114th Congress in Review

114th CONGRESS IN REVIEWHOUSEAGRICULTURECOMMITTEE



ChairmanK.MichaelConaway Bornand raised inWestTexas,MikeConawayisproud torepresentTexas’11thCongressionalDistrictsincecoming to Congressin 2005.HeservesasChairman oftheHouseAgricultureCommittee,wherehestronglyadvocatesfor farmers,ranchers,ruralcommunities,andconsumerswhileensuringprogramsunderthecommittee’sjurisdiction aredefensibleandfinanciallyresponsible. PriortobecomingAgricultureCommitteeChairman,ConawayservedasChairmanoftheHouseEthics Committee and held leadership roles as Chairman or Ranking Member of two Agriculture Subcommitteessincethe111thCongress.InadditiontohisroleasChairmanoftheHouseAgriculture Committee,hecurrentlyservesontheHouseArmed ServicesCommitteeand thePermanent SelectCommitteeonIntelligence. Conawaywasinstrumentalinthepassageofthe2008and2014farm bills,inwhichhe focusedlargelyonstrengtheningtheagriculturaleconomy.Hebelievesthebenefits ofastrongruraleconomyarefeltineverycommunityinAmerica.A life-long fiscalconservative,ChairmanConawayiscommittedtosoundfarm policy, protecting taxpayer dollars,and overseeing implementation of the AgriculturalActof2014aswellasagenciesand projectsattheU.S. DepartmentofAgriculture. Conawaygraduated from EastTexasState University,now known as Texas A&M University-Commerce,where he studiedaccountingandplayedfootball.Hethenserved twoyearsintheU.S.ArmyatFortHoodandwenton tobecomeaCertifiedPublicAccountant.Hewas appointedbyPresidentGeorgeW.Bushtothe TexasStateBoard ofPublicAccountancy, whereheserved asa board member andchairman. HeandhiswifeSuzannelivein Midland and have four children and seven grandchildren.

123 TOTALACTIVITIES84 24COMMITTEE INVESTIGATIONS HEARINGS 4 39 EXECUTIVE FULL BRIEFINGS COMMITTEE 11 BUSINESS MEETINGS 45SUBCOMMITTEE



COMMITTEEBILLSBillTitle PassedCommittee PassedtheHouse BecameLawH.R.897ReducingRegulatoryBurdensActH.R.2051 under H.R.2051MandatoryPriceReportingAct underH.R.2088 H.R.2029U.S.GrainStandardsAct underReauthorizationAct H.R.2051H.R.2289CommodityEnd-UserReliefActH.R.2393CountryofOriginLabelingAmendmentsActH.R.2394NationalForestFoundationReauthorizationActH.R.2647ResilientFederalForestsAct

BillTitle PassedCommittee PassedtheHouse BecameLawH.R.2620toamendU.S.CottonFuturesActH.R.1599 under S.764Safe&AccurateFoodLabelingActH.R.1317toamendCommodityExchangeAct&SecuritiesExchangeActH.R.470Chattahoochee-OconeeNationalForestLandAdjustmentActH.R.5883toamendthePackersandStockyardsActH.R.845NationalForestSystem TrailsStewardshipAct





STATEOFTHERURALECONOMYWithadramaticdropinnetfarm income,America’sfarmersandranchersneedstrongfarmpolicytomanagerisk,preserveaccesstocredit,andkeeptheruraleconomythriving.46% innetfarm incomesince2013Thelargestthree-yearpercentagedeclinesincetheGREATDEPRESSION.“TheFarm Billiswritten “Thisisafar-reaching fortimeslikethese.” problemthatgoesdown Rep.RickCrawford(AR-1) MainStreetintherural Chairman,SubcommitteeonGeneral communities. Farm Commodities&RiskManagement ”-Mr.RandyNelson 10hearings President,CHSCapitalLLC 2fullcommittee 8subcommittee

43+million “ManypeoplecallSNAPa recipients safetynet,butformeitwas likeatrampoline—bouncing myfamilybackintowork ”andabrighterfuture. KeleighGreen-PattonlargestFederalnutrition formerSNAPrecipientassistanceprogram16hearings COMMITTEEREPORT2-yearreview FINDINGSTHEMES“Noindividualprogram canend •ServingSNAPrecipientsthrough hunger,poverty,orobesity.It innovationandflexibilityin willtakecollaborationwithin program delivery communitiesanda360 degreeapproachtobetter •Climbingtheeconomicladder serveAmericans’ throughwork nutritionalneeds.” •Maintainingprogram integrity Rep.JackieWalorski(IN-2) Improvingfoodaccessand Chairwoman,SubcommitteeonNutrition promotingheathlyfood PAST,PRESENT,&FUTUREOF Thecommitteehascompletedatwo-year review tofindwaystomakemeaningfulimprovementsSNAPthatbenefitrecipients,program administrators,andtaxpayers.

