Senate to Vote on U.S. Farm Bill

Feb 03, 2014

By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com

The U.S. Senate will be voting on the nearly $1 trillion five-year 2014 farm bill this afternoon. If the Senate passes the farm legislation (it requires 60 votes for passage), then President Obama is expected to sign it into law. Congress has been in partisan gridlock for the past two years to pass an agreement on the food and farm legislation.

Last week, the House approved the bill, in a 251 to 166 vote. The bill ends direct payments for farmers, while expanding crop insurance. Is also offers livestock disaster assistance and a new program for dairy farmers. The bill also cuts about $8 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps.

Most of the U.S. farm groups support the farm bill, with the exception of livestock groups who strongly oppose the wording of the country-of-origin meat labeling rule. The bill is expected to pass the Senate with strong bipartisan support.

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.