2011 Policy Development Backgrounders
Corporate Contributions Now Allowed in Tennessee (pdf)
A 2010 U.S. Supreme Court decision opened the door for state to allow corporations to make political contributions. The Tennessee General Assemble promptly made changes to state law allowing corporations to legally contribute where they once had been banned. Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation members have opposed the formation of a Political Action Committee. In light of recent developments, how should the Federation respond to requests for corporate contributions?
Funding Infrastructure Projects (pdf)
Summary: Many of the roads and bridges needed to transport our children safely to school, deliver our goods from the farm to market or even allow barges to move down the river are in serious need of repair and modernization.
Tax Reform (pdf)
Summary: Congressional fact-finding hearings are underway that could lead to an overhaul of the federal tax code. As in 1986, Congress will most likely opt to modify the tax code instead of doinga full rewrite. Farm Bureau in on record in support of repealing the estate tax, the alternative minimum tax (AMT) and capital gains taxes.
Antibiotics (pdf)
Summary: Antibiotic resistance in human medicine is a serious and growing public health concern. While antibiotic use in health care increases, it is agriculture that continues to come under serious scrutiny for its production practices.
Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) - Early Out (pdf)
Summary: CRP was created to help producers cope with Highly Erodible Land restrictions in the 1985 Farm Bill. Today, ending stocks for many crops are at or near historically low levels. Considering the conservation purpose of the CRP, can some CRP acres be brought out in an environmentally sensitive manner?
Futures Contract Regulation (pdf)
Summary: The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank) represents some of the most sweeping changes to financial markets in decades. The new law will increase regulation of agricultural swaps and agricultural trade options. Some believe the proposed regulations will negatively impact agribusiness firms, particularly farmer-owned cooperatives.
Food Traceability (pdf)
Summary: Full traceability of food from the farm gate to the retail level has become standard in some countries, and U.S. retailers and consumers increasingly express interest in developing similar systems in this country.
2010 Policy Development Backgrounders
Commodity Handlers (pdf)
Summary: The price volatility and market costs of recent years have raised the need for review of the Commodity Producer Indemnity Law, including its financial parameters and sufficiency.
Animal Cruelty (pdf)
Summary: Several cases of livestock abuse have led to media attention and public debate over Tennessee’s current animal cruelty laws. During the 2010 legislative session, a bill was proposed to expand the current law’s offense of “aggravated animal cruelty” by including failure to feed or water livestock.
Greenbelt (pdf)
Summary: The greenbelt program has been key to farmers keeping property taxes manageable for the past thirty plus years. Is the Greenbelt formula working as it was intended?
Watershed Dams (pdf)
Summary: Most people are not even aware watershed lakes of all sizes exist all across this state protecting communities and property from the effects of flooding and erosion. Some of these lakes need critical repair but no entity exists to maintain these structures.
Technology Protection System (pdf)
Summary: The Technology Protection System (TPS), or informally called the Terminator Gene, was patented by the USDA and licensed by Delta Pineland in the late ‘90s. TPS was intended to be used on large volume, self-pollinated crops that have been genetically modified to enhance yields or to render the plants immune to certain herbicides or pesticides.
2012 Farm Bill (pdf)
Summary: The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (farm bill) will expire in September 2012. Congressional hearings on the next farm bill have begun. The significance of the farm bill is difficult to overstate, as different aspects of this omnibus legislation affect every farmer in some way.
Commodity Warehouses (pdf)
Summary: There is concern that current bonding and insurance has not provided adequate coverage for commodity producers.
Incremental Beef Trade (pdf)
Summary: Whether the United States should move away from its requirement that foreign countries follow sound science and international standards in trade and instead in some situations consider an “incremental” approach to opening foreign markets to U.S. beef exports.
Crop Insurance (pdf)
Summary: Federally subsidized crop insurance has become a widely used risk management tool.The growing participation of producers in insurance programs as well as the improved product offerings suggests at least the potential for these programs to replace current farm income safety net provisions of the Farm Bill.
Dairy Policy (pdf)
Summary: The year 2009 was a devastating year for dairy producers. New options for federal dairy programs are being put forward.
Food Safety (pdf)
Summary: After the creation of the California Leafy Green Products Handler Marketing Agreement and the Arizona Leafy Green Products Shipper Marketing Agreement, there has been movement to develop similar programs at the national level.
