Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management Chairman Jerry Moran today chaired a hearing to review the state of the U.S. farm economy and the impact of Federal policy on agriculture. Net cash farm income levels reached record highs in each of the past two years; however, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) forecasts for 2005 indicate a $10.7 billion dip in net farm inco... Read more »
The House today passed a bill to reauthorize the United States Grain Standards Act. The bill, S.1752, was introduced in the Senate and passed by unanimous consent last week and was taken up on the House Floor under suspension this afternoon. Since both the House and Senate passed identical legislation, the bill will be sent to the President to be signed into law. The Grain Standards Act was set to... Read more »
Subcommittee on Livestock and Horticulture Chairman Robin Hayes today held a hearing to review the development of a private sector-based national animal identification system (NAIS). Last week, Agriculture Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte held a full committee hearing to review the implementation of private sector-based systems in Australia and Canada. In July, Hayes, Goodlatte and other Members o... Read more »
Today House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Bob Goodlatte spoke at a press conference celebrating the 10th year of biotechnology crop planting in the United States. In those ten years, 1 billion acres of biotechnology crops have been planted and harvested. The press event was part of the House Biotechnology Caucus’s Food and Agriculture Biotechnology Exhibition that featured visual presentations... Read more »
Chairman Bob Goodlatte and Congressman Marion Berry (D-AK) today introduced H.R. 3857, the “Temporary Agricultural Labor Reform Act of 2005,” legislation to modernize and improve the flexibility of the temporary visa program (H-2A), permitting foreign workers to enter the U.S. on a temporary or seasonal basis to engage in unskilled agricultural work. “The U.S. needs a better guest worker program f... Read more »
Chairman Bob Goodlatte, Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns and U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman today held a press conference during which they discussed their expectations about the agricultural negotiations for the forthcoming Doha Round of trade negotiations scheduled for December in Hong Kong. “First and foremost, market access is critical. If the agricultural negotiations are going to... Read more »
In anticipation of the development of a National Animal Identification System (NAIS) in the United States, Chairman Bob Goodlatte today chaired a hearing to review the experience Canada and Australia had in implementing their private sector-based national animal ID systems. “Among the reasons I have been an advocate of a private sector-based approach to animal ID is the success of the Canadian and... Read more »
Chairman Bob Goodlatte and Livestock and Horticulture Subcommittee Chairman Robin Hayes today praised the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) decision to pursue a National Animal Identification System (NAIS) based on a public/private partnership. Their comments came following Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns’ press conference updating USDA’s work toward a trace-back system for U.S. livest... Read more »
Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock and Horticulture Chairman Robin Hayes (R-NC) chaired a field hearing today in Lodi, California to review the specialty crop industry. The hearing covered a variety of issues including trade, market access, conservation, research and pests and diseases affecting the fruit, nut, vegetable, wine and nursery industries. Witnesses included California Agriculture Se... Read more »
Chairman Bob Goodlatte issued the following statement after House passage today of the Dominican Republic – Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). “I am very pleased that the U.S. House of Representatives joined with our colleagues in the Senate to pass CAFTA, a trade agreement that will level the trade playing field with our Central American neighbors and provide U.S. producers with great... Read more »
