Remarks as prepared for delivery: I want to welcome our witnesses to today’s hearing and thank them for taking the time to share their views on a very timely and somewhat sensitive topic—the idea of restricting SNAP purchases. This hearing is a continuation of the conversation had in a Member roundtable last October. There are good arguments to be made on both sides of this issue, and this discuss... 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 »
Now we will once again consider the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act. As many of you will remember, this Committee met two years ago to mark up this very same bill text. In fact, this is the fourth time this Committee has marked up this bill. The bill language was likewise included in the 2012 Farm Bill reported out of this committee, as well as in the 2013 Farm Bill the House sent to Conference. I... Read more »
Thank you for being here today as we consider H.R. 1029, The Pesticide Registration Enhancement Act of 2017, also known as PRIA. As we learned in our roundtable earlier this week, PRIA is a very technical bill, but the benefits are straightforward. It has produced predictable timelines for industry, new products for consumers, funds for completion of various registration activities, and funds for ... 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 »
Remarks as prepared for delivery: Good morning. We ordinarily kick things off every year with the Secretary of Agriculture offering testimony as our one and only witness. However, our new Secretary has not yet been confirmed. I have visited with Governor Perdue a number of times now, I believe he is an excellent choice, and I hope that he can be confirmed in short order so that he may begin the im... 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 »
Remarks as prepared for delivery: I am thankful for the opportunity to serve another term as chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture during the 115th Congress. I, along with many of you on this Committee, represent rural America. We are their voice, and I consider that a privilege and great responsibility. Although we come from different areas of the country, we all understand the importanc... Read more »
