By Clint Thompson The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA), which comprises more than 200 specialty crop organizations representing growers of fruits, vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, nursery plants and other products, have released its recommendations for the 2023 Farm Bill. In a letter to Agriculture Committee leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, the SCFBA …
AFBF Establishes 2023 Farm Bill Priorities
The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) released its priorities for the 2023 farm bill. The priorities were identified by a working group of Farm Bureau members and staff from across the country. AFBF’s overarching priorities include: Continuing current farm bill program funding; Maintaining a unified farm bill that includes nutrition programs and farm programs together; Prioritizing risk management tools …
Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance Issues Statement of Principles Ahead of 2023 Farm Bill
The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA), a national coalition of more than 200 specialty crop organizations representing producers of fruits, vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, nursery plants and other products, released its statement of principles for consideration of the 2023 Farm Bill. The SCFBA is led by co-chairs Mike Joyner, president of the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association; Dave …
Rep. Scott: Work on 2023 Farm Bill On Track
The 2018 Farm Bill faced months of delays that left the nation without farm bill programs from the expiration of the 2014 Farm Bill on September 30, 2018, until the bill was finally passed and signed by then-President Donald Trump in December 2018. The 2018 Farm Bill is set to expire next year and work is getting underway on the …
Growers Discuss Priorities for 2023 Farm Bill
The 2018 Farm Bill is set to expire in 2023, so preparations are underway to craft the behemoth legislation into law sometime next year. However, it is common for negotiations to extend into the following year. Whether the new farm bill is passed in 2023 or 2024, there’s a lot of work ahead. The farm bill was the focus of …
Alabama Ag Outlook Meeting Focuses on 2023 Production Season, Farm Bill
By Clint Thompson Alabama Extension’s Ag Outlook meeting last week accomplished its objectives. It provided attendees an outlook on what they can expect across the entire agricultural landscape heading into 2023. It also focused on the upcoming Farm Bill, a key piece of legislation that is renewed every five years. Adam Rabinowitz, Alabama Extension economist, headed the meeting, which was …
Awaiting Approval: Georgia Senator Discusses Foreign Ownership of Land Bill
By Clint Thompson Georgia’s bill to restrict foreign ownership of land is an important piece of legislation impacting food and national security. SB420 seeks to limit property rights for certain foreign ‘agents’ and entities by prohibiting them from purchasing land used for farming or within a 10-mile radius of a military base or installation. It refers to those considered a …
Sen. Ossoff Launches Inquiry Into USDA’s Farm Labor Survey Calculations
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff has launched an inquiry into how the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) conducts its Farm Labor Survey in Georgia. Ossoff inquired with the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), asking for more transparency in the Farm Labor Survey, which the Department of Labor uses to determine wages for H-2A workers in Georgia and …
Sen. Tillis, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Provide Financial Relief for Producers
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Thom Tillis and his colleagues recently introduced the Supporting Farm Operations Act of 2024, legislation that would revert the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) to the December 2023 rate through the end of the 2025 growing season. The AEWR in North Carolina rose 6% from $14.91 per hour to $15.81 per hour in January 2024. “With net farm …
Vilsack Statement on Farm Income Forecast
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Economic Research Service released its annual Farm Sector Income Forecast report for 2024 last week. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack issued the following statement following the release: “After the three highest consecutive years on record in 2021-2023, the first farm income forecast of 2024 indicates net farm income this year will return to …