C-FARE Info

Update on 2013 Farm Bill

Senate Farm Bill

The US Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry will meet at 10:00am on Tuesday, May 14 to consider the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2013 (the 2013 Farm Bill). On May 9 Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (MI) released the Chairwoman's Mark. To view the text or a summary please visit here - http://www.ag.senate.gov/issues/farm-bill

House Farm Bill

On May 15 The US House Committee on Agriculture will hold a hearing at 10:00 a.m. to consider the 2013 Farm Bill. On May 10 Chairman Frank Lucas of Oklahoma and Ranking Member Collin Peterson of Minnesota released a discussion draft of the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management (FARRM) Act of 2013. The draft and a summary can be viewed here - http://agriculture.house.gov/farmbill.

House Approps Subcommittee on Ag Hearing on USDA Budget

On Tuesday, April 16, 2013 the US House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies held a budget hearing addressing the “Department of Agriculture.” For details visit here. The link includes the option for viewing the video recording, testimony and opening statement. Witnesses included: The Honorable Thomas Vilsack (Secretary, Department of Agriculture), Dr. Joseph Glauber (Chief Economist, Department of Agriculture), Mr. Michael Young, (Budget Officer, Department of Agriculture).

House Approps Subcommittee - Department of Agriculture Research, Education, and Economics Hearing

On Wednesday, April 17, 2013 10:00 AM in 2362-A Rayburn the US House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies will hold a budget hearing addressing the “Department of Agriculture Research, Education, and Economics.” For details visit here. Witnesses include: Dr. Catherine E. Woteki (Under Secretary, Research Education and Economics, Department of Agriculture), Dr. Edward B. Knipling (Administrator, Agriculture Research Service, Department of Agriculture), Dr. Sonny Ramaswamy (Director, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Department of Agriculture), Dr. Mary Bohman, (Administrator, Economic Research Service, Department of Agriculture), Dr. Cynthia Clark, (Administrator, National Agriculture Statistics Service, Department of Agriculture), Mr. Michael Young, (Budget Officer, Department of Agriculture).

President's FY 2014 Budget

Today, April 10 the President’s FY 2014 budget was released. Information on the full budget can be located here. The USDA budget can be located here. The NSF budget can be located here.

Public Food and Agricultural Research in the United States: The Rise and Decline of Public Investments, and Polices for Renewal

As part of AGree’s ongoing efforts to lay the groundwork for a common understanding of the complex issues facing our food and agriculture system, we are releasing a background report on polices for renewing public food and agricultural research in the U.S. We hope you find it to be a helpful resource and source of ideas.

This AGree backgrounder was prepared by Philip G. Pardey, Julian M. Alston, and Connie Chan-Kang. The report shows how public funding for agricultural research and development (R&D) has declined markedly in recent decades. As the authors note, major competitors—most notably China—have not reduced their spending on agricultural R&D, and their agricultural productivity growth continues. The authors call for a doubling of total funding for agricultural R&D over the next 5–10 years. They cite this period as a crucial time to reposition the U.S. food and agricultural research and innovation system to address the changing scientific and market realities, and note the related implications for food safety, nutrition, health, the agricultural workforce, and rural and community development. The full report can be downloaded from the AGree website by clicking here.

This publication was commissioned by AGree to inform and stimulate dialogue about policy reform; it does not represent official AGree positions. The views expressed here are those of the individual authors.

Student Development Call

On February 8 from 2-3 pm Eastern C-FARE will hold a one hour conference call for students and faculty. We will feature speakers from Washington, DC to provide students with information on internship opportunities in Washington, DC, where to look for a summer internship and how to apply. Please RSVP by noon, February 7 here.

Food Insecurity Among Households With Working-Age Adults With Disabilities

Disability is an important risk factor for household food insecurity. One in three U.S. households that include an adult unable to work due to disability is food insecure. This report was released earlier this month from USDA ERS. Visit here.

Assessing the Impacts of Federal Farm Bill Programs

This AGree background report was written by Douglas Jackson-Smith, professor of sociology, Utah State University; Jessica D. Ulrich-Schad, doctoral candidate in sociology, University of New Hampshire; and Curt Grimm, research associate professor of anthropology and deputy director of the Carsey Institute, University of New Hampshire. This report summarizes the impact of federal farm and food programs on rural communities in the United States.

 

The report focuses on five programs: farm commodity programs; farm risk management, insurance, and disaster programs; agricultural conservation programs; food and nutrition programs; and rural development programs. AGree harnesses the power of diverse viewpoints respectfully, intelligently, and productively in a process that yields practical results. In this way, we seek to help solve some of society’s most intractable problems. We hope you find our latest research of interest, and invite you to visit www.FoodAndAgPolicy.org to learn more and join our effort to transform federal food and agriculture policy to meet the challenges of the future.

 

AGree is funded by the Ford Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, The McKnight Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, and The Walton Family Foundation.

National Academies Study of AFRI

An NRC committee will perform an independent assessment of the AFRI program, including the quality and value of research funded by the program and the prospects for its success in meeting established goals and outcomes. For more information on the assessment please visit here. We would like to thank all panel members for their time, and especially recognize applied economists Dr. Steven T. Buccola and Dr. Philip G. Pardey for their work on this important panel.

NIFA-AFRI – Agricultural Economics and Rural Communities Program three-part webinar series

The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative – Agricultural Economics and Rural Communities Program is excited to host a three-part webinar series on January 22, January 30, and February 7, 2013. The series will showcase recent research supported by the Markets and Trade and Environment Program Areas. All are invited to listen in and join the discussion on these interesting NIFA-funded research projects. Any updates or changes will be posted at the following website: http://www.nifa.usda.gov/nea/economics/in_focus/market_env_webinar.html