{"id":1156,"date":"2023-08-03T15:18:31","modified":"2024-08-30T02:17:05","slug":"fettermans-agriculture-priorities-in-senate-session-deliver-wins-for-farmers-rural-communities-and-union-workers","link":"https:\/\/www.fetterman.senate.gov\/fettermans-agriculture-priorities-in-senate-session-deliver-wins-for-farmers-rural-communities-and-union-workers\/","title":{"rendered":"Fetterman&#8217;s Agriculture Priorities in Senate Session Deliver Wins for Farmers, Rural Communities, and Union Workers"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"paragraph\"><span class=\"normaltextrun\"><b>BRADDOCK, PA &#8211; <\/b><\/span><span class=\"normaltextrun\">Pennsylvania U.S. Senator John Fetterman wrapped up a busy Senate session last week, during which he delivered several wins for farmers and the agricultural economy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph\"><span class=\"normaltextrun\">Senator Fetterman introduced the following pieces of legislation that would secure funding; make programmatic reforms; and invest in urban agriculture, organics research, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph\"><span class=\"normaltextrun\"><b>The <\/b><\/span><a title=\"https:\/\/projects.45press.com\/fetterman-old\/press-releases\/fetterman-colleagues-introduce-new-bill-to-expand-organic-agricultural-research\/\" contenteditable=\"false\" href=\"https:\/\/projects.45press.com\/fetterman-old\/press-releases\/fetterman-colleagues-introduce-new-bill-to-expand-organic-agricultural-research\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"normaltextrun\"><b><i>Organic Science and Research Investment Act<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/a><span class=\"normaltextrun\"><b><i>:<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul type=\"disc\">\n<li class=\"paragraph\"><span class=\"normaltextrun\">Requires USDA&#8217;s research agencies to better coordinate on organic research and extension.<\/span><span class=\"eop\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph\"><span class=\"normaltextrun\">Ensures USDA considers organic research priorities in its budget justification to Congress.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph\"><span class=\"normaltextrun\">Requires USDA to study the feasibility of certifying more research land as organic.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph\"><span class=\"normaltextrun\">Increases mandatory funding for the Organic Research and Extension Initiative (OREI), which supplies grants to universities and other organizations for organics research.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph\"><span class=\"normaltextrun\">Builds on the administration&#8217;s organic research work by creating a statutory grant program studying producers&#8217; decisions to transition to organic production.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"paragraph\"><span class=\"normaltextrun\"><b>The <\/b><\/span><a title=\"https:\/\/projects.45press.com\/fetterman-old\/press-releases\/as-nationwide-strike-wave-takes-hold-fetterman-adams-casar-introduce-bill-to-provide-snap-benefits-for-striking-workers\/\" contenteditable=\"false\" href=\"https:\/\/projects.45press.com\/fetterman-old\/press-releases\/as-nationwide-strike-wave-takes-hold-fetterman-adams-casar-introduce-bill-to-provide-snap-benefits-for-striking-workers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"normaltextrun\"><b><i>Food Secure Strikers Act of 2023<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/a><span class=\"normaltextrun\"><b><i>:<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul type=\"disc\">\n<li class=\"paragraph\"><span class=\"normaltextrun\">Repeals the restriction on striking workers from receiving SNAP and affirmatively protect the eligibility of striking workers to receive SNAP.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph\"><span class=\"normaltextrun\">Protects public sector workers who are fired for striking from being &#8220;considered to have voluntarily quit for eligibility purposes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph\"><span class=\"normaltextrun\">Clarifies that any income-eligible household can receive SNAP benefits regardless of if a member of that household is involved in a strike.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph\"><span class=\"normaltextrun\">Unites two major issues &#8211; expanding SNAP and protecting organized labor &#8211; that Senator Fetterman is championing for working people.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"paragraph\"><span class=\"normaltextrun\"><b>The <i>Poultry Grower Fairness Act:<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul type=\"disc\">\n<li class=\"paragraph\"><span class=\"normaltextrun\">Grants USDA administrative enforcement authority over live poultry dealers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph\"><span class=\"normaltextrun\">Directs courts to award &#8220;reasonable attorney&#8217;s fees when poultry and livestock farmers prevail in lawsuits against the companies with whom they contract for animals and feed.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph\"><span class=\"normaltextrun\">Extends the protections of the Packers and Stockyards Act to the growers of breeder hens and pullets.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph\"><span class=\"normaltextrun\">Helps small poultry farmers and fights corporate consolidation in the agriculture business.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"paragraph\"><span class=\"normaltextrun\"><b>The <\/b><\/span><a title=\"https:\/\/projects.45press.com\/fetterman-old\/press-releases\/fetterman-brown-lead-bill-investing-in-underserved-farmers-increasing-access-to-fresh-foods-in-urban-communities\/\" contenteditable=\"false\" href=\"https:\/\/projects.45press.com\/fetterman-old\/press-releases\/fetterman-brown-lead-bill-investing-in-underserved-farmers-increasing-access-to-fresh-foods-in-urban-communities\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"normaltextrun\"><b><i>Supporting Urban and Innovative Farming Act of 2023<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/a><span class=\"normaltextrun\"><b><i>:<\/i><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul type=\"disc\">\n<li class=\"paragraph\"><span class=\"normaltextrun\">Supports the growth of urban and suburban farmers through increased programmatic and research funding.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph\"><span class=\"normaltextrun\">Makes programmatic reforms to the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP) to improve the content and delivery of technical assistance to urban and innovative producers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph\"><span class=\"normaltextrun\">Enables cooperative agreements with community experts.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph\"><span class=\"normaltextrun\">Increases access to grant funds directly to farmers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph\"><span class=\"normaltextrun\">Scales up composting and food waste initiatives.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"paragraph\"><span class=\"normaltextrun\">Combats food deserts and malnutrition in urban areas and supports small, beginning, and underserved farmers.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"paragraph\"><span class=\"normaltextrun\">When Congress returns to Washington in September, Senator Fetterman will continue championing these issues and delivering wins for PA and the nation, particularly through his work on the Farm Bill as a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and Chair of the Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false}}