TEXAS FARM BUREAU for TEXAS FARM BUREAU
What was lobbied
9 issue areas, each in the filer's own words, with who lobbied on it and where.
Trade (domestic/foreign) TRD
TFB weighed in on trade tariffs on China. TFB relayed to legislators that we are monitoring the China trade issue. However, TFB does believe in making other countries abide by the same standards as the U.S. in current trade pacts.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| LARAMIE ADAMS | — |
| REGAN BECK | — |
Animals ANI
TFB supports the Cattle Market Transparency Act of 2021 by Sens. Deb Fischer and Ron Wyden. The legislation would restore transparency and accountability in the cattle markets by establishing regional cash minimums and equipping producers with more market information.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| LARAMIE ADAMS | — |
Transportation TRA
TFB supports and advocated for the Haulers of Agriculture and Livestock Safety (HAULS) Act by Sens. Fischer, Tester, Wicker and Smith to modernize the agriculture exemption to the hours-of-service rules and provide regulatory relief to producers. TFB opposed legislation that would raise minimum insurance levels for CMVs from $750,000 to $4.9 million. H.R. 3781, known as the INSURANCE Act, would be devastating for small-business truckers who would see their premiums triple within a year.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| LARAMIE ADAMS | — |
Disaster Planning/Emergencies DIS
Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) members have struggled through the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and TFB has worked to provide relief through COVID-19 relief legislation. TFB supported additional emergency funding for agriculture and worked with Congressional offices to ensure relief was provided. TFB supports and lobbied for H.R. 1692, the Rehabilitating Economic Success Through Overcoming Rural Emergencies) Act by Reps. Ronny Jackson and Henry Cuellar to help farmers recover from natural disasters by reauthorizing the USDA WHIP+ program to cover 2020 and 2021 disasters. TFB lobbied Congress to include hurricane disaster aid and a WHIP extension for 2020 and 2021 crop years. TFB members have had crops devastated due to natural disasters like Hurricane Hanna.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| LARAMIE ADAMS | — |
| REGAN BECK | — |
Budget/Appropriations BUD
TFB advocated for various animal health provisions to be included in the Fiscal Year 2022 Agricultural Appropriations. These provisions would help farmers and ranchers dealing with the cattle fever tick and feral hogs. It would also create additional resources for Agricultural Research Services and the Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service to help combat animal pests.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| LARAMIE ADAMS | — |
Small Business SMB
TFB lobbied for passage of the Small Business Administration (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) extension. The legislation provides more opportunity for farmers and ranchers to access the SBA programs. TFB lobbied in support of H.R. 1246, the Paycheck Protection Clarification for Producers Act by Reps. Ron Kind and Jeff Fortenberry as well as H.R. 1411 the PPP Flexibility for Farmers and Ranchers Act by Rep. James Hagedorn and Henry Cuellar. The bills clarify eligibility for self-employed producers who operation in partnerships or sole-owner LLC. TFB continues working on additional changes to the Small Business Administration (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| LARAMIE ADAMS | — |
Immigration IMM
TFB advocated for changes to H.R. 1603, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act to create a new agricultural guest worker program for farmers and ranchers. TFB is seeking comprehensive reform to our agricultural guest worker program, known as H-2A. TFB is working to address four issues in the legislation to ensure the bill addresses the needs of producers.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| LARAMIE ADAMS | — |
Food Industry (safety, labeling, etc.) FOO
TFB is concerned about the labeling of fake meat which is cultured in a lab or made from plants. TFB has told leaders in D.C. that inaccurate or misleading labeling of lab grown or plant products as meat poses a threat to agriculture and consumers that rely on nutrient dense, safe meat products. TFB asks for the USDA to oversee the food safety aspects and labeling of these products. TFB supports a meat processing bill authored by Reps. Henry Cuellar and Dusty Johnson of South Dakota, the DIRECT Act will allow State Inspected (MPI) meat to be sold across state lines, but only through e-commerce, allowing small producers and processors more options to directly market to consumers. The legislation allows new flexibilities without compromising food safety recall ability, or jeopardizing trade market access through equivalency agreements. TFB supports RAMP-UP Act, a meat processing bill sponsored by Rep. Frank Lucas and former Rep. Collin Peterson. This legislation would establish a program to make facility upgrade and planning grants to existing meat and poultry processors to help them move to Federal Inspection and be able to sell their products across state lines. The grants will be capped at $100,000 per facility. The legislation will also require USDA to work with States and report on ways to improve the existing Cooperative Interstate Shipment program. TFB has concerns regarding the Processing Revival and Intrastate Exemption (PRIME) Act by Congressman Tom Massey (R-KY) and Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME) in May 2019. Recent impacts of COVID-19 on meat processing have brought this bill some light recently. The PRIME Act would remove the federal requirement for states to have an inspection program at least equal to that of FSIS for products offered in intrastate commerce. TFB has expressed concerns regarding food safety with Congressional offices.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| LARAMIE ADAMS | — |
Taxation/Internal Revenue Code TAX
TFB lobbied for members to co-sponsor and support S. 617/H.R. 1712, Death Tax Repeal Act of 2021 by Reps. Jason Smith, Sanford Bishop and Sen. John Thune. TFB supports this legislation to provide tax relief for farmers and ranchers. TFB supported and advocated for passage of H.R. 2370, the Preserving Family Farm Act of 2021 by Reps. Jimmy Panetta and Jackie Walorski which would allow more farm and ranch land to be valued at is agricultural rather than inflated development value for estate tax purposes. TFB supports and advocates for passage of S.480/H.R. 1381 the Main Street Tax Certainty Act. The legislation allows pass through businesses to take a deduction with 20 percent of their business income. The legislation is authored by Sen. Steve Daines and Reps. Jason Smith and Henry Cuellar. TFB pushed to make tax reform provisions important to farmers and ranchers a permanent part of the tax code. Tax reform is a top priority for TFB and making provisions in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent is important to TFB members.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| LARAMIE ADAMS | — |
| BILLY HOWE | — |
Shown as published by the Senate Office of Public Records and the House Clerk under the Lobbying Disclosure Act. The official filing is the record; open it for the full form.