Agriculture
- Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management
- Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry
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At a town hall in Lafayette on Thursday, former Congressman Charles Boustany outlined just how much the tariffs put in place by the Trump administration are costing Louisiana.
Boustany is a spokesperson for Tariffs Hurt the Heartland, a nationwide, nonpartisan campaign. According to data the group released from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Census Bureau:
WASHINGTON – Congressman Ralph Abraham, M.D., R-Alto, today voted for the Farm Bill Conference Report, which passed overwhelmingly in the House. It now heads to President Trump’s desk for a signature.
A Farm Bill is in conference committee with votes expected on a final version in Congress later this week. The bill houses the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, or food stamps, along with farming policy for the next several years. Congressman Ralph Abraham says he’s disappointed the bill leaves out SNAP work requirements, but overall it’s a good bill.
“We got 18 of the 21 asks. As a whole, when you have this large of a bill, we count this as a big win.”
Congress has reached a compromise deal on a new Farm Bill to set agriculture policy for five years, but it won't expand work requirements for food stamps, which had been a priority of U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham of Louisiana and President Donald Trump.
The Senate passed the bill Tuesday on an 87-13 vote, although Louisiana Republican Sen. John Kennedy was a no, criticizing the "missed opportunity to reform" the food stamp program. The House will likely vote Wednesday.
Some say when a farmer is asked what he does for a living, he should say he’s a “professional gambler.”
Farming is a gamble when everything is as it should be. When the weather is contrary and geopolitics gets added to the mix, the gambler doesn’t stand much of a chance against “the house.”
This year, soybean farmers seemed to be the ones -- as U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham said -- “taking it on the chin.”
Lawmakers announced they come to an agreement on the farm bill.
After a simmering fight in Congress over food stamps. the debate appears to be settled without the addition of new work requirements. Washington correspondent reports it's just one part of a sweeping farm bill set for a vote next week.
But the bill is also notable for what it does not contain, new work requirements for people on food stamps. House Republicans championed that provision when they passed their plan earlier this year.
U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham introduced a bill that could help more soybean farmers participate in the tariff relief program.
Earlier this year the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the Market Facilitation Program to offer payments to soybean farmers based on losses to their harvested acres incurred by Chinese tariffs. Many farmers, including some in Louisiana, have either harvested with nowhere to take their beans or been unable to harvest at all.
WASHINGTON - Congressman Ralph Abraham, M.D., R-La., has introduced legislation to help soybean farmers better access a program designed to offset losses caused by Chinese tariffs.
The US Department of Agriculture announced the Market Facilitation Program (MFP) earlier this year that offers payments to soybean farmers based on losses to their harvested acres incurred by Chinese tariffs.
WASHINGTON - Iraq has agreed to purchase 15,000 metric tons of rice from the United States in a new deal that will benefit American rice producers.
Iraq recently concluded a 30,000 metric ton rice tender. The United States will provide half of that rice while Uruguay will provide the other half.