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Coming This Fall: Ohio General Assembly Work on Nutrient Management Proposal

June 23, 2013 By Ron Sylvester 1 Comment

You may recall that earlier this year three state agencies floated a proposed bill to address agriculture’s perceived part in combating the contamination of Ohio’s freshwater resources with too much phosphorous and other materials that lead to toxic algal blooms in areas like the western basin of Lake Erie.

The draft legislative language was created by the Ohio Departments of Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Ohio EPA after Gov. John Kasich requested them to form the Directors’ Agricultural Nutrients and Water Quality Working Group. Previously this year Director Jim Zehringer (ODNR), Director Scott Nally (OEPA) and Director David Daniels (ODA) circulated the second version of their proposed bill for comment from various environmental and agricultural stakeholders around the state. You may read OFU President Roger Wise’s response to that request here.

Stakeholders were put on notice regarding impending legislative action once again earlier this month. In an informal hearing in the Senate Agriculture Committee, Chairman Cliff Hite (R-Findlay) and members heard proponent testimony from the three directors in anticipation of what Hite said would be formal bills in the House and Senate regarding farming nutrient management in the fall.

[UPDATE – June 30 S.B. 150 has been introduced by Senators Cliff Hite and Bob Peterson.]

zehringer 150

ODNR Director James Zehringer

“Over the course of the past year and into the foreseeable future, agricultural nutrient management will be the number one priority for the (Soil and Water Resources) Division, and one of the top priorities of the department,” Zerhinger said at the June 11 hearing.

Zerhinger acknowledged that there is nothing the state or farmers can do that will immediately solve the problem of the harmful Lake Erie algal blooms. He also noted that, “It is important to note that the loading of dissolved phosphorous into Lake Erie’s tributaries from agricultural sources is not an intentional act by farmers in the watershed.”

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: David T. Daniels, James Zehringer, Nutrient Management, Ohio Dept. of Agriculture, Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources, Ohio EPA, Roger Wise, Scott Nally

Tea Party Treads on You – Kills Farm Bill in U.S. House with SNAP Amendments

June 21, 2013 By Ron Sylvester Leave a Comment

By a vote of 195-234, the U.S. House of Representatives has once again killed the Farm Bill.

Earlier this month, the Senate passed a bipartisan Farm Bill. Agriculture interests were hoping for the House to pass a bill so that negotiations could begin between the two chambers on an official compromise.

National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson said, “With today’s failure to pass a farm bill, the House has let down rural America. We are deeply disappointed that the House voted against the best interests of family farmers and rural America.”

Where the nutrition title of the Farm Bill was a rural-urban coalition builder in the past, the title’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – and how much funding it should receive – is a major sticking point for many GOP members of Congress.

Amendments were offered and passed by majority Republicans during floor debate that peeled off Democratic support for the bill. One amendment would have required SNAP recipients to be employed. Robert Greenstein of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities explained this provision in a blog post:

… this extreme provision would allow states to terminate benefits to households where adults — including parents with children as young as 1 year old and many people with disabilities — are not working or participating in a work or training program at least 20 hours a week.  It would not require states to make any work opportunities available and would provide no jobs and no funds for work or training programs.  Thus, people who want to work and are looking for a job but haven’t found one could have their benefits cut off.  Their children’s benefits could be cut off, as well.

Media Roundup on Farm Bill Coverage:

  • From The Plain Dealer
  • From CNBC
  • From New York Times
  • From NFU Blog
  • From OFU Blog

How they voted.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Farm Bill, Robert Greenstein

Farm Bill Down in Flames in U.S. House

June 21, 2013 By Ron Sylvester 1 Comment

2013 version of 1980s ‘welfare queen’ is apparently ‘food stamp guy’ who bought crab legs in Texas

U.S. Sen. Rob Portman’s “no” vote against the bipartisan Senate version of the Farm Bill last week may have been foreshadowing the real chances of a bill passing in the House.

