“I’m happy that we got here collectively to shut the loop on a number of excellent ag and diet considerations. We had been in a position to safe reduction for rice producers who’ve had a troublesome 12 months within the wake of hovering enter prices which, as documented by two separate research out of Texas A&M College, had a disproportionate affect on rice producers. Moreover, I’m notably happy to see the Rising Local weather Options Act, which handed overwhelmingly within the Senate, was included, in addition to a protracted overdue modernization of our summer time meals program primarily based on concepts I’ve championed for years,” Boozman mentioned.
Boozman mentioned he and Stabenow had labored with their counterparts within the Home of Representatives to make sure the year-end deal included:
▪ Help to rice producers: Supplies $250 million for the Agriculture Division to make a one-time cost to U.S. rice producers who planted rice in 2022. A latest research carried out by Texas A&M College that appeared particularly on the improve in fertilizer costs throughout an array of commodities, discovered rice farms could be hit hardest by rising prices. A second research carried out by the college targeted solely on the affect of rising enter prices discovered that two-thirds of the rice farms they monitor will fail to interrupt even in 2022.
▪ Summer time meals program modernization: Updates the summer time meals service program to completely enable states to offer non-congregate meals and summer time EBT choices nationwide to eligible kids along with meals supplied at congregate feeding websites. Non-congregate meals, corresponding to grab-and-go or dwelling supply, could be supplied in rural areas to eligible kids, and summer time EBT advantages could be capped at $40 per little one per 30 days. This provision is totally offset and primarily based largely on the Starvation-Free Summer time for Children Act, which Boozman authored and launched earlier this Congress.
▪ Rising Local weather Options Act: Incorporates up to date language from the Rising Local weather Options Act, which directs USDA to determine a program to register entities that present technical help and verification for farmers, ranchers and foresters who take part in voluntary carbon markets with the aim of offering data and confidence to producers.
▪ Pandemic help to cotton merchandisers: Supplies $100 million for USDA to make funds to merchandisers of cotton that endured vital monetary losses brought on by pandemic-related provide chain challenges. Cotton merchandisers function the hyperlink between producers and textile mills. Those who bought cotton from U.S. producers, or marketed cotton on their behalf, and skilled financial losses through the pandemic would qualify for this reduction.
▪ Pesticide Registration Enchancment Act (PRIA 5) reauthorization: Reauthorizes pesticide registration and assessment course of user-fee applications administered by the Environmental Safety Company and will increase registration and upkeep charges to help a extra predictable regulatory course of, create extra course of enhancements, and supply assets for security, coaching, bilingual labeling, and different companies to advance the protected and efficient use of pesticides.
▪ Pesticide registration assessment deadline extension: Extends deadline for EPA to finish registration assessment selections for all pesticide merchandise registered as of Oct. 1, 2007. EPA is dealing with a big backlog of pesticide registrations because of quite a lot of elements over the previous a number of years, which raises potential implications for continued entry to quite a few crop safety instruments. The company might be allowed to proceed its registration assessment work via Oct. 1, 2026, on account of this extension.
▪ Supplemental Vitamin Help Program EBT skimming rules and reimbursement: Requires USDA to coordinate with related businesses and stakeholders to analyze studies of stolen SNAP advantages via card skimming, cloning and different related fraudulent strategies. This provision goals to establish the extent of the issue, develop strategies to forestall fraud and enhance safety measures, and supply substitute of advantages stolen via these fraudulent actions.
▪ Livestock Necessary Reporting extension: Extends livestock obligatory reporting necessities till Sept. 30, 2023. LMR requires meatpackers and importers to report the costs they pay for cattle, hogs, and sheep bought for slaughter and costs acquired for meats derived from such species to USDA who then publishes each day, weekly, and month-to-month public studies detailing these transactions.
▪ Commodity Futures Buying and selling Fee Whistleblower Program extension: Allows CFTC to proceed cost of salaries, buyer schooling initiatives and non-awards bills associated to the whistleblower program to make sure it could possibly proceed to operate even when awards obligated to whistleblowers exceed this system fund’s stability on the time of distribution.
