More in Legislative Preview

Indications are that Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, plans to include the Humane Society of the United States' (HSUS) and the United Egg Producers’ (UEP) egg bill in the chairwoman’s farm bill committee markup. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) introduced the bill, Egg Products Inspection Act Amendments of 2013, last month....More

A coalition of 41 organizations has sent a letter to U.S. Senate and House leaders opposing new "user fees" for inspection activities proposed in USDA’s FY2014 budget....More

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce Thursday is asking for comments on the agricultural impacts of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS)....More

Congressman Frank Lucas (R-OK) has indicated the House Agriculture Committee will begin markup of the 2013 farm bill on May 15. The Senate Agriculture Committee is also expected to markup its farm bill in May....More

The bipartisan gang of eight, Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), John McCain (R-AZ), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY)) introduced the “Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013.” This is the most comprehensive immigration reform effort in three decades....More

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and Food & Drug Administration (FDA) are holding a series of five meetings to receive public comments on challenges facing the animal agriculture industry as FDA implements “judicious use of medically important antimicrobials” in feed and water for food-producing animals. The first meeting was held last Tuesday, April 9 at Western Kentucky University. The other meetings will be held April 23 in Olympia, WA; May 8 in Ft. Collins, CO; May 21 in Pierre, SD; and June 4 in College Station, TX....More

The administration released its $3.77 trillion budget for FY 2014, which proposes new taxes on wealthy individuals, cuts to Social Security and Medicare, with increases for education and infrastructure. Top income earners’ tax deductions would be limited to 28%. USDA’s budget is estimated at $146 billion. Nearly 83% of the budget is associated with mandatory programs, such as crop insurance, nutrition assistance, farm commodity and trade programs and various conservation programs. The remaining 17% is associated with discretionary programs, such as food safety, rural development loans and grants, research and education, animal and plant health, national forests, soil and water conservation technical assistance and Women, Infant and Children (WIC) program. The proposed budget would reduce the deficit by $38 billion over 10 years by eliminating direct payments, reduce subsidies for crop insurance companies and producers, and streamline conservation programs....More

The Agriculture Research Service Coalition sent a letter to the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee asking it to support at least $1.103 billion for USDA’s Agriculture Research Service (ARS)....More

A coalition of over 200 farm, rural, faith, consumer and environmental organizations have written Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack urging USDA to “protect the integrity” of country-of-origin labeling (COOL). The coalition said, “Consumers deserve clear, direct, and informative labels....More

A coalition of 75 food and agricultural organizations and companies are urging the United States and other countries in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations to welcome Japan into the trade talks....More

Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) announced that he will not seek reelection next year....More

Congress passed a continuing resolution that will keep the federal government running through Sept. 30. The resolution contains an additional $55 million for USDA’s meat and poultry inspectors to avoid furloughs....More