Portman offered two reason for voting “no” earlier this month. First, he disagrees with the Senate bill’s language on countercyclical payments. Second, and more telling from the standpoint of “Realpolitik 2013,” he said the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program was not cut enough. Known as SNAP, this is the major portion of the nutrition title of the bill, the program we all know in everyday conversation as “food stamps.”

Interestingly enough, the Farm Bill this time wasn’t defeated by GOP members voting “no.” It was defeated because of SNAP-related floor amendments that made the bill so objectionable to Democrats that many of them abandoned support for the entire bill.

One such amendment which passed with GOP support would have required SNAP recipients to be employed. Robert Greenstein of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities explained this provision in a blog post:

… this extreme provision would allow states to terminate benefits to households where adults — including parents with children as young as 1 year old and many people with disabilities — are not working or participating in a work or training program at least 20 hours a week.  It would not require states to make any work opportunities available and would provide no jobs and no funds for work or training programs.  Thus, people who want to work and are looking for a job but haven’t found one could have their benefits cut off.  Their children’s benefits could be cut off, as well.

The assault on SNAP was lead by Tea Partiers like U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert, (R-Texas). He controlled 30 minutes of the House GOP’s time on the floor yesterday during the Farm Bill debate. As National Journal points out, he made the most of it with his anti-SNAP – and ultimately anti-Farm Bill – rhetoric:

“When we look at the food stamp bill that had 20 percent farm in it…”

“SNAP … has a real snap to it.”

“When I look into the eyes of constituents, who want to provide for their children … and they talk about standing in line, I’ve heard this story so many times … standing in line at a grocery store behind people with a food-stamp car—one individual said, I love crab legs. You know, the big king crab legs. I love those. But we haven’t been able to have those in who knows when. But I’m standing behind a guy who has those in his basket, and I’m looking longingly like, when can I ever make enough again where our family can have something like that, and sees the food-stamp card pulled out, and provided, he looks at the king crab legs and looks at the ground meat, and realizes because he does pay income tax, he doesn’t get more back than he pays in, he is actually helping pay for the king crab legs when he can’t pay for them for himself.”

“From the amount of obesity in this country, by people we’re told do not have enough to eat, it does seem like we can have a debate about this issue without allegations about wanting to slap down or starve children.”

This kind of thinking – if the diatribe above can be considered thought – is what is killing the Farm Bill. For decades, five-year Farm Bills were heavy lifting, but the coalition which existed between agriculture and urban interests was built on the nutrition title. That coalition is apparently not working any longer in the U.S. House. Outside of politics, there are good reasons to tie nutrition programs to our larger national food policy as represented by the Farm Bill. Agricultural interest groups at the national level have a lot of work to do to re-educate Congress on the facts. Unfortunately, the House of Representatives may be beyond reason in its current form.

The problem is: Will today’s Congress listen? Tea Partiers like Gohmert aren’t interested in reason. Their ultimate goal seems to be the complete deconstruction of government. For instance, on SNAP, their argument goes something like this: SNAP has grown since the Great Recession to the point that around 1 in 7 Americans is eligible or using the program – so it must be cut. There is no deep analysis as to the root causes of hunger in America. There is no alternative policy prescription to fight hunger. It’s just “cut ’em off.”

In the place of real data to support their arguments that SNAP is bloated, inefficient and wasteful we get 1980’s era welfare queen anecdotes. One guy in Texas telling a winger congressman that he saw a “food stamp guy” buy crab legs is not a data point. It might not even be true.

If memory serves, there was a time in Congress when the extremists – on both the left and right – were on the fringes. They didn’t run the show and things could eventually get done. Today, the inmates are now officially running the asylum.

 

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Farm Bill, Louie Gohmert, Rob Portman

Ohio Grain Indemnity Clears House 94-0

June 19, 2013 By Ron Sylvester 2 Comments

Proposed changes to the Ohio Grain Indemnity Fund are a big step closer to reality. On Wednesday, S.B. 66 cleared the Ohio House 94-0.

