zli12321/Bills huggingface dataset:
Livestock Marketing Fairness Act - Amends the Packers and Stockyards Act, 1921 to prohibit a livestock sale forward contract (with an exception for specified cooperatives) that: (1) does not contain a firm base price that may be equated to a fixed dollar amount on the contract day; (2) is not offered for open public bid; (3) is based on a formula price; or (4) provides for the sale of more than 40 cattle, 30 swine, or other livestock in a quantity as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA). Defines: (1) "firm base price" as a transaction using an external source reference price; (2) "formula price" as any price term that establishes a base from which a purchase price is calculated on the basis of a price that will not be determined or reported until a date after the forward price is established (with specified exclusions); and (3) "forward contract" as a livestock purchase contract that provides for livestock delivery to a packer at a date that is more than seven days after the date on which the contract is entered into, without regard to whether the contract is for a specified lot of livestock or a specified number of livestock over a certain period of time.

Date: 2011-07-25
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Milk Import Tariff Equity Act - Amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to impose tariff-rate quotas (quantitative import limits) and provide various duty rates on certain casein, caseinates, milk protein concentrate, and other casein derivatives and glues imported into the United States (except imports from a country which has entered into a free trade agreement with the United States). Authorizes the President to: (1) enter into a trade agreement, or enter into negotiations pursuant to an existing trade agreement, with a foreign country to grant new concessions as compensation in order to maintain the general level of reciprocal and mutually advantageous concessions; and (2) proclaim any necessary modification or continuance of any existing duty, or continuance of existing duty-free or excise treatment, or any quantitative limitation. Sets forth certain limits on the reduction of duties on such products.

Date: 2011-08-05
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Foreign trade and international finance
Directs the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to provide emergency conservation program assistance and emergency watershed protection program assistance to agricultural producers in qualifying counties adversely affected by Hurricane Irene and related weather conditions.

Date: 2011-09-07
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Waives the risk management purchase requirement for an agricultural producer in a designated disaster county adversely impacted by Hurricane Irene or Tropical Storm Lee for assistance eligibility under: (1) the supplemental revenue assistance program; (2) the emergency assistance for livestock, honey bees, and farm-raised fish program; and (3) the tree assistance program. Sets forth the conditions to be met in order for a producer to receive such assistance.

Date: 2011-09-13
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Dairy Security Act of 2011 - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a dairy producer margin protection program to protect dairy producer income by paying participating producers: (1) basic margin protection payments when actual dairy producer margins are less than the threshold levels for such payments, and (2) supplemental margin protection payments if purchased by a participating producer. Makes all registering U.S. dairy producers eligible for such program. Authorizes a producer to purchase supplemental margin protection at the time of program registration. Directs the Secretary to establish: (1) a dairy market stabilization program for all U.S. dairy producers in order to balance the supply of milk with demand when dairy producers are experiencing low or negative operating margins, and (2) a board of directors for the program. Requires milk handlers to reduce payments to each participating producer from whom the handler receives milk during any month in which stabilization program payment reductions are in effect. Directs the Secretary to conduct the margin protection and stabilization programs from January 1, 2012, through December 31, 2017. Directs the Secretary to amend each federal milk marketing order as provided for by this Act. Eliminates the: (1) dairy product price support program, (2) the milk income loss contract program, (3) permanent price support authority for milk, and (4) the dairy export incentive program.

Date: 2011-09-23
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Local School Foods Act - Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to conduct a pilot program under which the Secretary will give not more than three participating states the option of receiving a grant (in an amount equal to the value of USDA commodities that the participating state would otherwise receive for each of FY2012 and FY2013) to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables for distribution to schools and service institutions participating in food service programs under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966.

Date: 2011-10-04
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Education
Crop Risk Options Plan Act of 2011 - Amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to: (1) provide an agricultural producer with the option of purchasing additional crop insurance coverage (total coverage option) based on an area yield and loss basis instead of an individual yield and loss basis, (2) trigger additional coverage when area losses reach 10% of normal levels, (3) limit indemnities to the amount of the deductible under the underlying individual policy, and (4) set premium subsidies for the additional coverage at not less than 60%. Revises actual production history deteminations from a 10-year average to a 7-year average with the highest and lowest production year dropped from the average.

