Action on Agriculture

During the 110th Congress, I have agreed to co-sponsor the following selected measures which deal with our nation's agriculture industry. This is not a comprehensive list of all the legislation I have co-sponsored related to agriculture. You can view a comprehensive list at the Legislation Co-Sponsored Section of this site or through the Library of Congress Thomas site.

Legislation I have supported includes:

• Introduced S. 1673, to facilitate the export of United States agricultural products to Cuba, to remove impediments to the export to Cuba of medical devices and medicines, to allow travel to Cuba by United States citizens, to establish an agricultural export promotion program with respect to Cuba. It has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee.
• Introduced S. 1621, a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to treat certain farming business machinery and equipment as 5-year property for purposes of depreciation. It has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee.
• S. 1496, a bill to amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to better enable existing conservation programs to provide enhanced habitat for pollinators. It has been referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.
• S. 1160, a bill to ensure an abundant and affordable supply of highly nutritious fruits, vegetables and other specialty crops for American consumers and international markets by enhancing the competitiveness of United States-grown specialty crops. It has been referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.
• S. 1125, a bill to amend the Interal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide incentives to encourage investment in the expansion of freight rail infrastructure capacity and to enhance modal tax equity. It has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee.
• S. 807, a bill to amend the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 to clarify that manure shall not be considered to be a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant. Introduced by Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-Arkansas) on March 8, 2007. It has been referred to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. I agreed to co-sponsor this legislation because Congress never intended for agricultural operations to be considered as Superfund sites.
• S. 779, the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Reauthorization Act of 2007. This bill was introduced by Senator Larry Craig (R-Idaho) on March 6, 2007. It has been referred to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
• S.Res. 180, a resolution recognizing the 70th anniversary of the Idaho Potato Commission and designating May 2007 as "Idaho Potato Month." It was passed by the Senate on May 10, 2007.

Other actions I have taken to support Idaho agriculture include:

• Successfully provided funding for critical Idaho agriculture projects.
• Encouraged Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns to expedite the Agriculture Department's efforts on Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), which is affecting our nation's bee colonies, placing at risk the U.S farm output which depends on bee pollination. Click here (PDF file) to read a copy of the letter, signed by more than 40 Senators, sent to the Secretary.
• Held forums throughout Idaho to collect input from the agriculture community regarding the 2007 Farm Bill. I also chaired a field hearing in Moscow, Idaho, for the Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Revitalization, Conservation, Forestry and Credit.
• Supported legislation that will expand the USDA Fruit and Vegetable Pilot Program in the reauthorization of the new Farm Bill, and, previously, had worked successfully to include Idaho in the present Pilot Program.
• Signed a delegation letter urging BPA and all the utilities to come together in an attempt to preserve affordable power for our region since BPA, by court order, has curtailed the BPA Residential Credit.
• Joined 57 of my Senate colleagues in sending a letter to the President urging U.S. trade negotiators to work to ensure that the World Trade Organization negotiations on agriculture provide a balanced, ambitious outcome in which new market access and the elimination of export subsidies provide net gains for U.S. agriculture in relation to reductions in trade-distorting domestic support. 
• Encouraged the Administration to work to open Japanese markets to American beef.  Click here (PDF file) to read a copy of the letter sent to President Bush in April 2007 regarding the issue.

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