AG COUNCIL NEWS & INFORMATION BRIEF
March 27, 2023
WASHINGTON AG UPDATE
Debt Ceiling Debate to Take Center Stage in Congress: As Congress returns to work in the coming weeks, the need to avoid a debt crisis will take center stage. Recent economic uncertainty and financial instability in the banking sector has led to additional unforeseen pressures on the U.S. government debt. The looming threat of exceeding the debt limit without any Congressional waiver to do so, could cause a major shock to markets and the economy if the country begins to default on its debts. It's not yet clear what type of debt limit deal might emerge, but there are indications of broad bipartisan desire to avoid a full blown crisis. The debate on the debt ceiling could affect budget and spending plans related to annual appropriations and the 2023 farm bill. More...AgFax | Reuters | BusinessInsider | NPR
USDA Update Regarding Assistance for Rice Farmers: USDA recently issued an announcement through the Farm Service Agency (FSA) outlining more details on the $250 million in supplemental assistance for U.S. rice farmers. Funds were provided by Congress upon the request of USA Rice with the leadership of Senator Boozman to help farmers across the country who've experienced rising input costs and other challenges. USDA's effort is aimed at assisting producers in preparing for sign up when the program is released later this spring. More...USDA Announcement | Program Information Homepage | USA Rice News Post | FSA-510 Form
Senate Continues Farm Bill Hearings: The U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee continues its series of Farm Bill hearings in Washington. This first series of hearings consist of witnesses from the federal government and focus on implementation of programs authorized by various titles of the Farm Bill. So far to date, the hearings to date considered the Trade and Horticulture titles; the Commodity, Crop Insurance, and Trade titles; and the Conservation and Forestry titles.
2.2.2023 Trade & Horticulture Hearing: https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/hearings/farm-bill-2023-trade-and-horticulture
2.9.2023 Commodity, Crop Insurance, and Trade Hearing: https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/hearings/farm-bill-2023-commodity-programs-crop-insurance-and-credit
2.16.2023 Nutrition Hearing: https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/newsroom/dem/press/release/senators-stabenow-boozman-announce-hearing-on-the-farm-bills-nutrition-title
3.1.2023 Conservation & Forestry Hearing: https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/hearings/farm-bill-2023-conservation-and-forestry-programs
3.16.2023 Oversight of USDA: https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/hearings/oversight-of-the-us-department-of-agriculture
Federal Court Halts WOTUS Rule in Texas & Idaho: While the new Biden Administration rule on Waters of the United States (WOTUS) went into force on Monday, March 20th, a federal court halted implementation of the new rule in two states. Additional states, including Arkansas are awaiting injunction requests in the State of West Virginia vs. EPA, which involves 24 states. More...Agri-Pulse | AgWeb | National Ag Law Center Webinar on WOTUS | UADA News on WOTUS
National Council of Agricultural Employers Plan Lawsuit Against DOL on Wage Rate Rule: The National Council of Agricultural Employers (NCAE) recently announced plans to pursue litigation to stop the recently announced U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) for H-2A employers. The new rule establishes minimum wages for workers, and the new rule creates a new method for measuring wages that can have severe and adverse economic affects on employers due to recent wage spikes and new methods of classifying jobs and related pay. Concerned employers of H-2A workers are encouraged to complete a very brief wage survey to provide helpful information in the lawsuit filing. More...NCAE Webinar | Wage Survey | NCAE Website | DOL Rule | DOL Announcement
Ag Groups Urge Budget Committees to Provide More Farm Bill Funding: 400 national, state, and regional agricultural organizations, including the Ag Council of Arkansas, joined in sending a letter to the House and Senate Budget Committee leaders urging the committees to provide the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and House Committee on Agriculture with sufficient budgetary resources to write a new bipartisan, multi-year, comprehensive, and meaningful piece of legislation. Republican and Democratic leaders of the House Agriculture Committee sent a similar request to the House Budget Committee leaders. More...Agri-Pulse | Letter | House Letter
ARKANSAS AG UPDATE
General Assembly Reaches Home Stretch of Legislative Session: The Arkansas General Assembly reconvened on March 27th following a week long spring break recess to enter the homestretch in which they hope to complete work and adjourn. The current target adjournment date is April 7th, but that date is likely to slip due to the amount of work left to complete. While the legislature did complete work on the Governor's education reform package, there are many priorities awaiting consideration, including criminal justice reform/public safety legislation, tax cuts, and a revenue stabilization act. In addition, the General Assembly must decide whether to refer any constitutional amendments for the ballot from a list of 33 bills proposed.
