Senate Ag Committee

As with any new business endeavor it often takes time to get it going and growing and that's the case with hemp in this country.  It's not only a new crop for farmers, on the production side, it also comes with it extra reporting and testing as well as other regulatory requirements that can be daunting.  Before ...

During a recent Senate Ag committee hearing where bird flu took center stage, USDA Under Secretary of Agriculture Jenny Moffitt told lawmakers the Department is acting very quickly to address any and all outbreaks, regardless of where they occur across the country...

Senate Ag members repeatedly stressed the importance of crop insurance and the need to restructure commodity programs in the 2023 Farm Bill during the panel’s latest hearing.   “Crop insurance is the number one risk management tool for producers, but historically, hasn’t been available to some farmers who are most in need of it," said Senate Ag Chair Debbie Stabenow.  "I’m going to conti

Senate Ag Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow of Michigan announced recently she won’t be running for reelection in 2024.   “Inspired by a new generation of leaders, I’ve decided to pass the torch in the U.S. Senate,” Stabenow said in a statement. “I’m incredibly grateful fo...

Ag Research was the Farm Bill title before the Senate Ag Committee this week, as USDA and other witnesses testified on the need to fund cutting-edge Ag research, the power behind modern, high-tech agriculture.  USDA research chief Chavonda Jacobs-Young told lawmakers research in need of funding has largely been ignored over the past couple of Farm Bills.   “...

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association opposition to the Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act hinges on government involvement in the cattle market.  Although there are several parts of the bill that the NCBA approves of, Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane said they do not welcome the idea of the federal government becoming involved with a cattle price mandate. “Our c... Rea

The American Feed Industry Association’s Board of Directors recently held its annual spring meeting in Arlington, VA. As part of the meeting schedule, they spent time advocating for key industry priorities on Capitol Hill and conducted other official business, including approving new Board leadership and members. The ...

Earlier this week, Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow called on the USDA to address the infant formula shortage for those relying on WIC. The Michigan Democrat said, "Millions of Americans rely on the WIC program to get baby formula for their children, so the current shortages are extremely concerning for parents across our country ...

Senators Debbie Stabenow, Chair of the Senate Ag Committee, Ranking Member John Boozman and Idaho's Mike Crapo are asking President Biden to quickly fill vacancies at USDA. They say filling the open positions can help increase trade opportunities for American agriculture ...

As lawmakers look to crafting the 2023 Farm Bill, the USDA is looking at how it can help in developing the legislation. "We are looking forward to working with congress to ensure that the programs that USDA implements will factor in all people and their challenges facing us today," said USDA Deputy Secretary Jewel Bronaugh ...