By Sarah Gonzalez, Director of Communications and Digital Marketing The House Agriculture Committee approved its version of a new farm bill on a 26-20 party line vote on April 18, after hours of criticism from Democrats over the bill’s work-related reforms to the supplemental food-assistance program. Chairman Mike Conaway, R-Texas, told reporters after the markup he is focused on getting the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (H.R.2) passed on the House floor. “My job is to get a bill across the floor, not respond to individual attacks or insinuations,” he said. Democrats on the ... Read More
Agriculture Policy
NGFA Hill Briefing: Farm bill alters conservation programs, new NGFA committee apprentices come to town
By Bobby Frederick, Director of Legislative Affairs and Public Policy The Week that Was: This week, the Senate focused on confirmation hearings and votes for more of President Trump’s nominees for administration positions. Meanwhile, on the heels of last month’s $1.3 trillion omnibus spending agreement, House Republicans considered a balanced budget amendment, which fell short of the two-thirds support necessary to pass. An even bigger development occurred on April 11, as House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., announced he would not seek re-election in November. Control of the House will be ... Read More
House Agriculture Committee chairman releases 2018 Farm Bill proposal with conservation program changes
By Max Fisher, Director of Economics and Government Affairs; and Sarah Gonzalez, Director of Communications and Digital Media House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway, R-Texas, on Thursday released his draft of the 2018 farm bill, which includes some major changes to conservation programs. Under the bill’s draft conservation section, the Conservation Stewardship Program and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program would be combined and the ceiling for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) would be increased from the current 24 million acres to 29 million acres – increased ... Read More
Description of law amending Section 199A tax provisions available to NGFA Members
By Todd Kemp, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Treasurer As reported previously in the NGFA Newsletter, the omnibus spending bill for fiscal year 2018 was enacted on March 23, and included a legislative solution to correct the unintended consequences of Section 199A in the tax law passed in December 2017. In broad terms, the legislation replicated as closely as possible the tax benefits of the previous Section 199 that existed for cooperatives and their farmer-patrons, while at the same time restoring the competitive landscape of the marketplace that existed in December ... Read More
House Ag Committee wrangles with partisan impasse over farm bill proposals
By Sarah Gonzalez, Director of Communications and Digital Media House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway, R-Texas, this week indicated he is determined to push ahead with committee consideration of his draft version of a new farm bill next month despite having no Democratic support from members of the committee. Conaway vowed to forge ahead with the farm bill during remarks at the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers convention. “There is no reason for us not to get this done by Sept. 30,” he said. “There’s no reason for extensions. There’s no reason for the drama ... Read More
NGFA praises Section 199A fix in omnibus spending bill
ARLINGTON, Va. March 23, 2018 -- The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) today commended Congress for voting to pass and President Donald Trump for signing into the law the stakeholder-driven provisions included in the omnibus fiscal year 2018 appropriations bill that corrects the unintended consequences of Section 199A of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. The House voted on the omnibus legislation (H.R. 1625) on March 22, with the Senate subsequently voting to pass the bill late last night. Trump signed the bill earlier today prior to the midnight deadline to avert another ... Read More
NGFA urges Congress to enact Section 199A fix in omnibus spending bill
ARLINGTON, Va., March 22, 2018 — The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) today urged Congress to enact stakeholder-driven provisions included in the omnibus fiscal year 2018 appropriations bill that would correct the unintended consequences of Section 199A of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. The House is to vote on the omnibus legislation (H.R. 1625) this afternoon, with the Senate scheduled to act prior to midnight on March 23 to prevent another shutdown of the federal government. The NGFA and National Council of Farmer Cooperatives had issued a joint statement on March 13 ... Read More
NGFA commends congressional leadership for including Section 199A fix in omnibus spending bill
ARLINGTON, Va., March 21, 2018 -- The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) today commended the bipartisan congressional leadership for reportedly including in the omnibus fiscal year 2018 appropriations bill stakeholder-driven provisions that would correct the unintended consequences of Section 199A of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. The NGFA and National Council of Farmer Cooperatives had issued a joint statement on March 13 supporting prompt enactment of the legislative language, which was developed after months of collaboration and extensive analysis in an effort to replicate to ... Read More
NGFA Hill Briefing: Full court press on Section 199A, farm bill delays, and CRP
By Bobby Frederick, Director of Legislative Affairs and Public Policy and Sarah Gonzalez, Director of Communications and Digital Media Twenty-five NGFA members from across the country arrived in the nation’s capital this week to urge members of Congress to enact the stakeholder driven solution to the significant Section 199A problem in the tax law before Congress recesses on March 23. NGFA conducted more than 60 visits with lawmakers and staff who will be key in correcting the provision. In addition to the fly-in, NGFA kicked its advocacy into high gear. In the last 48 hours, ... Read More
NGFA commends introduction of bipartisan Senate CRP reform bill
ARLINGTON, Va., March 15, 2018 - The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) today commended the introduction of bipartisan legislation in the Senate designed to reform the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) to target enrollment of truly environmentally sensitive acres. The legislation (S. 2557) was introduced today by Sens. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and Bob Casey, D-Pa., each of whom serve on the Senate Agriculture Committee. The "Give Our Resources the Opportunity to Work" (GROW) Act would direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) ... Read More
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