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The Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement would have given U.S. farmers and ranchers access to some of the fastest growing markets in the Pacific Rim. AFBF studies show passing TPP would boost net farm income by $4.4 billion. read more
The United States and the European Union are beginning negotiations towards a trade agreement. This would expand the world’s largest commercial relationship with $1 trillion of trade in goods and services annually and $3.7 trillion in two-way direct investment. U.S. agriculture is poised for growth in the European market. Last year, U.S. farmers and ranchers exported just under $13 billion to the EU, while the EU in turn exported $25 billion worth of agricultural products to the U.S. read more
All Americans have an interest in a regulatory process that is transparent and fact-based, respects the will of Congress, and observes the separation of powers in the Constitution. read more
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Farmers and ranchers need clear rules that protect our ability to produce food, fiber and fuel for our nation, while enhancing the natural resources we all depend on. read more
Farmers and ranchers are reducing their environmental footprint through modern agricultural techniques that produce food more efficiently. With some scientists predicting greater occurrences of extreme weather, Farm Bureau believes that there are tools and solutions that will make obstacles and variability in weather less challenging without hindering our productivity or harming the U.S. economy. read more
Farmers, ranchers and environmentalists agree that we must conserve and recover wildlife facing preventable extinction. But with a recovery rate of less than two percent, the Endangered Species Act is a failing to accomplish its mission. read more
The 2018 Farm Bill is a complete package, and one that will serve all Americans. Learn how the Farm Bill matters. read more
In January 2019, voting delegates to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 100th annual meeting recommended to the AFBF board of directors that the organization convene a Farm Bureau- and producer-led coalition to review methods to restructure and modernize the current Federal Milk Marketing Order system. read more
Securing a reliable and competent workforce for our nation’s farms and ranches is essential to agriculture and the U.S. economy. Yet every year, U.S. agriculture faces a critical shortage of workers, making our farms and ranches less competitive with foreign farmers and less reliable for the American consumer. read more
American farmers’ and ranchers’ ability to meet domestic demands and compete globally depends on a robust and reliable infrastructure. read more
America’s farmers and ranchers need viable rural communities to supply the services needed to support their families and agricultural operations. read more
Farm Bureau supports replacing the current federal income tax with a fair and equitable tax system that encourages success, savings, investment and entrepreneurship. We believe that the new code should be simple, transparent, revenue-neutral and fair to farmers and ranchers. read more
America values these family-owned farms and ranches because of the food, fiber, and fuel they produce, the contribution that agriculture makes to job creation and the economy, and the open space that farming and ranching protects. Yet, our nation's estate tax policy can be in direct conflict with the desire to preserve and protect our nation's family-owned farms and ranches. read more
Long-term capital gains are taxed at a lower rate to encourage investment in farms and businesses that grow our economy, create jobs and in recognition that these investments involve risk. read more
Farm Bureau supports policies that will create a diverse, domestic energy supply to fuel America’s economic growth and prosperity while strengthening our energy security and bolstering rural economies. read more
Farmers and ranchers have two major concerns related to health insurance: cost and access. The new Health Insurance Tax (HIT) increases health insurance costs for farmers, ranchers and other small businesses by imposing a levy on the net premiums of health insurance companies. This additional cost is passed on to consumers who obtain their health insurance through the fully insured market. read more
Home-town businesses are at a disadvantage when they compete with online-only retailers that don’t have to collect sales taxes. When this disadvantage causes a “main street” business to close or scale back, the impact is especially hurtful to already struggling rural towns. read more
In the recent past, tight oil and natural gas supplies drove U.S. farm inputs and energy prices to all-time highs, substantially increasing farm production costs. In the near term, stopping exploration for and use of fossil fuels cannot be done without severely disrupting our economy and threatening Americans’ standard of living. read more
Farm Bureau supports policies that will create a diverse, domestic energy supply to fuel America’s economic growth and prosperity while strengthening our energy security and bolstering rural economies. Further development and use of renewable fuel and energy sources such as ethanol, biodiesel, biomass and wind are critical to our nation’s energy future and will strengthen the overall national security of the United States. read more
Biotechnology is an important tool for better sustainability and food security. It helps farmers grow more food while improving the environment. For example, biotechnology reduces the use of costly inputs and improves weed management, allowing farmers to reduce tillage for better soil, water and air quality. read more
America’s farmers and ranchers need viable rural communities to supply the services needed to support their families and agricultural operations. read more
Farmers and ranchers need tools to keep animals healthy— including antibiotics or antimicrobials that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Eliminating access to these important tools will jeopardize animal health and compromise their ability to raise and produce a healthy and safe product. read more
American consumers deserve to have confidence that their food is safe and that the best science is used to ensure that they have access to the most wholesome products. read more
For more than a century, the President of the United States has had the power to unilaterally designate federal lands as a National Monument without the consent of Congress, local governments or affected citizens. National Monument designations, under the Antiquities Act of 1906, are meant to ensure the proper care and management of historic landmarks and other objects of historic or scientific interest. The Act also states that the monuments shall be confined to the smallest area compatible with proper care and management of the objects. read more
Wild horses and burros are to be managed according to the Wild and Free-Roaming Horse & Burro Act of 1971, which not only specifies where wild horses and burros can occupy public lands but that they shall be managed in a manner that produces a thriving natural ecological balance. read more
Insect pollination is critical to agriculture, and honey bees alone contribute more than an estimated $15 billion to the agricultural economy. Beekeepers, federal and state regulators, farmers and ranchers, and academic researchers are all engaged in the effort to identify the causes of honey bee decline and to find a solution. read more
The opioid epidemic is taking its toll on rural America, and it's hitting farm and ranch families especially hard. read more
