In This Issue:
In This Issue:
In This Issue:
October 7, 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael S. Regan announced the appointment of Rod Snyder to become EPA’s Agriculture Advisor. Snyder will lead outreach and engagement efforts with the agricultural community for EPA. Snyder was serving as president of Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, a multi-stakeholder initiative working to advance the sustainability of commodity crop farming in the United States. In that role, he focused on issues such as climate change, water quality, biodiversity, and pest management.
“Rod brings a wealth of experience and knowledge about how environmental issues intersect with agricultural stakeholders and rural communities,” said Administrator Michael S. Regan. “It’s going to take all of us working together to tackle the climate crisis, advance environmental justice and build a sustainable future, and Rod is well-suited to bring our partners into the Agency’s work and ensure agricultural stakeholders have a seat at the table.”
Prior to working at Field to Market, Snyder worked for the National Corn Growers Association and CropLife America. Snyder is a longtime champion of agricultural solutions to climate change and has previously organized farmer delegations to participate in UN Climate Summits in Paris and Copenhagen. Snyder holds a B.A. in Political Science from Eastern University in St. Davids, Pennsylvania. He resides on his family farm in Shenandoah Junction, West Virginia.
“I am honored to serve as EPA’s Agriculture Advisor as we forge practical, science-based solutions that protect the environment and ensure a vibrant and productive agricultural system,” said Rod Snyder. “America’s farmers and ranchers are vital partners in achieving clean air and clear water, all while playing the critical role of delivering a healthy and secure food supply.”
In This Issue:
Although the Horizon Ag Arkansas Field Days in Stuttgart and Jonesboro were cancelled this year due to Covid-19, you have an opportunity to watch on video what area farmers are saying about top-performing Horizon Ag varieties for the Delta — Clearfield® CLL16, CLL15 and new Provisia® variety PVL03.
The Horizon Ag Arkansas Field Day videos are available at www.horizonseed.com.
“We missed seeing everyone in person at our annual Arkansas field days, but we are excited to bring you up to date on what farmers are experiencing with the Provisia Rice System and the latest, high-yielding Clearfield varieties across this region,” says Dr. Tim Walker, Horizon Ag general manager. “Horizon Ag is proud of our heritage as a partnership brand, and the work we have done with partners like the University of Arkansas has led to several significant variety releases over the last 20 years, including the recent launches of the next generation of Clearfield varieties.”
The videos feature farmers Darren Walker from the Grand Prairie, Jason McGee from Northeast Arkansas and Zack Tanner from the Missouri Bootheel, along with an overview of the current Horizon Ag variety offering from Dr. Walker.
Varieties like CLL15, introduced last year, and CLL16, released commercially this season, have dramatically raised the bar for Clearfield variety performance, providing farmers outstanding yield potential, excellent milling characteristics, an industry-leading disease package and a better return-on-investment compared to hybrids. Both of these varieties are the result of the work of Arkansas rice breeders to bring forward improved Clearfield lines that provide a significant step-change for rice production in the Delta.
In fact, CLL16 is often described as the “complete package” by rice farmers because of its consistency, yields that rival hybrids, industry-leading blast tolerance and an outstanding milled product. In addition, CLL16 is being observed in row rice situations this year, and reports are extremely positive.
“CLL16 has as much yield potential as any product on the market, including the hybrids,” says Darren Walker, who farms near DeValls Bluff, Arkansas. “So if you have the lowest input costs and the top-end yield potential, why would you not plant CLL16?”
Finally, there is a new Horizon Ag Provisia variety, PVL03, which will be available in good supply for planting in the 2022 season.
“Farmers who have experience planting Provisia rice already know that the system is the real deal,” says Dr. Walker. “There is no better, more proven technology than the Provisia Rice System when it comes to controlling the weedy hybrid rice and hard-to-control grasses threatening production in the South.”
Clearfieldâ and Provisiaâ are registered trademarks of BASF Corporation. ã2021 Horizon Ag LLC All Rights Reserved.
On Thursday, the Senate passed a Continuing Resolution on a vote of 65-35. The continuing resolution will maintain spending at current levels while allowing Congress until Dec 3 to work out an agreement on a broader spending package or enact another Continuing Resolution. An earlier attempt to pass a Continuing Resolution failed because it included a provision which would waive the debt limit. The bill also includes $10 billion for agriculture producer assistance for 2020 and 2021 losses. Senate approval sends the Continuing Resolution to the House where it is expected to be expeditiously passed and sent to the President for approval to avoid a government shutdown at midnight.
Appointments—
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the names of individuals who will hold key staff positions in Washington, D.C. They include the following:
Linda Delgado was appointed Senior Advisor in the Office of the Secretary. Delgado most recently served as the Director of Government Affairs at Oxfam America. She has extensive experience in the environmental, agricultural and forestry issues from her time as a Fellow at Ecotrust, a Senior Fellow at the World Resources Institute, and the Co-Director of the Forest Program and Global Forest Watch. Delgado is returning to USDA, having previously served as the Chief of Staff to the Deputy Secretary and a Senior Advisor to the Secretary from 1998 to 2001. She was a legislative assistant in several Congressional offices prior to her time at USDA. She has a Master of Business Administration in International Relations from American University and degrees in International Finance and Psychology from Tufts University.
