Today, the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture, held a hearing to review the industry response to food safety concerns of fresh and fresh-cut produce. Congressman Dennis Cardoza of California is the Chairman of the Subcommittee. The Subcommittee heard testimony from two panels of witnesses comprised of government and industry representatives as well as food safet... Read more »
Today, Congressman Bob Etheridge, Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee's Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management, held a hearing to review the Federal Crop Insurance Program. The Subcommittee heard from producer representatives who suggested some specific changes in the program. "I am a believer in crop insurance, and I want to ensure that farmers and taxpayers are gett... Read more »
The U.S. House of Representatives sent a bipartisan message to President Bush last night - we must provide disaster assistance to farmers and ranchers who are struggling to recover from weather related damage in recent years. Following President Bush's veto of the first supplemental appropriations bill that funded war costs and agriculture disaster assistance, Congressional leadership decided to c... Read more »
Yesterday, the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Specialty Crops, Rural Development, and Foreign Agriculture held a hearing to review food aid and agriculture trade programs operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Congressman Mike McIntyre of North Carolina is Chairman of the Subcommittee. Title III of the 2002 Farm Bill auth... Read more »
Congressman Tim Holden of Pennsylvania, Chairman of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy and Research, today held a hearing to review agricultural research programs. Most agricultural research programs are carried out by scientists at academic institutions, agencies within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and other private or industrial organizations. Existing prog... Read more »
Today, the House Committee on Agriculture investigated the government’s response to melamine-tainted products imported from China that were used in pet food and animal feed products. The Committee heard testimony from representatives of both the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Both departments are involved in an in-depth, on-going investigation to determin... Read more »
Today, Congressman Leonard Boswell, Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee's Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy and Poultry, held a hearing to discuss the welfare of animals in agriculture. The subcommittee heard testimony from various representatives from animal health groups, the animal agriculture industry and animal welfare organizations about the status of animal welfare in American agricu... Read more »
Today, the House Agriculture Committee held a public hearing to investigate the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s recent announcement that it released the Social Security Numbers of more than 38,000 USDA program participants. The numbers were publicly available on the internet. Committee members questioned USDA officials about the circumstances surrounding the disclosure of these Social Security Nu... Read more »
Today, the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Specialty Crops, Rural Development, and Foreign Agriculture held a hearing to review rural broadband programs operated by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service. Congressman Mike McIntyre of North Carolina is Chairman of the Subcommittee. "Access to the high speed broadband is critical for economic development, community g... Read more »
Today the House Agriculture Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management held a hearing to review proposals to amend the program crop provisions of the 2002 Farm Bill. "Today, we heard in detail from agricultural processors and major farm groups about what kind of commodity title provisions they would like to see in the next Farm Bill and what their members think about the current ... Read more »
