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Kentucky Farm Bureau lobbies U.S. lawmakers
<b>By TIM THORNBERRY<br>
Kentucky Correspondent</b></p><p>

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Members of the Kentucky Farm Bureau (KFB) made their way to the nation’s capital last week for meetings with the state’s Congressional delegation as well as Washington-based Farm Bureau lobbyists and officials from a number of federal agencies dealing with ag-related activities, as part of the groups annual Congressional Tour.<br>
About 200 KFB members made the trip that included a Congressional breakfast, lawmaker office visits and a question-and-answer session with Kentucky’s U.S. Senators, Jim Bunning and Mitch McConnell.<br>
“It is always great to catch up with so many old friends and this year’s visit from the Kentucky Farm Bureau was no exception,” said McConnell. “They shared their insight on matters that are essential to protecting the prosperity of our farm families and continuing the growth of Kentucky’s agribusinesses. Armed with their support and assistance I am hopeful we can work to craft a farm bill that is in the best interest of Kentucky and the Kentucky Farm Bureau.”<br>
The farm bill issue was one of the hot topics during the tour, and the KFB group took advantage of the trip to lobby for passage of a fiscally responsible bill that maintains the basic structure of current legislation and benefits all sectors of production agriculture. <br>Ongoing negotiations between House and Senate leaders and the White House have centered on such issues as overall spending levels, commodity program payment eligibility and conservation funds.<br>
Both the House and Senate have passed their own versions of the bill, but have stalled getting a joint measure through. Farm Bureau is also seeking revisions to the H2A guest worker program in an effort to help farmers secure a dependable workforce and
establish a market-based wage scale that more accurately reflects local economic conditions. <br>
Last month the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration (ETA) and Employment Standards Administration (ESA) jointly proposed rules to modernize the H-2A program.<br>
“This issue must be addressed now, or our country will see eroding competitiveness in its agricultural sector, crops being left to rot in the fields, and increasing shifting of domestic food production to overseas,” said Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. “These proposed changes to the H-2A program will provide farmers with an orderly and timely flow of legal workers and increase protections for both U.S. and foreign workers.”<br>
The proposals will be posted on the Federal Registry soon for comments; something KFB members are waiting for with keen interest.<br>
Eddie Melton a KFB board member, made the tour this year and spoke of the importance of a trip like this to the state’s farming industry. “This trip is one of the most important things we do in Farm Bureau. You have to build relationships with the state’s Congressional delegation and it’s good that we go,” he said.<br>
Fellow KFB Board Member Larry Thomas echoed those sentiments. “I think it makes a big impression on our legislators to see a group this size make their way to Washington. They know we are keeping an eye on issues and know what’s going on,” he said. “It’s not all that often they see such a large group come to voice their concerns and it has to have an impact on them.”<br>
Both were optimistic about passage of a new farm bill even though they’re not sure when it will happen.<br>
“Sen. McConnell didn’t say it, but he gave me the impression we would get a farm bill soon,” said Thomas. “I never thought we’d still be waiting when we took our trip last year but they (Congress) have never failed to re-authorize it. It just has taken a while.”
March 15 was a target date for passage of the bill, but that may not be as realistic as once hoped. Ongoing negotiations between House and Senate leaders and the White House have centered on such issues as overall spending levels, commodity program payment eligibility and conservation funds.<br>
“I think we’re going to get the bill passed but probably not by the 15th,” said Melton. “I don’t see any huge drastic changes but I don’t think we need an extension. We want to keep the integrity of the bill and get it done so when it comes time to plant our crops, we’ll know what to do.”

3/5/2008