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Shining Light on Farm & Food Policy for 20 Years.
Sunday, May 05, 2024
This week's guest on Open Mic is John Keeling, Executive Vice President and CEO of the National Potato Council. In many ways, the nation's potato growers opposed the biotech disclosure bill recently signed into law by President Obama. John Keeling voices grower concern over the country's shift in labeling philosophy and ideas on future litigation and legislation on food labels. In this week's interview you'll hear what this group of specialty crop growers want from a new farm bill and their thoughts of separating nutrition and farm policy. With a fifth of domestic production shipped to global markets, Keeling shares concern over negative comments on global trade from the campaign trail and why the NPC supports the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
This week's guest on Open Mic is U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, who serves the 2nd District of Massachusetts and is a member of the House Agriculture and Rules Committees. McGovern believes food is an important tool to enhance U.S. national security and says farmers and consumers can both benefit from meaningful food and nutrition programs like SNAP. As ranking member on the nutrition sub-committee, McGovern believes additional spending on nutrition programs could save government spending on health care over the longer-term. McGovern says he eats foods with GMOs but criticizes the recently approved mandatory biotech disclosure legislation and shares why he is no fan of current or pending trade deals.
This week's guest on Open Mic is Tom Sleight, President and CEO of the U.S. Grains Council. On the sidelines of the group's summer meeting last week in Louisville, Sleight was optimistic about market growth for not only bulk commodities but for "feed grains in all forms" including ethanol, DDGS, and meat. Sleight counters much of the "trade bashing" that's been taking place on the presidential campaign trail, pointing out that the U.S. has lost more jobs to technology than to trade. He also makes the case that trade agreements build opportunities for industry and farmers as well as build relationships between nations.
This week's Open Mic guest is U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar. As the nation's political focus turns to the Democratic convention in Philadelphia this week, the agriculture industry awaits what role farm, trade, nutrition and rural issues will play in the party platform. In this week's interview, Senator Klobuchar challenges suggestions that nutrition programs be separated from the farm bill, discusses the need for global trade and offers specific reasons why the Cuban embargo must be lifted. The Minnesota Democrat is a member of the recently formed Rural Broadband Coalition and has joined other congressional leaders challenging the EPA's preliminary volume obligation targets under the RFS. Senator Klobuchar offers thoughts on the process that brought mandatory biotech disclosure legislation and what role that may play in future debate on Capitol Hill.
This week's guest on Open Mic is Pam Bailey, President and CEO of the Grocery Manufacturers Association. After months of hard fought debate over GMO food labels, standalone biotech disclosure legislation was approved by the U.S. Congress and will soon be signed into law by President Obama. Pam Bailey discusses how the labeling debate began and the challenges state labeling laws presented to interstate commerce. Bailey says GMA members are committed to providing the information consumers want and shares how digital disclosure will meet the needs of today's modern shopper.
This week's Open Mic guest is Jim Mulhern, President and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation.The dairy industry has turned sour as the NMPF celebrates its 100th anniversary, but dairy farmers have high hopes for new policy and greater global market access. In this interview, the dairy industry veteran discusses the challenges farmers face despite an amended federal dairy policy. Mulhern sees no guarantee of a new farm bill and says debate over biotech disclosure legislation could be a precursor to upcoming debate over food and farm policy. Mulhern says the outcome of the 2016 election will set a definitive course for agriculture for the future of the dairy industry.
