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U.S. Farm Bill moves to House

U.S. Farm Bill moves to House

The Senate Agriculture Committee voted 20 to 1 in favor of the bill

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

U.S. legislators are one step closer to signing a Farm Bill into law.

The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 passed through the Senate agriculture committee with a vote of 20 to 1. The bill now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.

The current Farm Bill expires in September but lawmakers want to vote on the new bill before they break for their July 4 recess.

“We’ll turn to the Farm Bill before the fourth of July and I’m hopeful the House will get to theirs shortly, which will give us a chance to get into conference and actually make a law,” Mitch McConnell, Senate Majority Leader and senior member of the Senate agriculture committee, said during Farm Bill discussions yesterday.

Farm groups would also like to see the bill move quickly through the Senate.

“Farmers and ranchers are counting on our lawmakers to come together and pass the Farm Bill soon, followed quickly by the president’s signature,” Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, said in a statement today.

Before approving the bill, the committee approved 66 amendments aimed at helping the American ag industry.

The amendments include increasing guaranteed operating and ownership loans from $1.39 million to $1.75 million, and authorizing funding to help develop an export market in Cuba.

Dairy producers, in particular, are pleased with some of the amendments.

The Senate ag committee agreed to reimburse dairy producers about $77 million in payments from the Margin Protection Program and raise the maximum covered margin to $9 per cwt.

“The leadership of Senators (Pat) Roberts and (Debbie) Stabenow has led to the creation of a bipartisan Farm Bill that has important provisions for dairy farmers during this prolonged period of low milk prices,” Jim Mulhern president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation, said in a statement yesterday.

“With the House also set to move on its version of the Farm Bill later this month, we are hoping a final measure will pass Congress by this fall.”


Trending Video

The FCDC and AgSmart Bring Plant Breeding to a Wider Audience

Video: The FCDC and AgSmart Bring Plant Breeding to a Wider Audience

In the vast prairies of Alberta, Olds College’s Field Crop Development Centre (FCDC) stands as a beacon of innovation and research in the agricultural world. The institution has become a key player in advancing agricultural technologies and practices. The FCDC’s commitment to applied research has driven them to seek effective means of disseminating their findings and creating a positive impact on the farming community.

One such avenue that aligns with their mission is AgSmart, an event dedicated to showcasing cutting-edge agricultural technologies. The coming together of the FCDC’s annual Field Day and Ag Smart has proved to be a natural fit, fostering a synergy that benefits both parties and propels the agriculture industry forward. The FCDC Field Day took part in conjunction with AgSmart for the first time this week on Aug. 1-2 in Olds, Alta. FCDC Program Director Kofi Agblor and Olds College VP of Development Todd Ormann sat down for an interview with Marc Zienkiewicz to discuss the significance of the two events taking part together and what the future holds.

The Intersection of Research and Technology The essence of the FCDC lies in its dedication to plant breeding and new seed varieties, particularly barley and triticale. While conducting research is essential, it becomes meaningful when its benefits are shared with the wider community. This is where AgSmart steps in, providing a key venue for the FCDC to showcase their research. This union between research and technology creates a holistic and enriching experience for farmers, ranchers, and industry professionals, the pair said.

Seeds as Technology For the FCDC, the partnership with AgSmart goes beyond mere event collaboration. It is about creating an environment that bridges the gap between seeds and smart technology, Ormann said. The college believes that for technology to truly revolutionize agriculture, it must begin with a strong foundation — high-quality seeds. As the saying goes, “it all starts with a seed.” To demonstrate this critical aspect, the collaboration aims to showcase the seed value chain as an integral part of the smartphone.

The Birth of a Powerful Alliance The idea of joining forces emerged when staff realized the potential synergy between AgSmart and the FCDC Field Day. With just a few days separating the two events, a proposal was put forward to merge them. The marketing and communications teams from both sides worked seamlessly to ensure the essence of both events remained intact, creating a powerful alliance that leverages the strengths of each, Agblor said.

Driving Advancements in Breeding For Agblor, the partnership with AgSmart has tremendous potential to drive advancements in breeding and other technology. With technologies like drones and imaging becoming integral to phenotyping, breeding is no longer confined to vast fields to assess thousands of plants manually. Instead, it benefits from the data-rich insights brought about by smart technologies. These advancements make breeding more efficient, precise, and instrumental in shaping the future of agriculture.

Overcoming Challenges Together While the partnership between Olds College and Ag Smart has been a resounding success, there are challenges on the horizon. Securing stable funding for long-term breeding initiatives is crucial to sustain progress. The college is committed to navigating these challenges and investing in agriculture’s future sustainably, Agblor said.

 

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