200+ Members Visit Capitol Hill for NFU's Fall Legislative Fly-In  

 

This week, NFU Fly-in participants will urge policy-makers to support NFU's 2007 Farm Bill priorities, including funding for a permanent disaster program; a counter-cyclical safety net, indexed to the cost of production; a comprehensive energy title; adequate conservation funding; a strong nutrition title; a strong safety net for dairy producers; a competition title to reduce concentration and enhance competition in agriculture markets and a means to implement mandatory COOL. Participants will encourage Senators to support many of the provisions included in the House bill passed in late July.

 

Participants will urge members of Congress to increase the use and production of fuels from the farm, expand the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS), support a Renewable Electricity Standard (RES), extend and create production tax credits for community-based renewable energy projects and expand biofuels distribution systems.

 

As you know the House passed its version of the 2007 Farm Bill in late July, before adjourning for the Aug. recess. The Senate is preparing to mark up their version of the bill, though an exact timeline has not been determined due to limited floor availability.

 

There is a possibility that Senate Ag Committee Chairman Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, will have his Chairman's mark finished as early as the week of Sept. 24, though as of press time this information could not be verified. Harkin's main objectives are to include increased funding for both conservation and nutrition programs in the Senate bill. The House also included increased funding in these areas, but ran into obstacles when determining where the money would come from to fund the programs.

 

The Commodity Title structure continues to be an area of debate for the Senate. Even after Harkin releases his Chairman's mark, discussions to change it will likely persist. Despite delays in floor mark up time, Senate leadership is anxious to get the farm bill passed as quickly as possible. Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, Nev., has said he would work to get floor time for the bill as soon as the Senate Ag Committee finishes their mark up.

 

This fall, NFU, along with Farmers Union states, will be sponsoring one day educational workshops on forest management in Missouri, South Dakota and Wisconsin. The workshops will assist farmers in managing their wooded lands and help farmers network with other public and private cooperative forestry agencies and organizations. Now in its fifth year, the Farm Forestry Field Days have proven to be very successful. Nearly ninety people have been able to benefit from these workshops just this year.

 

On Sept. 11, Minnesota Farmers Union co-sponsored the third 2007 field day, "Managing Your Woods for Profit." Earlier this summer workshops were held in central Michigan and Iowa.

 

Dates for the fall workshops have not yet been finalized, but check our website for the most updated information on NFU's Farm Forestry Field Days.

NFU's 2008 Convention will be held March 2-4 at Bally's in Las Vegas. Guaranteed to be an exciting mix of top-notch speakers, policy makers and Farmers Union members from across the country, the 2008 NFU Convention is a can't miss event.

 

Last year we were privileged to have House Speaker Nancy Pelosi provide the keynote address and we are looking forward to another successful event in 2008. See you in Las Vegas!