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2014 Membership Survey
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If you have not yet done so, please share your input before the 2014 membership survey closes on January 15, 2014.
Access the survey here.
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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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A Busy Month for Congress
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January is set to be a busy month for Congress. It must pass an omnibus spending bill by January 15th to avoid another government shutdown. The budget agreement reached in December opens the way for the appropriations committee to finish the $1 trillion spending bill, which will include funding for the Department of Agriculture. A draft of the bill is expected by Wednesday of this week with a possible vote in the House on Friday and the Senate to follow before the 15th. Read more about Congress' busy January.
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FDA Reopens Comment Period
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The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) announced late in December that it will be seeking additional public comment on revised portions of its new rules implementing the Food Safety Modernization Act. The FDA cited the volume of feedback from concerned farmers, researchers, and consumers as influencing FDA's conclusion that its proposed rules were in need of major changes. Continue reading.
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County Committee Election Reminder
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The Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced that the FSA County Committee Elections began December 20, 2013 with the mailing of ballots to eligible voters. The deadline to return the ballots to local FSA offices is Jan. 17, 2014.
Producers have been instructed to destroy the FSA County Committee Election ballots (FSA-669's) mailed on November 4 2013. The new ballots mailed to producers will have the word "corrected" printed on the outside of the mailing, the ballot itself, and the return envelope. Producers must complete and return the corrected FSA-669 to have their vote counted. Read more.
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Verify Your Information for the 2014 ASFMRA Membership Directory
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Deadline is January 15, 2014
It's that time of year again! Production is underway for the 2014 ASFMRA Membership Directory which is one of the Society's most valued benefits of membership. As we all know, the directory's value is only as good as the accuracy of the information in it.
Is your information correct and up to date? Here's how to make sure.
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Tax extender expiration would cost farmers
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| From the American Farm Bureau Federation
More than 50 tax provisions, many of which are important to farmers and ranchers, will expire as revelers ring in the New Year, but lawmakers are resolved to revisit the issues in early 2014.
These provisions are collectively known as "extenders" because they've been extended a handful of times beyond their original expirations. Read more on the Southeast Farm Press. |
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USDA to Guarantee Single Family Loans in Rural Areas
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By Bill Garber
Under an Interim Final Rule released by the USDA, banks and credit unions will be able to make guaranteed single family home loans in rural areas beginning September 2014, the department announced on December 9.
Under the rule, USDA's Rural Development's Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program (SFHGLP), will allow for the first time mortgage loan terms of less than 30 years and loans for new manufactured homes. The rule allows lending entities supervised and regulated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the National Credit Union Administration, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Reserve Banks, or the Federal Housing Finance Board to underwrite loans guaranteed by USDA Rural Development, referred to in the Federal Register as the USDA Rural Housing Services. Also under the rule, lenders will be able to contract with mortgage brokers, non-approved lenders, or other entities for loan origination services, provided the loan is transferred immediately after closing to an agency approved lender.
View the interim final regulation and submit comments via http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-12-09/html/2013-29084.htm
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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? Please let us know.
Sincerely,
Suzanne Gruba
American Society of Farm Managers & Rural Appraisers
The Most Trusted Rural Property Professionals
sgruba@asfmra.org or reply to this email.
303-692-1210
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