C-FARE Info

USDA and HHS Food Safety Working Group Update on Import Food Safety Center

Recently Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius commended the Department of Homeland Security for opening a center devoted to ensuring the safety of foods imported to the United States. The Commercial Targeting and Analysis Center (CTAC) for Import Safety is operating under the direction of Customs and Border Protection (CBP). It was created on the recommendation of President Obama's Food Safety Working Group, which is charged with advising the President on how to upgrade the U.S. food safety system for the 21st century. For more information of the Food Safety Working Group, please visit their website. View the USDA Release.

USDA Releases First Draft of Proposed Crop Insurance Agreement to Protect Farmers From Higher Costs, Rein in Costs, and Improve Access to Crop Insurance Throughout the Country

USDA's Risk Management Agency (RMA), which administers the Federal crop insurance program, recently released the first draft of a proposed new Standard Reinsurance Agreement between the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation and the crop insurance companies which deliver the program nationally. The 2008 Farm Bill authorized RMA to renegotiate the agreement which was last negotiated for 2005.

RMA expects to notify the companies at the end of 2009 that the current agreement will be canceled as of June 30, 2010, paving the way for this new agreement to be signed by all parties.

The proposed new Standard Reinsurance Agreement includes six primary objectives which RMA hopes to obtain in renegotiation of the agreement: (1) Maintains producer access to critical risk management tools; (2) Align Administrative and Operating (A&O) subsidy to insurance companies closer to actual delivery costs; (3) Provide a reasonable rate of return to insurance companies; (4) Protect producers from higher costs while equalizing reinsurance performance across States to more effectively reach under-served producers, commodities and areas; (5) Simplify provisions to make the SRA more understandable and transparent; and (6) Enhance program integrity.

In preparation for these negotiations, RMA contracted with an internationally known company, Milliman Inc., to review historical rates of return and determine what a reasonable rate of return is for the crop insurance industry.  See the full oneline report.  Also, view the USDA Press Release for more details.

House Ag Subcommittee Reviews The Costs and Benefits of Agriculture Offsets

Today the House Agricultural Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research held a hearing to review “the costs and benefits of agriculture offsets.” Witnesses included Dr. Joseph Glauber (Chief Economist, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.), Dr. Joseph Kile (Assistant Director for Microeconomic Studies, Congressional Budget Office, Washington, D. C.), Dr. Brian Murray (Director for Economic Analysis, Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina), Dr. Bruce McCarl (Distinguished Professor of Agricultural Economics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas), Dr. Brent Sohngen (Professor, Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio), Dr. Dermot Hayes (Professor of Economics, Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa), and Dr. Michael Wara (Assistant Professor, Stanford Law School, Stanford, California). You can view opening statements on the Committee’s website.

House Hearing Regarding Potential Economic Impacts of Climate Change on Farm Sector

Today the House Agriculture Committee held a hearing to review “the potential economic impacts of climate change on the farm sector.” Witnesses included: Joseph Glauber (Chief Economist, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C.); Dr. Joe Outlaw (Professor and Extension Economist-Farm Management and Policy, Department of Agricultural Economics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas); Dr. Patrick Westhoff (Co-Director, Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri); Dr. John Antle (Professor of Agricultural Economics and Economics, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana); Dr. Jude Capper (Assistant Professor of Dairy Science, Department of Animal Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington); and Mr. Richard C. Pottorff (Chief Economist, Doane Advisory Services, St. Louis, Missouri). You can view the witness statements on the Committee website.

Senate Reviews Environmental Stewardship Policies

Today the US Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a hearing to examine environmental stewardship policies related to offshore energy production.

Rural Broadband Programs and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

Today the House Agriculture Committee, Subcommittee on Rural Development, Biotechnology, Specialty Crops, and Foreign Agriculture held a hearing to review rural broadband programs funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Speakers included The Honorable Jonathan S. Adelstein (Administrator, Rural Utilities Service, USDA) and The Honorable Lawrence E. Strickling (Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information, National Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce). View the Agriculture Committee website for statements and other information.

Senate Hearings Examining Financial Market, Food Safety, and Climate Change

Today the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee held a hearing to examine reforming the United States financial market regulation, and to examine the nomination Thompson to be a Member of the Farm Credit Administration Board, Farm Credit Administration. The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee will be holding a Business meeting to consider S.510, to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to the safety of the food supply. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources: Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests will hold hearings to examine managing Federal forests in response to climate change, focusing on natural resource adaptation and carbon sequestration.

House Ag Reviews Financial Stability Improvement

On November 17 the House Agriculture Committee held a hearing to review the Financial Stability Improvement Act. Visit their website for opening statements from the witnesses and other information.

Senate Hearing on Reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Program

Today the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee held a hearing regarding “Reauthorization of U.S. Child Nutrition Programs:  Opportunities to Fight Hunger and Improve Child Health.” Visit the Committee website for opening statements from witnesses.

Dr. Shah Nominated to USAID

On November 10, 2009 President Obama nominated Dr. Rajiv Shah as the next administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development. Dr. Shah began serving as the Under Secretary for the Research, Education and Economics Mission Area and Chief Scientist within USDA on June 2, 2009. View details from the National Ag Library Post.