Category: Legislative News

FARMERS LIKE TRUMP, BUT WORRY ABOUT FARM BILL: President Donald Trump’s support may be starting to slip with his base (per some polls), but a new Farm Futures survey has found that a majority of farmers (55 percent) would give Trump an “A” or “B” if they were assigning a grade to him on domestic… Continue reading Morning Agriculture: Farmers Like Trump, But Worry About Farm Bill

HOUSE TEES UP AG SPENDING PACKAGE: We know you’d rather be outside enjoying the sweltering 95-degree swampy weather we have on tap in Washington, but lawmakers are still in town trying to get a few things done. The full House Appropriations Committee will mark up its fiscal 2018 agriculture spending bill this morning, so grab your… Continue reading Morning Agriculture: House Tees Up Ag Spending Package — Perdue Dives into School Lunch Again

PRESS RELEASE | 115TH CONGRESS July 12, 2017 Opening Statement by Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Collin C. Peterson The Next Farm Bill: Technology & Innovation in Specialty Crops –As Prepared for Delivery– “Thank you Mr. Chairman. And thank you to our panel of witnesses for joining us at today’s hearing on technology and innovation in… Continue reading Peterson Statement at Hearing on Technology & Innovation in Specialty Crops

A NEW CAUCUS FOR MEMBERS WHO DON’T TAKE PAC MONEY: Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) is starting a new caucus for members who have sworn off contributions from PACs or lobbyists. The caucus, called the NO PAC Caucus, is “designed to encourage members of Congress to voluntarily not accept PAC money and to push for legislation that ultimately bans… Continue reading Influence: Khanna Starts PAC-free Caucus — Forbes Tate Poaches Palmer — Freedom Partners Registers to Lobby

BEHIND CONAWAY’S AGRICULTURE BUDGET CRUSADE: The fate of billions of dollars for farmers and nutrition programs may have been sealed, and perhaps saved, last month behind closed doors. That was when House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway and Budget Committee Chairman Diane Black sat down one last time to hammer out a deal. While the lawmakers didn’t disclose specifics about… Continue reading Morning Agriculture: Behind Conaway’s Agriculture Budget Crusade — It’s Always Sonny in Atlanta

CORNERSTONE ADDS INHOFE AIDE: Cornerstone Government Affairshas hired Anthony “Lazer” Lazarski, a senior adviser to Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) on national security, veterans affairs and defense authorization and appropriations. He’ll be a senior vice president at Cornerstone focusing on the same issues. He’s a retired Air Force colonel who led the Air Force Senate liaison office and worked… Continue reading Influence: Cornerstone Adds Inhofe Aide — Uber and Franklin Square Group Part Ways

AMAZON’S FOOD STAMP STRATEGY RAISES IRE IN D.C.: Amazon’s new Prime membership discount for the millions of Americans who have EBT cards is leading competitors to complain that the e-commerce giant might not really be playing by the rules as it positions to grab a share of the $70 billion food stamp program, reports Pro Ag’s… Continue reading Morning Agriculture: Amazon and Food Stamps — What the U.S. Lost Out on in EU-Japan Deal — Modified Moths and Eucalyptus Trees — Mexico Shunning U.S. Corn

A FOREIGN LOBBYING UPDATE: Mercury has provided some new details about its lobbying for a little-known group called the Libertas Foundation in a DOJ filing. Former Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) engaged in a flurry of lobbying shortly after joining Mercury in February, less than two months after he left the Senate. Vitter called and emailed several officials at the State Department… Continue reading Influence: New Details About Mercury’s Work for a Mysterious Foundation — Altria Hires Third Street Strategies — Time Warner’s Merger with AT&T at Little Risk Despite CNN Feud

CONAWAY AGREES TO A NUMBER: House Agriculture Chairman Mike Conaway has come to an agreement with House Budget Chairman Diane Black on how much his committee will cut from the farm and nutrition programs under his purview, POLITICO’s Sarah Ferris reported late Thursday…. For Full Article…

HOUSE BUDGET DRAMA EXPOSES FARM BILL FAULT LINES: It’s only 2017, but the right flank of the Republican party is already firing away at the farm bill. The House Budget Committee’s push to craft and pass a budget — something that’s procedurally crucial if the GOP wants to do tax reform — has become bogged down… Continue reading Morning Agriculture: House Budget Drama Exposes Farm Bill Fault Lines — Senators Urge Ag Focus in NAFTA Talks