House and Senate members from dairy states are seeking a temporary fix for the dairy safety net until the new dairy program that is included in both the Senate and House farm bill versions can become law. Both bills would end the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) program and replace it with a new insurance program for dairy farmers and … Read More
Milk Producers, Farm Groups & Reps Rally for Farm Bill
Members of the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), one of the founding groups of the Farm Bill Now coalition, were among the hundreds of farmers and lawmakers on Capitol Hill today urging Congress to pass a new farm bill before current one expires in less than three weeks. One of them was NMPF First Vice Chairman Ken Nobis, a dairy … Read More
DFA Calls for House Vote on Farm Bill
Recess is over… and it’s time to get back to work. That’s the message members of the Dairy Farmers of America are sending to the U.S. House. Congress went on its August recess before a floor vote could be taken on the House’s version of the farm bill, H.R. 6083 – the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of … Read More
Vilsack: New Farm Bill Will Have Protections for Dairy
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack tried to alleviate concerns from dairy producers impacted by the drought. In a meeting at USDA headquarters in Washington, D.C. with the National Farmers Union, Vilsack said passage of a new farm bill will put some new tools in place to help dairy producers, and a new structure will provide greater protections than before. … Read More
Ag Groups Show United Front for Farm Bill Now Rally
Two agricultural organizations that are often on the opposite side of the fence have joined together in the fight to get the Farm Bill passed. The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) has united with the National Farmers Union as masters of ceremonies for the Farm Bill Now rally in Washington, D.C. on September 12 at 11:00 am EDT at Union … Read More
Dairy Groups Join Coalition Calling for Farm Bill Now
A coalition of 39 farm groups, including the National Milk Producers Federation, the United Dairymen of Arizona, and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, is calling on Congress to pass a new farm bill before the old one expires at the end of September. The group, Farm Bill Now, has an interactive web portal at www.FarmBillNow.com, that lets you connect with … Read More
Milking Parlor: Farm Bill Dairy Debate Moves to House
Last month, we talked about what was in the Senate’s version of the Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012, better known as the Farm Bill. The process moved over to the House, where the bill has a new name, the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management or FARRM Act. The debate in the Agriculture Committee focused on an … Read More
Nat'l Milk Producers Urge Rejection of Farm Bill Extension
Although the U.S. House Agriculture Committee has a new farm bill ready to go to the floor for a vote, leadership decided late on Friday to instead vote this week on a one-year extension of the current legislation, coupled with an extension of disaster aid for livestock producers. According to Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-OK), drought fears are prompting the … Read More
Committee, Ag Leaders React to FARRM Bill Passage
It took nearly 15 hours, but members of the House Agriculture Committee were able to pass their version of the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act (FARRM) Bill. Committee Chair Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK) and Ranking Member Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN) praised the bipartisan legislation: “This is a balanced, reform-minded, fiscally responsible bill that underscores our commitment to production … Read More
Elimination of Dairy Market Stabilization Program Defeated
An amendment that would have eliminated the market stabilization program for milk pricing in the current Farm Bill has been defeated. Lawmakers in the U.S. House Agriculture Committee this morning debated the measure proposed by Reps. Bob Goodlatte (R-Virginia) and David Scott (D-Georgia), which would provide a safety net for dairy producers without requiring them to participate in a supply … Read More