TRADETheU.S.isagloballeaderinprovidingfoodandfibertotheworld.ThecommitteewillcontinuetobeavoiceforAmericanfarmersandranchersandholdforeigngovernmentsaccountablefortheirtrade-distortingpractices. 5hearings 4fullcommitteeHIGHLIGHTS 1subcommitteeCOOLREPEAL “Wecannotallow [wrongful] actionsbyourforeignsignedintolaw competitorstoundermine ourtradeagendaanddestroyTPAfacilitatesopen Americanjobs,businesses,discussiononagriculturaltrade andoureconomy.4executivebriefings ”ChairmanK.MichaelConawayPressedforW TO caseagainstChina’sagriculturalsubsidies USTRfoundChinaviolated itscommitmentsoncorn, rice,andwheatbymore than$100billionin2015 alone.

“Theagricultureandmaritimecommunitieshave successfullypartneredwithprivatevoluntary organizationstoleadtheglobalefforttoalleviate hungerandmalnutritionoverthepast60years. Anyefforttomoveawayfrom in-kinddonations inexchangeformorecash-basedassistanceis concerning,especiallysinceUSAIDhasattempted toachievethesereformsbyeffectivelydrivinga wedgebetweenthemaritimeandagriculture communities.” Rep.DavidRouzer(NC-7) Chairman,SubcommitteeonLivestockandForeignAgriculture“America’sfarmersarethe AREASOFFOCUS mostproductiveinthe world.Theircontribution •Balancebetweenin-kindfood aidandcash-basedassistance hasservedasthe backboneofthese 4hearings •Improveprogram efficiencyfor programsforthepast boththetaxpayerandpeoplesixtyyearsandshouldnot aroundtheworldinneedof 2fullcommittee assistance beoverlooked. 2subcommittee ”ChairmanK.MichaelConaway FOODAID TheU.S.hasledglobaleffortsinprovidinginternational foodaidformorethan60years.Thecommitteeisdedicatedtoreviewingtheseprogramstoensuretheyareachievingtheirstatedobjectives.

“Throughassistanceandincentive-based AREASOFFOCUS programsprovidedintheFarm Bill,our nation’sfarmersandranchersare •Voluntaryconservation voluntarilyreducingsoilerosion, •WOTUS increasingwetlands,im proving •Forestfires waterquality,andpreserving •NationalForestSystem farmlandandwildlifehabitats.” Rep.Glenn“GT”Thompson(PA-5) Chairman,SubcommitteeonConservation& Forestry FORESTRY8hearings “Wemustcontinueto 4bills 1fullcommittee advocateforthevoluntary H.R.2394 7subcommittee conservationpractices H.R.2647 H.R.470 thatfarmersandranchers H.R.845 areparticipatinginbut continuallygounnoticed. ”ChairmanK.MichaelConawayENVIRONMENTALSTEWARDSHIPAmerica’sfarmersaretheoriginalandbeststewardsoftheland.Theyprotectandpreserveournaturalresources,engageinvoluntaryconservationprograms,andmanageournation’sforests.

NATIONALSECURITYAmerica’sabilitytofeedandclotheitselfismadepossiblebyourfarmerswhoproducethesafest, mostabundantandmostaffordablefoodsupplyintheworld.Thisisessentialtothe securityofournation.5hearings COMMITTEEGOALS 3fullcommittee •Ensuresafeandabundantproductionoffood,fuel, 2subcommittee andfiberinAmerica •Protectthefoodsupplyfrom outsidethreats •Providefoodaidtoenhancestabilityaroundtheworld“Ifirmlybelievethat America’sfirstlineofdefenseisourabilityto feedandclothethe people.”MajorGeneralDarrenG.OwensFarm policyplaysacritialroleinensuringthesecurityofournation.

