NACIA Washington Update
June 11, 2009
We wanted to thank you for submitting your 2009 dues./Please submit your 2009 dues. It is essential that during this difficult time for agents, NACIA has a strong voice in Washington. Congress is looking for money anywhere they can find it, and the GAO report highlighting A&O reimbursement and agent commissions as largesse do not give lawmakers and other decision makers a balanced view of how important a piece of the safety net the crop insurance program is to our farms and ranchers.
Currently, Congress is engaged in three major pieces of issues: energy, health care, and food safety. In addition, the appropriations process is kicking into gear. In fact, Chairwoman DeLauro (D-CT) is holding the markup for the Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies this afternoon. We do not expect much controversy at the Subcommittee level and believe that most amendments to the agriculture appropriations legislation will come at the Full Committee level. However, we have just heard that the Subcommittee has moved to stop all funding for the National Animal Identification System until the listening sessions are done and a plan is developed. This would not take effect unless the bill is passed and signed by the President with this provision remaining.
Also on the House side, Chairman Peterson (D-MN) is holding a House Agriculture Committee Hearing on H.R. 2454, Representative Waxman’s (D-CA) cap and trade energy bill. As we have previously mentioned, provisions of the “American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009,” as HR 2454 is titled, have been criticized by Members of the Agriculture Committee and outright opposed by numerous agriculture groups. We will be attending the hearing and will send you a summary once it is completed. Representatives of a few of those groups are testifying at this hearing, as is Secretary Vilsack. A complete witness list can be found at the bottom of this email. If you would like to listen or watch the hearing, it starts at 2:00 p.m. and can be viewed by visiting the House Agriculture Committee website.
This morning, the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research also held a hearing of interest – “To review credit conditions in rural America.” The witness list for this hearing can also be found below. Please let us know if you are interested in any of the testimony from that hearing.
We still expect House Agriculture Committee to hold a hearing to review the crop insurance program, even though it is not yet scheduled. It is possible that it will be held the week of June 15, but may be pushed to a later date. The GAO report will certainly come up during this hearing, but we expect others topics regarding the program to be discussed as well.
In addition to the House Ag hearing, other Committees with jurisdiction are considering their role in shaping the cap and trade legislation. Republican members of the House Ways and Means Committee recently sent a letter requesting a mark up, allowing that Committee to amend the bill. In the mean time, Representative Waxman has been preparing for House Floor consideration of the legislation in the next few weeks, counting votes and holding briefings for various segments of the House. On the Senate side, the comprehensive energy legislation package that Senator Bingaman (D-MN) is being marked up today in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and that is expected to continue on to next week. That Committee is still working on the oil and gas title, as well as the carbon sequestration and energy market transparency provisions.
Over at USDA , President Obama continues to fill positions. The RMA Administrator has not yet been officially named, but this past week Ann Wright was appointed Deputy Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs. Details.
As always, if you have any questions please contact us.
Brent W. Gattis
NACIA Washington Representative
www.nacia.org
Witness Lists:
Thursday, June 11 – 2:00 p.m.
1300 Longworth House Office Building
Full Committee on Agriculture —Public Hearing.
RE: To review pending climate legislation
Panel I
- The Honorable Tom Vilsack, Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.
Panel II
- Mr. Bob Stallman, President, American Farm Bureau Federation, Washington, D.C.
- Mr. Steve Ruddell, Senior Associate, First Environment, Washington, D.C.
- Mr. Earl Garber, Second Vice President, National Association of Conservation Districts, Basile, Louisiana
- Mr. Fred Yoder, Past President and Climate Change Task Force Member, National Association of Corn Growers, Plain City, Ohio
- Mr. Roger Johnson, President, National Farmers Union, Washington, D.C.
- Mr. Ken Nobis, Treasurer, National Milk Producers Federation, St. Johns, Michigan
Panel III
- Mr. Ford West, President, The Fertilizer Institute, Washington, D.C.
- Mr. Glenn English, Chief Executive Officer, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Arlington, Virginia
________________________________________________________________________
Thursday, June 11 – 10:00 a.m.
1302 Longworth House Office Building
Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research —Public Hearing.
RE: To review credit conditions in rural America
Panel I
- Mr. Doug Caruso, Administrator, Farm Service Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.
- Mr. Leland Strom, Chairman, Farm Credit Administration, McLean, Virginia
Panel II
- Mr. Bob Frazee, President, Mid-Atlantic Farm Credit, Westminster, Maryland
- Mr. Michael A. Gerber, President and Chief Executive Officer, Farmer Mac, Washington, D.C.
- Mr. Fred Bauer, President/Chief Executive Officer, Farmers Bank, Ault, Colorado
- Dr. Mark Drabenstott, Director and Research Professor, RUPRI Center for Regional Competitiveness, Truman School of Public Affairs, University of Missouri, Kansas City, Missouri
- Mr. Patrick Sullivan, Economic Development Specialist and Agricultural Mediation Program Project Leader, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico
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