Eric Hedrick, contract poultry farmer, joined with the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC), the Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI-USA), and the Government Accountability Project (GAP) to deliver his petition, signed by 62,346 concerned advocates, urging Congress to allow the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to finalize rules protecting the rights of contract farmers like himself. “I took a major risk … Read More
Interior Appropriations Bill Advances through Committee
The Public Lands Council (PLC) and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) report that the House Committee on Appropriations favorably voted the FY 2017 Interior and Environment appropriations bill to the House of Representatives by a vote of 31-18. The bill addresses a number of priorities for the livestock industry, including language regarding the Greater Sage Grouse and full defunding of … Read More
NPPC Also Represented at Trade Hearing on Capitol Hill
The pork industry was also represented at the congressional hearing on trade this week. U.S. pork must continue to grow its exports and do so through free trade agreements such as the pending Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement, which would eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers to U.S. products, the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) reiterated in congressional testimony the House Committee … Read More
NMPF Talks Trade at Congressional Hearing
At a congressional hearing Tuesday on Capitol Hill, National Milk Producers Federation Chairman Randy Mooney said that well-negotiated trade agreements have the potential to increase export opportunities for America’s dairy farmers, but he warned that the terms of free trade agreements must be tenaciously enforced. Mooney, a dairy farmer from Rogersville, MO, told the House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee … Read More
Landowners Rights Upheld Challenging WOTUS
The Supreme Court in United States Army Corps of Engineers v. Hawkes Co., Inc., set a precedent that landowners may challenge the Corps’ jurisdictional determination specifying that a piece of property contains a “water of the United States.” The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) filed an amicus brief in support of Hawkes. NCBA President Tracy Brunner, said this is a … Read More
Senate Ag Committee Holds Livestock & Poultry Hearing
U.S. Senator Pat Roberts, R-Kan., Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, held a hearing on the U.S. livestock and poultry sectors, titled “A Review of the U.S. Livestock and Poultry Sectors: Marketplace Opportunities and Challenges.” It has been five years since a hearing like this has taken place. Farmers and ranchers across the country took part … Read More
NMPF Chairman Testifies in Hearing on Livestock
Randy Mooney, chairman of the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), testified before the House Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture during a hearing focused on the state of the livestock sectors in America. He urged the committee to work with NMPF to reassess how the dairy Margin Protection Program (MPP) can be improved in the future. “I’m confident that the … Read More
FDA Reopened Comments for Combo Drug Medicated Feeds
The FDA has reopened the comment period to seek public input on Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) draft recommendations for modifications to the current review processes for new animal drug applications (NADAs) for the use of multiple new animal drugs in combination drug medicated feeds. In preparing these recommendations, CVM considered the input it previously received from the public. The … Read More
Cattlemen Head to Capitol Hill
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s (NCBA) Legislative Conference is scheduled for next week. Over 200 cattlemen are expected to take over Capitol Hill with one clear message: pass the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) Agreement. The conference will kick off with an issues briefing by NCBA staff and morning session from United States Trade Representative (USTR) Ambassador Michael Froman. NCBA and the … Read More
USDA Seeks Apps for Value-Added Producer Grant
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that USDA is making up to $44 million available to farmers, ranchers and businesses to develop new bio-based products and expand markets through the Value-Added Producer Grant program. “America’s farmers, ranchers and rural business owners are innovative entrepreneurs and this program helps them grow economic opportunities for their families and communities by increasing the value … Read More