- Climate’s A Hot Issue In Arkansas Mar 9, 2010 — Politico Lisa LererArkansas is rapidly emerging as ground zero for climate politics, as advocates from all sides swarm embattled incumbent Sen. Blanche Lincoln.Lincoln’s approval rating — at an all-time low of 27 percent — has made her one of the most politically endangered Democrats in the Senate. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) attempting to veto an Environmental Protection Agency ruling that greenhouse gases endanger human health and welfare.
- New ‘gang’ Gathering On Energy? Mar 8, 2010 — Politico Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.)The meeting was called as Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) encouraged the White House to consider legislation that she’s introduced with Sen. Lisa Murkowski, the ranking member on the Energy and Natural Resources committee, spoke in favor of the energy bill that passed her committee in late June.
- EPA Defends Greenhouse Gas Caps Mar 8, 2010 — Politico The EPA is under fierce fire from more than a dozen lawmakers trying to block the new regulations, which would use the Clean Air Act to impose new emissions curbs on industry.
- Morning Score: All Politics Is Local Mar 7, 2010 — Politico The group also endorsed state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner for governor.FLORIDA: Georgia Gov. George LeMieux's prospects as a 2012 opponent for Democratic Sen. Bob Ehrlich is interviewing staffers for a potential campaign against Democratic Gov.
- Scientists misread data on global warming controversy Mar 5, 2010 — USA Today What's really happening, suggests polling expert Jon Krosnick of Stanford University, is "scientists are over-reacting. Jay Rockefeller, D.- W. Va., rolled out legislation to bar the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating greenhouse gas emissions from power plants burning West Virginia's coal.
- Animal activists target big breeders and puppy mills Mar 5, 2010 — Chicago Tribune The activists believe that if consumers know that the dogs come from big breeders, they'll be less likely to buy them. Nationally, there were laws that protected animals from abuse before children were granted the same protection. Prosecutors, finding no laws against child abuse, successfully argued that a child who had been beaten by her mother was a member of the animal kingdom and therefore entitled to the same protection from abuse.
- FBACT Newswatch: Climate Change. Biotechnology and Ag Safety Awareness Week Mar 4, 2010 — FBACT Newswatch New Climate Bill Possible By Next Week The idea of a cap-and-trade system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions appears to be dead in the Senate as Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) are expected to introduce a bill as early as next week that will initially cover only the [...]
- ‘Missteps’ Don’t Negate Climate Science, Obama Adviser Says Mar 4, 2010 — Business Week By Jim Efstathiou Jr. March 3 (Bloomberg) — The disclosure of research “missteps” hasn’t shaken the consensus that manmade emissions from burning fossil fuels are contributing to climate change, President Barack Obama’s top science adviser said. The release of scientists’ e-mails and errors in a report by a United Nations climate panel show researchers are human, John [...]
- AFBF Backs Bipartisan House Effort to Nullify EPA Proposal Mar 4, 2010 — FBACT Newswatch AFBF is urging House members to support a bipartisan resolution to disapprove EPA’s greenhouse gas proposal, H.J. Res. 76, introduced by Reps. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.), Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo.) and House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-Minn.). The resolution would nullify EPA’s proposal, which is built around the agency’s flawed finding in December 2009 that greenhouse gases indirectly threaten human health and therefore could be regulated under the Clean Air Act.
- Dems Drop Cap-And-Trade To Woo GOP Mar 2, 2010 — Politico Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), the ranking GOP member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, who represents a major energy-producing state.Republican Sen. Mary Landrieu said of the new proposal. “I’m completely opposed to economywide cap and trade. A compromise that Lieberman, Kerry and Graham were working on might have more potential.”And Sen.
- Peterson Moves to Stop EPA from Regulating Carbon Mar 2, 2010 — AFBF Rep. Collin Peterson has introduced a “disapproval resolution” in an attempt to stop the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating climate change emissions. Peterson said that “EPA bureaucrats” should not be put in charge of regulating greenhouse gases because it would harm the Minnesota’s ethanol industry. Environmental groups have dubbed Peterson’s bill the “Dirty Air Act.” “The [...]
- Obama Looking For Up-Or-Down Vote on Health Reform Mar 1, 2010 — Politico The Senate’s position is that the House must pass the comprehensive Senate bill before a package of fixes are taken up through reconciliation. House leaders had a tense conversation with senior White House adviser David Axelrod and Legislative Affairs Director Phil Schiliro, people present said. The advisers told the assembled House leaders about the letter Obama would send on incorporating Republican ideas.
- Senators to Propose Abandoning Cap-and-Trade Feb 26, 2010 — Washington Post Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), declared, "Cap-and-trade is dead."Graham and Sens. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) and Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) have worked for months to develop an alternative to cap-and-trade, which the House approved eight months ago. Senior Obama administration officials have also been studying the cap-and-dividend approach.
