THIS WEEK IN
Federal Policy News
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Senators Feinstein and Padilla Send Letter to Shipping Carriers Urging Support for Agricultural Exporters in California |
Yesterday, Senators Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla sent a letter to thirteen major ocean shipping carriers, urging them to work closely with California’s agricultural industry in order to better support exports from the state. Significant supply chain challenges across the globe have resulted in billions in losses, much of which has been tied to issues in the shipping carrier industry. Citing the diverse commodities grown here as well as the importance of our dairy production, the letter explains that “…these agricultural commodities have been significantly hampered in exporting their products because of container and equipment shortages, canceled bookings, and inadequate receiving windows.”
Our members are all too well of the challenges faced over these past several years in trying to get their goods to market overseas. As such, California Farm Bureau has continued to support the passage of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act (OSRA), which would provide a number of key changes aimed at improving these supply chain problems. The House and Senate have passed two different versions of the bill, meaning there is still legislative work needed to be done in order to get a compromise version passed on to the President. CAFB continues to work with our coalition partners in bringing attention to this issue and thanks our California delegation for their help in this endeavor.
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Emergency Funding Request for Ukraine Would Look to Boost US Agriculture |
Last week, the Biden administration formally requested Congress to approve $33 billion in emergency aid funds that would either directly or indirectly support war-torn Ukraine. While the majority of funds are dedicated to financial and military support, $500 million would be funneled through the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), intending to expand US production of wheat, soybeans, rice, and potentially other commodities. Russia and Ukraine are two of the top exporters of wheat globally. Not only has the war disrupted agricultural production in Ukraine, but Russia has also enacted various full or partial bans on wheat and other resources and commodities.
If approved, it appears the USDA funding would enact a 2-year boost to loan rates for certain crops and edible oils. They also plan to provide a $10 per acre incentive for farmers to plant soybeans immediately after their winter wheat crop in 2023. Some lawmakers have signaled their intentions to look at these proposals a bit more closely, determining whether there are other ways to address rising prices and commodity-specific shortfalls due to fallout from the war. Many wheat-producing areas of the country are still recovering from significant drought issues last year and it’s unclear yet how the funds might impact these operations.
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May 26 NRCS Service & Funding Program Information Session |
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), in partnership with the Fresno State Office of Community & Economic Development (OCED) and USDA Office of Partnerships & Public Engagement, is hosting an information session to provide stakeholders a chance to learn and ask about such services as Conservation Technical Assistance and learn about funding programs like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP).
The information session is scheduled for Thursday, May 26, 2022, at 10:00 AM PDT. If interested in participating, please RSVP here.
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Immigration Takes Renewed Focus in DC |
In recent weeks, attention has been growing on a potential bipartisan immigration deal. Although still in the early stages, Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) have reportedly been meeting with other legislators in the upper chamber to discuss a package deal that would address a number of immigration-related issues. CAFB has been working with our coalition partners in helping push lawmakers to consider bipartisan bills such as the Farm Workforce Modernization Act (FWMA), which would bring much-needed reforms to the agricultural labor industry.
While the upcoming midterm elections cast doubt on the prospects of significant bipartisan legislation getting passed, regardless of the issue, there is hope that FWMA and other bills with GOP and Democratic support could be banded together to form a package deal that would get at least 60 votes in the Senate. CAFB will continue to update members as these discussions progress.
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Last Call for Agricultural Labor Survey Submissions |
This week, CAFB will be closing submissions for an important agricultural labor survey which has previously been shared with members. CAFB has partnered with UC Davis and Arizona State University to examine how farmers adapted to reduced worker availability and other challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. We know that the labor market and added stresses from the pandemic have been particularly challenging for our industry, so it is our hope that the results will better inform farmers, community leaders, and policy makers on how these issues are impacting the agricultural sector here in California. The survey should only take about ten minutes to complete and will remain completely anonymous. We encourage your participation and thank those that have already provided their invaluable feedback. We will be sure to share these results in the coming month. |
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Sara Arsenault
Director of Federal Policy
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Matthew Viohl
Federal Policy, Associate Director
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Erin Hutson
Federal Policy, Consultant
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