“Bottomline,the 11hearings futuresmarketsare 5fullcommittee instrumentalin 6subcommittee providingrisk managementtocommodityproducers.”ChairmanK.MichaelConaway AREASOFFOCUS “Withthestrainonournation’s •CFTC reauthorization agricultureeconomy,itisessential •Dodd-Frank ourfarmersandranchershave accesstoreliablesourcesof •Farm CreditSystem creditatcom petitiverates.” Rep.AustinScott(GA-8) Chairman,SubcommitteeonCommodityExchanges,Energy,andCreditMARKETS&FINANCEAmerica’sfarmers,ranchers,andend-usersdependonwell-functioningmarketsandaccesstofinancingtomanagetheirbusinessesandmitigaterisk.Properlyfunctioningmarketsbenefitconsumers,theeconomy,andbusinessesaroundtheglobe.

AGRICULTURE&TECHNOLOGY Astheworldpopulationisexpectedtoincreasetomorethan9.7billionpeopleby2050, farmersneedaccesstotechnologytoproducesufficientquantitiesoffoodinan environmentallysoundandaffordableway.BIOTECHNOLOGYisessentialforfarmersandrancherstocontinueproducingthesafest,highestquality,m ostabundantandm ostaffordablefoodsupplyintheworld. TECHNOLOGICALADVANCESINAGRICULTURE •PassageofnationalGMO labelingbill •Promoteprecisionagriculturethatresultsinconservation andeconomicbenefits •Highlightinnovationinagricultureandtheuseofbigdata “Consumerswantfactualand 10hearings easytounderstandinformation abouttheirfood;through 4fullcommittee directdialogues,farmersare 6subcommittee betterabletofulfillthatdesire andbuildconsumertrustand Foodpolicyrecommendationsshouldbe confidenceintoday’sfood basedonsound,irrefutablescience. systems.” Rep.RodneyDavis(IL-13) Chairman,SubcommitteeonBiotechnology,Horticulture,andResearch

AGRICULTURE&CONSUMERS“Ifyoueat,dress,ordrive,youhaveavestedinterestinagriculture.” -ChairmanK.MichaelConaway DietaryGuidelines forAmericansFOODWASTE “Thefederaldietary40%ofallfoodproduced guidelinesdirectlyaffect intheU.S.iswasted eachandeveryAmerican andshouldbebasedon$161.6billioninfoodwas wastedin2010intheU.S. sound,consistent,and ”irrefutablescience. ChairmanK.MichaelConawayThecommitteewillcontinuetoexamineeverypartofthefoodsystem toidentifyopportunitiestominimizefoodwaste.

Onaverage,Americansspendslessthan10%oftheirdisposableincomeonfood.However,low-incomehouseholdsspend35%upwardsof oftheirdisposableincomeonfood. “U.S.foodconsumers wouldlose$2.5billionin economicvalueifcrop insurance[support] woulddisappear. ”Dr.JasonHenderson AssociateDean&Director PurdueExtensionCONSUMERFOODPRICES Strongfarm policyprovidesrisk-managementtools tofarmersandprotectsconsumersfrom swingsinfoodprices.

USDA OVERSIGHTForthepasttwoyears,theSecretaryofAgricultureandUSDAofficialshavecomebeforethe committeetotestifyonthedepartment’ssevenmissionareasandtheir respectiveagencies.Annual “Hearingfromeverymissionarea2-DAY atUSDAoveratwo-dayperiod providesauniqueopportunitytohearing seehowallofthevariousparts25USDA ofUSDAworktogether.Ihopeto continuetheseconversationsas Officials ”wemoveforward. USDA CONSISTSOF: ChairmanK.MichaelConaway~100,000employees~$150billioninannualoutlays USDA MISSION AREAS:17federalagencies7missionareas Food,NutritionandConsumerServices FoodSafety RuralDevelopment NaturalResourcesandEnvironment Farm andForeignAgriculturalServices Research,EducationandEconomics MarketingandRegulatoryPrograms

14meetings AREASOFFOCUS withmembersfrom •Shareprioritiesand23states concernsfrom allregions •Developconstituent-and m em ber-driven agriculturepoliciesSMALLGROUPINITIATIVEGoal:tohearfrom allmembersoftheconferenceandtohaveanongoing,open,andhonestdialogueabouttheissuesmostimportanttoagricultureandruralAmerica.



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agriculture.house.gov /houseagcommittee @ houseagnews @ houseagcommittee