- FBACT Newswatch: Greenhouse Gas Resolution, Water and Food Check-out Week Feb 26, 2010 — FB Newsroom Disapproval Resolution Introduced in House Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) on Thursday introduced a resolution of disapproval of the Environmental Protection Agency endangerment finding on greenhouse gases. Reps. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) and Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo.) co-sponsored the resolution. The introduction of the resolution provides a bipartisan approach in the House to rein in EPA regulation of [...]
- EPA Will Need Increased Climate Funding as Regs Ramp Up, Jackson Says Feb 25, 2010 — New York Times By ROBIN BRAVENDER of Greenwire U.S. EPA will need increased funding for climate programs in future years as the agency moves forward on efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions, Administrator Lisa Jackson said yesterday. “I would expect that the needs would continue to grow as we move into a world — either through legislation, hopefully through legislation, [...]
- FFA Influences Young Farmers Feb 25, 2010 — Each year during the final week in February, the National FFA Organization and its members celebrate National FFA Week to pay tribute to the agricultural programs that have taught youth about the opportunities in agriculture and influenced their future life paths. With agriculture careers leading the pack in possibilities for young job seekers, FFA has done [...]
- FBACT Newswatch — Cotton Case, Greenhouse Gas Regulations, Food Check-out Week, HSUS Feb 24, 2010 — FB Newsroom Farmers Take Hit with Supreme Court Cotton Council Decision American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman said the ability of farmers to protect the nation’s food supply from pests took a big hit Monday because the United States Supreme Court refused to review National Cotton Council v. EPA. AFBF requested the Supreme Court review the decision [...]
- EPA Takes Heat On Climate Rule Feb 23, 2010 — Politico Her committee is exploring alternative climate proposals, including a carbon tax, according to aides.Sen.
- FBACT Newswatch: EPA Endangerment Finding, Food Check-Out Week Feb 19, 2010 — FB Newsroom AFBF Files Legal Challenge to EPA Endangerment Finding The American Farm Bureau Federation recently filed a legal challenge to the Environmental Protection Agency’s December finding that greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare. The agency’s action constitutes the first step toward economy-wide regulation of greenhouse gases and is an effort to achieve through regulation what [...]
- FFA: Off the farm, into the city Feb 16, 2010 — USA Today He plans to become a horticulturist and is an intern at Monsanto, a St. In Illinois, the Kankakee County Farm Bureau adopted a fourth-grade class at Chicago's Gray Elementary School. Farmers write to students about their work and visit the school, says bureau director Chad Miller.Of the 6 million youth who participate in 4-H activities, just 12% live on farms.
- Obama offers loan to help fund two nuclear reactors Feb 16, 2010 — Washington Post The loan guarantees would cover part of the $14 billion in financing needs; Japanese export loan guarantees would cover another portion. The nuclear units would require 3,500 construction positions and later 800 jobs for operating the plant. But in the latest budget proposal, Obama has proposed tripling that to $54.5 billion, an amount that Chu said could help jump-start seven to 10 new nuclear power reactors.
- Q & A with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Feb 15, 2010 — Washington Post What are the biggest challenges facing the USDA in terms of resolving civil rights cases and enforcing civil rights laws?There are three different areas of concerns. One area is the pending lawsuits against the department from farmers and ranchers who feel that they have been mistreated by the department. The programming side [of USDA] involves not just programs for farmers, but also rural development programs for developing housing.
- Don’t Forget The World’s Food Gap Feb 15, 2010 — Politico Within this regulatory structure, facilitation of American agricultural exports is key; global regulatory barriers to market entry must be removed.Third, we must collaborate to innovate. Advances in agricultural innovation can help to both feed and fuel the world. But I remain confident that harnessing the innovation of our policymakers, scientists and farmers around the world will put us on track to feed the world and preserve its resources.
- Series of missteps by climate scientists threatens climate-change agenda Feb 14, 2010 — Washington Post There is still a scientific consensus that humans are causing climate change. But we need to take a look and see if something needs to be improved."The IPCC climate assessments are, by any standard, a massive undertaking. The report said huge glaciers in the Himalayan mountains might disappear by 2035.
- Obama Ag Picks Sow Confusion Feb 10, 2010 — Politico Tom Vilsack was tapped as agriculture secretary by President Barack Obama, the presumption was that he would lean toward an emphasis on biotech.
- Senate offers some hope for legislation to combat climate change Feb 9, 2010 — Washington Post Obama cited speculations that the Senate might pass only a modest energy bill. Is there no alternative between simple do-nothingism and House complexity? Meanwhile, The Post's Juliet Eilperin reports that Sen.
- Farm Lobby Backs Halt To Epa Ruling Feb 7, 2010 — Politico Lisa Murkowski’s pending resolution to stop the EPA from regulation and similar legislation introduced in the House is but one prong of this assault. The agency received more than 400,000 letters, e-mails and briefs on just one rule aimed at alleviating the impact on businesses with modest emissions. Holmstead argues the agency has gone further this time — proposing initially to regulate only facilities that emit more than 25,000 tons of greenhouse gases per year.