Marni Karlin was appointed as Senior Advisor for Organic and Emerging Markets. Karlin joins USDA with two decades of experience in policy and the organic and emerging agricultural markets space – including consulting with stakeholders across the organic sector from producers to certifiers, service as Vice President of Government Affairs and General Counsel of the Organic Trade Association, and serving as the founding Executive Director of the Controlled Environment Agriculture Food Safety Coalition. Karlin has several years of government experience, including time as Counsel to Senator Herb Kohl and Counsel for the Antitrust Modernization Commission. She received her Juris Doctor from the University of Chicago Law School and her Bachelor of Arts in International Economics and Politics from George Washington University. Karlin also has a certification in global organic leadership from the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) Organic Leadership Academy.
Marcia Moore will serve as Director of the Office of the Executive Secretariat. Most recently, Moore served as the Chief of Personnel and Administration and a Committee Management Senior Analyst at the Department of Defense. With more than 23 years of federal service, Moore returns to USDA where she previously managed the Agricultural Research Service’s Office of Scientific Quality Review, USDA’s Committee Management Program, and environmental policy analysis. She also worked as the Executive Director of the Food Advisory Committee at the Department of Health and Human Services. Moore has her Bachelor’s in Business Management and Biology from Alverno College in Milwaukee, WI, and her Master’s in Science Communication from Johns Hopkins University.
Shawn Campbell was appointed Legislative Analyst in the Office of Congressional Relations. Campbell joins USDA after over five years of service in the legislative branch. Most recently, he served as a Special Assistant in the Office of Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado. Prior, Campbell worked for Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut as a Legislative Correspondent, Correspondence Assistant, and Staff Assistant. Campbell graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in African American Studies. He is a native of Hartford, Connecticut.
Continuing Resolution
On Tuesday, the House approved a continuing resolution, on a 220-211 party-line vote, that would extend government funding through December 3 and prevent a government shutdown. The bill also includes a provision to temporarily extend the public debt limit through December 16, 2022, after mid-term elections.
In addition to extending FY 2021 appropriations, the bill provides an additional $10 billion to cover losses from natural disasters occurring in 2020 and 2021, an extension of the Wildfire Hurricane Indemnity Program Plus (WHIP+), and $275 million for the Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP) to help communities address damages to infrastructure caused by natural disasters. The bill also includes funding to the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation for drought response, including $200 million for western drought response activities and $10 million for fire remediation activities and firefighting costs.
Senate Republicans have stated that they would not support the bill, releasing their own version of the continuing resolution shortly after. The Senate Republicans’ version includes the $10 billion for WHIP+, with the provision allowing losses in 2020 and 2021 to be covered, and the $275 million for EWP. The bill does not include an extension of the public debt limit and reinserts $1 billion for Israel’s Iron Dome defense system that was removed earlier during House consideration to appease House progressives.
Congress must pass a continuing resolution before the end of the fiscal year to prevent a government shutdown on October 1.
Supply Chain Czar
President Biden has appointed former Deputy Transportation Secretary John Porcari as the Port Envoy to the Biden-Harris Administration’s Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force.
The Task Force is working to address supply and demand discrepancies that occur across several sectors of the economy. Envoy Porcari will work closely with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who leads the Task Force, and the National Economic Council to address the persistent congestion at U.S. ports.
Since 2019, shipping disruptions and increased demand have increased the cost of shipping containers between the U.S. and China over 90%. West Coast ports, including the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, have been particularly affected. Envoy Porcari will work with stakeholders to address the increasing backlog and associated delivery delays.
Porcari served as Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating Officer of the Department of Transportation during the Obama-Biden administration and was directly involved in overseeing maritime policy and maritime-related competitive programs.
In This Issue:
On Wednesday, the US Rice Producers Association (USRPA) announced the creation of the Ray Stoesser Memorial Scholarship, named in honor of former USRPA board member Ray Stoesser. Stoesser’s family, in partnership with USRPA, created the scholarship program to celebrate the late farmer’s legacy and support the agriculture leaders of tomorrow. An active US Rice Producers Association board member and a third-generation farmer of more than 50 years, Stoesser was passionate about three things: his faith, his family, and agriculture. While he loved nearly every aspect of his decades-long career as a rice producer, he was particularly passionate about expanding opportunities in agriculture for the next generation.
In addition to receiving a $5000 scholarship to support their academic pursuits, the selected recipient will serve as a student ambassador for USRPA with an expectation of participating in at least two activities during the calendar year, including Field Days, legislative activities, conferences, and more.
“USRPA is thrilled to partner with the Stoesser family to create this opportunity for the agriculture leaders of tomorrow,” Marcela Garcia, President, and CEO of USRPA, said. “These students are our industry’s future and we’re proud to support them.”
Current high school seniors, undergraduate, and graduate students are eligible to apply. Applicants should have the intent of pursuing a career in an agriculture-related field. The application is now available online at usriceproducers.com/scholarship. Applications are due Wednesday, December 15.
The US Rice Producers Association, representing rice producers in Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Texas, is the only national rice producers’ organization comprised by producers, elected by producers, and representing producers in all six rice-producing states.
25722 Kingsland Blvd., Ste. 203, Katy, Texas 77494
Phone: 713-974-7423
USRPA does not discriminate in its programs on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, or marital/family status. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of information (such as Braille, large print, American sign language, language translation, etc.) should contact USRPA at 713-974-7423. EEO.
