FOFC Year in Review

  • BFRDP (Juli)
  • Crop Insurance Access (Paul)
  • Whole Farm Revenue Insurance for diversified producers
  • 2014:
  • Included in 2014 Farm Bill
  • FCIC Board approved the product in May
  • NSAC Webinar with American Farmland Trust September
  • Pre-release RMA webinar include NSAC, RAFI, and NCAT
  • Release in November with NSAC Blog and press release (7 press placements)
  • 2015:
  • NSAC co-host Webinar with NCAT
  • NSAC presenting on WFRP at PASA in February
  • Analysis of participation after February/March signup deadline
  • Follow up meetings/comments with RMA on design of WFRP
  • Organic Crop Insurance
  • 2014:
  • Contract Price Addendum announcement in January
  • Price elections progress report (blog)
  • Win on Organic Follow on Survey questions
  • 2015:
  • Continued pressure on RMA to include more organic price elections for 2016 crop year
  • Work with farmers markets and other to get State Committee Approval for NAP organic and direct market price elections
  • Comment on NAP rule when released
  • Promotion of participation in Organic Follow on Survey
  • Crop Insurance/Conservation
  • 2014:
  • Cover Crops – termination guidelines
  • Scoping paper
  • Good Farming Practices handbook release (blog)
  • 2015:
  • Cover Crops and summer fallow practice
  • Good Farming Practice alignment with NRCS practice standards (comments by NSAC and members)
  • Commodity and Crop Insurance Program Reform
  • Farm Bill “Actively Engaged”
  • 2014:
  • 2014 Farm Bill Include direction to rewrite rules and exempt family members
  • Memo to Secretary Vilsack on “actively engaged”
  • 2015:
  • Measurable “actively engaged” standard to be eligible for farm payments (close existing loopholes)
  • Crop Insurance Reform
  • 2014:
  • Major Reform not included in 2014 Farm Bill
  • Identified FOFC Subcommittee to work on Crop Insurance Reform next steps
  • LSP Publishes Reform Reports
  • 2015:
  • Crop insurance Reform Scoping Paper (premium subsidy levels, transparency, A and O, conservation incentives)
  • Development of draft marker legislation
  • Development of new Champions
  • Development of Informal Coalition
  • Payment Limits
  • 2014:
  • Included in both House and Senate Bill, but not in final 2014 Farm Bill
  • 2015:
  • Initial prep to find champions and prepare to introduce market legislation for payment limits
  • GIPSA/livestock Competition
  • 2014:
  • An FY2015 appropriations priority (removing riders), but not a policy priority
  • Focused on removing the bad House language – successful in Senate Ag. Appropriations Subcommittee bill but not in House Appropriations Committee bill
  • Ongoing efforts since full year funding for FY2015 has not been approved (expires December 11)
  • 2015:
  • Working with Livestock Coalition on administrative angles – what can GIPSA do despite the riders (Poultry Working Group, AMS/GIPSA informational materials, etc)
  • Continue with appropriations priority if not removed for FY2015 (if removed work to prevent reappearance of rider for FY2016)
  • Explore what is next in Livestock Competition (COOL, GIPSA, Anti-Trust, Contract reform, etc)
  • Immigration Reform
  • 2014:
  • Senate passed Comprehensive Immigration Reform
  • 2015:
  • Take a position on whatever legislative proposal come out of the House or Senate