, waterways, and pipelines – are managed safely during this critical period, as we work to defeat the virus.”

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USDA Undersecretary Northey Reflects

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by LICA-National
USDA Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey told AgriPulse the majority of work on implementing the 2018 farm bill is done as well the heavy lifting for the first two rounds of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program funding for a diverse group of farmers and ranchers across the nation. Ahead, Northey believes Congress should consider some mechanism for ad hoc assistance to be administered through USDA's Commodity Credit Corps. without additional legislative action. Northey believes CCC limits should be addressed in a new farm bill and believes a shift to climate-smart farm programs will include a number of conservation practices farmers are already implementing voluntarily. He says adequate broadband service is still an issue the Biden administration will need to address.

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USDA Engages Public for Input on Water Quantity in the West

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by LICA-National
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced it is seeking public input about water quantity in the west related to existing Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) programs. Acting NRCS Chief Kevin Norton will host a virtual, open public listening session Thursday, December 17 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern. If additional time is deemed necessary to hear all input, a second session will be held Friday, December 18 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern.

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