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April 29, 2011  
Inside This Issue.....
"Card Check" Final Stop Before Governor
USDA Announces Emergency Assistance for Tornado, Flood Victims
Ag Groups Call for Greater Rail Competition
Reid to "Test" House GOP FY2012 Plan with Vote, Wants "Deficit Cap"
Gasoline Prices, Federal Oil and Gas Tax Breaks Move Center Stage
Wildlife Federation Sues EPA over RFS Oversight
Obama White House Unveils "Comprehensive Commitment" to Clean Water
House Ag Ramps Up Hearing Schedule; Senate Ag Sets May 31 Farm Bill Hearing
USDA Cooperator Programs
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"Card Check" Final Stop Before Governor

 

The "Card Check" for agriculture legislation is resting on the Assembly floor, its final stop before being sent to Governor Jerry Brown.  Advocates supporting SB 104 (Steinberg) have been demonstrating and implementing a public relations strategy while the bill awaits action. 

 

It is unclear whether the author, Senator Darrell Steinberg, will hold the bill and look for an opportunity to leverage other issues such as the budget, or if he will move the bill down to the Governor in the near future.

 

CSA has been actively opposing the bill and working with a broad coalition of agricultural and business organizations in opposition.

 

USDA Announces Emergency Assistance for Tornado, Flood Victims

 

USDA reminded crop and livestock farmers this week of federal emergency assistance programs that may help if their operations have been impacted by recent severe damage from flooding, wildfires and tornados. Among programs administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) are the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP), the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP), the Noninsured Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) and the Supplemental Revenue Assistance Payments (SURE) Program.  Details and fact sheets for these programs are found at www.fsa.usda.gov; click on "Newsroom," then "Fact Sheets."  USDA told producers with federal crop insurance they should notify insurance companies as soon as they know land is flooded.

 

Ag Groups Call for Greater Rail Competition

 

A dozen major agriculture groups last week called on the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to strengthen its regulations of rail carriers to create greater competition. In joint comments sent to the STB, the groups said "enhancing both regulatory access to the agency and problem-solving in rail markets between carriers and their customers could spur growth" for both ag and the rail sector, according to the National Chicken Council (NCC).  The groups commented on rail rates, switching charges, unreasonable business practices imposed unilaterally by carriers, contractual barriers which work against competition, and needed improvements in the STB's arbitration process.   

 

Reid to "Test" House GOP FY2012 Plan with Vote, Wants "Deficit Cap"

  

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D, NV) this week said he plans to call for a vote on the House-passed FY2012 budget, saying the bill lacks public support, adding he wants to see a "deficit cap" enacted to force Congress to balance spending and revenue. With media reports indicating the House proposal to take on entitlements, including Medicare, along with cuts in discretionary spending, is generating voter concern - recent polling shows Americans are nearly split 50% versus 46% in favor of leaving Medicare alone - Democrats see ground to be gained in their portrayal of the House budget plan as decimating health care for the elderly, poor and disabled. In proposing his deficit cap, Reid addressed the pending May vote on raising the federal debt ceiling, a move the GOP said is impossible without material spending cuts as part of the deal.   

 

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told a hearing this month if the debt ceiling is not raised, the U.S. is at risk of defaulting on international loans.  Reid said his approach is different from a separate proposal being shopped around the Senate to set statutory spending caps. By capping the deficit - expected to hit $1 trillion for the third year in a row - "it automatically brings down the debt," Reid said, adding a cap would force spending cuts, revenue increases or both. Sens. Claire McCaskill (D, MO) and Bob Corker (R, TN) said last week it's smarter to put legal limits on all discretionary and mandatory spending - including defense, Medicare and Social Security programs - than to simply cut programs. Under the plan, caps would be put in place beginning in 2013, with gradual reductions in those caps over the next decade until federal spending is less than 21% of the gross domestic product (GDP).  If Congress failed to hit the reduction target, the Office of Management & Budget (OMB) would make the cuts, with a 2/3 vote of the House and Senate needed to override OMB.

 

Gasoline Prices, Federal Oil and Gas Tax Breaks Move Center Stage

 

As oil companies reported strong quarterly earnings, House Speaker John Boehner (R, OH) this week set off a political fire storm when he accused the White House of doing little to curb gasoline price spikes.  He said he's willing to "talk about" reining in oil and gas industry tax preferences, and congressional Democrats took him at his word, putting its message machine in high gear to force Boehner's hand.  The White House quickly reiterated its call for an end to $4 billion in oil and gas industry federal subsidies, a proposal President Obama has made in each of his budget recommendations.  Obama also told a Nevada meeting this week he's asked Attorney General Eric Holder to investigate whether illegal market activity is driving up gas prices.   

 

House GOP leaders went on the offense calling Obama out for blocking oil and energy exploration, and Rep. Doc Hastings (R, WA), chair of the House Natural Resources Committee calling Obama's message "out of touch." Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D, NV) said he'd call for a vote "as quickly as we can" to end the tax breaks, though efforts in the past to use the savings from a similar move to pay for other Senate priorities have been unsuccessful. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D, CA) sent Boehner a letter this week saying "House Democrats have long advocated eliminating outdated and costly taxpayer subsidies that provide billions of dollars to highly profitable oil companies...we have been disappointed that these proposals have not been supported by Republican leadership.  Your comments...acknowledged that oil companies ought to be paying their fair share.  I am writing to request you schedule a vote on ending these tax breaks...upon our return to Washington."

