Farm Bill: Congressional Inaction on Disaster Bill; 2018 Agenda Items
At the end of 2017, Congress passed a temporary spending bill to prevent a government shutdown, but failed to complete work on an $81-billion disaster aid package. In addition to…
Farm Bill- “Sooner Rather Than Later”
Today's update looks at recent news items discussing the Farm Bill, with specific focus on the potential timing of when Congress may take up the legislation. Lawmaker perspectives on provisions…
Farm Bill Update: Perspective from Chairman Conaway and Chairman Roberts
Last week, Don Wick, a farm broadcaster from the Red River Farm Network (Grand Forks, N.D.), sat down with several lawmakers on Capitol Hill to discuss current Farm Bill issues…
Farm Bill: “Technical Adjustments,” and “Tweaks”
Jacqui Fatka reported on Friday at Farm Futures Online that, "House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway, R-Texas, said [on October 25th] that the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has sped up…
Senate Hearings- Trade, and Conservation Reserve Program Examined
On Thursday, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing to consider three nominees for key trade positions, while the Senate Ag Committee questioned two nominees for Undersecretary posts at the…
Senate Farm Bill Hearing, Rural Development- Broadband Access, Opioid Epidemic Noted
On Thursday, the Senate Agriculture Committee held its ninth Farm Bill hearing where the panel turned its attention to rural development and energy programs. Recall that a House Agriculture Subcommittee explored…
USDA-RMA Report: Analysis of the Federal Crop Insurance Portfolio
Last week, the USDA's Risk Management Agency (RMA) released an analysis of the Federal crop insurance portfolio titled, "The Risk Management Safety Net: Market Penetration and Market Potential." Today's update…
Senate Ag Committee Farm Bill Hearing: SNAP Quality Control Issues
On Thursday, the Senate Agriculture Committee held a Farm Bill hearing that focused on nutrition programs and the 2018 Farm Bill. This was the Committee's eighth Farm Bill hearing, and followed…
Lawmakers Offer Perspective on the Farm Bill
Today's update continues the focus on news items highlighting the attention Representatives and Senators placed on Farm Bill issues during the August recess. As lawmakers get set to return to…
Farm Safety-Net Payments Through the First Three Years of the 2014 Farm Bill, CRS Report
Earlier this month, the Congressional Research Service (CRS) released a report titled, "Farm Safety-Net Payments Under the 2014 Farm Bill: Comparison by Program Crop," which stated in part that, "Through…
On August Recess, Lawmakers Listen and Comment on Farm Bill
Today's update looks at recent news articles highlighting agricultural economic variables, as well as Farm Bill observations from lawmakers, and some of the ag related activities Members have held with…
Lawmakers Hear a Variety of Farm Bill Concerns- Localized Drought an Issue
Lawmakers are hearing a variety of Farm Bill concerns from constituents and agricultural interest groups as work on formulating policies for the reauthorization of the omnibus measure continues. Today’s update…
Farm Bill Issues- House Ag Committee “Listening Sessions” Continue, Sec. Perdue Visits Midwest
Following Monday's House Agriculture Committee Farm Bill Listening Session in Texas, lawmakers headed north to Minnesota on Thursday, the home state of Committee ranking member Collin Peterson, to host another…
Farm Bill Issues- House Ag Committee Holds “Conversations in the Field”
Today's update looks at the latest activity by the House Agriculture Committee on the Farm Bill, a listening session held earlier this week in Texas.
Senate Farm Bill Hearing, Risk Management- Crop Insurance, Payment Limits, Base Acres
On Tuesday, the Senate Agriculture Committee held a Farm Bill hearing that focused on commodity, credit, and crop insurance programs. This follows previous Farm Bill field hearings in both Kansas and…
Spending and Budgetary Issues- Agriculture, Farm Bill
Today's update looks at recent spending and budgetary issues impacting agriculture and the Farm Bill. The House Appropriations Committee this week passed the fiscal year 2018 appropriations bill for USDA. Meanwhile,…
Senate Farm Bill Conservation Hearing- Conservation Reserve Program
On Thursday, the Senate Agriculture Committee held a Farm Bill hearing that focused on conservation and forestry issues. This follows previous Farm Bill field hearings in both Kansas and Michigan,…
Senate Ag Committee Holds Farm Bill Hearing Focusing on Agricultural Research
The Senate Ag Committee held a Farm Bill hearing yesterday that focused on agricultural research. Recall that the Committee convened its first Farm Bill discussion back in February in Manhattan,…
House Ag Committee Farm Bill Hearing- SNAP in Focus
The House Ag Committee of the 115th Congress has conducted full Committee and Subcommittee Farm Bill hearings over the past few months on a variety of issues, including: the farm…
Secretary Perdue Provides Outlook and Overview at House Ag Committee Hearing
Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue testified before the House Agriculture Committee yesterday at a hearing on the “State of the Rural Economy.” Today's update includes an overview of the testimony…