National Renderers Association 77 th Annual Convention Agriculture Policy and Politics Through the eyes of a Journalist Sara Wyant Editor, Agri Pulse Naples, Florida October 27, 2010Aug. A 19-20, 2010
My early experience with rendered products
Five Key Issues Mid term Elections Changes in 112 th Congress Potential scenarios Obama Administration i i Federal Deficit Challenges
2010 Mid term Elections All House seats, third of Senate up for grabs GOP needs 39 to reclaim majority InSenate Senate, Republicans defending 18 seats and the Democrats defending 18, GOP needs to gain 10 The party holding the White House typically loses seats in mid term elections especially when Presidential approval rating <50%
2010 Politics: Gone to the dogs? Sestak's Dog Belle Toomey's cat responds
Flush Congress?
New players in charge? Agriculture Rep. Frank Lucas R Oklahoma Ways & Means Rep. Dave Camp R Michigan Energy and Commerce Rep. Ralph Hall R Texas
Potential scenarios More polarization and gridlock? If House flips, Blue Dogs lose More liberal Dems stay in place Tea Party gains Potential for compromise? Manchin video Liberals look for trade-offs Tea Party candidates look for wins
President Obama Will he move to the center? Likely to look for what s doable Scaled down energy bill to address climate change Trade Deficit Reduction
President Obama One of my top priorities next year is to have an energy policy that begins to address all facets of our overreliance on fossil fuels. We may end up having to do it in chunks, as opposed to some sort of comprehensive omnibus legislation, but we re going to stay on this because it s good for our economy, it s good for national security and ultimately, l it s good for the environment. Rolling Stone interview
President Obama Do you see a point at which you re going to throw the whole weight of the presidency behind this, like you did on health care or financial reform? Yes. Not only can I foresee it, but ti am committed to making sure that we get an energy policy that makes sense for the country and that helps us grow at the same time it deals with climate change in a serious way. Rolling Stone Interview
Secretary Vilsack Already ramping up on renewable energy But consumed with reaching out to new audiences Civil rights White House garden Know your farmer, know your food
Trade agenda? President Obama: Double exports in 5 years Unions do not want a repeat of Clinton years In 1992, workers voted for Democrats who promised action on jobs, who talked tlkdabout reining i in corporate greed and who promised health care reform. Instead, we got NAFTA, an emboldened Wall Street and not much more. AFL CIO President Richard Trumka onjan Jan. 11. DOHA Round going nowhere FTA s: Panama, South Korea, Colombia pushed off until after elections
In absence of legislation, more regulations Recent headlines: Eight Iowa CAFOs under federal scrutiny for water pollution FDA steps up enforcement EPA sets new rules for truck emissions Ag groups warn against clean water rewrite Do EPA climate change rules put your businss at risk? Ready for your next red-tape nightmare?
What s ahead? Mountain of debt! CBO: federal budget deficit of $1.3 trillion in 2010. In sum, the outlook for the federal budget is bleak, says CBO Director Doug Elmendorf. A bipartisan deficit commission is set to issue recommendations Dec. 1. The Bush tax cuts are scheduled to expire at year's end. Estate tax unresolved. Renewable energy incentives???
Debt Challenges
Entitlement Woes
The Farm Pie 2011-2020 Farm Bill Spending ($1.1 T total) Mar 10 CBO ($ Billions) Child Nutrition, SNAP 900 80% Crops/Dairy, 63.5, 6% 80% Crop Export / Other, 10.6, 1% Insurance 82.8, 7% Conservation, 63.6, 6%
Expiring Farm Bill programs Energy title CBO score (in milliions/ 5 yrs.) March 2010 Sec. 9002. Biobased Markets Program 9 Sec. 9003 Biorefinery Assistance 320 Sec. 9004 Repowering Assistance 35 Sec. 9005 Bioenergy for Advance Biofuels 300 Sec. 9006 Biodiesel Fuel Education 5 Sec. 9007 Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) 255 Sec. 9008 Biomass Research and Development 118 Sec. 9011 Biomass Crop Assistance Program 836
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