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Summer Education Week
July 14-18, 2014
Des Moines, IA
Leadership Institute
September 8-12, 2014
Washington, DC
AgroNomics - 85th Annual Meeting
Oct 27 - Nov 1, 2014
Tucson, AZ
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Stephen Frerichs
ASFMRA Lobbyist, Stephen owns and operates his own consulting and lobbying firm, AgVantage, LLC in Alexandria,VA. Bill Garber ASFMRA/AI Lobbyist, Bill is the Director of Government and External Relations at the Appraisal Institute (AI) in Washington, DC. |
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Contact Us
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American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers
950 South Cherry Street, Suite 508 Denver, CO 80246
TEL: (303) 758-3513
FAX: (303) 758-0190
www.asfmra.org
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Welcome to the ASFMRA Legislative Action News. We hope you will find it a useful tool for staying up to date with legislative issues and critical information for rural property experts.
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U.S. Senate Committee Proposes Changing Tax Rules for Agriculture
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By Greg Krissek, Kennedy and Coe, LLC
The U.S. Senate Committee on Finance issued a proposed set of tax code changes that would negatively and significantly affect many agricultural producers, both crop and livestock. The proposed rule change would limit the number of agricultural businesses that can use cash accounting, requiring many to shift to the accrual method of accounting. This move is opposed by many agricultural groups including the American Farm Bureau Federation as well as the Farm Financial Standards Council. Read a letter sent to Dave Champ, Chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means. Continue reading. Interested in getting involved in the ad hoc coalition group Farmers for Tax Fairness? Contact Greg Krissek at gkrissek@kcoe.com or (316) 691-3716. |
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EPA Proposes Cutting Ethanol
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By Roy C. Ferguson II, CMC/CAC
From The Ferguson Ag Report, www.fergusongroupltd.com
Media reports on November 16 indicated that the Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] is proposing to reduce the amount of ethanol which is required to be mixed with gasoline used in automotive vehicles and a variety of other reciprocating engines. The announcement constitutes the first time that the 2007 Renewable Fuels Standard has been admitted by the Federal Government as not working as intended. Continue reading.
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Proposed 2014 Standards for Renewable Fuels
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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a proposed rule on November 29, 2013 that would set 15.21 billion gallons to be blended into the motor fuel supply in 2014. That amount is 16 percent lower than the 18.15 billion gallons established for 2014 under the renewable fuels law passed in 2007. This is the first time that EPA has set the amount less than allowed under the Act. Read more about the proposed 2014 standards for renewable fuels.
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Growing Number of American Farmers Selling Directly to Consumers
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 For growing numbers of American farmers...Selling directly to consumers is taking off. Such sales will likely hit $10 billion by volume in '14, a tenfold increase since '05, based on USDA data.
Fueling the sizzling trend... Eager consumers striving to eat healthier and wanting to support local sustainable farming. This group includes local school districts, colleges, hospitals, etc., meeting government dietary standards by buying more fruits and veggies from local farms.
Copyright 2013 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc.
Login to Member Resources and download the latest issue and read more
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Vilsack stumps for farm bill in Fresno
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Nov. 25, 2013 Todd Fitchette | Western Farm Press
America still does not have a farm bill and U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is seeking public assistance on the matter.
Vilsack was at California State University, Fresno on Nov. 20 to promote the farm bill, which he says will create jobs for rural America and generate a host of other benefits to enhance the economy. Continue reading
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Crunch Time for Farm Bill
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Time remains for Congress to pass a farm bill this calendar year but it is getting tighter with the House scheduled to be in session this week and next week through the 13th of December. The Senate is not scheduled to return until the week of December 9th and will remain in session through the 20th. So that leaves the week of the 9th as the only week when both bodies are in session at the same time. Getting a bill passed before the end of the calendar year is critical. Permanent law provisions kick-in starting January 1 with regard to dairy price support. It was the threat of USDA purchasing milk in the commercial market that resulted in the current extension of the farm bill on January 1, 2012. Continue reading about crunch time for the Farm Bill.
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Official Notification - Bylaws and Policy and Procedure Manual Changes
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The following proposed amendments to the Society's Bylaws (#1) and Policy and Procedure Manual (#2 and #3) were presented to the membership. On November 12, 2013, at the ASFMRA Board of Directors Meeting in Reno, Nevada, the proposed amendments passed. You may obtain a current copy of the Bylaws and the Policy and Procedure Manual on the ASFMRA Web site or on AgProLink for the Bylaws click here and for the Policy and Procedure Manual click here. Download a copy of the changes.
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Are there topics that you would like to see covered in the ASFMRA Legislative Action News? Do you have news sources that you think would be interesting to other ASFMRA Members?
Sincerely,
Suzanne Gruba
American Society of Farm Managers & Rural Appraisers
The Most Trusted Rural Property Professionals
sgruba@asfmra.org or reply to this email.
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