Cattlemen's Capitol Concerns
July 26, 2007

The Cattlemen’s Capitol Concerns (CCC) is a weekly report from Washington, D.C., giving an up-to-date summary of top policy initiatives concerning the cattle industry; direct from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA). Please feel free to reprint in full or in part. If you’d like to include NCBA’s logo, contact us at 202-347-0228.

Cattlemen Urge House to Move Farm Bill Forward:  At press time, the U.S. House of Representatives was about to decide whether to begin debate on the Farm Bill Thursday evening or wait until Friday morning.  Either way, cattle producers are supportive of the legislative process that has resulted in the Farm, Nutrition and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (H.R. 2419) and with a few tweaks, hope to see its passage before August recess. 

“There are many improvements for cattlemen included in the Farm Bill that was reported from the Ag Committee late last week,” says NCBA’s Executive Director of Legislative Affairs Colin Woodall.  “This bill isn’t perfect, but it appears to address many of the issues identified as priorities by our members.”

These priorities include increased funding and flexibility for conservation programs and a compromise legislative remedy that will result in the implementation of mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL).  NCBA has also worked to oppose any amendments that would alter the competitive structure of the cattle industry, and we have been successful in keeping them out of the bill. 

Despite these improvements, a proposed Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) cap and payment limitations could prohibit many producers from participating in Farm Bill conservation programs, including the popular Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), unless a change is made to the bill. 

“EQIP is one of the most popular programs used by our members.  It helps them implement voluntary conservation practices on their operations while promoting agricultural production and environmental quality,” says Woodall.  “Payment limitations don’t make sense for conservation.  We’re asking the House to approve language that will remedy this problem so our producers can continue to participate in cost-share conservation programs.”

NCBA will continue to monitor the Farm Bill debate this weekend and engage in discussions with members of Congress and their staff.  Cattle producers are encouraged to contact Representatives and communicate to them about your Farm Bill priorities!

Fankhauser Testifies for NCBA at Senate Finance Hearing:  Terry Fankhauser, executive vice president of the Colorado Cattlemen's Association, testified on behalf of NCBA at a Senate Finance Committee hearing on Tuesday, July 24, on Oversight of Government Tax Policy in Farm Country.  NCBA’s testimony focused on the importance of preserving our nation’s grasslands and the need for a permanent disaster relief program for agriculture.

“We need to keep our grasslands and ranchlands intact, and we need tools like the Grassland Reserve Program (GRP) to help keep our producers on the land and in business,” said Fankhauser.  While NCBA supports continued funding for the GRP, Fankhauser identified the following specific recommendations to help make it more landowner friendly:

- The 2007 Farm Bill should give USDA more flexibility to allow private land trusts to not only hold GRP easements, but also negotiate the terms of the easements.

- Third parties should be able to use their own easement template for a GRP easement, as long as it includes the necessary grassland conservation restrictions.

- GRP easements should have the ability to be transferred to other qualified organizations in the event of dissolution or if they are unable to fulfill their easement monitoring responsibilities.

In his testimony, Fankhauser also reinforced NCBA’s support for S. 469, which will make permanent a 2006 tax code change for voluntary conservation donations – donations by private landowners that retire development rights to protect significant wildlife, scenic, and historic resources. 

On the topic of disaster assistance, Fankhauser said farmers and ranchers need a permanent disaster assistance program to better deal with the impacts suffered in the wake of hurricanes, wildfires, tornados, blizzards, floods or even prolonged drought.

Colorado and Illinois Cattlemen in Washington This Week:  NCBA cattle producer-members from the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association and the Illinois Beef Association are in town this week walking the halls of Congress. Their visit is part of NCBA’s “Cattlemen and Congress.” Their efforts are focused on monitoring the Farm Bill debate in the House and communicating to members of Congress about the needs of cattlemen in the countryside.

NCBA is coordinating “Cattlemen and Congress” visit days in June and July. During this busy time in Washington, cattle producers are encouraged to visit their lawmakers and convey first-hand their messages about current policy issues.

