National Association of Wheat Growers news

Panhandle Perspectives

Posted 6/1/18

Scalise announces plan for Immigration, Farm Bill votes third week of June

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National Association of Wheat Growers news

Panhandle Perspectives

Posted

Scalise announces plan for Immigration, Farm Bill votes third week of June

As reported in Roll Call, “the farm bill, which failed on the House floor Friday, will get a second vote June 22 after a vote on a conservative immigration bill earlier that week,” House Majority Whip Steve Scalise said Monday. The immigration bill by House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte of Virginia and Homeland Security Chairman Michael McCaul of Texas that leaders have scheduled a vote on includes border wall funding, security and enforcement provisions, cuts to legal immigration and a process for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program recipients to obtain three-year renewals of their work permits. “We’re looking at moving the farm bill on June 22 and having the Goodlatte-McCaul bill come up the third week of June,” Scalise told reporters. 

Ag approps bill moves through committees

On Thursday, May 24, the full Senate Appropriations Committee approved the FY19 Agriculture Appropriations bill which advanced in subcommittee on Tuesday.  The need for further bipartisanship was emphasized as well as a communal push for the support of agricultural research. This year is $225 million above last year’s enacted level but still falls $922 million less than the previous year’s mandatory funding. The bill currently fully funds the commodity supplemental food program as well as the emergency food program all while investing $425 million into rural broadband. Visit wheatworld.org for more information.

ASTA and NAPB Launch 2nd Annual “Better Seed, Better Life” Student Video Contest

Graduate and undergraduate students pursuing agriculture disciplines are invited to participate in the second annual Better Seed, Better Life student video contest sponsored by the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) and the National Association of Plant Breeders (NAPB). The 2018 contest theme is: “Rumor Has It.” Videos should help set the record straight on a common misconception or myth associated with the seed industry and plant sciences. This could include any aspect of the seed industry (from plant breeding, to seed treatments, gluten, organics, GMOs, big corporate, the role of seed in everyday life, etc.). Videos should incorporate “man on the street” style interviews along with your own original content. Video submissions are due Aug. 31, 2018. Videos will be judged by an expert panel, and cash prizes will be awarded for winners. For more information, including video specifications and submission requirements, visit the contest webpage.

NWF National Wheat Yield Contest: Spring Wheat Deadline Aug. 1

The National Wheat Foundation’s (NWF) annual National Wheat Yield Contest continues to drive innovation in the industry by spotlighting the best practices among American wheat growers. In its third year, the contest is working on adding a quality requirement, raising the bar for what constitutes the greater grain among U.S. wheat growers. For more information on contest guidelines, deadlines, and to register, visit https://yieldcontest.wheatfoundation.org/.