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February 2009
Senators Urge US Officials to Halt China's Cotton Registration Policy (1.1m pdf) 02/27/2009
Senators Chambliss (R-GA), Harkin (D-IA), Lincoln (D-AR), Cochran (R-MS) and Roberts (R-KS) sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Vilsack requesting immediate action to stop China from implementing a new registration system exclusively for imported cotton. They sent a similar letter to Acting US Trade Representative Peter Allgeier and Chinese Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong.
 
President’s Budget Undermines Confidence in Farm Policy 02/26/2009
The NCC says the proposed program changes included in President Obama’s FY10 budget for USDA fail to recognize the work recently completed by Congress on the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008.
 
Strong Support For Safety Net Expressed 02/23/2009
The NCC joined with other agricultural organizations on a letter to Agriculture Secretary Vilsack expressing strong and continuing support for the farm safety net that was included in the recently-passed farm bill.
 
Farm-State Senators Urge USDA to Implement Payment Limit Rules 02/09/2009
Sen. Chambliss (R-GA), ranking Republican member on the Senate Agriculture Committee; Sen. Lincoln (D-AR), chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee Subcommittee on Production, Income Protection and Price Support; and others sent a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack requesting USDA to implement the rules and regulations pertaining to new Adjusted Gross Income and payment limit reforms to accurately reflect Congressional intent.
 
NCC Submits Comments to a Key Farm Program Interim Rule 02/04/2009
The National Cotton Council submitted comments to USDA-FSA's interim rule regarding amendments to the regulations governing farm program payment limitations and payment eligibility for the '09 and subsequent crop, program or fiscal years. Of particular concern is that the issuing delay makes it very difficult for US farmers and ranchers to adjust their operating plans in accordance with these new rules.
 
January 2009
NCC Urges Senate to Retain Buy American Provision (79k pdf) 01/30/2009
This provision's language requires that iron, steel and other manufactured goods procured in the stimulus package be sourced from US producers. Earlier in the week, the House adopted by voice vote an amendment offered by Rep. Kissell (D-NC) to H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, that would mandate that any textile and apparel products purchased by the US Department of Homeland Security's Transportation Security Administration (TSA) be made with 100% US content. The NCC earlier joined onto a letter urging Representatives' support of the amendment.
 
Kissell Amendment Support Urged (87k pdf) 01/28/2009
NCC joined with other industry trade associations and labor unions on a letter to Representatives urging their support of Amendment #198 to H.R. 1 that would create new U.S. jobs right away.
 
NCC Letter Urges Availability of Partial CCP For '08 Upland Cotton 01/28/2009
NCC Chairman Larry McClendon wrote Agriculture Secretary Vilsack requesting on behalf of NCC members that he utilize the authority available under the '08 farm law to make available to eligible producers a partial counter-cyclical payment for '08 upland cotton, effective January 27 -- and that it be made at the maximum level of 5.03 cents/lb.
 
USDA Issues Partial '08 CCPs for Upland Cotton 01/28/2009
The Commodity Credit Corp. will make $490 million available in partial '08 Counter-cyclical Program (CCP) payments to eligible producers with enrolled upland cotton base acres in the Direct and Counter-cyclical Program. The projected partial CCP rate for producers with enrolled upland cotton base acres is 5.03 cents per pound or 40% of the projected total rate of 12.58 cents per pound. NCC Chairman McClendon had sent a letter to Secretary Vilsack requesting the partial payment be made.
 
Comment Period Extension Follows Organizations' Request (21k pdf) 01/23/2009
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced on Jan. 26 that he will extend the comment period for the '08 farm bill farm program payment limitation and payment eligibility rulemaking process. The NCC had joined with 12 other commodity and general farm organizations on a letter to him requesting a 30-day extension of that Jan. 28 comment submission deadline.
Farm Bill Information
 
NCC Summary -- Final Rule Implementing the '08-12 Cotton Programs 11/07/08
The NCC summarized selected provisions of the final rule implementing the Upland/ELS Cotton Programs for '08-12.
 
Cotton Program Changes for Loans, Loan Deficiency Payments, Upland Cotton, and Extra Long Staple Cotton (82k pdf) 11/05/08
The Federal Register published the CCC's notice of its revising regulations as required by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the '08 Farm Bill) to administer loan and payment programs for upland cotton and extra-long staple (ELS) cotton producers and establishing new regulations to specify payment provisions for domestic users of upland cotton. The NCC posted its summary of selected provisions (Members Only).
 