Due to a minor technical change in the bill which occurred in the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, the bill will now need to be reconciled or accepted with the House change in the Senate. This would be the final step before the legislation hits Gov. John Kasich’s desk. We’ll keep you posted.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Ohio Grain Indemnity Fund

Johnson likes what he’s hearing from House leadership on Farm Bill

June 14, 2013 By Ron Sylvester Leave a Comment

from NFU

Boehner Responds To Obama Statement On Debt TalksNational Farmers Union President Roger Johnson issued the following statement upon reports that Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives John Boehner, R-Ohio, will support the 2013 Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management (FARRM) Act:

“It is promising to hear that House leadership is embracing the 2013 Farm Bill and its importance to all Americans. I also applaud Reps. Lucas and Peterson for their bipartisan leadership in getting the bill to the floor. In order to provide certainty for U.S. family farmers and ranchers, it is critical that the farm bill continues making progress toward conference and final passage prior to the Sept. 30, deadline.

“FARRM makes significant, much-needed reforms to agriculture programs, including significant deficit reduction. The farm bill also prevents the necessity for emergency ad hoc disaster programs, which almost always represents deficit spending.

“NFU also supports the bill’s elimination of direct payments. American farmers need a safety net in times of natural disaster and long-term price collapse, not when conditions are more favorable. We will continue to work with members of Congress through the passage in the House and conference process to ensure that we end up with a comprehensive, five-year bill that is the best that it can be.”

 

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Farm Bill, John Boehner, Roger Johnson

USDA Grants Available for Smaller Farmers’ Coops

June 14, 2013 By Ron Sylvester Leave a Comment

from the USDA

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA is seeking applications from cooperatives to provide technical assistance to small, socially disadvantaged agricultural producers in rural areas. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) remains focused on carrying out its mission, despite a time of significant budget uncertainty. Today’s announcement is one part of the Department’s efforts to strengthen the rural economy.

“These grants will jump start small business hiring and help producers in areas facing economic challenges get the tools they need to succeed,” Vilsack said. “Small businesses are the engines of job growth and innovation in America.”

Funding will be made available through USDA Rural Development’s Small, Socially Disadvantaged Producer Grant program (SSDPG). The maximum grant award is $200,000.

Eligible applicants include cooperatives, groups of cooperatives, and cooperative development centers where a majority of the governing board or board of directors is comprised of individuals who are members of socially disadvantaged groups. Small, socially disadvantaged producers include farmers, ranchers, loggers, agricultural harvesters, and fishermen that have averaged $250,000 or less in annual gross sales of agricultural products in the last three years. Producers will be able to conduct market research, product and/or service improvement, feasibility studies, training, and implement business plans.

For more information or to apply check out this page.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Socially Disadvantaged Farmers

Senate passes bipartisan Farm Bill – again

June 14, 2013 By Ron Sylvester 1 Comment

On June 10 the U.S. Senate passed this year’s version of a bipartisan Farm Bill. It looks a lot like last year’s.

Ohio’s two senators split their votes. Sen. Sherrod Brown, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee voted yes. Sen. Rob Portman voted no, citing disagreement with the final bill’s language on counter-cyclical payments and his belief that the final bill does not cut the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Food Stamps) enough.

“One in seven Ohio jobs is related to food and agriculture. By eliminating direct payments, improving crop insurance, and boosting local food production and biobased manufacturing, the Senate has taken the first step toward sending to the President a five-year farm bill,” Brown said.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Blog

House Committee Makes Minor Change to Indemnity Bill

May 21, 2013 By Ron Sylvester 1 Comment

As we’ve been reporting since the beginning of the year, the Ohio General Assembly is moving this Spring to update Ohio’s Commodity Handler’s Law – aka the Grain Indemnity Fund.

S.B. 66 which was sponsored by Sen. Cliff Hite (RFindlay) who also chairs the Senate Ag Committee has moved through Chairman David Hall’s House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. Hall (R-Millersburg) is OFU’s current Legislator of the Year.

