Protecting Peanut Farming in the Fourth District.  Congressman Forbes joined several of his colleagues in the House in sending a letter to the Secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOT) in opposition to a proposed DOT rulemaking that would ban peanuts and peanut products from commercial airlines.

Recognized the important role of the dairy industry in economic and nutritional well-being.  Congressman Forbes supported a resolution in the House to support the goals of National Dairy Month, which has been celebrated every June since 1939.  This bill passed the House by a vote of 359-0.

Protected agricultural producers and their creditors from litigation, bankruptcy and foreclosure.  Congressman Forbes supported H.R.3509 to increase access to the State Agricultural Mediation Program, which helps agricultural producers and their creditors resolve disputes confidentially and in a non-adversarial setting.

Met with agricultural leaders in the Fourth Congressional District. Congressman Forbes meets annually with his Farmers Advisory Board to discuss local agriculture issues and legislation.

Supported the goals of the dairy industry. Congressman Forbes voted for H.Res. 507 to recognize the goals of National Dairy Month and the dairy industry's important role in the economic and nutritional well being of Americans. The legislation commends dairy farmers for their hard work and commitment to the U.S. economy and to the preservation of open space. This bill passed the House by a vote of 428-0.  

Inquired about the amount of peanut butter purchased for federal nutrition programs. Peanut butter is a cost efficient product rich in nutrition. Congressman Forbes wrote a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Vilsack asking him to review the amount of peanut butter the USDA purchases for federal nutrition programs.  

Discussed agriculture issues with the Virginia Agribusiness Council. During a meeting with the Virginia Agribusiness Council, a non-profit member organization that represents the agriculture and forest industries in the Commonwealth, Congressman Forbes discussed issues regarding environmental stewardship, climate change, the agricultural work force, and tax reform. 

Met with farmers in the 4th Congressional District at the Annual Farm Credit Legislative Luncheon. The Farm Credit System provides loans to farmers for buildings farm machinery, livestock, and other farming needs. Last year, $1.8 million was repaid to farmers in the Fourth Congressional District through the System.

Cosponsored H.R. 450, the Enumerated Powers Act, which would require each bill passed by Congress to contain a clear statement of constitutional authority for the provisions in the legislation or the bill would be subject to an objection during consideration in the House of Representatives or the Senate.

Supported H.R. 6849, to amend the commodity provisions of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to permit producers to aggregate base acres and reconstitute farms to avoid the prohibition on receiving direct payments, counter-cyclical payments, or average crop revenue election payments when the sum of the base acres of a farm is 10 acres or less. This bill would strike a provision from the newly enacted farm bill that says farmers must hold at least 10 base acres to qualify for federal payments. The language in question was intended to prevent payments from going to non-producers who reside on small plots of land, but the USDA has said the law essentially bars payments to most actual commercial farmers who aggregate scattered plots of land to meet the threshold. 

Supported S. 3597, to provide that funds allocated for community food projects for fiscal year 2008 shall remain available until September 30, 2009. This bill ensures that food banks and other community food projects will receive needed funding through the next fiscal year.

Voted to override the President’s Veto of H.R. 6124, the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the Farm Bill).  After this bill was passed by both the House and Senate, a clerical error caused an incomplete version of the bill to be sent to the President’s desk by mistake.  The President vetoed the bill and the House voted to override the veto before the error was realized.  After the error came to light, the House and Senate subsequently passed the bill again, and the complete bill was again sent to the President.  President Bush again vetoed the bill, and Congressman Forbes again joined a majority of the House in voting to override his veto of this important legislation  Once the Senate overrides the veto, this bill will take effect and much-needed resources will begin going to America’s farming community.

Voted to override the President’s veto of the Farm Bill, H.R. 2419.  The long-awaited final agreement between the House and Senate farm bills provides a total of $289 billion over five years for national farm and nutrition programs.  The measure also bars those with more than $750,000 in farm-related income, or more than $500,000 in non-farm-related income, from receiving federal farm subsidies.  The bill also includes a Chesapeake Bay program that establishes and funds a new program for implementing conservation measures on agricultural lands in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.  To read Congressman Forbes’ statement on House passage of the final Farm Bill, click here.

Voted to approve the final conference report for the Farm Bill, H.R. 2419.  The long-awaited final agreement between the House and Senate Farm Bills provides a total of $289 billion over five years for national farm and nutrition programs.  The measure also bars those with more than $750,000 in farm-related income, or more than $500,000 in non-farm-related income, from receiving federal farm subsidies.  The bill also includes a Chesapeake Bay Program that establishes and funds a new program for implementing conservation measures on agricultural lands in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.  The House approved the conference report by a vote of 318-106, and the Senate passed it soon after by a vote of 81-15, sending it to the White House where it now awaits the President’s signature.  To read Congressman Forbes’ statement on passage of the final Farm Bill, click here.

