AFBF has endorsed bipartisan legislation in the House and Senate to repeal the federal estate tax. AFBF President Zippy Duvall said the bills are needed because farm families continue to face challenges in passing their family businesses to the next generation.

The AFBF-endorsed Death Tax Repeal Act of 2017 was introduced Tuesday in the House by Reps. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) and Sanford Bishop (D-Ga.). Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) introduced a companion bill in the Senate.

“Farmers and ranchers face a number of factors that are unpredictable and beyond their control, from changing weather to fluctuating markets,” Duvall said. “These family-run businesses need a tax code that encourages investment, rather than one that punishes their success. We believe that repeal of the estate tax offers the best solution to protect farms, ranches and all family-owned businesses from the estate tax.”

Cassidy Rasnick has been appointed Deputy Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry after Sam. T. Towell was appointed Attorney General for Civil Litigation.

Cassidy re-joins the McAuliffe team from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS), where she oversaw the agency’s economic development efforts through her role as Manager of the Office of Agriculture and Forestry Development.  Prior to joining VDACS, Cassidy served as Assistant Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry for Governor McAuliffe, where she managed all economic development efforts, including oversight of the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development (AFID) fund.  She previously worked for the Virginia Manufacturers Association and Virginia Craft Brewers Guild, and served for five years in the Office of U.S. Senator Mark Warner.

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President Trump withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership on Monday, administration officials said. Mr. Trump sharply criticized the partnership agreement during last year’s campaign, calling it a bad deal for American workers.

Below is a response from Zippy Duvall, President of the American Farm Bureau Federation:

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In its continuing effort to “reconnect city with country,” RFD-TV has organized the “Rural Tractor Brigade” which has been added to the 2017 Presidential Inaugural Parade, themed “We The People: Our American Journey.” RFD-TV invited every existing tractor manufacturer to participate and those confirmed include AGCO, Case IH, John Deere, and Mahindra who will showcase their latest line of tractors used in modern agriculture production. The parade will be broadcast LIVE on CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC on Friday, January 20th at 3 p.m. ET.

Members of the National FFA, the world’s premiere youth organization, will carry the banner for the Rural Tractor Brigade and lead this contingent of colorful tractors that help make America’s farmers and ranchers the most efficient food and fiber producers in the world. RFD-TV and RURAL RADIO Channel 147 on SiriuxXM will carry updates throughout the week on “Market Day Report” and “Rural Evening News,” beginning on January 17. On Inauguration Day, RFD-TV and RURAL RADIO will have live updates beginning at 9 a.m. ET and continue through the course of the day, with complete highlights on the Rural Evening News at 11:30 p.m. ET.

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President-elect Donald Trump has chosen former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue as his secretary of agriculture, and leaders of the nation’s and state’s largest agricultural organizations are pleased with that pick.

“The nomination of former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue … is welcome news to the nation’s farmers and ranchers,” said Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation. “Gov. Perdue will provide the strong voice that agriculture needs in the new administration.” Duvall is also from Georgia.

Perdue, the final traditional Cabinet department chief to be selected, is a former Democrat who switched to the Republican Party before governing Georgia for two terms from 2003 to 2011. He grew up on a farm and holds a doctorate in veterinary medicine. As Georgia’s governor, he took conservative stances on immigration and voting rights.

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From milkbusiness.com:

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will become the new CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) effective February 1, 2017. USDEC is a non-profit, independent organization that seeks to enhance the global demand for U.S. dairy products and ingredients.

“Growing the global market for U.S. dairy products is essential to the future of the dairy industry and America’s dairy farmers. I’ve spent my career in public service as a tireless advocate for farmers and American agriculture and can think of no better way to continue this service than by leading the U.S. Dairy Export Council,” said Vilsack. “I look forward to partnering with the dynamic team at USDEC as well as agriculture, food industry and key stakeholders at home and abroad to advance the council’s mission and strengthen trust in American dairy.”

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While farm income is down across the board, today’s farm economy is noticeably different than it was in the 1980s, according to Dr. Bob Young, chief economist at the American Farm Bureau Federation.

At a workshop at AFBF’s 2017 Annual Convention & IDEAg Trade Show, Dr. Young and members of the AFBF economics team gave an overview of the farm economy and what the agricultural economy may look like five to ten years from now.

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Delegates to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 2017 Annual Convention today approved a host of public policy measures designed to help assure a prosperous future for farmers, ranchers and everyone who depends on them for food, fuel and fiber.

Delegates covered the full range of agriculture policy over the day-long session. Resolutions passed included important measures covering regulatory reform, crop insurance, the inclusion of food assistance in the upcoming farm bill, school nutrition, biotechnology, energy and more.

“The actions taken today by our farmer and rancher delegates from across the nation represent the culmination of our year-long grassroots policy process,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “It also provides us a roadmap for actions AFBF will take to implement our policies throughout this year, and I am optimistic about those prospects.”

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Sarah Scyphers, Washington County

Virginia Farm Bureau Young Farmers were big winners once again at the 2017 American Farm Bureau Annual Convention this week.

Sarah Scyphers of Washington County won the Excellence in Agriculture Award. She will receive her choice of either a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado or 2017 GMC Sierra courtesy of Chevrolet, plus free registration to the FUSION Conference.

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Virginia barley and winter wheat harvests have been on a downward trend for several years, and 2016 was an especially disappointing one for growers. But  Virginia Farm Bureau Federation grain marketing expert Robert Harper believes small grains will remain an essential part of the state’s farm economy.

Both the barley and winter wheat harvests for 2016 were 33 percent smaller than the year before. A cold, wet spring that reduced yields is blamed for the poor production levels, according to a Dec. 15 report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. But farmers also are struggling with low prices, explained Harper.

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