Congressional Research Service Reports - 24 Matching Results
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- Agricultural Trade Issues in the 107th Congress
- The 107th Congress is considering trade issues with implications for the U.S. agricultural sector. Trade in agricultural commodities and food products affects farm income and rural employment, and it also generates economic activity beyond the farm gate. With agricultural export sales the equivalent of one-quarter of farm income, some policymakers view U.S. efforts to develop market opportunities overseas as vital to the sector’s financial health. Decisions taken by the Bush Administration, and actions taken by Congress, thus will affect the outlook for agricultural trade.
- Agricultural Trade Issues in the 107th Congress
- The 107th Congress is considering trade issues with implications for the U.S. agricultural sector. Trade in agricultural commodities and food products affects farm income and rural employment, and it also generates economic activity beyond the farm gate. With agricultural export sales the equivalent of one-quarter of farm income, some policymakers view U.S. efforts to develop market opportunities overseas as vital to the sector’s financial health. Decisions taken by the Bush Administration, and actions taken by Congress, thus will affect the outlook for agricultural trade.
- U.S. Agricultural Trade: Trends, Composition, Direction, and Policy
- No Description Available.
- Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2007 Appropriations
- This report considers the Agriculture and Related Agencies appropriations bill. The report compares and contrasts the Senate and House versions of the bill in terms of budgeting. Moreover, both bills reject the termination of the Commodity Supplemental Food Program.
- Agriculture and Related Agencies: FY2009 Appropriations
- This report considers FY2009 appropriations in regards to agricultural agencies. Moreover, the report examines the budget for these agencies and different versions of appropriations bills on the matter.
- Agricultural Export and Food Aid Programs
- This report discusses projected agricultural imports and exports for FY2003, as well as legislation that deals with federal programs in support of agricultural exports and federal aid dedicated to farms and agricultural reform.
- Federal Farm Promotion ("Check-Off") Programs
- This report discusses the so-called beef check-off program, one of a number of generic promotion programs for beef and other agricultural products that Congress has authorized in recent decades. Supporters view check-offs as economically beneficial self-help activities that need minimal government involvement or taxpayer funding. Producers, handlers, and/or importers are required to pay an assessment, usually deducted from revenue at time of sale — thus the name check-off. However, some farmers contend they are being “taxed” for advertising and related activities they would not underwrite voluntarily.
- Dairy Policy Issues
- This report discusses several dairy issues that have been or are being considered by the 109th Congress, some of which affect the three major federal dairy policy tools -- the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) program, federal milk marketing orders, and the dairy price support program.
- WTO Doha Round: Implications for U.S. Agriculture
- In July of 2008, a Ministerial conference was held in Geneva to resolve the remaining outstanding issues in the Doha Round negotiations. This report reviewed the status of agricultural negotiations for domestic support, market access, export subsidies, and the potential implications for U.S. agriculture.
- Energy Costs and Agriculture
- U.S. agriculture is not an especially energy-intensive industry, but energy does account for about 6% of farm production costs. Additionally, farming is a highly mechanized industry and requires timely energy supplies at particular stages of the production cycle in order to achieve optimum yields. A substantial part of energy use by agriculture is indirect —embodied in the chemicals applied and machinery used on farms.
- Soil and Water Conservation Issues
- This report discusses soil and water conservation, which were prominent farm policy topics in the 108th Congress as the Administration implemented provisions in the 2002 farm bill (P.L. 107-171). This farm bill increased spending and expanded the scope of the conservation effort by reauthorizing and amending most existing conservation programs and enacting new ones through FY2007.
- Farm Disaster Bills in the 108th Congress: A Comparison
- No Description Available.
- Animal Agriculture: Issues in the 107th Congress
- A variety of animal agriculture issues, including prices, the impact of consolidation in the meat production/packing industry, trade, and the environmental impacts of large feedlots, continue to generate interest in Congress. This issue brief discusses these issues, as well as the 2002 farm bill, which contains several provisions affecting animal agriculture, including protections for contract growers, disaster assistance, country-of-origin labeling, and increased funding for conservation purposes.
- Fruits and Vegetables: Issues for Congress
- This report discusses issues involving fruits and vegetables in Congress, including food safety, Farm Bills, and trade issues.
- Fishery, Aquaculture, and Marine Mammal Legislation in the 108th Congress
- This report discusses policy and legislation regarding fish and marine mammals. These animals are important resources in open ocean and nearshore coastal areas. Commercial and sport fishing are jointly managed by the federal government and individual states. Many laws and regulations guide the management of these resources by federal agencies.
- Potential Farm Sector Effects of 2009 H1N1 "Swine Flu": Questions and Answers
- This report discusses how the outbreak of the strain of influenza A (H1N1), commonly referred to as "swine flu," affected the domestic and international pork markets.
- Fruits and Vegetables: Issues for Congress
- This report discusses the issues for Congress related to fruits & vegetables. The contents include federal activities, programs, farm bill issues, & trade issues.
- Immigration of Agricultural Guest Workers: Policy, Trends, and Legislative Issues
- This report discusses the revision of U.S. immigration policy on agricultural guest workers that are coming from various perspectives, and several major bills have already been introduced in the 107th Congress.
- Cotton Production and Support in the United States
- This report explains the various cotton subsidy programs and provides quantitative data on market revenues, production costs, and the size of the subsidies. Also, it characterizes the relative position of the United States vis-a-vis other countries as a producer, exporter and importer of cotton. The purpose of this examination is to provide U.S. policy makers with a complete overview of U.S. cotton production and the federal programs that support that production.
- Fishery, Aquaculture, and Marine Mammal Legislation in the 108th Congress
- This report provides information about the Fishery, Aquaculture, and Marine Mammal Legislation in the 108th Congress. fish and marine are important resources in the open ocean and nearshore coastal areas.
- Labor Market Characteristics of Agricultural Workers in the United States, 1996-2001. January 2003
- This report provides information to policymakers considering a new, smaller, or larger agricultural guestworker program and examines selected labor market, social, and demographic characteristics of the agricultural labor force in the United States for each year from 1996 through 2001.
- Grazing Regulations: Changes by the Bureau of Land Management
- This report discusses the two-pronged approach to grazing reform the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is taking by proposing changes to grazing regulations and considering other changes to grazing policies. BLM asserts that regulatory changes are needed to increase flexibility for grazing managers and permittees, to improve rangeland management and grazing permit administration, to promote conservation, and to comply with court decisions.
- Meat and Poultry Inspection Issues
- This report discusses the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) responsibility for inspecting most meat, poultry, and processed egg products for safety, wholesomeness, and proper labeling while detailing the results of congressional action in reducing the presence of pathogens and food-borne illness in facilities and food products.
- Conservation Security Program: Implementation and Current Issues
- The Conservation Security Program, authorized in the 2002 farm bill, is a voluntary program providing financial and technical assistance for within selected watersheds. This report contains information on the background of the program and related issues for congress.