Date: 2011-10-05
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act of 2011 - Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to extend: (1) the conservation reserve and related programs, (2) the pilot program for enrollment of wetland and buffer acreage in the conservation reserve program, (3) the environmental quality incentives program, (4) activities to address air quality concerns from agricultural operations, and (5) the conservation access program. Permits conservation reserve contract modification to facilitate transfers from retiring owners to limited resource farmers or ranchers. Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to: (1) reduce the number of operating years required for a beginning farmer or rancher to qualify for a direct real estate loan, (2) authorize micro loans for beginning farmers or ranchers who are between 19 and 35 years old, (3) extend real estate and operating loan authority at increased levels, (4) revise private source transition provisions, (5) make the direct operating loan set-aside for beginning farmers and ranchers permanent, (6) permit loans and grants for entrepreneurial farm and farm-related enterprises, and (7) extend the beginning farmer and rancher individual development accounts pilot program. Amends the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000 to extend the value-added agricultural product market development grant program. Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to extend the beginning farmer and rancher development program. Provides assistance for agricultural rehabilitation and vocational training for veterans. Amends the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act to extend the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative. Provides priority assistance for new farming opportunities, including young, beginning, socially disadvantaged, and immigrant issues, as well as farm entry, transition, and transfer issues. Amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to express the sense of Congress that the Department of Agriculture (USDA) should remove barriers and ensure effective access to crop and revenue insurance by beginning farmers and ranchers. Extends authority for reimbursement of research, development, and maintenance costs. Provides for risk management programs targeted at beginning, socially disadvantaged, transitioning, or legal immigrant farmers and ranchers. Amends the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to direct the Small Farms and Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Group (within the Office of Advocacy and Outreach) to designate a state small and beginning farmer and rancher coordinator from among the state office employees of the Farm Service Agency, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Risk Management Agency, the Rural Business-Cooperative Service, and the Rural Utilities Service. Amends the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to establish in USDA the position of Military Veterans Agricultural Liaison.

Date: 2011-10-14
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Dairy Pricing Deregulation Act - Amends the Agricultural Adjustment Act, reenacted with amendments by the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, to revise the terms of federal milk marketing orders. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to: (1) survey and publish data regarding milk handler payments for milk purchased from producers or associations of producers, and (2) publish such data on a national weighted-average basis and on a regional basis with respect to as many multi-state regions as the Secretary determines appropriate.

Date: 2011-11-04
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Directs the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA), through the Farm Service Agency, to compensate certain poultry producers whose production contracts were terminated or not renewed because of the closure of poultry processing plants and other cost cutting measures undertaken by a poultry processing company in bankruptcy protection. Requires a producer seeking compensation to document the contract's termination or non-renewal and the economic losses incurred from such termination or non-renewal.

Date: 2011-11-18
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Genetically Engineered Technology Farmer Protection Act - Genetically Engineered Crop and Animal Farmer Protection Act - Requires a biotech company that sells any genetically engineered animal, plant, or seed that will be used in the United States to: (1) provide the purchaser with written notice of possible legal and environmental risks of such article's use (such disclosure shall neither relieve the company from liability nor be construed to create purchaser liability), and (2) disclose any technology fees to the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) and not charge fees that are higher than those outside the United States. Sets forth related contract prohibitions and limitations. Directs the Secretary to: (1) identify which plants are outcrossed pollinators and make such information available to affected sellers and purchasers, and (2) issue rules to require mitigation strategies for predominately outcrossed crops. Amends the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to: (1) establish the best achievable resistance plan for plant-incorporated pesticides engineered to include toxins derived from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), (2) revoke Bt registrations not in plan compliance, (3) reduce a pesticide's use if it is determined to be facilitating Bt-toxin resistance in pests, and (4) establish an advisory panel. Prohibits: (1) labeling seeds as non-genetically engineered if the Secretary determines such seeds contains genetically engineered material; (2) manufacture, sale, or planting of genetically engineered or chemically induced non-fertile seeds; and (3) loan discrimination against a producer who refuses to use genetically engineered plants or animals. Authorizes, with respect to violations under this Act: (1) the Secretary to assess civil penalties; and (2) citizen suits against the Secretary, a federal agency, or an individual. Genetically Engineered Organism Liability Act of 2011 - States that: (1) a biotech company shall be liable to any party injured by the release of a genetically engineered organism into the environment if the injury results from such genetic engineering, and (2) liability may not be waived or otherwise avoided by contract.

