AFBF releases their 2012 Questionnaire for Presidential Candidates
This week the American Farm Bureau Federation released their Presidential questionnaire. This questionnaire was completed by President Obama and Gov. Romney. The questionnaire explored many different areas that are of interest to farmers and ranchers. These areas ranged from environmental regulations to tax and trade policy. The results of the questionnaire can be found here,...
Read MoreUpcoming changes regarding CDLs and medical cards
If you are a farmer or rancher who also has a commercial driver’s license (CDL) then it is important to know that rules regarding medical cards will be changing very soon. Per a change in federal regulations, starting in January 2014, states will be required to start a centralize tracking of which drivers are maintaining a valid medical card via a DOT/CDL Medical information project. If the...
Read MoreUSDA Designates More Natural Disaster Areas
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Thursday designated 76 additional counties in six states as primary natural disaster areas due to damage and losses caused by drought and excessive heat. During the 2012 crop year, USDA has designated 1,369 counties across 31 states as disaster areas—1,234 due to drought—making all qualified farm operators in the areas eligible for low-interest emergency...
Read MoreDrought Measure Passes House
Before heading home for the month of August, the House put off voting directly on the farm bill and instead approved funding for drought relief programs. But with Congress heading out of Washington, it’s highly unlikely that drought assistance could become reality before September at the earliest. In an American Farm Bureau Federation video clip, Mary Kay Thatcher, farm policy specialist, said...
Read MoreHouse Republicans Drop Farm Bill Extension Legislation
Republican leaders in the House have removed a one-year extension of farm policy from today’s agenda of the Rules Committee, following an outpouring of opposition from Farm Bureau and other farm groups as well as Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.). The farm bill extension that is no longer in play included disaster...
Read MoreAFBF Opposes Farm Bill Extension
The American Farm Bureau Federation on Monday said it would stand in opposition to a House measure to extend the 2012 farm bill for a year. The extension includes disaster assistance, particularly for livestock producers, who are not eligible for crop insurance. Many in Washington believe the bill was designed to give lawmakers from drought-affected states political cover as they leave...
Read MoreLegislative Tracking 2013