 

Wildlife Federation Sues EPA over RFS Oversight

 

Saying the agency is not doing enough to protect grasslands from being plowed up for corn-based ethanol, the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) last week filed suit against EPA in federal court.  NWF said the agency is not protecting open lands from being used as feedstock seed plots or to grow corn as a feedstock for ethanol, saying the suit is necessary since EPA refused to consider its petition for the agency to reconsider the way it conducts land use tracking under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) rules to ensure feedstock cultivation and harvest is confined to ag lands. The group is part of a broad coalition of ag, automotive, oil industry and environmental groups seeking to end the federal ethanol blenders' credit and import tariff.    

 

Obama White House Unveils "Comprehensive Commitment" to Clean Water;

Lucas Calls Move Another EPA Power Grab Without Authority

 

The Obama Administration this week released its "comprehensive commitment to clean water" under its Clean Water Act (CWA) authority, a plan to expand the types of wetlands, rivers and streams covered by the agency's authority and focusing on "partnerships and coordination" with states, local communities, stakeholders and the public.  Immediately, House committee chairs with jurisdiction over the CWA said they'd hold hearings on the guidance. House Agriculture Committee Chair Frank Lucas (R, OK) said the announcement of the White House's "Clean Water Protection Guidance" is "informal and ambiguous," and will "undeniably expand the regulatory scope and federal jurisdiction over waterways. This guidance builds a foundation for the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers to regulate essentially any body of water, such as a farm pond or even a ditch."   

 

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, as part of the Administration team announcing the water plan, said, "The draft Clean Water Act guidance reflects USDA's work with our federal partners by maintaining existing exemptions for ongoing agricultural and forestry activities, thereby providing farmers, ranchers and forest landowners with certainty that current agricultural and forestry activities can continue."  However, Lucas and 169 of his House colleagues sent a letter to EPA and the Army Corps expressing "concern with moving ahead with the guidance," adding that while the guidance is not legally binding, "the truth is the Administration has defined regulatory terms that will ultimately lead to over-regulation and intrusion into individual states' rights." The EPA plan, in partnership with the Army Corps, defines which waters are covered under the CWA, and focuses on restoration, clean drinking water, recreational waters, new policies for policing public waters, and "developing new incentives for farmers to protect clean water." 

 

House Ag Ramps Up Hearing Schedule; Senate Ag Sets May 31 Farm Bill Hearing

 

The House Agriculture Committee announced this week it will hold four full and subcommittee hearings next week, beginning with a full committee hearing held jointly with the House Committee on Natural Resources on "the costs of regulatory dysfunction" and the impact on jobs, ag, health and species. That hearing will be held Tuesday, May 3 at 10 a.m. The Senate Agriculture Committee announced it will hold its first 2012 Farm Bill field hearing on May 31 at Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI. The hearing, "Opportunities for Growth: Michigan and the 2012 Farm Bill," will focus on agriculture, energy, conservation, rural development, research, forestry and nutrition policies affecting Michigan.  

The hearing is set for 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., and will be held in the Kellogg Center at Michigan State.  Other House committee hearings include Wednesday, May 4, when a full ag committee business meeting will be held at 10 a.m. to review the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform & Consumer Protection Act, with a livestock subcommittee hearing that afternoon at 2 p.m. to review the state of the pork industry.  Thursday, May 5, at 9:30 a.m. will be a hearing by the subcommittee on conservation, energy and forestry on the U.S. Forest Service's forest planning rule. Many, if not all of these hearings, can be viewed online by going to www.agriculture.house.gov and following the prompts to hearing broadcasts. 

 

USDA Cooperator Programs

 

ASTA values its relationship with the state and regional associations and knows that any successful grassroots effort is dependent on leadership and ability to maintain relationships and dialogues with policymakers at the state and federal levels.  We continue to count on you to help tell the story of the seed industry and the vital role it plays not only in agriculture, but also in trade, our nation's path to economic recovery and jobs at the local level.

 

We have an important update and request for you.  On April 7, the Subcommittee on Rural Development, Research, Biotechnology and Foreign Affairs conducted a hearing to discuss two important programs to the seed industry and ASTA's membership - Market Access and the Foreign Market Development programs. 

 

As a cooperator, ASTA receives USDA funding to support ASTA member-identified initiatives in priority countries, especially in the areas of intellectual property rights protection, export development, phytosanitary issues, and seed regulatory development and reform.  Funding for the remaining months of fiscal 2011 is in place.  However, as budget discussions continue for fiscal year 2012, these programs will be debated and scrutinized.  This is funding we receive to pursue programs beneficial to your business.

 

Here's our ask - would you please contact your federal elected officials (U.S. House and both Senate members) to let them know that your company:

  1. supports the USDA Cooperator Programs, and;
  2. seeks their support of the Market Access and the Foreign Market Development programs as the budget discussions continue for 2012.

A brief email reference the above points, with the attached copy of the statement submitted by ASTA in this regard, will be significant.  This statement outlines the importance of these key initiatives, and contains information useful as a guide to include with your letter/email.  If you are not certain of your members of Congress, or need their email address, you may go here:  http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml

 

As always, we appreciate your support and efforts.  Please let me know if you have any questions.  We'd also like to hear back from you on what you learn and if there's any follow-up we can help with.

 

Thanks again.

 

Andy

 

Andrew W. LaVigne

President and CEO

American Seed Trade Association

(703)837-8140 - office

(571)451-5979 - cell

(703)837-9365 - fax

[email protected]