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Shining Light on Farm & Food Policy for 20 Years.
Friday, April 19, 2024
This week's guest on Open Mic is Ed Hamberger, President and CEO of the American Association of Railroads. In this week's interview Hamberger discusses the longstanding relationships between agriculture, railroads and feeding the world. But the industry is facing economic and regulatory challenges that could negatively affect the rail industry and its customers. The AAR supports expanded global trade through the Trans-Pacific Partnership and is hopeful a new Congress can bring needed change to corporate tax laws.
Jeff Nalley
Ed Hamberger, Pres. American Association of Railroads
This week's guest on Open Mic is Bill Buckner, President and CEO of the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation and Board Chair for the National Soil Health Institute. In this interview, Buckner outlines a national effort to develop a standardized condition rating and testing for soil health. A standardized numeric value could help producers embrace agronomic practices, technology and cropping systems which could eventually be tied to risk protection plans and crop insurance as well as the overall value of farmland. With a common goal of advancing agriculture Buckner says the National Soil Health Institute is leading a chorus of farmers, scientists, farmers and industry toward better soil health and a stronger agriculture industry.
Jeff Nalley
Bill Buckner, Pres. Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation
Just after returning from a trip to Cuba, Mike Strain, Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner and President of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture tells Open Mic about the need to build stronger trade with our island neighbor and support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Following the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew, Strain identifies the need for additional disaster assistance and other changes needed in a new farm bill. He also discusses the challenges of implementing federal regulations and NASDA's desire for cooperative federalism.
This week's guest on Open Mic is U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin D-WI. As a member of both the Senate Budget Committee and the Appropriations Committee, Senator Baldwin isn't fond of continuing resolution spending decisions. In this week's interview, the Wisconsin Democrat talks about the pending spending decisions facing the Congress following the November elections. Wisconsin farmers faced multiple extreme weather events this year and she discusses the economic and environmental storms before her state's diverse agriculture industry. Senator Baldwin outlines recent trade challenges with Canada and her thoughts on pending multilateral trade proposals including the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment negotiations with Europe. Plus, she is leading a new effort to get the Office of Management and Budget to help dairy producers.
This week's guest on Open Mic is Sterling Liddell, Senior Vice President for Rabo AgriFinance and Rabobank International in its Food & Agribusiness Research and Advisory group. Discussion on a new farm bill has begun across the country and in Washington with calls to get an early start on new policy. Some analysts believe the nation is on the verge of another farm crisis. In this interview, Sterling Liddell offers evidence of financial stress he sees growing on crop farms and highlights factors indicating a significant paradigm shift he believes farmers will have to traverse to survive the economic downturn. Liddell believes the Conservation Reserve Program needs to be revised to help manage crop acres and reduce land costs on marginal acres.
This week's guest on Open Mic is John Weber, President of the National Pork Producers Council. Congressional decisions on trade and market direction in the next 60 days will set the course for the future of the U.S. swine industry. Weber, an Iowa pork producer, explains how market access to the participating countries of the Trans-Pacific Partnership is critical to the profitability of the nation's hog farmers. Weber also discusses the impact of domestic and global consolidation in the swine industry. And, with discussion beginning on a the next farm bill, Weber points to his association's top priorities for the new language including disease management and producer risk protection.
