U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey announced on Feb. 12 that USDA will host a listening session for initial input on the 2018 farm law. He said USDA is seeking public input on the changes to existing programs implemented by the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Risk Management Agency. The 2018 farm law “is intended to provide support, certainty and stability to our nation’s farmers, ranchers and land stewards by enhancing farm support programs, improving crop insurance, ... Read More
News
NGFA Hill Briefing: Washington avoids another shutdown
By Bobby Frederick, Director of Legislative Affairs and Public Policy After presiding over the longest partial government shutdown in American history – 35 days – President Donald Trump, the new House Democratic majority and the Senate Republican majority appeared on the verge of avoiding a repeat occurrence. Late on Feb. 14, the Senate voted 83-16 to approve a $333 billion piece of legislation combining the remaining seven unresolved appropriations bills. Before the vote, Trump told Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., he was “prepared to sign the bill” into ... Read More
Grassley says Trump must revoke Section 232 tariffs to get USMCA approval
By Sarah Gonzalez, Director of Communications and Digital Media Canada and Mexico are unlikely to ratify the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) unless the United States lifts its tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, emphasized this week. “The Senate in Mexico is not going to take it up until the tariffs are off,” Grassley said during a Feb. 12 media call. “The House of Commons in Canada’s not going to take it up if it’s not there soon after March 1 and it’s not going to be there unless the tariffs are off. And even ... Read More
NGFA welcomes new members
NGFA is very pleased to welcome the following new member companies! These members represent applicants that joined during the third and fourth quarters of 2018: AgriLand FS Grain Marketing LLC Bob Rasmus Clarinda, IA Agri Networks ... Read More
NGFA meets with CFTC chairman nominee
By Max Fisher, Director of Economics and Government Relations NGFA helped organize and participated in a Feb. 7 meet-and-greet with Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) nominee Heath Tarbert, during which he discussed his views on hedging, high-frequency trading and user fees, among other topics. Tarbert currently is assistant secretary for international markets and investment policy at the U.S. Department of the Treasury and on Jan. 9 was nominated by President Trump nominee to succeed current CFTC Chairman Chris Giancarlo when his term ends in April 2019. Prior to joining ... Read More
NGFA rail arbitration, mediation service available to resolve disputes
By Charlie Delacruz, Senior Vice President and General Counsel The Feb. 1 edition of the NGFA Newsletter contained an article about the availability of the widely respected and effective Surface Transportation Board’s (STB) Rail Customer and Public Assistance Office as an excellent venue that rail users can use – on a strictly confidential basis – to resolve a wide range of rail disputes with their carriers. Another too-often-overlooked forum is available through NGFA itself – the unique Rail Arbitration and Mediation Service that celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2018. ... Read More
Grain elevators: Prepare to request restoration of domestic official grain inspection exceptions
By Jess McCluer, Vice President of Safety and Regulatory Affairs; and Sarah Gonzalez, Director of Communications and Digital Media Grain elevators whose non-use of service/open season exception agreements were revoked by USDA in 2017 that want to request to restore those business arrangements will need to do so within the next couple months. The former USDA Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration’s misinterpretation of the intent of the 2015 Agriculture Reauthorizations Act caused several grain elevators to have their so-called “exception agreements” with domestic ... Read More
USDA developing timelines for 2018 farm law implementation
Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Steve Censky this week said the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will complete “general timelines” within a few weeks for implementing the 2018 farm law. He noted that some of the law’s provisions “are almost self-implementing, with clear provisions,” while others spell out actions to be taken but provide latitude on how to achieve them. USDA has formed a farm bill task force – which met Dec. 21, the day after President Trump signed the bill into law – that is reviewing every provision of the law and assigning agency and staff responsibility ... Read More
Fuchs tapped as STB vice chairman; will address NGFA convention’s Transportation and Trade Open Forum
The Surface Transportation Board has announced that newly sworn-in commissioner Patrick Fuchs has been designated as the agency’s vice chairman. The vice chairmanship rotates annually among STB members. Fuchs, 31, became the second youngest member of the STB and its predecessor, the Interstate Commerce Commission when he was sworn in on Jan. 17. NGFA is pleased to announce he has accepted an invitation to address the Transportation and Trade Open Forum on Sunday afternoon, March 17, during NGFA’s 123rd Annual Convention at the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, Fla. Most recently, Fuchs served ... Read More
Canadian RRs report 2018 demurrage, accessorial charge earnings
By Randy Gordon, President and CEO The two Canadian Class I rail carriers – the Canadian Pacific (CP) and Canadian National (CN) – in early February joined their U.S.-based brethren in submitting reports to the Surface Transportation Board (STB) detailing millions of dollars of earnings generated during 2018 through demurrage and accessorial charges assessed on rail customers. CP reported generating a total of $43.77 million, $30.14 million of which were demurrage charges while $13.63 million were accessorial charges. Meanwhile, the CN reported accruing revenues totaling $30.18 million, ... Read More
National Grain and Feed Association
TwitterYoutubeFacebookLinkedin