- •This Week at the Statehouse
- •On the National Side
This Week at the Statehouse
Week ten of the 2nd Regular Session of the 121st South Carolina General Assembly is completed.
SENATE FINANCE APPROVES SC FARM AID(Priority Issue)
The Senate Finance Committee met Tuesday and gave a 14-3 favorable as amended report toH.4717 the Farm Aid Fund. The Farm Aid Board was amended to a two-year sunset clause and the Department of Agriculture shall administer the grant program with the Farm Aid Advisory Board to make recommendations to the department.During the committee meeting, possible floor amendments were mentioned to include dams damaged by the October flood. SCFB is opposed to additional amendments which could be detrimental to final passage. On Wednesday,Governor Nikki Haleymade public that she'll veto the Farm Aid bill. SCFB is working hard to get a veto-proof (35) majority and we need your help.
Please contact members of the Senate.Provided below are a few talking points:
- The October flood caused millions of dollars in damage to farmers
- SC farmers are the backbone of our great state, and we need relief too
- Ask Senators to supportH.4717the SC Farm Aid Fundandfor quick passage
House Budget
The House of Representatives will come into session to debate the budget Monday, March 21, at 1:00 p.m. A full week of budget deliberations is expected.
National Ag Week
In support of National Ag Day, the Farm Bureau women gathered at the State House Tuesday, March 15 to celebrate agriculture and speak with legislators. The women also took part in commemorating the Governors proclamation declaring March 15 as Ag Day in South Carolina. Senator Danny Verdin (Laurens) and Representative Davey Hiott (Pickens) presented the proclamation to Agriculture Commissioner Hugh Weathersand the women on the State House steps.
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On the National Side
GMO Labeling
Calling the Senate's failure to move forward with debate on a voluntary GMO labeling bill on Wednesday "inexcusable," AFBF President Zippy Duvall said farmers will continue their fight to secure a law that supports consumers, America's farmers and ranchers and our nation's system of affordable, productive agriculture.
"To say we are angry with those senators who abandoned farmers and ranchers and turned their backs on rural America on this vote is an understatement. Their votes opposing this measure ignored science, threw our nation's food system into disarray and undermined the public's understanding of the many benefits of biotechnology in feeding a growing and hungry population," Duvall said in a statement.
Read the rest of the FBNews article here.
Farm Bill Rules Issued on Cotton and Peanut Programs
The Agriculture Department has issued rules implementing the Commodity Certificate Exchange program that can be used to repay marketing assistance loans for cotton and peanuts in 2015 and future years. This will allow cotton and peanut farmers with outstanding marketing assistance loans to redeem them using generic commodity certificates under the same terms and conditions in effect for the 2008 crop year.
Loans redeemed using generic commodity certificates will not be subject to either payment limitations or Adjusted Gross Income provisions included in the 2014 farm bill. This means that loans redeemed under circumstances that generate a market loan gain because the loan redemption rate is below the outstanding loan amount at the time of loan repayment will not see the market loan gain counted against the $125,000 combined payment limitation for Agriculture Risk Coverage, Price Loss Coverage and marketing loan benefits.
The commodity certificate exchange program does not change the treatment of Loan Deficiency Payment benefits, which will continue to subject to payment limitation and Adjusted Gross Income provisions.