WASHINGTON, Dec. 6, 2016 - President-elect Donald Trump’s
quest to fill his administration continues to add new names to positions that
hold great importance to the agriculture sector. On Friday he met with North
Dakota Democratic Senator Heidi Heitkamp amid speculation that she could be the
next agriculture secretary.
Today Trump is scheduled to meet with Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad. Branstad has
been rumored to be a possible USDA chief, but more frequently as a candidate
for ambassador to China.
The Des Moines Register reported that
Branstad has been seen as a possibility for the ambassador position ever since
Trump told a crowd in Sioux City, Iowa, that the governor “would be my prime
candidate to take care of China.”
The meeting today with Branstad is in New York, but on Thursday, Trump will
travel to Des Moines for an event that is part of his post-election “Thank You
America” tour. Eric Branstad, who led Trump’s campaign in Iowa, will also be
meeting with the president-elect in New York this week.
Bankers ask lawmakers to fund FSA farm loans in CR. The demand for
government-subsidized farm credit continues to rise, say banking and farming
groups, and that makes it very important that lawmakers include extra funds in
the short-term appropriations bill that will likely be passed soon in Congress.
The National Farmers Union, National Grange, National Rural Lenders
Association, Independent Community Bankers of America, National Sustainable
Agriculture and National Association of Credit Specialists all signed onto a
letter asking House and Senate appropriators to make sure the needed funds are
included.
“When you factor in the existing loan backlog and the higher than previously
anticipated demand on (Farm Service Agency) loan programs due to lower
commodity prices, FSA will likely run out of money during the CR period, just
when farmers need the program the most,” the groups said in the letter. “We understand that this crisis now
cannot be fully averted until the final bill is approved this spring. We
continue to strongly urge you to give this issue the high priority it deserves,
in crafting the final bill, by providing for additional direct and guaranteed
operating loan funding than in the committee approved bills earlier this year.”
Conaway and Roberts pleased with CFTC position limits rule proposal.House
Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway and Senate Agriculture Committee
Chairman Pat Roberts both said Monday they are pleased that the CFTC agreed to
re-issue a proposed rule on position limits without making it final.
“Today’s action will offer (the CFTC) the opportunity to refine this rule and
ensure that it does not negatively impact (farmers’) ability to manage their
risks,” Conaway said.
But Debbie Stabenow, the top Democrat on the Senate committee, expressed
frustration.
“I am disappointed that the CFTC is not finalizing the position limits rule in
its entirety this year – nearly six years after the CFTC first proposed a
rule,” Stabenow said in a statement. “Position limits are a critical tool
for the CFTC to ensure that Americans are not paying too much for energy at
home or at the pump. Finalizing a full and meaningful rule should be the
first priority of the Commission next year.”
House and Senate reach agreement on California drought relief.Lawmakers in the
House and Senate have agreed on legislation to help bring relief to the
drought-stricken Golden State, according to statements released
by Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Rep. David Valadao, D-Calif.
The provisions, which would divert more river water to farms and households as
well as improve water storage facilities in California, will be included in the
FY 2017 Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) that both the House and Senate
are expected to vote on this week.
“This legislation will bring more water to our communities and supports
critical storage projects,” McCarthy said. “It also provides resources for
water desalination, conservation, efficiency, and recycling projects. Getting
to this point has not been easy, but the collective commitment to provide
relief to our state and local communities has proved resilient.”
Capitol Hill Christmas tree gets lit tonight. If you’re not feeling the
holiday cheer yet, maybe Congress can help. Tonight is the annual tree-lighting
ceremony for the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree at 5 p.m. ET. Speaker of the House
Paul Ryan and Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, will take part in the event on the West
Lawn of the capitol building. They’ll be overseeing the lighting of an
Engelmann Spruce tree from the Payette National Forest in Idaho.
The tree was cut down on Nov. 2 and then went on a 26-day odyssey from Idaho to
Washington D.C., stopping in many towns and cities along the way. Besides the
lights, the spruce tree has been decorated with “thousands of ornaments
handcrafted from recycled materials by Idaho communities,” according to a
statement from the Architect of the Capitol.
#30
For more news, go to: www.Agri-Pulse.com