Congress Back to Work on Farm Bill Legislation

Oct 21, 2013

By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com

After a 16 day partial federal U.S. government shutdown, Congress is moving forward on business, which includes the farm bill. Talks are expected to start up again on Monday and continue for the rest of the week.

The 2008 Farm Bill extension expired Sept. 30, with no new bill currently in place. There are several different components to the bill, including crop insurance and perhaps the most contentious, food assistance - which Republicans and Democrats have yet to find a compromise.

It comes down to numbers. The Republicans advocate to cut food stamps by $40 billion, while Democrats propose a $4.5 billion cut. Let’s see if the House and Senate can reconcile its food and farm issues to draft a new Farm Bill law this week.

Video: Exploring Precision Data in Swine Production - Dr. Janice Siegford

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show, Dr. Janice Siegford from Michigan State University discusses how precision livestock farming data can support pig health, welfare, transparency, and decision making. She explains why data ownership, privacy, consumer perception, and cost sharing must be addressed as technology becomes more common on farms. Listen now on all major platforms.

“Precision livestock farming data can support producers, veterinarians, certifiers, and consumers by enabling improved monitoring, prediction, and decision-making across the entire production system.”

Meet the guest: Dr. Janice Siegford / janice-siegford-24318839 is a Professor and Associate Chair in the Department of Animal Science at Michigan State University. Her expertise in animal welfare, neuroscience, and zoology supports research on pig behavior, stress resilience, and precision livestock farming. Her work explores early weaning, genetics, and stakeholder perspectives on technology adoption to improve pig care, health, and productivity. Learn more from Dr. Janice Siegford on The Swine it Podcast Show, available on all major platforms.