Date: 2011-12-02
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Farmers Disaster Assistance Act of 2011 - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to make supplemental payments to agricultural producers receiving direct payments for covered commodities, direct payments for peanuts, or average crop revenue election (ACRE) payments in disaster counties that had qualifying losses for the 2011 crop year. Sets forth related insurance requirements. Directs the Secretary to provide grants to qualifying states through September 30, 2012, to assist specialty crop producers for losses due to excessive rainfall and related conditions affecting the 2011 crops. Eliminates numerical and durational limitations on operating loan waivers for a farm or a ranch in a county which in 2011: (1) has been substantially affected by a natural disaster, or (2) is included in a presidentially-designated major disaster or emergency area. Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to suspend through December 31, 2013, the limitation on the period for which borrowers are eligible for guaranteed farm operating loans in a county which in 2011: (1) has been substantially affected by a natural disaster, or (2) is included in a presidentially-designated major disaster or emergency area.

Date: 2011-12-20
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Farm Risk Abatement and Mitigation Election Act of 2012 or the FRAME Act of 2012 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) establish tax-exempt farm risk management accounts (FRAME Accounts) and allow taxpayers actively engaged in the business of farming or ranching to use distributions from such accounts to protect the solvency of the farm to which the FRAME Account relates and to procure revenue or crop insurance; (2) allow a deduction from gross income for cash contributions to such accounts; (3) specify minimum levels of contributions to, and maximum levels of distributions from, such accounts; (4) set forth tax rules relating to account distributions, excess contributions, and prohibited transactions; and (5) allow a variable business-related tax credit for contributions made to a FRAME Account in the first nine years after such Account is established.

Date: 2012-02-02
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Taxation
Responsible Farming Act of 2012 - Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to repeal the conservation stewardship program. States that such repeal shall not be construed to affect the terms and conditions of any stewardship contract that was entered into on or before the date of enactment of this Act.

Date: 2012-02-13
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Flood Insurance for Farmers Act of 2012 - Amends the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 with respect to development by the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) of comprehensive criteria designed to encourage adoption of adequate state and local measures for land-management programs in flood-prone areas. Prohibits such criteria from placing prohibitions, restraints, or conditions, including requiring floodproofing or flood damage mitigation activities or related features, upon either new construction or substantial improvement of an agricultural structure in any area having special flood hazards. Requires such criteria, with respect only to structures in certain levee-protected areas, to require any substantial improvement to an existing residential structure to have the lowest floor (including any basement) elevated to or above the base flood level. Requires such criteria to permit a legacy community located in a covered levee-protected area to adopt adequate land use and control measures for: (1) repair or restoration to pre-damaged conditions, or (2) replacement of existing residential and non-residential structures other than repetitive loss structures. Defines "legacy community" as one whose population is less than 2,000 and is located in an area for which a substantial portion of the economy currently is, and historically was, based upon agricultural production. Directs the Administrator to make flood insurance coverage available upon request for: (1) an agricultural structure located in an area having special flood hazards, and (2) structures in covered levee-protected areas. Directs the Administrator and the Secretary of Agriculture to establish jointly a task force to report to certain congressional committees on challenges faced by legacy communities located in areas having special flood hazards, including recommendations to: (1) strengthen the economic viability and vitality of such communities, and (2) allow infill development and building expansion.

