NACIA Washington Update
July 16, 2009

As July heats up here in Washington, Congress and their staff start longing for August Recess. With two weeks to go, Congressional activity centers on food safety, health care, climate change, and appropriations.

As we discussed a few weeks ago, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Peterson (D-MN) and Ranking Member Lucas (D-OK) were considering whether or not to assert jurisdiction over the food safety legislation approved by the House Energy and Commerce Committee. As a result, the House Agriculture Committee is holding an intensive hearing on the food safety bill this morning. The witnesses testifying are posted below this message. It is our understanding that many Members of the House Agriculture Committee have significant concerns with the bill. If these unresolved issues are not resolved, as well as health care taking up significant focus, House Floor consideration (previously planned for July) may not occur until after the August recess. In addition to the food safety hearing, the House Agriculture Committee has been active on dairy issues. On Tuesday they held the first of a two-part hearing on the economic conditions facing the dairy industry. Part two is currently scheduled for July 21.

Also on Tuesday, the House leadership introduced H.R. 3200, the “America's Affordable Health Choices Act.” The bill was referred to multiple committees, and currently is being marked up by the Committees on Ways and Means, Education and Labor, and Energy and Commerce. Speaker Pelosi (D-CA) has been quoted as saying that she is determined to get the House version of health care reform voted on by the House by the August Recess.

One day after the House bill was introduced, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee voted on the legislation drafted by Senators Kennedy (D-MA) and Dodd (D-CT). This bill was not bipartisan, and passed out of the Committee on a party-line vote of 13-10. Before further action, this legislation will need to be married to the provisions from the Senate Finance Committee. Reports are that Committee will unveil their proposal and mark it up as soon as next week.

While the bipartisan energy legislation reported out of Senator Bingaman’s (D-NM) Energy and Natural Resources Committee continues to lie idle, Senator Boxer (D-CA) continues her hearings on the climate change topic in her Environment and Public Works Committee.

Again last, but not least, the House continues to consider appropriations bills, which is taking up significant amounts of Floor time. House Republicans, upset over rules the Democrats have instituted limiting Republican amendments, have taken parliamentary procedures that have extended the time it takes to complete consideration on the bills. As far as agriculture appropriations, the House has passed that bill, the Senate Committee has approved their version, but no Senate Floor action has yet been scheduled. We do expect it to be considered in the Senate prior to August Recess.

USDA has also been very busy, with several new staff levels filled and significant announcements this week.

• Earlier this week Secretary Vilsack announced that due to average prices for wheat, barley, and oats being above trigger levels, USDA will not issue final 2008 counter-cyclical payments. Details.
• Secretary Vilsack declared that USDA is providing $250 million in stimulus money to rural communities for identifying water and wastewater infrastructure needs. The money will go to 32 additional projects in 17 States. To see if your state is one of the ones selected, click here.
• Recent staff announcements include Jonathan Coppess as Administrator for the Farm Service Agency, Jerold R. Mande, M.P.H., as Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety, and Miles Patrie as a Confidential Assistant at the Risk Management Agency. Other positions were named at Research, Education and Economics; Rural Development; and the Office of Communications. For bios and other details, please click here, here, and here.
• Also interesting to note is that the National 4-H flag was carried into space aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour when it launched yesterday. Details.

If you have not yet paid your dues, please submit online through the secure NACIA website or print out the membership renewal form and mail in your check. The budget situation in Washington is getting tighter and tighter, and funds are becoming increasingly scarce. It is important to ensure that NACIA is strong and able to work hard for agents to preserve the crop insurance program as a vital tool for our nation’s farmers and ranchers.

As always, please contact us if you have any questions.
Brent W. Gattis
NACIA Washington Representative
www.nacia.org

House Agriculture Committee Food Safety Hearing:

Thursday July 16 -10:00 a.m.
1300 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC
Full Committee – Public Hearing
RE: To review current issues in food safety

Panel I

• Mr. Larry Wooten, President, North Carolina Farm Bureau Federation, on behalf of American Farm Bureau Federation, Raleigh, North Carolina
• Mr. J. Patrick Boyle, President, American Meat Institute, Washington, D.C.
• Ms. Carol Tucker-Foreman, Distinguished Fellow, The Food Policy Institute, Consumer Federation of America, Washington, D.C.
• Sam Ives, DVM, Ph.D., Director of Veterinary Services and Associate Director of Research, Cactus Feeders, Ltd., on behalf of National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Amarillo, Texas
• Mr. Kent Peppler, President, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, on behalf of National Farmers Union, Mead, Colorado
• Mr. Bob Reinhard, Director of Food Safety for Sara Lee, and Chairman, Technical and Regulatory Committee, of the National Turkey Federation, Downers Grove, Illinois
• Mr. Nicholas Maravell, Owner and Operator, Nick’s Organic Farm, LLC, Potomac, Maryland
• Mr. Drew McDonald, Vice President National Quality Systems, Taylor Farms, Inc.

Panel II

• Mr. Jerold Mande, Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.
• Ms. Cindy Smith, Acting Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, U.S.. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.
• Mr. Mike Taylor, Senior Advisor to the Commissioner, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Rockville, Maryland