Letter to Agriculture Secretary Regarding Farm Law Implementation Regulation 10/24/08
The NCC, the National Council of Textile Organizations, AMCOT, the American Cotton Shippers Association and the American Cotton Producers conveyed serious concern about the delay in publishing the regulation necessary to implement the new farm law.
 
USDA Issues Final '07-Crop CCPs For Upland Cotton 10/10/08
On Oct. 10, Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer announced that USDA's Commodity Credit Corp. will issue $384 million in final '07 counter-cyclical payments to eligible producers with enrolled upland cotton base acres in the Direct and Counter-cyclical Program.
 
Congressional Members Urge Secretary to Minimize Unnecessary Changes in Farm Programs' Operation 09/30/08
A bipartisan group of Cotton Belt Senators and House members, led by Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) and Representatives Etheridge (D-NC) and Emerson (R-MO), has written Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer to stress that it is inappropriate and unnecessary for USDA to cause serious disruptions in current farming operations by proposing unwarranted changes in the way it makes actively-engaged-in-farming determinations.
 
Federal Register Notice Published on '08 Farm Law (51k pdf) 07/16/08
USDA published a notice in the July 14 edition of the Federal Register announcing that "... with respect to the DCP, marketing assistance loans, loan deficiency payments under Title I of the 2008 Farm Bill, and CRP under Title II of the 2008 Farm Bill CCC will implement payment limitations and eligibility provisions for the 2008 crop, fiscal or program year based on the current regulation in 7 CFR part 1400, as it applied to the 2007 crop or 2007 crop year."
 
Federal Cotton Program Works, Expenditures Declining 07/10/08
Criticisms of U.S. cotton farm programs are unwarranted. The truth: U.S. farm programs have operated as designed, supporting farmers’ incomes in times of low prices while allowing them to react to market signals.
 
USDA Issues Advance Direct Payments 07/07/08
USDA announced that up to $1.15 billion in 2008 advance direct payments will be distributed to US farmers beginning on July 7.
 
Top USDA Officials Discuss Farm Bill Implementation 06/26/08
Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer, along with Chuck Conner, deputy secretary of Agriculture, and Floyd Gaibler, deputy undersecretary of Agriculture for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services, discussed (see transcript) implementation of the new farm law during a news conference on June 25.
 
Direct & Counter-Cyclical Payment Signup Underway 06/25/08
USDA announced that on June 25 signup began for the '08 Direct and Counter-cyclical Payment Program under the new farm law.
 
Quality Loss Crop Disaster Program Signup Begins 06/20/08
USDA announced that eligible farmers who suffered quality losses to their crops in recent years can enroll in the Crop Disaster Program 2005-2007 at local FSA service centers starting June 23, '08.
 
Revision to US Cotton Table in USDA’S June 10 WASDE Report 06/03/08
The June 10 World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report will reflect a change in the US cotton table -- as the new farm law has eliminated the longstanding prohibition on USDA’s publishing of cotton price forecasts.
 
NCC Reviewing Key Farm Law Provisions 05/30/08
NCC staff is reviewing key provisions of the new Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 in 45 educational meetings across the Cotton Belt during the weeks of June 16 and June 23.
 
Farm Bill Now Law With Exception of Trade Title 05/23/08
The House Parliamentarian issued a statement saying the override of the President's veto on HR 2419 makes that farm bill legislation law, with the exception of the trade title.
 
Farm Bill Veto Override Important Step 05/22/08
The NCC expressed appreciation to all Members of the House and Senate who acted in a bipartisan manner to promptly override the President’s veto of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008.
 
Farm Bill Veto Override Urged Now 05/21/08
The NCC called on Members of the House and Senate to promptly override the President’s veto of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008.
 
Senate Farm Bill Approval Commended by the NCC 05/15/08
NCC Chairman Larry McClendon commended the Senate for its decisive passage of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 and urged President Bush to reconsider his veto threat.
 
NCC Applauds House Vote on Farm Bill 05/15/08
NCC Chairman Larry McClendon expressed gratitude for the House of Representatives’ overwhelming approval of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 and urged a similar strong showing in the Senate.
 
NCC Action Alert Regarding the Farm Bill Conference Report 05/08/08
An NCC Action Alert urged support for the Conference Report on the new farm bill.
 
110th Congress -- Cotton Belt U.S. Representatives 05/07/08
This is a list of Cotton Belt U.S. Representatives and their contact information, including agricultural and trade liaisons and schedulers. Use 202 area code when calling and first name.last name@mail.house.gov when emailing a staffer. Ex: jane.doe@mail.house.gov
 
110th Congress -- Cotton Belt Senators 05/07/08
This is a list of Cotton Belt U.S. Senators and their contact information, including including agricultural and trade liaisons and schedulers. Use 202 area code when calling.