2013 Press Releases
Agriculture United Behind Immigration Reform Proposal, NCFC President Testifies
April 22, 2013
Farmer Co-ops Celebrate National Ag Day
March 19, 2013
NCFC Applauds House Bill to Eliminate Duplicative Pesticide Permit Requirement
March 5, 2013
Senate Budget Cut Package Unfairly Targets Farmers, NCFC Says
February 15, 2013
North Dakota Farmer Named Farmer Co-op Director of the Year
February 14, 2013
NCFC Update-Volume 10, Number 317
April 19, 2013
Senate Immigration Bill Introduced, Includes Ag Worker Framework from AWC/UFW Agreement
Early on Wednesday, the so-called “Gang of 8” senators—Senators Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), John McCain (R-Ariz.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.)—introduced comprehensive immigration legislation entitled the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act (S. 744).
Included in the bill is a section designed to help ensure that America’s farmers and ranchers have access to a legal, secure and skilled workforce. The details of this section reflect the landmark agreement reached late last week by the Agriculture Workforce Coalition (AWC)—of which NCFC is a founding member, the United Farm Workers union and a group of four senators including Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.). It includes a “blue card” program that offers an adjustment in status for current agricultural workers and a new visa program to ensure that producers have access to workers in the future. For details of the program, please contact Kathleen Heron ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ).
After the bill introduction on Wednesday, the AWC held a press conference on the agricultural provisions featuring coalition members and United Farm Workers President Arturo Rodriguez.
NCFC President Chuck Conner opened the press conference. ”The formation of the AWC represents a significant change from the past. For many years, agriculture and the farming sector have spoken with many voices on immigration; today we speak with one voice,” he said. “And a key to the landmark agreement that was reached late last week were the discussions that the AWC had been having with representatives of the United Farm Workers union.”
Conner will also be testifying on behalf of the AWC next week at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on immigration reform. In addition, the coalition will be holding a series of briefings over the next two weeks with staff from the House and Senate.
House Ag Committee to Markup Farm Bill in Mid-May
Late on Thursday, a number of media outlets carried reports that House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) has scheduled a May 15 hearing to mark up a new farm bill. Details continue to emerge. With no legislation introduced, it is unclear as to what exactly will be marked up, though it will probably adhere closely to the farm bill passed by the House committee last year.
In the Senate, Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) has indicated that she would like to hold a markup in May, but no date for a hearing has been set.
FDA Extends Comment Period on FSMA Produce Rule
Only one week after NCFC and 86 other industry groups sent a letter requesting the extension of the comment period for the FSMA proposed rules, FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg announced that FDA plans to extend the comment period by another 120 days. The comment period was originally set to end next month on May 16. Commissioner Hamburg's remarks about the extension were made today in response to a question from Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) asked during a hearing of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee.
NCFC welcomes FDA’s extension of the comment period to allow for more time to work through these dense federal regulations. NCFC will continue to work with our members in drafting comments on both proposed rules.
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