So we passed a big farm policy bill my first session in the Southern Chamber. Senator Scott was able to get some of it passed at the federal level. This is some more, specially tailored towards the federal government.
2-1 Just some specifics. Bill coverage includes bees and honey, mushrooms, flowers, and christmas trees but not trees sold for wood.
3-1 and 3-2 end the practice of mandatory marketing boards (farm unions) and marketing orders (farm union regulations). IRL if a minimum number of farmers of a particular product vote to form a marketing board, ALL farmers of that product must join and pay dues, even if they don't want to. This is becoming especially troublesome as farm consolidation and corporate farming allow a certain few entities to control marketing boards. They then use quasi-governmental power to price smaller farmers out of the market. SCOTUS has been all over the place on the legality recently, with them finding a Mushroom Board illegal compelled speech, but a Cattle Board legal as government speech. I think we should get rid of the corporatization of governmental power. The internet has its limits, but the current list of federal marketing boards is as follows:
Almond Board of California; American Egg Board; American Lamb Board; Cattlemen’s Beef Board; Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion and Research Board; Christmas Tree Promotion Board; Cotton Board; Dairy Management Inc.; Mushroom Council; National Honey Board; National Watermelon Promotion Board; National Peanut Board; National Pork Board; National Processed Raspberry Council; Popcorn Board; US Highbush Blueberry Council; US Potato Board; United Soybean Board
and the list of marketing orders is as follows:
Almonds grown in California [7 C.F.R. 981]; Apricots grown in Washington [7 C.F.R. 922]; Avocados grown in South Florida [7 C.F.R. 915]; Cranberries grown in various States [7 C.F.R. 929]; Dates grown in California [7 C.F.R. 987]; Grapes grown in California [7 C.F.R. 925]; Hazel nuts grown in Oregon and Washington [7 C.F.R. 982]; Hog Cholera Vaccines; Irish Potatoes grown in Colorado [7 C.F.R. 948]; Irish Potatoes grown in Idaho [7 C.F.R. 945]; Irish Potatoes grown in the South [7 C.F.R. 953]; Irish Potatoes grown in Washington [7 C.F.R. 946]; Kiwifruit grown in California [7 C.F.R. 920]; Milk [7 CFR 1000]; Olives grown in California [7 C.F.R. 932]; Onions grown in Idaho [7 C.F.R. 958]; Onions grown in Texas [7 C.F.R. 959]; Oranges and Grapefruit grown in Texas [7 C.F.R. 906]; Oranges, Grapefruit, Tangerine, and Tangelos grown in Florida [7 C.F.R. 905]; Peanuts [7 C.F.R. 996]; Pears and peaches grown in California [7 C.F.R. 917]; Pears grown in Oregon and Washington [7 C.F.R. 927]; Pistachios grown in southwest [7 C.F.R. 983]; Prunes in California [7 C.F.R. 993]; Raisins grown in California [7 C.F.R. 989]; Spearmint Oil [7 C.F.R. 985]; Sweet cherries grown in Washington [7 C.F.R. 923]; Sweet Onions grown in Washington [7 C.F.R. 956]; Tart cherries [7 C.F.R. 930]; Tomatoes grown in Florida [7 C.F.R. 966]; Tomatoes grown in Texas [7 C.F.R. 965]; Unregulated cranberries [7 C.F.R. 926]; Vidalia Onions grown in Georgia [7 C.F.R. 955]; Walnuts grown in California [7 C.F.R. 984]
3-3 prohibits mandatory crop set asides. IRL a program like this for raisins was struck down by SCOTUS a couple of years, suggesting they are an unconstitutional taking in violation of the 5th Amendment. Horne v. Department of Agriculture (2015). These types of programs were criticized in the Grapes of Wrath by Steinbeck, being depicted as burning orange crops to create scarcity and boost prices rather than feed the poor. I believe this would affect the following products:
Almonds [7 C.F.R. 981.46]; Dates [7 C.F.R. 987.45]; Prunes [7 C.F.R. 993.56]; Raisins [7 C.F.R. 989.67]; Spearmint Oil (Active) [7 C.F.R. 985.57]; Tart Cherries (Active) [7 C.F.R. 930.54]; Walnuts [7 C.F.R. 984.54].
3-4 prohibits mandatory participation in the IRL National Animal Information System (NAIS), which requires mandatory microchipping of animals and is cost prohibitive for small farmers and violates their privacy. It is another example of smaller producers being priced out of the market by larger farm enterprises.
3-5 allows the Amish/Organic foodies to get raw milk if they want it, provided the raw milk is labeled. It also allows cow-sharing programs which are a current method used to get around raw milk regs.
