Disaster package asks $24 billion for agriculture
One fourth of the $99 billion in disaster aid requested by President Biden would be funneled through the USDA, with the bulk of the $24 billion devoted to offsetting lost crop production and reduced quality of crops. Agriculture deputy secretary Xochitl Torres Small was to testify in support of the request before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday.
Senate proposes higher funding than House for WIC and food aid
The Senate Appropriations Committee approved a USDA-FDA funding bill on Thursday that would spend $1.6 billion more on WIC and international food aid than the version approved by House appropriators one day earlier. The greatest difference, $1.1 billion, was in funding for Food for Peace, the leading U.S. food aid program.
White House threatens to veto USDA-FDA funding bill
House Republicans are "wasting time with partisan bills," said the White House in a three-page list of objections to the $198 billion USDA-FDA funding bill on Monday, including cuts to clean energy programs and a ban on over-the-counter sales of the abortion drug mifepristone. The GOP-controlled House may vote on the bill later this week.
Senate committee to vote on $7 billion in disaster aid for farmers
Farm-state senators celebrated the first step of including $7 billion for disaster relief in the annual USDA-FDA funding bill, with a crucial vote looming on Wednesday in the Senate Appropriations Committee. Action in the Senate mirrored efforts in the House last week to help farmers and …
Senate vs. House confrontation looms over relocating ERS and NIFA
The Senate Appropriations Committee is expected to approve a bill on Thursday that effectively approves Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue’s removal of two research agencies to Kansas City from Washington, setting up a clash with House leaders. The $151.7 billion USDA-FDA funding bill …
New Mississippi senator to join two panels overseeing agriculture
The newest member of the Senate, Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi, will serve on two committees that her predecessor, Thad Cochran, chaired during his 40 years in the Senate.
Senate bill includes $507 million in emergency funds for wildfires
Following the most expensive year ever for fighting wildfires, the Senate Appropriations Committee included $507 million in emergency wildfire funds in a funding bill for the Interior Department and related agencies.
USDA rural leader mum about funds needed for economic growth
Some 46 million people live in rural America, scattered across 72 percent of the U.S. landmass, and conditions in many rural communities “are incredibly challenging,” said Anne Hazlett, recently installed as head of the USDA’s rural economic development programs. During a Senate Agriculture Committee hearing, Hazlett agreed that “resources will be needed” for rural growth but deflected questions about whether more federal dollars should go into the programs.
Senators would override Perdue, keep top rural development official
In the first serious congressional disagreement with Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, the Senate Appropriations Committee is expected to vote on Thursday to reinstate the post of undersecretary for rural development, eliminated five weeks ago by Perdue in a USDA reorganization. "We want that position in place as part of our emphasis on rural development," said Republican Sen. John Hoeven of North Dakota.
Verse two of late start for Perdue: Long wait for USDA executives
By far, Sonny Perdue had the latest starting date for any agriculture secretary in USDA history – 13 weeks after President Trump took office. Perdue lamented at a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing that history is going to repeat itself with a long wait, likely running into the fall, for the rest of the team of executives that runs USDA.
Ag industry asks Congress to fund biotech ‘education’
Three months after Congress passed a law for mandatory disclosure of GMO ingredients in food, five dozen farm and food industry groups asked Congress to assure access to "modern agricultural tools." They also asked for a $3 million appropriation so the FDA and USDA can "educate the public" about use of biotechnology in the food and agriculture sector.
Senate panel to consider one-year delay of clean water rule
The Senate Appropriations Committee is expected to approve today legislation that would bar the EPA from implementing its Waters of the United States rule during the fiscal year that opens on Oct 1. Known as WOTUS, the rule defines the upstream reach of clean water laws and is under challenge in a federal appeals court.
Capitol Hill tries to derail rule for healthy foods at food stamp stores
In a fractious election year, lawmakers are united on one issue — blocking USDA's proposal for retailers to stock a greater variety of healthy foods if they want to be part of the $80 billion food stamp program. The Senate Appropriations Committee approved a provision to bar USDA from working on the regulation in the fiscal year opening on Oct. 1, echoing action by House appropriators a month ago.
Senate appropriator Moran may see challenge in Kansas
A Tea Party group in Kansas said it may encourage Milton Wolf to run in the Republican primary on Aug. 2 against first-term Sen. Jerry Moran, the chairman of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee that oversees USDA and FDA funding.
Spare us from budget cuts, says everyone in ag and food
In a show of solidarity, 254 groups spanning the world of food and agriculture signed a letter of opposition to any cuts in USDA programs in the coming fiscal year.
Senate bill would label GE salmon, block beef imports
Retailers would have to identify transgenic salmon as genetically engineered and imports of raw beef from Brazil and Argentina would be barred under the USDA/FDA funding bill approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Senate bill says U.S. diet advice must be solely nutritional
The Senate version of the USDA/FDA funding bill includes language that would restrict the new edition of the Dietary Guidelines to solely nutritional and dietary matters.
As House votes on GMO pre-emption, Senate in spotlight
By all accounts, the Republican-controlled House will pass HR 1599 today to pre-empt states from requiring special labels on foods made with genetically modified organisms.