- USDA abandons stalled animal ID program Feb 4, 2010 — Associated Press Online ...disease; and what's in a farmer's pasture is nobody's business. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the federal government remains committed to working collaboratively with states, tribes and the industry to build the new program. "I've decided to revise the prior policy and offer a new approach to animal disease traceability with changes that respond directly to the feedback we heard," Vilsack said in a statement. Paperwork follows all of his cattle to sale, Birkmaire...
- Obama Plots New Energy Path Feb 3, 2010 — Politico Jim Douglas of Vermont, chairman of the National Governors Association; Bob Riley of Alabama; and Mike Rounds of South Dakota.
- Obama: U.S. ‘can win the race’ for clean energy economy Feb 2, 2010 — USA Today The president who supports legislation to cap greenhouse gas emissions said he is also willing to explore new offshore drilling for oil and gas, as well the possibilities of "clean coal" technology. Obama also discussed new steps to boost production of bio-fuels.
- Chances are dim, but advocates will still push for immigration reform Jan 31, 2010 — Washington Post Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), who has taken the lead in drafting a Senate bill, rushed to reassure immigrant advocates and Latino groups that they were still working with Sen. Because the Senate tried and failed to pass similar legislation in 2006 and 2007, there are fewer details to hammer out and less guesswork over how senators might vote.
- Obama pushes nuclear energy to boost climate bill Jan 30, 2010 — Associated Press Online He was concerned about how to deal with radioactive waste and how much federal money was needed to support construction costs. Those concerns remain. His administration has pledged to close Yucca Mountain, the planned multibillion-dollar burial ground in the Nevada desert for high-level radioactive waste. The House passed a bill in June that would limit emissions of heat-trapping gases for the first time.
- FBACT Newswatch — State of the Union, Climate Change, USUS & Antibiotics Use Jan 28, 2010 — FB Newsroom Obama Highlights Energy, Trade in State of the Union In his State of the Union address Wednesday night, President Barack Obama called for more production of renewable fuels and nuclear power and committed to opening new offshore areas for oil and gas development. He also called for continued investment in advanced biofuels and clean coal technologies. Trade [...]
- Obama will reset his agenda in State of the Union speech Jan 26, 2010 — Washington Post Senior aides said Obama will link the increase in education funding to his calls for school reform.
- 2009 Democratic agenda severely weakened by Republicans’ united opposition Jan 23, 2010 — Washington Post Republican Scott Brown's victory in the Massachusetts special election on Tuesday cost the Democrats' their filibuster-proof Senate majority. Even with 60 Democrats, Reid was unable to advance the climate-change and student loan bills that the House approved last summer. Her Democrats would take no more politically risky votes, she told him, until the Senate had cleared its backlog.And that includes the health-care bill, Pelosi decided last week.
- Climate change activists work to regain momentum Jan 23, 2010 — Houston Chronicle Hurricane activity in every ocean last year was below normal. Global temperatures remain no warmer now than a decade ago. The Arctic Sea ice, at least temporarily, has modestly recovered.
- Election energizes climate bill talks Jan 22, 2010 — The Boston Globe As a Massachusetts state senator, he supported a regional program to cap emissions. Lindsey Graham and I even had a great meeting with the US Chamber of Commerce this week to get them engaged. The Supreme Court in 2007 ruled, 5 to 4, that the EPA has the authority to regulate the emissions, but the Bush administration did not act.
- Brown Wins, But All Is Not Lost For Dems Jan 18, 2010 — Politico And moderate Democrats are pushing Senate leadership to drop the cap-and- trade provision in favor of an energy-only bill, which could include renewable fuels standard tax incentives for alternative energySen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), has also shown willingness to work on climate issues with the lead Democrat on the topic, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), is pushing for an immigration bill of some kind, but there are even fewer potential Republican crossover votes.
- Putting the health-care bill’s big numbers in perspective Jan 16, 2010 — Washington Post In 2008, we spent $2.3 trillion on health care. According to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, total health-care spending that year will be about $3.7 trillion. Given the current rate of growth, in 2028, we'll spend $8.9 trillion on health care.
- Commodity regulators back limits on energy trading Jan 14, 2010 — Houston Chronicle ...traders as well as to energy producers and end-users that rely on the futures market to protect against rising and falling prices. Although the CFTC already imposes position limits on wheat and other agricultural commodities -- and individual exchanges have put caps on some energy futures -- Thursday's proposal would apply to energy contracts across all exchanges. Speculative traders The CFTC's proposed rules target speculative traders and other noncommercial investors...
The following are the issues the Farm Bureau has identified as being the
most relevant to our members:
- The Climate Change bill does nothing for Climate Change - it's a tax-and-spend bill. Help show Congress that voting for a Climate Change bill is bad for agriculture, bad for farmers and ranchers and will threaten any chances at a meaningful economic recovery!
