The NGFA’s 2018-2019 Committee Apprentice Program (CAP) members gathered in Washington, D.C., this week to learn more about the committee structure of the NGFA and the policy work the Association conducts with government agencies and on Capitol Hill. Ray Starling, special assistant to President Donald Trump for agriculture, trade and food assistance, met for an hour with the group of 22 CAPs in the historic Eisenhower Executive Office Building to provide an overview of his work and answer questions about the administration’s agricultural and trade policies. This year’s CAPs also met ... Read More
Newsletter
China imposes steep import duties on U.S. sorghum
By Sarah Gonzalez, Director of Communications and Digital Marketing Effective April 18, China began imposing duties of almost 179 percent on U.S. sorghum imports this week. China’s Ministry of Commerce said that Chinese importers of U.S. sorghum will be required to put down a 178.6 percent deposit, even on sorghum cargoes already en route, in anticipation of the anti-dumping tariffs. China had initiated an investigation into U.S. sorghum imports in February. China imported more than 5.2 million metric tons of U.S. sorghum during the last marketing year. The National Sorghum Producers ... Read More
House Agriculture Committee advances farm bill
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
U.S. Food, Agriculture Group urges Trump administration to pursue ‘intense, high-level’ trade negotiations with China
By Randy Gordon, President The Asia-Pacific Working Group of the broad-based U.S. Food and Agriculture Dialogue for Trade on April 19 urged President Trump and his administration to expeditiously begin “intense, high-level negotiations” with the Chinese government to resolve distortive trade practices before the imposition of additional tariffs “that would harm both countries.” The group also urged the president to use bilateral or multilateral negotiations to reengage in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) as additional leverage during ... Read More
Secretary Perdue announces new senior leaders at USDA
Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on April 19 announced the selection of senior leaders for several U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) agencies. Perdue appointed Ken Isley as Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) administrator, Joel Baxley as Rural Housing Service (RHS) administrator, and Martin Barbre as Risk Management Agency (RMA) administrator. He also announced the appointment of Tommie Williams as minister-counselor for agriculture at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture in Rome. Biographies on each of the administrators included in the USDA ... Read More
NGFA urges FDA to revise draft guidance to clarify exemption for grain elevators under FSMA
The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) this week urged the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to revise its draft guidance to clarify that grain elevators that solely store and handle raw agricultural commodities are exempt from certain Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) requirements, as permitted under the law, regardless of whether they are located on the same premises as a feed mill or grain processing plant that is subject to such regulations. The recommendation was among several made by NGFA in comments submitted on April 18 to FDA in response to the agency’s draft ... Read More
NGFA welcomes new members
The NGFA is pleased to welcome the following organizations to the National Grain and Feed Association! The newest NGFA members represent applicants approved during the first quarter of 2018. 3 Silos Hedging Solutions LLC David Burelli Bloomington IN Brucker Kent Heath Tucson AZ Bryan Cave LLP Liz Paspalas St. Louis MO Charles Elsea Charles L. Elsea Salina KS Compass Compliance LLC Bryce Nemitz Cedar Rapids IA Great Lakes Grain & Transportation LLC Philip Hageman Sun City West AZ Midwest Commodities LLC Steve ... Read More
Collect resources and register employees who participated in the “Stand-Up for Grain Engulfment Prevention Week”
The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) completed a major safety outreach effort, the “Stand-Up for Grain Engulfment Prevention Awareness Week” from April 9-13, to help raise awareness about grain bin engulfment hazards, provide education and training, and convey safety best practices. Made possible by the NGFA-OSHA Alliance, in collaboration with Grain Elevator and Processing Society, the stand-up week promoted grain bin safety on both farms and at commercial grain handling facilities. Missouri Governor Eric Greitens ... Read More
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
NGFA recommends Senate confirmation of STB nominees
The NGFA and a diverse range of agricultural producers and agribusinesses urged the leaders of the Senate Commerce Committee to recommend the confirmation of Patrick Fuchs and Michelle Schulz to serve as new members of the Surface Transportation Board (STB). The groups noted in an April 10 letter that the STB needs a full and functioning set of members, as the agency “serves a vital role, given its charge to provide fair, objective and fact-based regulatory oversight of a freight rail industry that is exempt from U.S. antitrust law and now consists of only seven major Class I railroads – ... Read More
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