Several Ag Bills Become Law in One Measure Comprehensive Scope of U.S. Grain Standards and Warehouse Improvement Act Comprehensive legislation now signed into law not only reauthorizes the grain inspection system and allows use of electronic warehouse receipts, but also includes provisions from several additional bills to assist producers and rural communities. The measure was assigned a Public La... Read more »
Goodlatte Critical of Forest Service Denying Citizens Right to Appeal Administration Roadless Policy Goes Forward Without Public Comment Representative Bob Goodlatte responded today to a final environmental impact statement (EIS) released by the Forest Service on the president's proposed policy for managing roadless areas in the national forest system. The preferred alternative of the final EIS wo... Read more »
New Law of the Land: Rural School Funding with Community-Based Forest Management "Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-determination Act of 1999" Signed into law Monday morning, "The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-determination Act of 1999" (H.R. 2389) is landmark policy on two important fronts. First, it provides critical funding for schoolchildren in hundreds of rural communities. Se... Read more »
Congress Readies Rural American Tax Relief Producers would gain full health premium deductions, FFARM Accounts, Income Averaging (October 27, 2000) Fragile farm economies in rural communities would receive a helping hand for saving and investments in the taxpayer relief measure approved 237 to 174 in the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday, and readied for next week's vote in the Senate. Pro... Read more »
House Advances Financial Modernization for 21st Century Closely aligns with recommendations of President's Working Group (October 19, 2000) In close alignment with the views of the President's Working Group on Financial Services, the U.S. House of Representatives agreed by a nearly-unanimous 377 to 4 vote to modernize the U.S. futures industry regulations, establish legal certainty for the financi... Read more »
House Passes Landmark Rural Schools Legislation H.R. 2389 would restore stability to forest communities (October 11, 2000) Washington, D.C. Last night, the U.S. House of Representatives passed, by voice vote, the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-determination Act of 1999 (H.R. 2389) which would provide rural areas with financial stability in revenues used for community schools, roads, and l... Read more »
Congress Aids Producers, Lifts LDP Limits, Opens Cuba Trade Congressional action this week on the Agricultural Appropriations bill will help farmers and producers of livestock and dairy who are suffering another year of weather and financial losses, including an additional provision that lifts limits to $150,000 this crop year on Loan Deficiency Payments (LDPs) and provides the first move to re-op... Read more »
House Passes Grain Standards and Warehouse Improvement Act of 2000 Last night, the House of Representatives passed, by voice vote, legislation (H.R. 4788) sponsored by Representative Bill Barrett (R-NE) to reauthorize the U.S. Grain Standards Act and to modernize the U.S. Warehouse Act. "This legislation will bring grain inspection and the use of warehouse facilities into the 21st century, all at ... Read more »
Committee Reviews Plan to Prevent Catastrophic Wildfires New Policy Forms Partnership Between State and Federal Land Managers Today, Chairman Larry Combest convened the House Committee on Agriculture to review the causes of this year's catastrophic western wildfires and to examine a new plan included in the House-passed Interior Appropriations bill to prevent future disasters. The year 2000 has be... Read more »
