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Shining Light on Farm & Food Policy for 20 Years.
Tuesday, April 16, 2024
Laura Batcha is CEO and Executive Director of the Organic Trade Association which is meeting in Washington, D.C. this week.
Organic appears to be going mainstream. USDA certification of organic production has allowed the word "Organic" to become one of the three top trademark words for foods. Wal-mart is planning to expand sales of organic products in its stores in the United States.
Batcha speaks of the challenges of growth while maintaining standards and developing an organic "checkoff" that will do as much, or more, than other checkoff programs for commodities.
In this wide ranging interview, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas, R-Okla., shares his thoughts about why it was so difficult to pass a new farm bill and his perspective on issues like the definition of “actively engaged” as USDA works on implementation. The Oklahoma Republican is also concerned about pending rules and regulations regarding the EPA’s proposed rule on the “waters of the U.S.” and how it impacts the ability of farmers and ranchers to make a living off the land.
Adrian Smith is the U.S. Representative from the third district of Nebraska. His district is rural, agricultural and covers over half the state. He is a member of the House Ways and Means Committee and is actively working for a variety of interests in his home district.
Congressman Smith speaks about trade negotiations with nations on the far side of two oceans. He also looks at the prospects of Congress giving "fast track" trade authority to President Obama and passing tax extenders legislation that benefit biofuel production. Smith is co-chair of the "Modern Agriculture" caucus and explains how the focus will be on understanding new technologies in agriculture. Finally, he states his position on the Keystone XL Pipeline that, if built, will cross his district.
Bill Reinsch currently serves as President of the National Foreign Trade Council. He oversees NFTC's efforts favoring open markets and opposing unilateral sanctions. Mr. Reinsch also serves as a member of the U.S.-China Security Review Commission. He provides a concise overview of pending trade deals and disputes with optimism and criticism. Reinsch indicates that negotiations on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Trans-Altantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) are the most ambitious of the new century and could move free trade to a new plateau. Reinsch says China, even though it is not part of any multilateral agreement, is still a major player in all negotiations on international trade.
James Moll produced "Farmland", a documentary about six farmers and ranchers from across the United States. The funding for the film came from the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance but Moll says he had complete editorial control. The film had its debut on Thursday, April 14 at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City. Five of the farmers featured in the film attended the gala event.
Moll is a very high profile film maker for this type of project. He has academy award credits to his name but says he had never been on a farm until he produced "Farmland". His point of view remains understated as he says he wanted the farmers to speak for themselves and tell about their industry and affection for their livelihood and lifestyle.
"This is the worst drought in forty years and maybe ever," says Congressman John Garamendi, who represents agricultural areas of the highly productive state of California. He projects reductions in water usage from twenty to one hundred percent this year. As a result, he wants to build new water storage lakes in a state that has said no to such construction for fifty years. Along with support from other California Congressmen, he introduced HR 4300: "The Sacramento Valley Water Storage and Restoration Act of 2014." Garamendi comes from a strong agricultural and public policy background. He grew up on a California ranch and still has livestock interests. He holds a degree in business from Berkley and an MBA from the Harvard Business School. Garamendi served as Lt. Governor and chaired the Economic Development Commission. He served in the state legislature, rising to Senate Majority Leader and later became California State Insurance Commissioner. In 1995, President Clinton appointed him to be Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Interior. He was elected to Congress in 2009.