Date: 2012-02-14
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Emergency management
MILC Continuation Act of 2012 - Amends the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to extend, for one year, the milk income loss contract program.

Date: 2012-02-17
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Great Lakes Assurance Program Verification Act of 2012 - Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to require the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA), in consultation with the Great Lakes States, to establish a Great Lakes basin initiative for agricultural non-point source pollution prevention. Defines "Great Lakes State" as Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, or Wisconsin.

Date: 2012-03-07
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Great Lakes Assurance Program Verification Act of 2012 - Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to require the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA), in consultation with the Great Lakes States, to establish a Great Lakes basin initiative for agricultural non-point source pollution prevention. Defines "Great Lakes State" as Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, or Wisconsin.

Date: 2012-03-29
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Livestock Disaster Protection Act - Amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to make FY2012-FY2017 livestock indemnity payments (at 75% of market value) to eligible producers on farms that have incurred livestock death losses in excess of the normal mortality due to: (1) attacks by animals reintroduced into the wild by the federal government or protected by federal law, including wolves and avian predators; or (2) adverse weather, disease, or wildfires. Provides FY2012-FY2017 compensation for losses to eligible livestock producers for livestock grazing losses due to specified drought or fire circumstances. Excludes from coverage grazing losses on conservation reserve program land used for haying or grazing. Provides FY2012-FY2017 emergency relief to eligible producers of livestock, honey bees, and farm-raised fish to reduce losses due to disease, adverse weather, or other conditions, such as blizzards and wildfires.

Date: 2012-04-26
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Protect our Prairies Act - Amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to reduce crop insurance assistance and noninsured crop disaster assistance for crops grown on native sod acreage converted to cropland for the first four years.

Date: 2012-05-31
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Farm Tax Parity Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the tax treatment of earnings from self-employment, to allow an exclusion from such earnings for farm rental income for which the taxpayer has entered into a lease agreement.

Date: 2012-06-21
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Taxation
Containing Risk, Offering Protection Act - Amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to include coverage for losses to an insured commodity when, as a result of a federally-imposed quarantine, the commodity must be destroyed or is unable to be marketed or utilized for its intended purpose.

Date: 2012-06-26
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Permits the chief executive of a state to exempt persons in the state acting in their capacity as farmers from a requirement of a covered federal environmental law by determining that such requirement is unduly burdensome to such persons. Requires the chief executive to solicit and accept public comments for at least 90 days before finalizing any such determination. Defines "covered federal environmental law" to mean the Clean Air Act insofar as it applies to emissions of air pollutants other than those resulting from the combustion of fossil fuel, the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act), and the Solid Waste Disposal Act.

Date: 2012-06-29
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Environmental protection
Crop Insurance Subsidy Reduction Act - Amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to reduce crop insurance premium subsidy rates.

Date: 2012-07-11
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Agricultural Disaster Assistance Act of 2012 - Extends through FY2012: (1) the supplemental agricultural disaster assistance program; (2) the supplemental revenue assistance payments (SURE) program; (3) the livestock indemnity program; (4) the livestock forage disaster program; (5) the emergency assistance for livestock, honey bees, and farm-raised fish; (6) the tree assistance program; and (7) the Agricultural Disaster Relief Trust Fund.

Date: 2012-07-23
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Supplemental Agricultural Disaster Assistance Act of 2012 - Extends through FY2012: (1) the livestock indemnity program; (2) the livestock forage disaster program; (3) emergency assistance for livestock, honey bees, and farm-raised fish; and (4) the Agricultural Disaster Relief Trust Fund.

Date: 2012-07-25
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Extends through September 30, 2013, with specified exceptions, programs under the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008. Suspends specified price support authorities. Extends specified: (1) commodity programs, (2) conservation programs, (3) employment and training programs, (4) research programs, (5) energy programs, and (6) horticulture and organic agriculture programs. Extends the program of outreach and technical assistance for socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers. Provides assistance for livestock losses caused by: (1) adverse weather or attacks by federally reintroduced animals, and (2) drought or fire. Provides assistance for orchardists and nursery tree growers for commercial losses caused by natural disasters.

