Farm bill clears first hurdle in Senate [Associated Press]
A five-year farm and food bill that would revamp the federal safety net for farmers and eliminate direct government payments for idle crop fields took its first step toward passage Thursday in the Senate. A 90-8 vote to officially begin debate opens the way for what could be several weeks of attempts to amend proposed legislation that spends some $100 billion a year on crop insurance, conservation and nutrition programs. The measure would save $23 billion over a 10-year period from current spending levels. Some of those savings would come from eliminating the current system where farmers get direct payments from the government regardless of whether they actually plant a crop.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CONGRESS_FARM_BILL?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Farming cuts sow discord [Wall Street Journal]
A North-South divide is complicating attempts to overhaul federal farming subsidies and trim federal spending. The farm bill, which cleared a hurdle Thursday when the Senate voted 90 to 8 to begin debate, would cut spending by $23.6 billion over a decade, mostly by pruning payments that farmland owners get regardless of whether they plant crops. Southern lawmakers argue the measure unravels the safety net for rice and peanut growers and favors bigger crops like corn and soybeans grown largely in the Midwest. A split has emerged based more on geography than political party. The bill passed a Senate committee this year with strong bipartisan support. But Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D., N.Y.) said this week she would fight the bill's proposed $4.5 billion in cuts to food stamps, while some Republicans say the measure doesn't go far enough to curb farming subsidies.
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Kings County's high-speed rail lawsuit faces hearing [Fresno Bee]
A court hearing next week in Sacramento will determine whether a potentially pivotal Kings County lawsuit can move forward against high-speed rail efforts in the San Joaquin Valley. The county, along with Hanford farmer John Tos and Hanford resident Aaron Fukuda, allege in their suit that the California High-Speed Rail Authority's plan for construction between Merced and Bakersfield violates Proposition 1A, approved by voters in 2008. "There are all sorts of reasons" why the authority's plans run afoul of Prop. 1A, said Michael J. Brady, a Redwood City attorney representing Tos, Fukuda and the county. Among them, he said, are that tracks in the Valley would not be usable for high-speed trains until power lines are included, and that environmental work for most of the route is incomplete. Brady and his clients want a judge to bar the Brown administration and the rail authority from using any Prop. 1A money in the Valley -- a move that would effectively kill the project for the foreseeable future.
http://www.fresnobee.com/2012/06/06/2864439/kings-co-suit-against-rail-plan.html
Corporations boost agricultural research funding [Associated Press]
The gap between federal support for agricultural research at large public universities and private investment continues to grow - and the divide comes with increased threats to academic freedom and more instances of meddling in the lab, a new research report suggests. A recent study by Food and Water Watch, a Washington-based environmental group, shows that nearly one-quarter of the money spent on agricultural research at land-grant universities comes from corporations, trade associations and foundations, an all-time high. Financial support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture accounts for less than 15 percent, the lowest level in nearly two decades. The consumer advocacy group's report is rife with what it calls examples of how corporate money "corrupts" the public research mission at land-grant schools, which were created by the Morrill Act of 1862. The law provided federal land for states to establish agriculture and engineering colleges.
Opinion: Another phony farm crisis [CNBC]
Here we go again. If it’s getting close to summer, it’s time to start reading about farm labor shortages….Do you remember the great agricultural crisis of 2011?...That’s not what happened at all. Despite the dire predictions of labor shortages, American farmers had a record-breaking year of profits in 2011. Farm profits rose 24.1 percent last year, to $98.1 billion. Cash income, a measure of farm solvency, rose 17.8 percent to $108.7. Agricultural exports topped $137 billion. Crop receipts rose 16 percent. Livestock sales receipts averaged 17 percent higher than in 2010….You can expect to hear a lot about farm labor shortages over the next couple of months. But if last year is any indication, complaints about farm labor are not correlated for farm performance.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/47695087
Opinion: Fresno State focusing on water projects [Fresno Bee]
…Fresno State knows that water is a foundational Valley issue and has set in motion the hiring of eight new faculty members with expertise in water. They'll be spread across the university's eight colleges and schools, because water touches every major on campus if one looks closely enough. A community donor has pledged $300,000 to support initial research efforts by our new faculty….Campus-based research addresses a wide range of local issues, including water use efficiency in agriculture and urban settings, integrated regional water management planning and water needs of disadvantaged communities….Fresno State also is working on numerous other projects to help ensure the Valley and California has the tools needed to balance our water needs now and for the future. We recognize that water is our heritage, but only with proper planning, leadership and collaboration can we preserve this vital resource and help provide the base for our region's future economic prosperity.
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