Transportation Bill:  Reps. Dan Boren (D-Okla.) and Mary Fallin (R-Okla.) introduced a bill on July 19 to raise the federal exemption on the maximum weight for farm vehicles to 26,000 lbs. on a national basis.  H.R. 3098 is aimed at amending title 49, United States Code, to provide certain exemptions to drivers of intrastate commercial motor vehicles engaged in agricultural purposes.  NCBA is supportive of this bill in accordance with member policy which calls for updating the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act to create a uniform mileage exemption for farm use of vehicles over 26,000 pounds. 

EPA Extends Clean Water Act Deadlines for Animal Feeding Operations:   In response to comments from NCBA, other animal agriculture organizations and the public, EPA announced last week a final rule extending certain compliance deadlines from July 31, 2007 to February 27, 2009 for concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). 

A February 2005 federal court decision vacated some portions of the 2003 CAFO rule, and EPA proposed a revised rule in 2006 which is not yet final.  The revised compliance dates, published in the July 24 Federal Register, will provide time for states and the agricultural community to adjust to the new requirements of the 2006 proposal once it becomes final.

Drought Assistance:   Ag Secretary Mike Johanns announced July 20 that Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acreage will be made available to help provide livestock in drought-affected states with additional hay and forage. CRP acreage eligible for emergency haying and grazing in Alabama, Indiana, Mississippi, Montana, Ohio, Oregon and Tennessee has been expanded to include land in an area radiating 210 miles out from all counties previously approved for emergency haying and grazing.

CRP is a voluntary program that offers annual rental payments and cost-share assistance to establish long-term resource-conserving cover on eligible land. The expanded acreage permits approved CRP participants to cut hay or graze livestock on CRP lands, providing supplemental forage to producers whose pastures have been negatively affected by drought. Producers with CRP acreage that is hayed or grazed will be assessed a 10 percent reduction in their annual rental payment. Maps relating to this announcement, and more information on emergency haying and grazing, are available at local FSA offices and online at: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/FSA/webapp?area=home&subject=copr&topic=crp-eg.

Two New Superfund Co-Sponsors:  Members of Congress continue to show their support for legislation clarifying that Congress never intended to regulate livestock manure under Superfund regulations. 

Created in the 1980s, Superfund provides for cleanup of toxic waste dumps and hazardous chemical spills.  Superfund is NOT meant to cover livestock manure on farms and ranches, nor should America’s farmers and ranchers be subject to liabilities and clean-up costs every time they spread manure on a field. 

In the 110th Congress, S. 807 and H.R. 1398, if passed, would exempt manure from regulation as a Superfund material.  In the House, there are now 128 co-sponsors with Reps. Tom Price (R-Ga.) and Mark Souder (D-Ind.) signing on July 23^rd.  The Senate bill has 26 co-sponsors.  NCBA applauds the members of Congress who are co-sponsoring these bills and thanks them for standing up for American agriculture. 

All cattle producers are urged to contact their Senators and Representatives at their offices by phone, fax or email, and urge them to sign-on! Download our full-color fact sheet on this issue at www.beefusa.org.

Two More New Co-Sponsors Sign on to Death Tax Repeal:  To help preserve America’s family farms and ranches, NCBA continues its long-standing push for full and permanent repeal of the Death Tax.  H.R. 2380 was introduced on May 17, and currently has 130 cosponsors. 

Two new co-sponsors, Reps. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) and Steve King (R-Iowa) signed on since publication of last week’s CCC.  NCBA’s producer-members thank these individuals for supporting America’s family businesses!

Currently, a 10-year phase-out of the Death Tax ending in full repeal is scheduled to take effect by 2010.  But the tax is then scheduled to be re-instated in 2011, back to 2001 levels. H.R. 2380 makes the repeal permanent.  With rates ranging from 37 to 55 percent, the Death Tax is a leading cause of the break-up of U.S. family farms.  Too often ranches and farms must be sold to pay the tax bill, and the land is often purchased by developers. 