Date: 2012-07-30
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA), through the Forest Service, to use funds derived from conservation-related programs executed on National Forest System lands to utilize the Agriculture Conservation Experienced Services Program to provide technical services for conservation-related programs and authorities carried out by the Secretary on such lands.

Date: 2012-07-30
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Crop Insurance Subsidy Transparency Act of 2012 - Amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to require annual disclosure of specified crop insurance premium subsidy information in the public interest.

Date: 2012-08-01
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Commercial Fishing, Farm, and Ranch Risk Management Act - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to establish a Commercial Fishing, Farm, and Ranch Risk Management Account (CFFR Account) to provide farmers and commercial fisherman with additional capital for investment and to protect against operating losses. Allows a tax deduction for cash contributions to a CFFR Account, limited to 20% of the taxpayer's taxable income attributable to an active farm or commercial fishing business. Imposes a 10% additional tax on amounts in a CFFR Account which are not distributed within 10 years after the establishment of such Account.

Date: 2012-08-02
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Taxation
Preserving Healthy Food for the Hungry Act - Amends the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000 to provide agricultural product market development grants to assist persons in preserving the quality and shelf-life of fruit and vegetable crops produced by such persons on qualified land through the use of mobile and fixed flash freezing and quick freezing units.

Date: 2012-09-20
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Kosher and Halal Food Act of 2012 - Amends the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983 to provide for the increased purchase of Kosher and Halal food and to modify the labeling of the commodities list under the emergency food assistance program to enable Kosher and Halal food bank operators to identify which commodities to obtain from local food banks.

Date: 2012-11-16
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Stop Unfair Giveaways and Restrictions Act of 2011 or SUGAR Act of 2011 - Eliminates nonrecourse support loans for sugar producers. Lowers sugarcane and sugar beet loans rates each year from 2012-2014 until they are $0 for the 2015 crop. Eliminates: (1) sugar price supports and sugar processor loans as of 2015, and (2) sugar marketing quotas and allotments. Eliminates: (1) Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) forfeited sugar storage payments, (2) sugar processor storage facility loans, and (3) the feedstock flexibility program for bioenergy producers as of the 2013 sugar beet crop year. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to implement a program to increase the tariff-rate quotas for raw cane sugar and refined sugars that ensures a competitive U.S. sugar processing industry and an adequate supply of reasonably priced sugar in the United States.

Date: 2011-01-25
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Democracy for Dairy Producers Act of 2011 - Requires, with respect to a specified referendum on federal milk marketing orders and related reforms, that: (1) if a cooperative association of milk producers elects bloc voting on behalf of its members it must provide each producer with written notice regarding individual ballot procedures, the milk marketing information clearinghouse, and the cooperative's voting intention; and (2) the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) adjust the association vote to reflect individual producer votes. Requires that each federal milk marketing order: (1) establish a referendum information clearinghouse that includes individual ballot information and referendum due dates and texts, and (2) provide producers with referendum alerts.

Date: 2011-03-02
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
MILC Preservation Act of 2011 - Amends the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 regarding the milk income loss contract program to: (1) make the current producer payment formula permanent, and (2) revise the payment rate adjustment for feed prices by deleting the subsequent adjustment authority provision.

Date: 2011-03-02
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Free Sugar Act of 2011 - Amends the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 to repeal the sugar loan program.

Date: 2011-03-30
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Rural Access to Credit Act of 2011 - Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to direct the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to use commercial lending standards in determining equity requirements for rural entity direct or guaranteed loans. Directs the Secretary, through December 31, 2012, to guarantee up to 90% of high priority business and industry loans up to $10 million. Authorizes the Secretary, beginning on January 1, 2013, to guarantee up to 80% or 90% of high priority business and industry loans up to $10 million. Directs the Secretary to guarantee related line-of-credit loans. Authorizes business and industry loans to be used for refinancing. Waives audit requirements for business and industry loans under $1 million. Authorizes audit waiver for loans of at least $1 million. Directs the Secretary to use the Small Business Administration (SBA) calculation method in calculating the delinquency rate for business and industry loans. Expresses the sense of Congress that in allocating discretionary funds the Secretary should give priority to the rural microentrepreneur assistance program.

