Trusaic Research Finds Agriculture Industry at Higher Risk, According to Study Los Angeles, Calif., May 11, 2023 – While most employers say they believe they are fully compliant with the Affordable Care Act (ACA), approximately one in four have been audited by the Internal Revenue Service, according to new research from HR technology company Trusaic. Among the industries most at …
Lower Food and Fuel Cost Act Passes House
The U.S. House of Representatives Thursday passed the Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act, a diverse package of initiatives from meat packing plants to year round E15, despite opposition by the majority of Republicans. The final vote was 221-204, with seven Republicans siding with the majority and five Democrats voting against the bill. The act includes a package of ag-related …
House Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act
The U.S. House of Representatives voted Thursday on the Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act led by Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), a package of legislation designed to address supply chain issues for the American energy and agriculture sectors, combat rising fertilizer prices and increase the availability of higher ethanol blends and other biofuels. The legislation includes Spanberger’s Meat and Poultry …
House Ag Republicans Introduce Farm Input Costs Bill
Republican Leader of the House Agriculture Committee Glenn “GT” Thompson and GOP members this week introduced H.R. 8069, the Reducing Farm Input Costs and Barriers to Domestic Production Act. The bill requires the Biden Administration to reverse its regulatory barriers to domestic agriculture production and provide immediate relief to families across the country. Congressman Thompson was joined by more than …
Sen. Grassley Discusses E15 and GREET Model
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) joined Sens. John Thune (R-SD) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) this week in urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to update its greenhouse gas (GHG) modeling for biofuels and adopt the Argonne National Lab’s Greenhouse Gases, Regulated Emissions and Energy Use in Transportation (GREET) model. The senator discussed that topic and the importance of getting approval for …
Senators Seek Answers on Biofuels COVID Assistance
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and several of his Senate colleagues sent a letter this week to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack asking him to explain the delay in delivering financial assistance to biofuels producers negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Grassley addressed that issue during a call with reporters on Tuesday morning. (1:05) Sen. Grassley stressed the need for President …
SD Senator Speaks Out on Policy Impacting Agriculture
Sen. John Thune (R-SD) spoke out on the Senate floor this week about Democrat policies that he says are harmful to farmers and ranchers. “For starters, I’m worried that Democrats’ bill could mean the end of some family farms thanks to the bill’s expansion of the death tax,” said Thune. “Death should not be a taxable event.” Sen. Thune also …
Transportation Secretary on Jobs Plan for Rural Areas
The American Jobs Plan rolled out by the Biden Administration last week includes help for agriculture and rural communities, according to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. In an interview with a Texas radio station, Buttigieg talked about the importance of transportation and infrastructure such as roads, bridges and ports, for rural areas and agriculture, as well as universal broadband. …
Crop Insurers Hear from Senate Ag Committee Leaders
Organizations representing crop insurance companies held a virtual joint 2021 Crop Insurance Convention on February 9 where they heard from the leadership of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Chair Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Ranking Member John Boozman (R-AR). American Association of Crop Insurers (AACI) executive director Scott Graves welcomed Sen. Boozman, while Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau (CIRB) executive vice president …
Former Sen. Daschle Comments on Split Senate
Former South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle shared his thoughts on a 50-50 split Senate during an appearance on a panel at the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Summit Tuesday. He offered advice from his own experience in the 107th Congress in 2001, the only other time in history there was a split Senate. “It’s going to take good chemistry, it’s going …
Sen. Thune on Aid for Agriculture and Biofuels in COVID Relief Bill
The new COVID relief package passed by Congress this week includes help for agricultural and biofuels producers excluded from previous aid legislation. Sen. John Thune (R-SD) says relief includes the Paycheck Protection Program for Producers Act, assistance for livestock and poultry producers who were forced to euthanize animals during the initial wave of the pandemic, and biofuels producers are now …
Sen. Pat Roberts Bids Farewell
Sen. Pat Roberts, the Republican from Kansas who has served as a leader in both the House and Senate Agriculture Committees over his four decade career in Congress, said goodbye to his Senate colleagues Thursday in a farewell floor speech. The outspoken senator who helped to write the past eight farm bills spoke about his background, how he went from …
Biofuels Caucus Discusses Ethanol Industry Challenges
Members of the Congressional Biofuels Caucus held a virtual town hall Wednesday to discuss the challenges currently facing the ethanol industry and what can be done to help. Participating in the meeting were caucus members including Reps. Collin Peterson (D-MN), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Dave Loebsack (D-IA), and Rodney Davis (R-IL) as well as ethanol and agricultural group leaders. House Agriculture …
USDA Announces Coronavirus Food Assistance Program
This evening U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). This new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) program will take several actions to assist farmers, ranchers, and consumers in response to the COVID-19 national emergency. President Trump directed USDA to craft this $19 billion immediate relief program to provide critical support to our farmers and …
President Trump Says Help for Farmers Coming Soon
During the daily White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing on Thursday, President Donald Trump said help for hurting farmers is coming soon. “We have money going out to our farmers in the pretty near future,” said President Trump. “The farmers got hurt very badly by all of this. People are eating less from the standpoint that there’s no restaurants that …