Agriculture2013

Bill Number-HR 101 Agriculture Committee Sarina G. Allison S. Lindsey W. Tyler C. Eric M. Right now we don't have a Farm Bill. The 2008 bill has expired and Congress has yet to pass another bill. If they don't get to work soon prices will go up for a lot of the food you buy at the grocery store - especially milk. It will also mean farmers are likely to sell less of their crops an livestock overseas. Exports are important to getting farm income steady which is important to other businesses in small towns. The Farm Bill provides protection for farmers when their crops are damaged as a result of drought like the one we had this year or as a result of storms like Hurricane Sandy. The safety net for farmers helps get farmers the money they need to survive when weather does not cooperate. They are trying to save the land for the farmers. It is trying to lower the prices of the food sold by the farmers instead of raising them, and this bill is trying to save the land. The farm bill can include titles on commodity programs, trade, rural development, farm credit, conservationm agricultural research, food and nutrition programs and marketing.
 * Farm Bill

Appropriates $36 million in general fund dollars for the operations budget of the Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, the Department of Natural Resources, and the vet diagnostic lab at Iowa State University. This is approximately a $3.4 million increase from Fiscal Year 2012, but most of this is a shift from other funding sources. The bill also includes $23 million for the Environment First Fund.  It is providing money for agricultural programs/farming.
 * Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget.

The Iowa sheep checkoff began in the 1980s, and, at the time, generated approximately $100,000 annually in collections. Due to a decrease in the number of sheep produced in the state, collections have declined to $50,000 annually. Based on current production numbers, an increase in the assessment would generate approximately an additional $30,000. This would bring the overall budget of the ISWPB to $80,000, which will be used for education and promotion of lamb and wool. Producer voters can authorize an initial increase in the per head assessment from the current 10 cents to 25 cents per head. If the proposed increase to 25 cents per head fails, then the current rate of 10 cents will remain in effect. If the increase to 25 cents is approved, a second question will be asked as to whether the Iowa Sheep and Wool Promotion Board (ISWPB) should be empowered to have the authority, by resolution, to subsequently change the per head assessment under the following guidelines:the rate cannot be lowered and it cannot be raised by more than 5 cents once every three years, the maximum rate is capped at 50 cents per head and the rate will only be changed after a producer comment period deems it necessary. A proposal to increase the national lamb checkoff fee by 40 percent has been delayed at least six months, the apparent victim of controversy surrounding similar proposals for other commodities. If the sheep all die, then there is no more wool, so the prices of wool are going to go sky rocketing. Our bill is to reproduce sheep to keep the prices down on wool. 
 * Sheep Production