An increasingly concerned Congressman Larry Combest (R-TX), Chairman of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Forestry, Resource Conservation, and Research, today praised the historical benefits of the Conservation Reservation Program (CRP), but remained uneasy about the Agriculture Department's final rule on the program, as the subcommittee opened it's first oversight hearing of the 105th Congres... Read more »
Members of Congress dedicated to finding proactive, cooperative measures to improve forest health will hold a press conference on Thursday, February 27 to announce the introduction of the Quincy Library Group Forest Recovery and Economic Stability Act of 1997. The bill, to be introduced by Rep. Wally Herger (R-CA), establishes a five year pilot project to test innovative approaches to forest manag... Read more »
Oregon Congressman Bob Smith, Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, today praised Mexico's decision to import cherries from Oregon, Washington, and California, accepting a phytosanitary dispute resolution under terms of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). "There's no question that Mexico had no scientific basis for excluding U.S. cherries. Eight months ago, a NAFTA dispute r... Read more »
Calling a strong and viable farm credit system a key goal of agriculture policy makers in an era of declining government support, Rep. Larry Combest, Chairman of the Agriculture Subcommittee on Forestry, Resource Conservation, and Research, released a list of witnesses for his subcommittee field hearing on agricultural credit in Lubbock, Texas on Friday, February 21. A complete witness list for th... Read more »
Oregon Congressman Bob Smith, Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, reacted cautiously today to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) final rule on the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), warning that farmers of winter crops have been adversely affected by USDA's tardiness in issuing the rule and need quick guidance from USDA to prepare for Fall planting. (Audio tape featuring Smit... Read more »
Oregon Congressman Bob Smith, Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, has urged President Clinton to discuss non-tariff trade barriers to U.S. Agriculture with Chilean President Eduardo Frei during Frei's upcoming visit to the United States. Fresh on the heels of a trade mission to consider fast-track negotiating authority for folding Chile into the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAF... Read more »
Congressman Bob Smith (R-OR), Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, today said that President Clinton's newly released budget for Fiscal Year 1998 genarally keeps most commitments to American agriculture, but found provisions on meat inspection and food stamps troubling. (Audio tape on Smith's reaction to the Administration's budget is available by calling (202) 226-3977. Smith speaks on... Read more »
Oregon Congressman Bob Smith, Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, today praised the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) decision not to require farmers to report income from deferred payment contracts on their 1996 tax returns for purposes of computing the alternative minimum tax (AMT). "The IRS has rightly recognized that subjecting farmers to the Alternative Minimum Tax for deferred pay... Read more »
Calling exports the key to stable farm incomes in the era of declining federal involvement in agriculture, Congressman Bob Smith (R-OR), Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, today announced that he is leading a trade delegation to Chile and Argentina from January 22 to January 28, to discuss agricultural trade issues. Smith, who has pledged to make increasing agricultural exports a prin... Read more »
Opening Statement Rep. Robert F. (Bob) Smith (R-OR) Chairman, House Committee on Agriculture Field Hearing on Forest Ecosystem Health Sunriver, Oregon January 16, 1997 "Good Morning and welcome to the first hearing of the House Committee on Agriculture on Forest Ecosystem Health. I would like to extend my thanks to both the Members and Witnesses who have traveled here to participate in a discussio... Read more »
