Legislative Activity Farm Bill Conference Progress This evening, we expect the farm bill conference committee to file its conference report. The committee will likely use most of today to reach a final agreement on issues related to country-of-origin labeling, language in the House’s farm bill that would prevent states from denying the sale of products … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Farm Bill Conference Progress With the farm bill conference committee stalled because of strong disagreements over dairy provisions, last week the committee failed to release its draft bill and canceled its public meeting. House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) continues to signal that he will not support a conferenced bill that includes a dairy … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Farm Bill Conference Progress This week, we expect the four farm bill conference principals to take significant steps in bringing an agreed upon bill to the House and Senate floors this month. The conference committee is likely to meet for two to three days to negotiate the remaining issues of a nearly completed … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Farm Bill Conference Progress The House approved by voice vote a farm bill extension through January 31, 2014. In response to the House’s actions, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) stated that the Senate will not take up a similar measure before leaving by the end of the week. Sen. Reid’s comments, however, … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Farm Bill Conference Progress Senate Agriculture Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) has remarked publicly that a farm bill compromise is “doable” before Congress leaves for the Thanksgiving break, as agreements may have been reached or are close to being reached on issues including dairy, crop insurance, and conservation. It also appears that the conference … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Farm Bill Conference: Priority Issues At-A-Glance On October 30, the 41 House and Senate farm bill conferees convened at a public meeting to formally kick-off negotiations, although informal talks began a few months ago between agriculture leadership’s staff. Despite many conferees cautioning against pre-maturely drawing lines on issues, it was clear what issues … Continue Reading
LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITY Farm Bill Conference This Wednesday, October 30, marks the official start to the farm bill conference, which will be a public meeting involving the 41 House and Senate conferees. For months, agriculture leadership and their staff have met behind the scenes on an informal basis to start conversations on reconciling the two farm … Continue Reading
LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITY Farm Bill Conferees On Saturday, Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) named farm bill conferees. The Republicans appointed 17 members, including 12 Agriculture Committee members, two Foreign Affairs Committee members, two Ways and Means Committee members, and one member to represent the Republican leadership. Republican conferees … Continue Reading
LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITY FARM BILL On Saturday, September 28, in its fast-track rule to consider the continuing resolution, the House approved (by a vote of 226-191) a rule to merge its “agriculture-only” bill and the Nutrition Reform and Work Opportunity Act of 2013 (H.R. 3102), which would cut Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food … Continue Reading