Date: 2011-04-13
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Livestock Marketing Fairness Act - Amends the Packers and Stockyards Act, 1921 to prohibit a livestock sale forward contract (with an exception for specified cooperatives) that: (1) does not contain a firm base price that may be equated to a fixed dollar amount on the contract day; (2) is not offered for open public bid; (3) is based on a formula price; or (4) provides for the sale of more than 40 cattle, 30 swine, or other livestock in a quantity as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA). Defines: (1) "firm base price" as a transaction using an external source reference price; (2) "formula price" as any price term that establishes a base from which a purchase price is calculated on the basis of a price that will not be determined or reported until a date after the forward price is established (with specified exclusions); and (3) "forward contract" as a livestock purchase contract that provides for livestock delivery to a packer at a date that is more than seven days after the date on which the contract is entered into, without regard to whether the contract is for a specified lot of livestock or a specified number of livestock over a certain period of time.

Date: 2011-05-19
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Arizona Wallow Fire Recovery and Monitoring Act - (Sec. 3) Requires the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to commence within 30 days after enactment of this Act and complete within 75 days an evaluation of the Wallow Fire Area, which shall include: (1) a map of the burn intensity within the Area; (2) a description of the forest conditions in the burned areas, the risks that the conditions in such Area may pose to forest users, communities, private property, and natural resources, and the actions undertaken by the Forest Service to reduce such risks; (3) a map and description of areas for potential hazard tree removal and potential fire-damaged commercial tree removal; (4) preliminary estimates of the costs and receipts to be derived from the hazard tree and fire-damaged commercial timber identified for potential removal and the receipts likely to be lost if action is not taken in a timely manner; and (5) a description of the desired outcomes of rehabilitation and tree removal in burned portions. Requires the Secretary to exclude from areas identified for tree removal high fire-severity burned areas on steep slopes, slopes with an incline greater than 40%, riparian areas, and fragile erosive sites, unless tree removal in those areas is necessary to address public health and safety concerns. (Sec. 4) Requires the Secretary: (1) to identify projects to reduce such risks by removing hazard trees and fire-damaged, dead, and dying timber resources in such Area; (2) to consider the results of the evaluation in identifying such projects; (3) in selecting tree removal techniques, to take into account the degree of ground disturbances, soil types, soil saturation, worker safety, threatened or endangered species, aquatic systems, and other ecological values associated with project sites; (4) to use an effectiveness monitoring framework to assess the ecological and economic effects of each timber removal project carried out; and (5) in carrying out such projects, to focus tree removal to hazard trees and trees that are already down, dead, or so severely root-sprung that mortality is highly probable and not construct any permanent road. Expresses the intent of Congress that all projects be completed by September 30, 2013. Authorizes the Secretary to use the pre-decisional administrative review process in lieu of an administrative appeal under the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1993 for any collaboratively-developed project to remove hazard trees and fire-damaged, dead, and dying timber resources in such Area for which a decision notice or record of decision has been issued by September 30, 2012.

Date: 2011-07-11
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Public lands and natural resources
Farming Flexibility Act of 2011 - Amends the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to consider mung beans and pulse crops as covered commodities whose planting on base acres is prohibited unless the commodity, if planted, is destroyed before harvest. Provides that: (1) as of crop year 2012 producers on a farm may reduce the base acres for any covered commodity for a crop year by one acre for each acre used for the production of fruits or vegetables (other than potatoes) for processing; (2) such acres devoted to fruits or vegetables shall be included in base acres for the covered commodity for the subsequent crop year unless the producers on the farm make the election to produce fruits and vegetables for the subsequent crop year; and (3) if a farm's base acres are recalculated the production of fruits or vegetables shall be considered to be the same as the planting, prevented planting, or production of a covered commodity. Requires producers to: (1) demonstrate that they have entered into a contract to produce a fruit or vegetable crop for processing, (2) produce such crop as part of a crop rotation program to achieve agronomic and pest and disease management benefits, and (3) provide evidence of the crop's disposition.

