Senate Approves 2014 Farm Bill, Zero Votes Left and One Signature to Go  

The U.S. Senate yesterday voted overwhelmingly to approve the bipartisan Farm Bill coauthored by Oklahoma Congressman Frank Lucas, Chairman of the House Ag Committee and Sen. Debbie Stabenow, Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, by a vote of 68-32. The bill represents rare bipartisan agreement on legislation that would boost a major sector of the U.S. economy and create jobs across the country. The 2014 Farm Bill, which reduces the deficit by $23 billion and represents the most significant reform of American agriculture policy in decades, was approved by the House last week and will now headed to the president for his signature.

"Many people said this would never happen in this environment, but Congress has come together to pass a major bipartisan jobs bill. Congress has also passed a major reform and deficit reduction bill. Both bills are the 2014 Farm Bill," Chairwoman Stabenow said. "This effort proves that by working across party lines, we can save taxpayer money and create smart policies that lay the foundation for a stronger economy.   (Click here to read the rest of the story.)

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the conference report on January 29 by a strong vote of 251-166.  Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas yesterday applauded the Senate's passage of the bill and thanked those who worked hard to see the bill through.  

"I am pleased the Senate passed the conference report and put us another step closer to enacting a new farm bill. I commend Chairwoman Stabenow and Ranking Member Cochran on their efforts throughout this process. We worked together to give certainty and sound policy to our agricultural producers; deliver taxpayers billions of dollars in savings; and provide consumers the affordable and reliable food supply they have grown accustomed to."

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the Senate's action "will allow the proud men and women who feed millions around the world to invest confidently in the future. Our communities will have additional support to attract new economic opportunity and create jobs. During difficult times, children, working families, seniors and people with disabilities will have access to nutritious food. The potential of new products, treatments and discoveries will be strengthened through new agricultural research. Renewed conservation efforts will protect our fields, forests and waters creating new tourism options. This legislation is important to the entire nation."  (You can read the rest of his comments by clicking here.)

President Barack Obama said earlier he would sign the bill when it made its way to his desk.  Commenting on the bill's Senate passage, he said, "This bill provides certainty to America's farmers and ranchers, and contains a variety of commonsense reforms that my Administration has consistently called for, including reforming and eliminating direct farm subsidies and providing assistance for farmers when they need it most. It will continue reducing our deficits without gutting the vital assistance programs millions of hardworking Americans count on to help put food on the table for their families. And it will support conservation of valuable lands, spur the development of renewable energy, and incentivize healthier nutrition for all Americans.   As with any compromise, the Farm Bill isn't perfect - but on the whole, it will make a positive difference not only for the rural economies that grow America's food, but for our nation.  (The rest of the President's statement is available by clicking here.)

With few exceptions, farm lobbying groups aired a collective sigh of relief over yesterday's passage of the Agriculture Act of 2014 by the U.S. Senate.

American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman summed up that sentiment, saying, "America's farmers and ranchers are one step closer to having the certainty needed-and provided by the farm bill-to make planting and farm business decisions. 

"Farm Bureau now looks forward to bringing the legislation across the finish line with the president's signature and working with USDA to get the new farm bill implemented as soon as possible."  (You can read more of Stallman's comments and hear my interview with him by clicking here.) I caught up with Mr. Stallman here in Nashville as he attends the Cattle Industry Convention. 

Tom Buis of Growth Energy praised the Senate's action.  "The bottom line is that this bill helps create jobs in rural America and advances first and next generation biofuel production that will help improve our environment and reduce our dangerous addiction to foreign oil."  (Click here for more from Tom Buis.)

Implementing the Agriculture Act of 2014 Won't be Easy, Informa's Roger Bernard Says

Once it is signed into law by the President, implementing the Agriculture Act of 2014 will not be an easy process says Roger Bernard of Informa Economics.

The bill reforms farm programs and ends direct payments and other farm programs. It provides risk management tools that help American farmers and ranchers survive weather disasters and market volatility.

If signed into law by the President, the bill will consolidate 23 existing conservation programs into 13 programs while strengthening tools to protect and conserve land, water and wildlife. By streamlining programs, the farm bill provides added flexibility and ensures conservation programs are working for producers in the most effective and efficient way - an approach supported by nearly 650 conservation organizations from all 50 states.

Bernard told his session at the Cattlemen's College here in Nashville at the 2014 Cattle Industry Convention that it is going to take some time to implement such a far-reaching piece of legislation.

"I think April would be the very earliest you could see it start because of everything they have to do-not only developing software programs and training the folks out in the county offices to run those software programs so they input the information correctly for farmers, etc., there also has to be a pretty massive education effort done on farmers to get them to understand what are their options and everything else."

