Sarah Gonzalez

After the Republican Steering Committee made assignments that included ousting Kansas Republican Tim Huelskamp from the House Agriculture Committee, conservative lawmakers discussed the “scorecard” they believe House leadership is keeping during a press meeting on Wednesday.

Negotiations between the House and the White House on legislation that would contribute enough deficit reduction to avert the “fiscal cliff” seem as far apart as they began, according leaders on Capitol Hill today.

House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, responded to three conservative House members ousted from their committee assignments by the Steering Committee.

Conservative and taxpayer groups joined the Environmental Working Group (EWG) today to oppose passage of a five-year farm bill during the lame duck session as an attachment to a fiscal cliff package.

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas, R-Okla., said he is preparing for a “transition period” in the farm bill

Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services Michael Scuse reported “a great deal of positive feedback” from St. Petersburg, Russia today on the last day of a trade mission to promote U.S. agricultural products.

If Congress passes a five-year farm bill before the end of the year, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said he would “move heaven and Earth” to prepare USDA for the change. He made the comment after speaking Thursday afternoon at the Farm Journal Forum.

The Senate passed legislation granting permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) with Russia and Moldova today. The bill, H.R. 6156, passed by a vote of 92 to 4 and will now be sent to the president for his approval.

Senate Agriculture Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., said she would not support an extension of current farm bill policy during an address at the Farm Journal Forum on Thursday.

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas, R-Okla., said he is preparing for a “transition period” in the farm bill process during an address at the Farm Journal Forum on Thursday morning.