Justice for black farmers bill introduced in Senate
https://www.agriculture.com/news/business/justice-for-black-farmers-bill-introduced-in-senate
- Back in November, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker introduced the Justice for Black Farmers Act. The bill went on to die when Congress adjourned in December.
- As of Monday, six democratic senators, including Booker who was recently appointed to the Senate Agriculture Committee, revived the legislation.
- Five of these senators sit on the Senate Agriculture Committee, which will actually handle the bill.
- The Justice for Black Farmers Act was brought forward to end discrimination at the USDA and to expand black-owned farmland by up to 32 million acres through land grants over the next ten years.
- According to Booker, the legislation will take bold steps to forgive debt and restore the land that has been lost in order to empower a new generation of black farmers to succeed and thrive.
- If this bill is passed, an independent board would review appeals of civil rights complaints filed against the USDA, investigate complaints of discrimination within the department and oversee the farmer-elected county committees that direct operations at local USDA offices.
- Additionally, this legislation would increase funding for a USDA program to resolve the “heirs property” issue of land passed from one generation of a family to the next without a clear title.
- A new Equitable Land Access Service would issue land grants of 160 acres apiece to up to 20,000 black individuals annually through 2030.
- Additionally, this legislation would increase funding for a USDA program to resolve the “heirs property” issue of land passed from one generation of a family to the next without a clear title.
Montana MCOOL bill heard in house agriculture committee
https://www.tsln.com/ag-politics/mt-mcool-bill-heard-in-house-ag-committee/
- On February 11, the Montana House Agriculture Committee heard testimony on House Bill 324, the Montana Country-of-Origin Placarding Act of 2021.
- The goal of HB 324 is to restore transparency in meat labeling by giving American beef and pork producers access to a more honest marketplace while allowing consumers to purchase meat produced in the U.S.
- Representative Frank Smith introduced the legislation, which also has an additional 19 bipartisan co-sponsors.
- Montana is no stranger to COOL. Back in 2005, a Montana COOL bill was enacted after being advanced by the Northern Plains Resource Council.
- This bill paved the way for a federal COOL law that was then later passed in 2009.
- Once the federal law went into effect, Montana COOL sun-setted since it was no longer needed.
- Unfortunately, federal COOL was later repealed in 2015 when multinational meatpacking corporations applied pressure on U.S. lawmakers through international trade agreements.
- Since the federal repeal occurred, a loophole now exists that allows imported beef from other countries to be labeled “Product of USA” simply if it repackaged in the U.S.
- HB 324 would clarify these misleading labels through grocers making an effort to display placards (signs) at meat counters differentiating beef and pork into two categories using the following language:
- Born, raised, and processed the USA or
- Imported/origin unlabeled
- Jeanie Alderson, a rancher located near Birney, MT, described the economic toll imposed on ranchers by the current misleading labeling system during her testimony to the committee.
- “On our ranch and every other ranch in our state, we have felt the importance of good Country-of-Origin Labeling Laws. In 2014, when we had national COOL, our steer calves brought $2.52/lb., but in 2015 when COOL was abolished, we only received $1.50/lb.,” stated Alderson.
- Alderson went on to say that ranchers are just looking for fair prices for their hard work and good cattle.
- The House Agriculture Committee is expected to vote on HB 324 this week.
- “On our ranch and every other ranch in our state, we have felt the importance of good Country-of-Origin Labeling Laws. In 2014, when we had national COOL, our steer calves brought $2.52/lb., but in 2015 when COOL was abolished, we only received $1.50/lb.,” stated Alderson.
- This bill paved the way for a federal COOL law that was then later passed in 2009.
- The goal of HB 324 is to restore transparency in meat labeling by giving American beef and pork producers access to a more honest marketplace while allowing consumers to purchase meat produced in the U.S.