Policy Updates and Issue News July 2016

July 21, 2016

CONGRESS TAKES A LONG BREAK

Congress is out of Washington for seven weeks until after Labor Day.  First ,there’s a week off for the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, then a week for the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia and finally a month-long August recess .  Before leaving, both houses passed legislation to combat opioid addiction but failed to compromise on funding to limit the spread of the Zika virus.  When they return, Congress is expected to pass a short term spending package to avoid a government shut down when the new fiscal year begins October 1, because most appropriations bills which allocate funds to the federal agencies have not been completed.

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ISSUES

GMO Food Labeling Becomes a Reality

In the final hours before leaving town, the Senate passed (68-30) a compromise GMO labeling bill, the House passed (305-117) the Senate bill and Congress sent the legislation to the White House where the President signed it into law.  The legislation immediately preempted Vermont’s GMO labeling mandate and barred other states from imposing requirements that differ from the new federal standards.

In a nutshell, the new GMO law does these things:

• Food that contains any GMO ingredients must be identified on-package with, 1) the presence of a USDA approved symbol identifying the presence of GMO material or, 2) a smartphone-readable QR code that links to ingredient information or, 3) on-package label in plain language. Small businesses have the option to place a telephone number or web site on packages that direct customers to additional information.
• In order to require a label, foods must contain genetic material that has been modified through recombinant DNA techniques and could not otherwise be obtained through conventional breeding or found in nature.
• Separates the definition of genetically modified from bio-engineered. Genetically modified techniques introduce foreign genetic material into a plant species.  Bio-engineering techniques use specie’s own genetic material and is similar to centuries of natural genetic selection.
• Protects the common Commerce Clause which sets uniform procedures for goods and services to enter commerce throughout the United States. A patchwork of state labeling laws is counter to the Commerce Clause.
• Products from animals fed GMO grain or other ingredients will not have to be labeled.
• USDA will implement the GMO labeling program.

Congress Writes President Obama’s Initiative into Law

On a huge bipartisan vote (369-53), the House has approved the Global Food Security Act legislation that ensures both Feed the Future and the Emergency Food Security programs extend beyond the Obama Administration.  Feed the Future is a $1 billion-a-year initiative that the Administration has been operating in 19 target countries to improve agricultural production, combat malnutrition and reduce child stunting.  The Emergency Food Security Program allows USAID to provide electronic vouchers and locally produced commodities to hungry people in distressed areas around the world.  The traditional Food for Peace Program will still be required to use American commodities.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS ISSUES

Senators Want Rural Broadband

The National Grange sent a letter to the Hill commending a group of 26 senators who are asking the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to expand mobile broadband in rural areas.  The senators say expansion of rural broadband should be a top national priority of federal and state policymakers and will address important economic, educational, health and public safety goals.  They’re asking the FCC to use its Mobility Fund to develop and improve mobile service in underserved rural and agricultural areas.

New Senate Caucus Supports Rural Broadband

Five senators, who are focusing on strengthening broadband infrastructure and deployment across the country, have formed the Senate Broadband Caucus.  Republicans Shelly Capito of West Virginia and John Boozman of Arkansas, Democrats Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, and Independent Angus King of Maine aim for the caucus to promote bipartisan discussions, increase connectivity and close the digital divide in rural America.

Connecting Anchor Institutions

The Schools, Health and Libraries Coalition calls connecting our nation’s schools, libraries, health clinics and other community anchor institutions to next generation high-speed broadband an important national priority.  Their just-released report, “Connecting Anchor Institutions: A Broadband Action Plan”, outlines several paths to identify problems and provide solutions that improve access, funding and infrastructure.  Among key findings in the Action Plan:

• Currently 21 million students do not have access to broadband speeds required for digital learning
• 42 % of libraries have less than 10 Mbp speeds
• 39 % of anchor institutions in rural areas lack adequate access to broadband compared to only 4 percent on urban areas.