Similar legislation, H.R. 1586, was introduced by Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) on March 20th. That bill currently has 76 co-sponsors. NCBA continues to urge all cattle producers to contact their members of Congress about this important issue. Download our full-color fact sheet on this issue at www.beefusa.org.

Environmental Issues Looming for Cattle Industry:  One of the most popular Issue Forums at last week’s Cattle Industry Summer Conference was devoted to environmental policy issues affecting cattle operations.  NCBA Director of Environmental Issues Tamara Thies outlined for conference attendees the myriad of issues NCBA is currently addressing on ranchers’ behalf.  (A copy of her Power Point presentation has been posted to NCBA’s website at www.beefusa.org. Click on “Government Affairs” and then “Natural Resources & the Environment”.)

“The challenges we’re currently facing exist in the regulatory and legislative arenas and in the courts,” says Thies.  “Cattle operations could experience negative impacts from issues related to water, air, climate change, Endangered Species Act restrictions, and application of Superfund regulations.”  Thies says NCBA is working on all these fronts to ensure the best science and research is being considered in policymaking. 

Missouri & Arkansas Cattlemen Meetings:  NCBA’s Chief Economist Gregg Doud is in Missouri and Arkansas this week for a series of meetings.  Most of this week, Gregg is touring cities in Missouri as part of the MFA Beef Innovators meeting.  MFA is a Columbia, Missouri based cooperative built by farmers for farmers with more than 45,000 members.  About 450 of MFA’s large commercial beef producers will meet at one of this week’s three locations – Springfield, Hamilton and Columbia – to hear speakers such as Gregg and NCBA Past President Mike John discuss the current trends and issues in the beef industry.  Gregg will also be attending the Arkansas Cattlemen’s Annual Summer Conference & Trade Show, July 27-28, in Russellville. 

Don't Miss NCBA’s Cattlemen to Cattlemen: Tune into NCBA’s Cattlemen to Cattlemen on RFD-TV at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern Time) this Saturday as we will honor cattle operations that have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to environmental protection and preservation. First, we take you on a tour of the award-winning Lightsey Cattle Company, located near Lake Wales, Florida. Next, we head west to the Work Ranch near San Miguel, California. Then we’ll take you to the sandhills of Nebraska, where the Kelly family has operated the Buckboard Ranch for 117 years. Just a little farther west, near LaGrange, Wyoming, we visit the Thaler Land and Livestock Company. The Thaler family earned the 2007 National Environmental Stewardship Award (ESAP) for its commitment to improving and preserving rangeland on their own property, as well as land they lease from the State of Wyoming. You’ll also learn about the 2007 Ranch Stewardship LIVE Tour, which may be headed to a location near you.

Tuesday, July 31 through Saturday, August 4, Cattlemen to Cattlemen airs a brand new episode featuring a recap of the Cattle Industry Summer Conference, and update on the 2007 Farm Bill, and a Cattle Learning Center segment on the benefits of preconditioning calves. The program will also examine how some ranchers earn extra income by hosting hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts.

NCBA’s Cattlemen to Cattlemen on RFD-TV provides weekly news and features for cattle producers across the country. The show airs Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. and is rebroadcast Wednesdays at 4:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., and Saturdays at 10 a.m. All times are Eastern. Make sure YOU tune into NCBA’s Cattlemen to Cattlemen on channel RFD-TV. For more information or to check out past episodes, visit www.cattlementocattlemen.org.

Media Contact: Tanya A. Camarra or Karen Batra at 202-347-0228, tcamarra@beef.org or kbatra@beef.org.

This publication is funded by cattle producers and other industry supporters through their voluntary membership contributions to NCBA. To join the tens of thousands of cattle producers from across the U.S. in working to preserve our legacy, contact NCBA Member Services at 1-866-BEEF-USA or Membership@beef.org.