We’re Comfortable in Both a Field of Soybeans and a House of Congress
The goal of our national affiliate, the American Soybean Association, is to make Congress aware of the reality on the ground. Use the links below to learn about current issues and how your membership dues continue to help influence national legislation.
National Priorities
| Name | Summary |
|---|---|
| 2012 Farm Bill | ASA/SDSA supports making farm programs more efficient, effective, and defensible. With limited flexibility due to a low CBO baseline and no prospect for additional funding, our efforts are focused on helping producers better manage risk through improvements in the ACRE program and by making crop insurance more viable for farmers in regions where participation is low. While efforts to achieve these goals may need to be coordinated, we oppose addressing crop insurance as part of farm bill reauthorization, or subjecting producer indemnities to payment limitations. |
| Ag-Related Regulatory Actions | ASA/SDSA urges Senate passage of H.R. 872, which will remove duplicative and onerous new permitting requirements for pesticide applications already approved for use. ASA/SDSA urges Congress to express concern to the FCC about interference with GPS signals used by agricultural producers that would result from LightSquared’s proposed broadband network, and to ensure that these issues are resolved before giving final authorization to LightSquared. ASA/SDSA supports continued use of science-based Environmental Assessments by USDA in deregulating new biotech traits and improved procedures to speed deregulation decisions. |
| Biodiesel | ASA/SDSA supports enactment of a multi-year extension of the biodiesel tax incentive beyond 2011. We request House members to co-sponsor H.R. 2238, introduced by Representatives Schock and Peterson, and S. 1277, introduced by Senators Cantwell and Grassley. ASA/SDSA opposes efforts to reduce Farm Bill Bioenergy Program mandatory funding ($105 million) in the FY-2012 appropriations bill. |
| Trade Expansion | ASA/SDSA supports enactment of the pending FTAs with South Korea, Colombia, and Panama during the current session of Congress including, if necessary, appropriate Trade Adjustment Assistance for displaced workers. ASA/SDSA opposes legislation to take unilateral action on China’s currency that would invite retaliatory actions by China. |
| Transportation | ASA/SDSA requests that Congress provide adequate funding to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and specify that it be spent to dredge and repair inland waterways damaged by historic flooding. ASA/SDSA urges Congress to enact the Capital Development Plan to fund and streamline modernization of waterways infrastructure, including locks and dams. |
Archived National Priorities
| Name | SDSA Stance | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| FY-2012 Budget & Appropriations | Support | Budget - ASA/SDSA supports a comprehensive approach to reducing federal deficits and the growth of the national debt that includes all entitlement/mandatory as well as all discretionary spending, and that does not make disproportionate reductions in agriculture programs. Appropriations - ASA/SDSA is concerned about large and disproportionate cuts in the House agricultural appropriations bill to key programs, including agricultural research, conservation programs, and international food assistance programs. We support maintaining existing funding ($265 million) for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), and protecting funding for conservation on working lands, including EQIP, CSP and NRCS technical assistance to farmers. ASA/SDSA appreciates and strongly supports the continued full funding of the Foreign Market Development program ($34.5 million) and the Market Access Program ($200 million). |