NEWS
President Barack Obama addresses the complexities of the Farm Bill during the February press event; (above-right) Obama signed the Farm Bill in the presence of press and local dignitaries.
could encourage a younger generation of farmer to stay involved with the family farm or begin a new generation of growing food or other commodities. “We want rural companies to expand and they have during my administration,” said President Obama. “Even with this progress, too many rural Americans are struggling. Many family farms are just scratching out a living. Farmers sometimes have to work outside of the farm to get healthcare and pay bills. It’s hard for younger farmers to get started. They feel like they have to leave the farm for opportunity.” CRITICISM OF THE POLICY
While it’s called the Farm Bill, in truth, it’s more of a food bill. It sets policy including what we grow, what you know about your dinner and how much government spends in the process.
The meat industry is opposed to the fact that the Bill held on to the mandatory “country of origin labeling” rules that require meatpackers to label where animals were born, raised and slaughtered. The industry groups claim that these regulations cost the industry and therefore the consumer. “WE WANT RURAL COMPANIES TO EXPAND AND THEY HAVE DURING MY ADMINISTRATION. EVEN WITH THIS PROGRESS, TOO MANY RURAL AMERICANS ARE STRUGGLING.” “This Bill has generated a great deal of concern by the livestock producers – primarily beef and swine growers,” said
Armstrong. “Producers are concerned because Canada and Mexico have received rulings that the US law violates World Trade Organization rules. They fear that these two large importers of US meat products may retaliate and start a trade war because the law (in their opinion) is an unfair barrier for them to sell their products here.” Tiffany Dowling is the Founder and President of M3 Group, a full-service branding agency located in downtown Lansing, Mich. She is also owner and publisher of Capital Area Women’s LifeStyle Magazine and the Greater Lansing Business Monthly. Dowling has helped businesses and organizations with branding needs for more than a decade. Learn more at www.m3group.biz.
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