In regards to agriculture policies and our members, we continue to monitor a range of bills impacting our industry while advocating our policies as they relate to measures proposed. We still expect to see a bill related to all commodity research and promotion boards that would propose addressing constitutionality concerns related to recent court rulings related to the State Plant Board. The final few days and weeks will be extremely active as legislators seek to address and advance bills as expeditiously as possible to meet the adjournment deadline. More...ArkansasOnline | TalkBusiness | Ag Council Bill Tracking List
Bill Proposes to Consolidate Department of Agriculture: SB403, a bill to consolidate different boards, commissions, and committees at the Department of Agriculture is pending in the General Assembly. The bill, sponsored by Senator Blake Johnson, proposes to abolish the Agriculture Board and abolish other boards, commissions, and committees within Department while handing off those responsibilities to one of four primary agencies, which include the State Plant Board, the Livestock and Poultry Commission, the Forestry Commission, and the Natural Resources Commission. The Ag Council continues to work with the bill sponsor and the Sanders Administration to address specific concerns related to the the Boll Weevil Eradication program, which is by statute managed by a Cotton Grower Organization known as the Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation. More...Ag Council Summary of SB403
Arkansas Rice Seeks Grower Support for Rice Check-off Update: The Arkansas Rice Federation is seeking support from Arkansas rice farmers to encourage action from the Arkansas General Assembly to update the check-off with an increase to the assessment, which supports rice production research and industry promotion efforts of Arkansas's rice industry in Arkansas and Washington, DC through USA Rice. The assessment was last updated in 1999. Over the years inflation has eroded the purchasing power of dollars collected, and overall industry collections have faced other challenges including reduced acreage in Arkansas and other rice producing states. It's expected that a bill could be filed as early as tomorrow. Farmers wishing to express their support for increasing the check-off can do so by completing the following online form: https://form.jotform.com/230436858964166
New State Solar Policy Enacted: SB295 became Act 278, which sets new net-metering rules and other policies related to renewable energy production in Arkansas. The measure was amended during the legislative process in an effort to provide a compromise between renewable energy advocates and the utility providers who were supporting the bill. The legislation scales back laws and regulations that have supported broad expansion of renewable energy development through solar projects. More...ArkansasOnline
Legislation Limiting Foreign Ownership of Farmland Gain Momentum: In 2023, the Arkansas legislature is closely considering two proposals aimed at restricting foreign investments in agricultural land. Specifically, HB1479 would restrict acquisitions of agricultural land by governmental entities of China and companies headquartered in China, while SB383 seeks to restrict foreign investments of governments and entities from several different countries, such as China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Syria while also boosting reporting requirements and establishing a new agriculture intelligence office at the Arkansas Department of Agriculture. More...National Ag Law Center
Arkansas's Latest Ag Hall of Fame Class Features Ag Council Leaders: The latest class inducted into the Arkansas Ag Hall of Fame earlier this month featured multiple Ag Council of Arkansas members, including two of members of the board of directors in Steve Stevens and Bert Greenwalt. The Hall of Fame is a way to recognize those who have made significant contributions to Arkansas agriculture, as well as community and economic development. Nominations are taken through November 1. More...UofA Release | Arkansas Ag Hall of Fame | Nomination Form
Ag Council Spring Board of Directors Meeting: The Ag Council of Arkansas will hold its next board of directors meeting on Tuesday, May 9th, at the Lon Mann Cotton Research Station in Marianna, Arkansas. Doors will open at 8:30 and the meeting will begin at 9am and conclude with lunch. Attendees can expect to receive an overview of the General Assembly's legislative session, an update on the development of the farm bill, and other relevant information facing the row crop industry. More...Event Info
UofA Economist Named President of Southern Ag Economics Association: Dr. John Anderson, head of the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food, and Life Sciences, was elected president of the Southern Agricultural Economics Association in February. In this role, Dr. Anderson will help provide strategic leadership to the organization and assist in managing the association’s functions, the primary functions being the organization and execution of the annual meeting and management of the SAEA’s peer-reviewed journal, the Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics. More...UADA News Release
UofA Issues First Arkansas Rice Update: On Tuesday, March 21, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture's Cooperative Extension Service issued its first rice update for the upcoming crop year. The report set the stage for the upcoming crop year by describing various economic factors and weather factors facing rice farmers in Arkansas this year. More...3.21.2023 Rice Update | Latest UofA Crop News
Recent Disaster Declaration Makes Low Interest Loans Available: A recent USDA disaster declaration for drought in 37 primary and contiguous Arkansas counties makes available low interest loans for farms and businesses in affected counties to offset reduced revenues caused by drought in the primary counties shown below that began Nov. 1, 2022. In addition to the declaration for drought, Governor Sanders recently submitted a request for a disaster declaration for winter weather and severe storms that impacted communities this year. More...SBA Announcement | SBA Fact Sheet | Governor Request for Disaster Declaration | Governor Announcement
Destructive Tornado Outbreak Hits Delta Communities in Mississippi: A major storm system with tornadoes struck multiple Mississippi Delta communities over the weekend causing mass destruction to the region. The towns of Rolling Fork, Silver City, and Winona took direct hits. Massive destruction and the loss of at least 25 lives were associated with the storms. According to the Delta Council, a GoFundMe has been established to provide relief funds for the town of Rolling Fork. More...GoFundMe | NYT
Ag Council Featured in Farm Press: The Ag Council of Arkansas was recently featured in Delta Farm Press. The feature highlighted the history of the organization, its current leadership, and its policy priorities for the General Assembly and the Farm Bill. More... Farm Press Feature
Additional Arkansas Ag Resources:
UADA Crop Budgets
UofA Variety Test Homepage
Rice Performance Trial Data
Cotton Variety Testing Update
ECONOMIC & INDUSTRY NEWS
March 27 Crop Progress and Condition Report: On Monday, March 27th, USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) issued a Crop Progress and Condition Report showing 2 percent of corn planted in Arkansas. Winter Wheat was rated as 85% fair to good with 9 percent as excellent. Arkansas Report
Farm Bureau Signs Additional Right to Repair MOU with CASEIH: Earlier this March, American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) announced that it has entered into another memorandum of understanding (MOU) on "right to repair" issues with CNH Industrial brands, Case IH and New Holland. The MOU is similar to an agreement AFBF signed with John Deere earlier this year. More...Agri-Pulse | AFBF Announcement
Arkansas Economic Profile: 2022 Pocket Facts - News | USDA Arkansas Ag Economic Overview | Arkansas Ag Census Data | Arkansas Historical Data | Arkansas Farms & Land Report | Arkansas Land Values & Cash Rent Report
Arkansas Farm Labor Report
UofA Crop Updates | UofA Land Grant Research & Extension Service Video