Lifeline Phones are Still Important

Lifeline is a federal-state wired and wireless telephone assistance program for low- income veterans, seniors, disabled and other special needs people across the country.  To many, the Lifeline phone is their only communications tool and their primary way to stay in touch with doctors, get emergency assistance, find and keep jobs and connect with families.  A Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reform proposal will phase out wireless Lifeline and only subsidize broadband internet service.  However, the FCC’s own data shows that 53 % of rural Americans have no access to broadband service.  The National Grange is asking the FCC and Congress not to phase out Lifeline service until rural America gets broadband access.  National Grange President, Betsy Huber , has written the Secretary of the FCC, several Congressional leaders and penned op-eds in three Washington, DC area daily publications.  Similar op-eds by New Hampshire State Grange President, Chris Heath,  appeared in the New Hampshire Business Journal and Concord Monitor.   West Virginia State Grange President, James Foster , authored an op-ed in the Charleston Gazette-Mail.  The common theme running through all these communications is what good is Lifeline reform to rural America if broadband is not available now or in the foreseeable future, and in the meantime FCC is killing wireless Lifeline service?

OTHER ISSUES

Energy Breakthrough

Before leaving town, Congress passed the first comprehensive energy legislation since 2007 by a huge 85-12 bipartisan margin in the Senate (S.2012) and a margin of 241-178 in the House (H.R.8).  The two bills now move to a Senate-House conference to resolve several major differences, a process  which will not be fast or easy.   Key provisions in one or both bills are:

• Improves the nationwide electric al grid infrastructure  capacity and cybersecurity
• Promotes production and export of liquified natural gas and other fossil fuels
• Expands renewable energy development
• Increases research and development for carbon capture utilization and storage technologies
• Accommodates pipeline modernization
• Maintains the Strategic Petroleum Reserve
• Permanently authorizes the national Land and Water Fund to protect and maintain national parks and wilderness sites (paid for by offshore oil and gas drilling fees)

Drones Cleared for Agriculture

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has released its rule to allow drones to integrate into the emerging technology of agriculture.  Drones are expected to help producers make better environmental decisions and grow more food using less water, pesticides, fertilizer and other inputs.  New regulations require:

• Drones must weigh less than 55 pounds, fly at speeds less than 100 mph and stay within 400 feet of the ground.
• Drones must stay in sight of the operator and fly only in daylight hours.
• The operator must hold a remote pilot airman certificate or be under supervision of a person who does.
• Flights are prohibited over unprotected persons on the ground who aren’t participating in the operation.

The FAA still has to address privacy considerations and the use of data gathered on people and property.

Corporate Structure Protects Family Farms

A young farm wife blogger caught our attention with her family farm’s motto, “Honoring the past, working today, preparing for the future.”  Katie Heger’s family raises corn, soybeans and wheat.  She argues that providing all business structure options to farms and ranches in all states will actually preserve our agricultural family heritage.

“Corporate farming often gets played as an emotional issue, one that many fear will take away the ‘family’ aspect of farming.  Consumers hear the word ‘corporate ‘and think of suits and ties and hundreds of employees.  But most people are at least three generations removed from farming or ranching and don’t fully understand the business side of agriculture.  A few quick numbers reveal the majority of ‘corporate farms’ are actually family businesses.   Of the 2.1 million farms in 2015, 5 percent were incorporated, and of that 5 percent, 4.5 percent were family-owned.  And 98 percent of those family operations had fewer than 10 shareholders.  Creating farm corporations opens up more opportunities for direct family involvement and allows non-blood relatives to take up the business as well.  The ability to use the corporate structure is one way to bring upcoming generations back into production agriculture and ranching instead of pushing them away.  As you can tell, I am a believer in opportunity, but opportunity must come with protection.  Protections need to be in place to make sure that large industrial businesses do not overtake agriculture.  Corporate farming options need to stay in the hands of those working the soil to raise crops and livestock.”

Katie blogs at hegerfamilyfarms.wordpress.com