Click here to read more of this story or to listen to my interview with Roger Bernard. 

Authenticity is the Key to Consumers' Minds and Hearts, Molly McAdams Says

Relating to customers in a marketplace of ideas that is often filled with negative and incorrect claims about your product is the situation facing the beef industry on a daily basis. It's a situation that Dr. Molly McAdams, former vice president of store brands at HEB, and the wife of a cattle rancher has confronted for a long time. She was one of the speakers at this year's Cattlemen's College taking place here in Nashville, Tenn.

McAdams spoke with me about how cattle producers can improve their outreach to consumers. She said she believes "that the internet has forever changed the consumer space and the way that any company interacts with consumers. It has created what I would call a third space. So, instead of just your traditional consumer and their environment, you have a company and their environment, and at some point those two overlap. Now there is a very clearly defined third space that happens to be virtual. And consumers are interacting with products in this third space all the time. We're not going back. We've got to figure out how to do a much better job of being transparent, giving consumers the information they want and, frankly, instead of trying to avoid eye contact with the average consumer because they frighten us, it's a matter of giving ourselves permission to embrace them and all of their idiosyncrasies that seem fickle to us because we are experts in our area."

Click here to listen to my interview with Molly McAdams on the latest Beef Buzz. 

ESA Working Group Releases Final Report & Recommendations

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) Congressional Working Group, led by Representatives Doc Hastings (WA-04) and Cynthia Lummis (WY-at large), yesterday released its final Report, Findings and Recommendations.

The report is the culmination of the Working Group's eight-month effort to examine the ESA from a variety of viewpoints and angles, receive input on how the ESA is working and being implemented, and how and whether it could be updated to be more effective for both people and species. The report reflects hundreds of comments from outside individuals and testimony from nearly 70 witnesses who appeared before a Working Group forum and House Natural Resources Committee hearings.   

The report concludes that "After more than 40 years, sensible, targeted reforms would not only improve the eroding credibility of the Act, but would ensure it is implemented more effectively for species and people." 

You can read the rest of this story and find a link to the full report by clicking here.
 

Rep. Frank Lucas Awarded Wheat Leader of the Year Award by NAWG

The National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) awarded Rep. Frank Lucas, Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee (R-Okla.) the 2013 Wheat Leader of the Year Award at last week's annual Wheat Industry Winter Conference in Washington, D.C.

NAWG President Bing Von Bergen presented the award to Rep. Lucas during committee meetings on Friday. After receiving the award, Rep. Lucas gave a brief speech to the NAWG board.

"It is always an honor to be recognized for your efforts on behalf of America's farmers. This is important to me because I represent one of the largest wheat growing regions in the country. The timing of this award is especially momentous as the House just passed the farm bill conference report getting us one step closer to enacting a five-year, comprehensive farm bill very soon. I appreciate the work of the National Association of Wheat Growers and again for honoring me with this award," said Rep. Frank Lucas.

Click here for more of this story.  

This N That- Today in Nashville with a few thousand of my best cattlemen friends (and cattlewomen, too), Farm Bill Signing and Big Iron

It will be a very long and very busy day here in Nashville at the 2014 Cattle Industry Convention and Trade Show- starting with my personal annual highlight of these meetings- the Cattlefax Market Outlook seminar.  That will include the legendary Art Douglas and his weather outlook(I hope he doesn't see his shadow and predict another three months of winter) as well as Randy Blach and his team of Cattlefax analysts that will jump feet first into where we are on feed grain and forage market outlook, the rebuilding of the US cattle herd, the market forecast for beef and cattle and what Randy describes as industry issues that could change the market landscape.  This session starts at 8 AM and we will be tweeting- stay tuned!

Later today- there will be sessions on Consumer Demand as well as policy issues- plus we will be roaming the trade show to find a interesting story or two for you there as well. Watch the tweets and watch the website as we post stories from Music City through the day.

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The word from the White House is that the President will sign the Agricultural Act of 2014 in a public ceremony on the campus of Michigan State University this coming Friday, February 7th- that will conclude a multi year journey for all of us who have followed these efforts that really started with hearings about four years ago. 

By the way,  

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It's Wednesday- and that means you can go cyber shopping for farm equipment and more at Big Iron- today, they will be closing the No Reserve auctions on 239 items- click here to jump to their website to check out what is available this week.

Remember- our friend Mike Wolfe who is a District Manager with Big Iron will be glad to walk you through how you can use Big Iron to buy or sell farm and ranch equipment- give him a call at 580-320-2718.