Washington, D.C. - Today, House Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway (R-TX) issued the following statement in response to President Trump ordering the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers to begin dismantling their controversial Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule. “Over the past eight years, EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers have repeatedly ign... Read more »
Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. David Rouzer (NC-7), Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture, held a hearing to examine the international market development programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service. Members heard from a variety of witnesses in the agricultural industry who discussed the ... Read more »
Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. Frank Lucas (OK-03), Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry, held the first hearing in a series designed to set the stage for the next farm bill. The subcommittee heard from a panel of witnesses, including farmers and ranchers, who shared their perspectives on the effectiveness of the conservation policies in the Agric... Read more »
Washington, D.C. - Today the Senate approved the nomination of Scott Pruitt to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). House Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway issued the following statement. "I am pleased with today's confirmation of EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt," said Chairman Conaway. "For too long, farmers and ranchers have suffered from unnecessary, burdensome regulat... Read more »
Washington, D.C. - Today, the House Agriculture Committee held a hearing to explore the implications of restricting what can be purchased with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Members of the committee heard from a panel of witnesses who discussed the challenges of implementing product restrictions, the need for encouraging healthy purchasing habits, and the role that ince... Read more »
Washington, D.C. - Today the House Agriculture Committee approved two measures regarding the regulation of pesticides. H.R. 953, the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act, would clarify Congressional intent regarding pesticide regulation in or around waters of the United States. A 2009 court decision in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit erroneously applied the provisions of the National Po... Read more »
Washington, D.C. - Today, the grocery industry announced a nationwide effort to clear up consumer confusion regarding date labels on food packaging as part of an overarching effort to combat food waste. The initiative will streamline the phrasing used on food date labels by replacing over ten existing forms with two standard phrases. Most products will bear a “BEST If Used By” label that connotes ... Read more »
Washington, D.C. - Today, the House Agriculture Committee held a hearing to review the economic challenges facing rural America. Members heard from several witnesses who highlighted these factors, including low farm commodity prices, declining net farm income, tightening credit conditions, a strong dollar, and unfair trade practices by foreign competitors. “There is real potential for a crisis in ... Read more »
Washington, D.C. - Today, Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway (TX-11) announced subcommittee assignments for the 115th Congress. “From promoting a strong farm safety net to rolling back burdensome regulations on our producers, our subcommittees will play an integral role as this committee goes to work this Congress. The diverse background of my talented colleagues will be instrumenta... Read more »
Washington, D.C. - Today, the House Agriculture Committee met to formally organize and adopt the committee’s rules for the 115th Congress. “I am very excited to get to work crafting policies that will benefit America’s farmers and ranchers with the help of my esteemed colleagues this Congress. They each bring a different perspective to the table, which will be instrumental as we dive into writing ... Read more »
