Upcoming 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 MorePrepare for Crop Insurance Audits
This year’s drought will have another impact for farmers, beyond wiped out yields and hits to their income. With potential six-figure crop insurance claims expected, crop insurance companies and agents are advising farmers to get ready for crop insurance audits, reports Progressive Farmer. Crop insurance program rules set automatic audits when claims reach $200,000 per entity per crop...
Read MoreTransportation and Infrastructure to Mark-up Clean Water Bill
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is scheduled to debate and vote on H.R. 4278, the Preserving Rural Resources Act, today. The legislation would reaffirm important Clean Water Act protections for farmers and ranchers that protect normal agricultural and forestry activities from regulation but have often been challenged by regulators and environmental activists. The...
Read MoreAppeals Court Upholds GHG Rules
On Tuesday, the federal Circuit Court for the District of Columbia upheld greenhouse gas rules promulgated by the Environmental Protection Agency. The American Farm Bureau Federation was a party in the cases on this, which were consolidated in the D.C. Circuit Court. The decision is seen as a blow to the coal industry and a win for environmental activists. The decision preserves the status quo...
Read MoreEPA Recons NE Farms
Nebraska Senators Mike Johanns (R) and Ben Nelson (D) this week voiced their opposition to recent flyovers by government surveillance planes checking to ensure feedlots are complying with Clean Water Act regulations. Speaking on AgriTalk, Johanns said he, along with the rest of the Nebraska congressional delegation, sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson...
Read MoreDOL Formally Withdraws Ag Youth Labor Rule
The Labor Department has formally withdrawn its proposed child labor regulation and published a notice stating this in the Federal Register, as required by law. DOL officials have stated their intention to work with agricultural groups, including Farm Bureau, to promote farm safety. AFBF participated in a meeting with DOL officials last week to discuss child safety programs currently available...
Read MoreLegislative Tracking 2013