Date: 2011-07-27
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Agricultural Credit Expansion Act - Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to expand eligibility for Farm Service Agency operating loans, farm ownership loans, conservation loans, and emergency loans. Deems specified embedded entities (an entity owned wholly or in part by another entity) eligible for farm ownership and operating loans. Deems specified operating-only entities eligible for farm ownership loans. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to determine that an entity that is an owner-operator or operator meets the direct ownership loan requirement if it is owned in whole or in part by other entities and each individual that is an owner of the family farm involved has an ownership interest in each of the other entities. Permits direct loans to be used to refinance Farm Service Agency loans or guaranteed loans. Eliminates the 15-year limitation on the period operating loan borrowers are eligible for guaranteed assistance.

Date: 2011-09-21
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Shellfish Equity Act of 2011 - Amends the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 to include shellfish as an eligible crop in the noninsured crop disaster assistance program. Amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to include shellfish producers in the emergency assistance for livestock program.

Date: 2011-09-22
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Aggregate Risk and Revenue Management Act of 2011 or the ARRM Act of 2011 - Amends the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA), regarding all covered commodities and peanuts during each of the 2013-2017 crop years, to give the operator, tenant, or sharecropper on a farm an opportunity to make an annual election for all producers on the farm to receive aggregate risk and revenue management payments for the crop year for which the election is made. (Replaces the average crop revenue election program with the ARRM program.) Repeals the direct and counter-cyclical payment programs for covered commodities and peanuts beginning with the 2013 crop year. Suspends permanent price support authority through December 31, 2017.

Date: 2011-09-23
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Federal Milk Marketing Improvement Act of 2011 - Amends the Agricultural Adjustment Act, reenacted with amendments by the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, to direct the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to base the minimum Class II milk price on the national average cost of production which shall be the difference between: (1) the national average of the operating cost and the allocated overhead cost of producing all milk in the 48 contiguous states, and (2) the opportunity cost for unpaid labor of producing all milk in such states. Directs the Secretary to: (1) announce the minimum price for Class II milk by November 1 of each year, with specified price adjustment dates; and (2) use the Class II milk price as the basic formula price for all federal and state milk marketing orders and all unregulated milk production areas. States that the price of Class I (fluid) milk price in all federal and state milk marketing orders and all unregulated milk production areas shall be equal to the basic formula price plus the applicable Class I differential under federal and state milk marketing orders. Directs the Secretary to: (1) identify all dairy products imported into and exported from the United States, and determine each product's quantity of raw milk; (2) identify the total quantity of milk produced by each dairy producer or farming operation during the three preceding years; (3) if the maximum quantity of milk and milk products has been purchased for mandated federal food programs, determine whether an excess quantity of milk and milk products is being produced for the national domestic market; (4) estimate annual milk production and domestic consumption; and (5) upon a determination of a positive dairy trade balance and excess production, provide for a producer price reduction of up to 5% (not to exceed one-half the minimum Class II milk price) of all milk produced in the 48 contiguous states and marketed by producers for commercial use. Provides new dairy producers with a limited exemption from price reductions. Directs the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) to establish a dairy producer account. Prohibits imposition of producer charges for the cost of converting raw milk to manufactured products. States that: (1) disapproval of an amendment to a federal milk order shall not be considered disapproval of the order, and (2) a milk handler that purchases milk from a dairy producer shall assume title for the milk when it is pumped into a milk truck provided by or otherwise delivered to the milk handler.