Opposed several motions that would have further delayed negotiations on the Farm Bill, H.R. 2419.  Negotiations on this complex piece of legislation have been ongoing for over a year, but conferees announced this week that they are on the verge of reaching a final compromise.  These motions would have directed the conferees, who are negotiating final details on a five-year Farm Bill, to change several key provisions just before a final agreement is reached between the House and Senate versions of the bill.  Rep. Forbes opposed these motions that were offered by opponents of the Farm Bill in order to prevent further delays on this legislation.

Supported H.R. 5578, a temporary extension of the Farm Bill, which would extend agricultural programs until Congress finishes negotiations on a new Farm Bill. The new bill would include fiscally responsible policies that benefit farmers across the country.  The House and Senate both passed updated Farm Bills last year, and the two chambers are now in conference negotiations on the final bill.  Rep. Forbes has cosponsored a bill (H.R. 4193) that would extend the Farm Bill through July 31, 2009, and provide farmers some certainty when they begin their planning for the next farm year.   

Spoke at a reception hosted by the Virginia Peanut Growers Association.  Rep. Forbes discussed the many challenges facing farmers in the Fourth District, their families and their businesses such as immigration, rising gas prices, the drought and the upcoming reauthorization of the Farm Bill.  To read more about what Rep. Forbes is doing to support Virginia’s Farmers, click here.

Signed a letter to House Conferees on the Department of Agriculture Reauthorization Bill, informally known as the “Farm Bill,” in support of tax incentives for conservation easements.  The provisions were included in the Senate-passed version of the Farm Bill.  Conservation “easements” allow private landowners to retain ownership, control and management of their property, while ensuring that important resources on those lands will be conserved for the future.  The proposed tax incentive allowed landowners to deduct up to 50 percent of their adjusted gross income (AGI), and to carry forward the unused amount for 15 years.  For many landowners, this would provide an alternative to selling their land for commercial development. 

Cosponsored H.R. 4193, a one year extension to the Farm Bill, a multi-year piece of legislation that evaluates federal farm support, food assistance, agricultural trade, marketing, and rural development policies. The Farm Bill will expire on July 31, 2008 and this bill would move the expiration date to July 31, 2009. This would provide farmers some certainty when they begin their planning for the next farm year. The House passed the Farm Bill (H.R. 2419) on July 27, 2007. The Senate only recently passed their version of a Farm Bill on December 14, 2007.

Joined House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Bob Goodlatte (VA-06) in cosponsoring H.R. 4193, a one year extension of the Farm Bill. H.R. 4193 would extend the expiration of the 2002 Farm Bill from July 31, 2008 to July 31, 2009.

Cosponsored H. Res. 578, which would recognize July as National Watermelon Month. In 2001, 1,600 acres of watermelons were planted and 1,400 acres were harvested in Virginia. The largest amount of watermelon acreage, slightly less than 1,000 acres in 2002, is located in Southampton County.

Sent a letter to the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture asking him to declare six counties in the Fourth Congressional District eligible for disaster assistance due to the ongoing drought conditions. The current drought situation has left many farmers and communities devastated in Virginia and elsewhere across the United States.

Voted in favor of H.R. 2419, the Farm Bill Extension Act of 2007, a multi-year piece of legislation that evaluates federal farm support, food assistance, agricultural trade, marketing, and rural development policies.

Joined with other House colleagues who represent cotton producing districts in sending a letter regarding the upcoming Farm Bill. The letter encouraged Members of Congress to support America's farmers and extend the 2002 Farm Bill commodity programs in the upcoming 2007 Farm Bill. Such programs serve as a crucial safety net for America's farmers and allows farmers to provide our country with a safe and secure food supply.

Sent a letter to the Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee opposing proposed government payment changes to the upcoming farm bill, which would hurt Virginia peanut farmers. As stated in the letter, it is important to Virginia peanut farmers that the Committee maintain the loan rate, base payment percentage, and direct payments. On June 6th, the subcommittee held a hearing in which they reviewed these changes to the peanut program. The full Agriculture Committee will again consider these provisions in the next few weeks when drafting the final version of the farm bill.

Joined the Rural Health Care Coalition (RHCC). The RHCC is a group of bi-partisan Members of Congress who are committed to advancing rural priorities in health care policy. The RHCC has been successful in establishing the Office of Rural Health Policy within the Department of Health and Human Services, creating the Rural Health Transition Grant Program, and forming the Critical Access Hospital program.

Sent a letter to the House Agriculture Committee to request that initiatives providing agribusinesses and homebuyers with greater access to financing be included in the 2007 Farm Bill. 

As stated in the letter, it is important to Virginia peanut farmers that the Committee maintain the loan rate, base payment percentage, and direct payments. On June 6th, the subcommittee held a hearing in which they reviewed these changes to the peanut program. The full Agriculture Committee will again consider these provisions in the next few weeks when drafting the final version of the farm bill. (RHCC). The RHCC is a group of bi-partisan Members of Congress who are committed to advancing rural priorities in health care policy. The RHCC has been successful in establishing the Office of Rural Health Policy within the Department of Health and Human Services, creating the Rural Health Transition Grant Program, and forming the Critical Access Hospital program.