One technical amendment was accepted by Hall’s committee which states that the financial statements provided to the Ohio Dept. of Agriculture by grain elevator operators meet Generally Accepted Accounting Practices (GAAP). The amendment and the bill were approved by the committee and now we wait for House Speaker Bill Batchelder to schedule the measure for a vote in the full House.

 

Filed Under: Blog

Survey: U.S. Consumers Support COOL

May 17, 2013 By Ron Sylvester Leave a Comment

From the Consumer Federation of America earlier this week:

Survey results, released today by the Consumer Federation of America, show that a large majority of Americans continue to strongly support mandatory country of origin labeling for fresh meat and strongly favor requiring meat to be labeled with even more specific information about where the animals were born, raised and processed.

National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson was quick to tout the survey findings.

“The survey results are a further indication of what we have known for some time: Consumers overwhelmingly want to know more about the origins of their food, and farmers and ranchers want to provide this information,” said Johnson.” These findings, coupled with the recent withdrawal of two short-sighted amendments to the Senate and House’s respective farm bills that would have negatively impacted Country-of-Origin Labeling, are promising indications that country-of-origin labeling is vitally important and here to stay.”

CFA’s survey also found that 87 percent of respondents favor USDA requiring labels on meat which state in which country or countries the animal was born, raised and processed. In some cases, animals processed for consumer food products may actually be born in one country and raised and/or processed in different nations.

Mandatory Country-of-Origin Labeling, also known as COOL, was passed as a part of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 and amended in the 2008 Farm Bill, going into effect in 2008, with regulations being put forward in 2009.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) recently required the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) to adjust its rules requiring American retailers to label certain foods with the country (or countries) in which the animals are born, raised, or slaughtered. The WTO said that while the United States can require meat labeling, current U.S. COOL rules do not meet WTO standards. The WTO has given the United States until May 23, 2013, to bring its COOL rules into compliance.

On March 8, USDA submitted a proposed amended rule on COOL compliance to bring the U.S. into compliance with WTO. You can follow the process and view comments which were submitted on the proposed rule here.

The telephone survey was undertaken by ORC International May 9 – 12 , 2013, using a split sample of landlines and cell phones. The margin of error is plus or minus three percentage points. The survey results are available here and the survey methodology is available here .

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Consumer Federation of America, COOL, Poll, Roger Johnson, USDA

National Farmers Union Weighs In On Trade Negotiations

May 14, 2013 By Ron Sylvester Leave a Comment

National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson submitted comments today on a possible Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with the European Union and sent a letter to the office of the U.S. Trade Representative in advance of the 17th round of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, to be held in Lima, Peru, from May 15 to May 24, 2013.

“NFU takes a broad approach when considering the merits of trade policy,” said Johnson. “Trade has a far-reaching effect on the structure and quality of countries’ economies; therefore, trade agreement negotiations should not simply be limited to regulating trade-specific issues like domestic support levels, export subsidies and market access. Trade agreements must also address differences in labor standards, environmental standards, health standards, the trade-distorting effect of currency manipulation, and cartelization of markets.”

In regard to the TTIP, the comments note the importance of trade balance, fair compensation for farmers and other workers, and protection from dumping and other unfair trade practices that force farmers off their land.

“The TTIP should establish minimum standards for environmental, food and product safety, and consumer information,” said Johnson. “These important considerations should not be limited, and terms of any agreement should not prohibit countries from enacting measures that protect their citizens’ safety.”

Johnson noted lingering concerns with the secrecy in which the TPP negotiation process has been conducted. He also urged caution in TPP talks, specifically as they relate to dairy policies.

“It is not in the interest of family-owned and -operated dairies to open greater access to a country with a consolidated entity controlling the dairy sector,” said Johnson. “U.S. trade negotiators should not force other countries in the TPP to dismantle supply management programs, especially as efforts are currently underway to implement a similar system in the United States. Dairy should not be part of any TPP agreement if these inconsistencies are left unresolved.”

Click to read the TTIP comments and the TPP letter.

Filed Under: Blog

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