Policy Updates and Issue News November 2019
| Agriculture and Food |
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Battle of the BurgersThe non-meat burger was unfurled this fall amid massive media fanfare. Everyone from major investors, venture capitalists, food companies, grocery stores to restaurants and burger chains jumped on board to try the meat imitator products. More recently, some backlash has developed in the form of media campaigns and legislative efforts. Recently a full-page ad in the New York Times asked, “What’s hiding in your plant-based meat?” indicating the “ultra-processed imitations” were filled with mysterious non-plant ingredients. Burger King shot back, “the Impossible Burger has none of the noxious slaughterhouse contaminants that can found in almost all ground beef.” Additional ads followed in theWall StreetJournal and USA Today. Introduction of bipartisan legislation soon followed that would stop food companies from using the word “meat” to market plant-based products. Traditionally, organizations such as the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society have advised eating less meat and proceeded foods. But recent studies published by the Annals of Internal Medicine argue that eating red meat is only minimally risky for most people and recommends that most people can continue eating meat at current levels. So Let’s Conduct Real ResearchThe National Grange joined nearly 100 research, academic, agriculture and food groups in urging Senators to support and cosponsor the America Grows Act (S. 2458) by Senator Durbin (D-IL). The bill would significantly increase our nation’s investment in agricultural research and development with an expected return on investment of $20 to $1. Are Regenerative Agriculture and Sustainable Food Synonymous?Regenerative agriculture is a new name for the emerging use of many old tried and true farming and land practices. Many of these practices became victims of large-scale farming amid the push for more productivity. Soil productivity appears to be responding to soil-health and land management practices that emulate nature. Some of the more popular practices are:
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| Health Care |
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Drug Price DisclosureThe House has unanimously passed the Public Disclosure of Drug Discounts Act, H.R. 2115. Beginning January, 2020, the Secretary of Health and Human Services must publically disclose information on Pharmacy Benefit Managers’ rates, fees, rebates, discounts, and other price concessions with health plans and pharmacies in a manner that also prevents disclosure of confidential information. Rebate and discount transparency is a top priority for the National Grange. H.R. 2115 will need to be reconciled with a plethora of health care bills moving through the Senate. Support Health Equity GuidelinesThe National Grange joined several organizations that represent diverse communities across the country to urge Congress not to overlook underrepresented segments of our population during the health care policy-making process. There are socio-economic health determinate disparities such as rising health care costs, under-resourced hospitals, insurance coverage gaps, lack of addiction care services, underrepresentation in clinical trials for cures, lagging innovation, and more where the health care industry needs to focus on diverse communities Urban-Rural Health Gap WidensAccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, rural residents are far more likely to die from preventable diseases than people living in cities and that gap continues to widen. Major diseases in this category include cancer, heart disease, and chronic lower respiratory disease. Issues complicating rural health improvement include cigarette smoking, obesity, substance use disorder and concentrated poverty. The “Pelosi Plan” to Lower Drug PricesThe Lower Drug Costs Now Act of 2019, H.R. 3, (dubbed the “Pelosi Plan”) passed on party line votes by committees with jurisdiction and is on its way to the House floor where it could pass on a party line vote in December. The bill is extremely expensive for tax payers and its “pay for” could deem it dead on arrival in the Senate. |
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| Immigration/AG Workforce | ||||||||||||||||||
Health Care Moves to Center StageThe National Grange joined a majority of American agriculture and allied industry groups to urge House Speaker Pelosi and Minority Leader McCarthy to move the bipartisan Farm Workforce Modernization Act (H.R.5038) through the House to address the labor crisis facing agriculture throughout the country. The bill cleared the House Judiciary Committee by a vote of 18-12 the week before Thanksgiving and could reach the House floor before Christmas. Sponsors of the bill are Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-19) and Dan Newhouse (R-WA-4) with 24 Democrat and 20 Republican cosponsors. The bill does have Republican opposition to its provision that allows current experienced farm workers to earn legal status. |
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| Paper Please |
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The National Grange and the Coalitions for Paper Options have been waging a campaign to allow consumers the option to continue receiving paper bills, reports, statements, account updates, etc. instead of being forced to receive these electronically. A 2019 Toluna consumer survey indicated that 86% of Americans want the right to choose how they receive their communications. The coalition supported 38 House cosigners on a letter to the Secretary of Labor to oppose a proposed rule requiring mandatory electronic disclosures by default. |
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| Taxes | ||||||||||||||||||
