Agriculture

Michigan is the second most agriculturally diverse state in the country, and the 7^th District benefits from some of the most diverse and productive farmland in our state.  During the tough economic times that have plagued the Michigan economy, the steady growth of our agricultural sector has kept our economy afloat.  To maintain this edge, I believe we must:

Keep Energy Prices Low
I am very concerned with rising energy prices and the impact they will have on food prices. From the field, to the factory, to the food aisle, fuel costs play a significant role in determining the cost of agricultural goods.  To keep our food prices affordable, we must ensure our energy prices are affordable.

Open Markets
Not only does south-central Michigan produce the widest array of agricultural products, it produces some of the best.  It is important that we adopt policies that allow our farmers and producers to look outside our region and beyond to sell food and agricultural products.

Ensure Steady Labor Supply
We also need to retain a steady labor supply for our farms, and I am working to ensure there is adequate farm labor to pick American crops.  As Chairman of the Workforce Protections subcommittee, I called a hearing in September 2011 to address workforce challenges facing the agricultural industry.

Prevent Undue Regulations
The safety of our food supply can benefit from standard rules and practices, and our farmers are committed to producing safe and affordable food for consumers.  However, our farmers need to have fair and commonsense rules to live by, and I oppose burdensome regulations that hinder the agricultural community.  Efforts that I participated in to remove these obstacles include:

- Successfully working with the farming community to prevent a Department of Labor (DOL) rule which would have prohibited youths from working on family farms.  I lead with a letter to DOL Secretary Solis in February 2012 expressing my dismay with this rule and the lack of input from farmers and ranchers.  In March 2012, I questioned Secretary Solis at hearing on the reasoning behind this damaging proposal.  On April 26, the DOL reversed course and revoked the rule.  More information is available from the Department of Labor.

- Successfully fighting the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) attempts to regulate farm dust by sending a December 2011 letter to EPA Administrator Jackson requesting that she drop stringent dust standards, in addition to voting for H.R. 1633, the Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act.

- Opposing unwarranted and costly changes to the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) rules by the Department of Agriculture (USDA) that would have restricted the abilities of livestock and poultry farmers to sell their product.  I sent a May 2011 letter to USDA Secretary Vilsack requesting greater transparency and a consideration of economic impact in the crafting of the GIPSA rule. 

- Defeating the 3% Withholding rule by voting for H.R. 674 in November 2011. This rule would have hampered farmers’ cash flow by withholding 3% of all Agriculture payments, such as conservation programs and dairy support.

- Cosponsoring and voting for a series of bills to overturn senseless regulations, such as H.R. 872, the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act, and H.R. 10, the Regulations from the Executive In Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act. These bills passed the House in March 2011 and December 2011 respectively, and are awaiting consideration by the Senate.

Drought and Disaster Assistance
Michigan and much of the rest of the United States are currently facing severe drought conditions, which have adversely affected our farmers and other agricultural producers.  As of August 1, 2012, the Secretary of Agriculture had designated 1,452 counties across the United States as disaster areas due to drought – including the entire State of Michigan.

This designation makes qualified farmers eligible for low-interest emergency loans.  Famers have 8 months from the date of the Secretarial disaster declaration to apply for emergency loan assistance.  Also, farmers in counties that are designated as “abnormally dry” or worse are able to hay or graze on their CRP-enrolled acres at a reduced penalty.  Farmers must apply first through their local Farm Service Agency (FSA) office before haying and grazing on CRP land.

For more information on disaster assistance, please visit the Michigan FSA’s website.

VIDEO

09/14/2011 - Rep Walberg Questions OIRA Administrator Cass Sunstein about GIPSA
09/13/2011 - Rep Walberg Opening Statement on Workforce Challenges Affecting the Agriculture Industry

LETTERS

02/17/2012 - Education & the Workforce Committee Requests Information on Proposed Farm Labor Rule
03/17/2012 - DOL Response to Education & the Workforce Committee Requests Information on Proposed Farm Labor Rule

RELATED ITEMS

04/27/2012 - Press Release: Rep Walberg Comments On DOL's Withdrawal Of Youth Ag Rule
10/28/2011 - Press Release: Rep Walberg Votes to Protect Jobs by Repealing 3% Withholding Rule
10/14/2011 - Press Release: Rep Tim Walberg Votes In Favor of EPA Regulatory Relief Act
03/30/2011 - Co-Sponsored Legislation: H.R. 1259, Death Tax Repeal Permanency Act
03/02/2011 - Co-Sponsored Legislation: H.R. 872, Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act