E-Verify was once a part of U.S. Congressman Goodlatte’s Agriculture Guestworker Act (AG Act), but now E-Verify is a standalone piece of legislation. According to Amy Wolfe, president and CEO of AgSafe, this separation could mean trouble for growers. Wolfe compares E-Verify to a digital I-9 form. “It’s (e-verify) the online, instant feedback equivalent to I-9. We’ve all filled out …
Putnam on Disaster Funding for Florida Agriculture
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam issued the following statement after the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives passed a spending bill that includes more than $2.3 billion for agricultural assistance: “The passage of this spending bill is a critical first step to finally getting Florida’s farmers, ranchers and growers long-awaited and desperately needed relief. Without this emergency assistance, …
Conaway Warns of Crop Insurance Fight
A crop insurance fight may be on the horizon as the farm bill gets crafted. Congressman and House Agriculture Committee Chair Michael Conaway spoke about the potential fight at the 2018 Crop Insurance Industry Convention in Scottsdale, Arizona. “There’s a fight ahead perhaps on crop insurance,” Conaway told AgNet Media’s Gary Cooper. “The renewal of the farm bill will give …
Bill Seeks Tighter Scrutiny of Organic Products
By Brian German Congress will be reviewing legislation that would establish greater oversight for organic products. The bill, known as the Organic Farmer and Consumer Protection Act, was introduced by Rep. John J. Faso (R-NY) and has 33 House cosponsors. The bill aims to update organic import documentation with new technology and create stricter enforcement of organic products coming into …
Supreme Court Weighs Arguments in Water War
Lawyers for Florida asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday to reject a special master’s report denying the state relief in its long-running dispute with Georgia over water flow into the Apalachicola River. “This court has never had a situation where it’s recognized a state as being injured. It’s recognized that the upstream state is wasting a resource and it’s …
Register for the 2018 Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame Banquet
The Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame Banquet will take place Feb. 13 in Tampa. This event will honor the 2018 inductees to the hall of fame. Four agricultural leaders have been chosen to enter the hall of fame this year. Those being inducted are, Alfonso Fanjul, J. Pepe Fanjul, Lowell Loadholtz and Harold K. Mikell. These four men have dedicated …