Tax ExtendersReinstatement of biodiesel tax credits have been included in a package of green energy tax incentives proposed by House Democrats. The proposal would extend the $1 per gallon tax subsidy through2021 then phase out over several years. It’s been about two years since the biodiesel industry has received a subsidy. On the Senate side, Finance Chairman Grassley (R-IA) wants to reinstate the credit for 2018 and 2019 but has been unable to reach a deal with Senate Democrats on a narrow extenders bill to extend expiring or recently expired tax breaks. Death TaxesThe National Grange joined scores of small business, agricultural, land owner, food, citizen and retiree groups to support the pending introduction of the Death Tax Repeal Act by Senator John Thune (R-SD) and Representative Jason Smith (R-MO-8). |
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| Telecommunications | ||||||||||||||||||
Support for Oklahoma Lifeline ProgramThe National Grange and the Oklahoma State Grange filed a brief with the Oklahoma Corporation Commission in support of its proposed funding increase of the Oklahoma Lifeline Fund. Lifeline supplies wireless services for millions of low-income Americans, especially those in remote rural areas with no access to robust broadband. USDA Awards Connectivity GrantsThe USDA has awarded $42.5 million to 37 states and two provinces for 133 projects under its Distance Learning and Telemedicine grant program. These grants will allow 5.4 million rural residents to take advantage of economic, health and educational opportunities without having to travel long distances. Applications were available to state and local governments, businesses, tribes, nonprofits and other eligible entities. The National Grange supported this funding through the FY’19 appropriations process in Congress. |
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| Trade | ||||||||||||||||||
Hope Building for USMCAThere’s an old saying in Washington that negotiating trade agreements is like watching molasses pour on a cold morning. The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement continues to make two steps forward and one step back. The House Democrats have been demanding stronger enforcement policy to assure that Mexico will not backslide on its labor and wage commitments to keep U.S. manufacturers from relocating south of the border. They also want to see text of the final agreement before they vote. Negotiations have now been elevated to direct talks between House Speaker Pelosi, Ways and Means Chairman Neal and the White House. There is guarded optimism that a trade deal could clear the House before Christmas but the timeline for review by several House committees and scoring by the Congressional Budget Office may be too short in December. The National Grange continues to urge passage of this package that is so economically important to agriculture and rural areas. China is Still the Elephant in the RoomThe “phase one” trade deal with China may morph into something bigger amid escalating demands from both sides. China has yet to commit to the specifics of large agricultural purchases while demanding the removal of tariffs imposed during the trade war. The U.S. is balking unless China addresses the core issues of intellectual property and technology theft. This elephant now moves to 2020 for any resolve. Pessimism is increasing among trade experts and China-watchers who fear “phase two” and maybe even “phase one” will become embroiled in the overriding politics of 2020. Some Good Trade NewsMeat exports set both volume and value records this year. Pork export volume jumped 12%, beef exports rose 4% and lamb exports doubled. China is lifting its four-year ban on U.S. poultry opening the way for hundreds of millions of dollars of U.S. exports. |
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| Transportation | ||||||||||||||||||
Support for National Aviation NetworkThe Washington Times published an article by National Grange President Betsy Huber and Alliance for Aviation Across America Executive Director Selena Shield which stressed the importance of general aviation and airports of all sizes to our national economy. There are over 5,000 airports around the country but the majority of commercial air traffic goes through only about 30 of these. This means that for thousands of communities around the nation, this smaller airport network used largely by general aviation aircraft is a literal lifeline to small and mid-size communities. The two leaders applauded recent actions by Congress to secure long-term funding for the Federal Aviation Administration to continue building modernization technology into our air traffic control system. Trucker Hours of Service LegislationMinnesota’s Angie Craig and Pennsylvania’s Lloyd Smucker along with several cosponsors have introduced bipartisan H.R. 4919, The Responsible and Efficient Agriculture Destination Act (TREAD), to give farmers and ranchers more haul time flexibility when transporting live animals and perishable goods. The National Grange supported introduction of TREAD and will urge its passage by Congress. |
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| Give Fly-In for Christmas |
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Be sure the dates of February 7-9, 2020 are marked in red on your calendar. Then give a gift to the National Grange Fly-In 2020 for Christmas. Look for all the details coming your way soon. We will participate in the “First in the Nation” Presidential Primary in New Hampshire that has become a tradition for Grangers. We’ll fly into Manchester, N.H. on Thursday and depart on Sunday. If you can’t make it on Thursday, catch up with us on Friday. You’ll have the chance Saturday to campaign for the candidate of your choice and see the world’s media concentrated in one staging location. |
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| Perspective | ||||||||||||||||||
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