Sen. Lee Introduces The Voluntary Check-Off Program Participation Act
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced the Voluntary Check-Off Program Participation Act Wednesday, a bill that give would give farmers and ranchers the freedom not to participate in Department of Agriculture check-off programs.
“If farmers and ranchers want to get together and pool their resources to better promote their products, then that is the free market at its best,” Lee said. “But as soon as the power of the federal government is used to force people into a program they do not want to participate in, then that is crony capitalism at its worst.”
Check-off programs are funded through compulsory fees on producers of milk, eggs, beef, and a multitude of other agricultural products. The programs and associated boards regularly receive criticism for their lack of transparency, apparent conflicts of interest, misuse of their power, anticompetitive behavior, and other related issues.
The Voluntary Check-Off Program Participation Act would allow farmers and ranchers to participate in check-off programs if they desire to while ending the tax on those producers who would prefer not to participate in these programs.
You can read the full text of the bill here.
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Sens. Lee, Booker Introduce Commodity Check Off Reform Bill
WASHINGTON – Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced on Wednesday S. 3201, the Commodity Checkoff Program Improvement Act of 2016, a measure intended to bring much needed transparency and accountability to the federal government’s commodity check off programs.
Checkoff programs are mandatory participation programs under the US Department of Agriculture. These programs are funded through compulsory fees on producers of eggs, beef, pork and a multitude of other agricultural products. The programs and associated boards have received criticism in the past for a lack of transparency, apparent conflicts of interest, misuse of their funding and anticompetitive behavior.
“Last year a FOIA request uncovered some troubling emails between the American Egg Board and top executives in the egg industry,” Lee said. “This was a classic case of Big Government and Big Business working together to squeeze out smaller rivals and squelch innovation.”
The American Egg Board CEO at the center of those emails has since resigned, but questions remain about the board’s activities.
“When checkoff programs engage in anticompetitive activity, it is a threat to a dynamic and informed free marketplace,” Booker said. “This bipartisan legislation will help increase transparency and restore trust in checkoff program practices.”
This bill is a direct response to the egg board scandal and past checkoff program misconduct, and the changes proposed by this legislation are designed to improve checkoff board behavior and avoid similar conduct in the future.
To improve the practices of checkoff programs, the Commodity Checkoff Program Improvement Act would:
· Prohibit checkoff programs from contracting with any organization that lobbies on agricultural policy;
· Prohibit employees and agents of the checkoff boards from engaging in activities that may involve a conflict of interest;
· Prohibit checkoff programs from engaging in anticompetitive activity, unfair or deceptive acts or practices, or any act that may be disparaging to another agricultural commodity or product;
· Require transparency through publication of checkoff program budgets and expenditures;
· Require periodic audits by the USDA Inspector General for compliance with the Improvement Act; and
· Require a GAO audit of check off program compliance and a report with further recommendations related to checkoff programs.
Supporters of the Commodity Checkoff Program Improvement Act of 2016 include:
American Agricultural Movement, Inc.
American Grassfed Association
BioRegional Strategies
Bold Nebraska
Buckeye Quality Beef
Cattle Producers of Louisiana
Colorado Independent CattleGrowers Association
Community Food and Justice Coalition
Contract Poultry Growers Association of the Virginias
Family Farm Defenders
Farm Aid
Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance
Food Policy Council of San Antonio
Independent Cattlemen of Nebraska
Independent Cattlemen of Wyoming
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement
Land Stewardship Project
Missouri Rural Crisis Center
Missouri’s Best Beef Co-Op.
Murray County, Oklahoma, Independent Cattlemen's Association
National Family Farm Coalition
National Farmers Organization
Nebraska Women Involved in Farm Economics
Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance (NODPA)
Organic Farmers' Agency for Relationship Marketing (OFARM)
Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association
Organization for Competitive Markets (OCM)
R-CALF USA
Rocky Mountain Farmers Union
Slow Food USA
Socially Responsible Agricultural Project
South Agassiz Resource Council
South Dakota Stockgrowers Association
Spokane County Cattlemen, WA
Weston A. Price Foundation (WAPF)
Women Involved in Farm Economics
You can read the full text of the bill here.
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Sen. Lee Introduces the Human-Powered Travel in Wilderness Act
WASHINGTON – Sens. Mile Lee (R-UT) and Orin Hatch (R-UT) introduced the Human-Powered Travel in Wilderness Act Wednesday, a bill that would allow more Americans to mountain bike in wilderness areas.
“Our National Wilderness Preservation System was created so that the American people could enjoy the solitude and recreational opportunities of this continent’s priceless natural areas,” Lee said. “This bill would enrich Americans enjoyment of the outdoors by making it easier for them to mountain in wilderness areas.”
“Utah is blessed with an abundance of beautiful wilderness, and Americans should be free to enjoy it,” Hatch said. “This bill presents a reasonable approach to allowing the use of mountain bikes on trails and grant federal land managers the ability to do necessary maintenance.”
Specifically, the Human-Powered Travel in Wilderness Act would:
(1) Allow local land managers to decide whether to allow and how to manage mountain biking in wilderness areas; and
(2) Allow federal employees or designees to use non-invasive, minimal technology to maintain wilderness trails.
http://www.lee.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=press-releases&id=C07E34FA-887B-49B9-8B4A-CDCE84E5DF79
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Lee Announces Senate Field Hearing in Utah on Public Lands Management
WASHINGTON – Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) announced Thursday that the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will be conducting a field hearing at San Juan County High School in Blanding, Utah on July 27, at 3:00 p.m.
“When it comes to how the federal government wishes to dispose of its land in Utah, Utahns deserve to be heard,” Lee said. “This field hearing will provide Utahns a forum to share their views on a possible Bears Ears monument designation with some of the federal bureaucrats that will be making that decision. Ideally, the Department of Interior would hold off, and allow a legislative compromise to move forward. Hopefully this hearing will push them towards that course of action.”
The Committee will hear testimony from local residents including members of the Navajo Nation. House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Rob Bishop will also be there and representatives from the Interior Department and the Forest Service have been invited to testify.
Sen. Lee will stay on for a town hall question and answer session immediately following the hearing.
http://www.lee.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=314D4FE0-C1D7-4658-97A4-A556F7379280
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