David Cleavinger, wheat producer and Texas Wheat Producers Board member from Wildorado, Texas, appeared on CNBC’s Squawk on the Street Monday to defend farm programs.
David was put head-to-head with Sallie James of the CATO Institute to discuss farm subsidies in the U.S. Watch the seven minute video to see the debate in action.
As discussions for the 2012 Farm Bill amplify, the National Association of Wheat Growers and the Texas Wheat Producers Association have developed a survey to gauge the effectiveness of Federal Safety Net Programs. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey – it is imperative that NAWG has grassroots input to develop a farm policy platform that meets your needs.
All wheat farmers are encouraged to complete the survey by April 23.
You may access the survey online at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NAWGDataMining
Please contact us if you have any questions regarding the survey.
– From NAWG
A Senatorial game of musical chairs this week resulted in one of the fiercest proponents of production agriculture, Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), becoming the new chairman of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee.
Committee leadership is almost always a function of both party and seniority, with Members rarely holding more than one chairmanship – rules that held true in this week’s shuffle.
Lincoln gained her post after Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) left the Agriculture chairmanship to take the helm at the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, commonly known as HELP. The HELP chairmanship was left vacant after the passing of Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) and an announcement this week from HELP’s second most senior Member, Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), that he would remain chairman of the Banking Committee.
Harkin’s departure from the Agriculture panel left Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) and Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) in line for the chairmanship, but they serve as Chairmen of the Judiciary, Budget and Finance Committees, respectfully, so the torch passed to Lincoln.
Lincoln is considered to be a moderate Democrat and is known as someone who understands the reality of farm operations. She is a farmer’s daughter who has served on the Committee since first elected to the Senate in 1998. Lincoln was instrumental in the writing of the 2008 Farm Bill and is heavily involved in hunger and rural outreach issues. She is both the first Arkansan and first woman to hold the chairmanship of the Agriculture Committee.
NAWG and Texas Wheat congratulate both Harkin and Lincoln on their new positions and looks forward to continuing work with Chairman Lincoln and her staff.
The NAWG Board of Directors met by conference call Friday to discuss pending climate change legislation. As part of that discussion, the Board voted 26 to two to approve a new resolution regarding greenhouse gas regulation.
The new resolution reads:
“NAWG is opposed to greenhouse gas legislation or regulation that has a negative impact on production agriculture. NAWG will strive for a net economic benefit to farmers, agriculture and food production. We believe neither greenhouse gas regulation nor legislation should take effect until the major carbon emitting countries of the world have agreed to regulate their own greenhouse gases in a like manner to ours. NAWG urges USDA to do a detailed economic analysis of any legislation or regulation before it becomes law. Furthermore, NAWG will oppose EPA regulation and will work to overturn the Supreme Court ruling.”
This resolution is similar to the resolution passed by TWPA last month. As Texas Wheat and NAWG move forward with the issue we will strive to work together in the best interest of wheat producers.
