There are 6 item(s) tagged with the keyword "legislative".
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The American Feed Industry Association’s (AFIA) Board of Directors wrapped up its annual spring meeting last week, where they advocated for key policy priorities impacting the animal food industry on Capitol Hill.
Each January, as most of the workforce settles back into post-holiday routines, state legislatures and departments of agriculture ramp up their activity, drafting new legislation and reviewing existing regulations. The mix of proposed legislation and regulatory changes falls into a grouping similar to the title of the iconic Clint Eastwood spaghetti western, “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.” Here is the lineup of proposed state measures we have been chasing since early January, with as many action scenes and plot twists as the 1966 cowboy classic.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) held its 100th Agricultural Outlook Forum last week, themed “Cultivating the Future,” with the key message of investing in the next generation of leadership in the agriculture field. I walked away with a better understanding of investing in the next generation of ag leaders, the importance of sustainability and innovation and a call to support farmers on all scales.
In the U.S. political landscape, the impending arrival of 2024 carries immense significance for legislative bodies at every level. As a pivotal year divisible by four, it heralds the onset of a multitude of electoral processes. Chief among these is the presidential election, an event that invariably captures the attention of the nation and sets the course for its future trajectory. Beyond the presidency, the electoral stage is set for the renewal of the House of Representatives, with all 435 seats up for grabs. Simultaneously, the Senate will see 33 regular seats, alongside an additional special election, collectively shaping the balance of power and influencing the legislative agenda for years to come. Additionally, there are gubernatorial races in 11 states that add another layer of complexity to the electoral landscape, as voters weigh competing visions for state governance and leadership.
In 2004 Facebook, Gmail and Firefox were launched and our use of electrons for social, academic and business purposes changed forever. The horizon was wide open for imagination to influence innovations and as a society we have never looked back. That same year, animal food manufacturers started their quest to modernize the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) regulatory oversight of animal food additives. In 2004, products were being developed that would improve animal productivity and wellness and reduce pathogens in human foods derived from animals. But there was no regulatory equivalent to the electronic highway to bring these products to the marketplace, farmers where stuck with the governing equivalent of floppy discs as CVM policy blocked the delivery of these exciting products into the hands of U.S. animal owners. Farmers and ranchers in other countries had the regulatory tools to use these scientific advances for the betterment of human health, animal health and the environment while U.S. farmers chugged along hampered by archaic federal policies.
Every January, the “in-session” map on our state legislative and regulatory tracking service starts to light up as most state legislatures open for business. By mid-February, 45 states are in regular session and one state is in a special session. These next few months, we will certainly be busy tracking bills and working with state and regional associations to minimize negative impacts brought on the industry by overly ambitious legislators.
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