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HOUSE
PASSES CAP-AND-TRADE DESPITE OBJECTIONS FROM
KLA
The
American Clean Energy and Security Act of
2009, passed last week by the U.S. House,
would cause significant economic harm to
livestock producers, according to the
president of KLA.
Wichita
cattle feeder
Todd Allen, in a letter to
Kansas
members of the U.S. House, said economic
predictions of increased energy, feed and
fertilizer costs as a result of the
legislation would put some livestock
producers out of business.
Allen’s
letter was sent to
Kansas representatives Friday (6/26), before the
U.S. House narrowly approved the bill.
Kansas
Reps. Moran, Jenkins and Tiahrt voted
against the Waxman-Markey cap-and-trade
bill, while Rep. Dennis Moore voted in favor
of the proposal.
U.S.
House Ag Committee Chairman Collin Peterson
of # # # EPA ASKED TO RECONSIDER ENDANGERMENT FINDING
NCBA is part of an informal coalition of companies and organizations asking the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reconsider its finding that greenhouse gas emissions attributed to humans are an endangerment to public health and welfare. The finding, proclaimed by EPA in April, is the first step in a process that could require regulation of greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. NCBA Chief Environmental Counsel Tamara Thies said, considering the scientific uncertainty of whether human activity is responsible for climate change, it is inappropriate for EPA to consider only one side of the debate. The impact of EPA’s attempt to regulate emissions based on conflicting science, she said, would be devastating and could further damage an already struggling U.S. economy. "Before mandating drastic regulation on U.S. industry, EPA has a responsibility to conclusively demonstrate that altering human activities could mitigate climate change issues," Thies said. # # # POLANSKY
APPOINTED DIRECTOR OF STATE FARM SERVICE
AGENCY
The
Obama administration has appointed Kansas Ag
Secretary Adrian Polansky as director of the
Kansas Farm Service Agency (FSA). Polansky
previously served as state FSA director
under the
Clinton
administration from 1993 to 2001. He was
appointed as the state’s agriculture
secretary in 2003 by then Gov. Kathleen
Sebelius and continued to serve under Gov.
Mark Parkinson.
Polansky
is from
Belleville
. He and his family own and operate a farm
and seed business.
FSA
administers and manages farm commodity,
credit, conservation disaster and loan
programs as laid out by Congress. These
programs are designed to improve the
economic stability of agriculture and to
help farmers adjust production to meet
demand. According to USDA, the desired
result is a steady price range for
agricultural commodities for both farmers
and consumers.
# # # CATTLE
PRICE REPORTS FROM
Kansas
Ag Statistics (KAS) will continue to report
cattle prices from auction markets at
Salina
and Pratt through the end of this month as a
long-term funding source is identified. The
extension resulted from KLA meeting with KAS
and the Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA)
to discuss the importance of this
information to the cattle industry and
potential funding options.
The availability of reports from Farmers & Ranchers Livestock Commission Company of Salina and Pratt Livestock is being threatened by general fund budget cuts at KDA and KAS. KLA asked USDA to consider picking up part or all of the funding for the reports. Discussions between KLA, state agency leaders and federal officials will continue to focus on a solution. # # # Friday, June 26
Two
members of Congress from Kansas were instrumental in passing amendments that
would prevent the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) from using funds to issue
regulations that could implement the
so-called “cow tax.” Language in both
amendments would preclude EPA from mandating
Clean Air Act permits for greenhouse
gas emissions from livestock.
Rep. Todd Tiahrt offered an amendment during
consideration of the FY2010 Interior and
Environment Appropriations bill by the U.S.
House of Representatives Appropriations
Committee. The amendment effectively would
block EPA from regulating livestock
emissions.
“We won an important victory for
agriculture producers whose businesses could
have seen profits erased,” said Tiahrt.
Sen. Sam Brownback introduced a similar
amendment during U.S. Senate Appropriations
Committee consideration of an appropriations
package. The amendment was adopted by
unanimous consent.
“This amendment ensures Kansas
farmers and ranchers won't have to pay the
‘cow tax’ this year,” said Brownback.
“I'm certainly not going to support a tax
on such an important industry in Kansas.” # # # |
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