Date: 2011-10-03
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Dairy Advancement Act of 2011 - Amends the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to repeal the dairy product price support program. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to permit dairy producers, as an alternative to receiving milk income loss contract program payments, to receive livestock gross margin insurance that protects against the loss of gross margin (milk market value minus feed costs) for the initial election month through September 30, 2012. Provides for a limited subsidy. Directs the Secretary to establish a two-class system (fluid and manufacturing milk classes) for classifying milk under federal milk marketing orders. Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to authorize loans and loan guarantees to provide dairy producers with incentives to invest in new equipment and technologies. Amends the Farm Credit Act to authorize banks for cooperatives to provide dairy processing cooperatives with lines of credit and accounts receivable financing to develop export opportunities for milk and milk products. Amends the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to revise dairy product/commodity reporting provisions.

Date: 2011-10-12
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Dairy Producer Income Protection Act of 2011 - Amends the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to extend the milk income loss contract program. Revises payment, feed cost adjustment, and payment quantity (pound) calculations. Eliminates: (1) milk price supports, (2) dairy product price supports, and (3) the dairy export incentive program. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to conduct hearings to assess the implications of transitioning federal milk marketing orders from end-product pricing to a competitive pay pricing system.

Date: 2011-10-17
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Dairy Pricing Reform and Farmer Protection Act of 2011 - Directs the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to conduct hearings to assess the implications of transitioning federal milk marketing orders from end-product pricing to a competitive pay pricing system. Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish a dairy producer margin protection program to protect dairy producer income through the provision of basic margin protection payments and, if purchased by a dairy producer, supplemental margin protection payments when actual dairy producer margins are less than the threshold levels for the payments; and (2) conduct the program from January 1, 2012, through December 31, 2017. Makes all registering U.S. dairy producers eligible for: (1) the program, and (2) a two-tiered basic margin protection program. Authorizes a producer to purchase supplemental margin protection at the time of program registration. Directs the Secretary to: (1) establish a dairy market stabilization program for all U.S. dairy producers in order to balance the supply of milk with demand when the total percent production growth in milk products in a federal milk marketing order exceeds the combined percent growth in Class I, II, and III milk products; and (2) conduct the program from January 1, 2012, through December 31, 2017. Eliminates the: (1) dairy product price support program, (2) the dairy forward pricing program, (3) the milk income loss contract program, and (4) the dairy export incentive program.

Date: 2011-10-17
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act of 2011 - Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to extend: (1) the conservation reserve and related programs, (2) the pilot program for enrollment of wetland and buffer acreage in the conservation reserve program, (3) the environmental quality incentives program, (4) activities to address air quality concerns from agricultural operations, and (5) the conservation access program. Permits conservation reserve contract modification to facilitate transfers from retiring owners to limited resource farmers or ranchers. Amends the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to: (1) reduce the number of operating years required for a beginning farmer or rancher to qualify for a direct real estate loan, (2) authorize micro loans for beginning farmers or ranchers who are between 19 and 35 years old, (3) extend real estate and operating loan authority at increased levels, (4) revise private source transition provisions, (5) make the direct operating loan set-aside for beginning farmers and ranchers permanent, (6) permit loans and grants for entrepreneurial farm and farm-related enterprises, and (7) extend the beginning farmer and rancher individual development accounts pilot program. Amends the Agricultural Risk Protection Act of 2000 to extend the value-added agricultural product market development grant program. Amends the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 to extend the beginning farmer and rancher development program. Provides assistance for agricultural rehabilitation and vocational training for veterans. Amends the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act to extend the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative. Provides priority assistance for new farming opportunities, including young, beginning, socially disadvantaged, and immigrant issues, as well as farm entry, transition, and transfer issues. Amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to express the sense of Congress that the Department of Agriculture (USDA) should remove barriers and ensure effective access to crop and revenue insurance by beginning farmers and ranchers. Extends authority for reimbursement of research, development, and maintenance costs. Provides for risk management programs targeted at beginning, socially disadvantaged, transitioning, or legal immigrant farmers and ranchers. Amends the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to direct the Small Farms and Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Group (within the Office of Advocacy and Outreach) to designate a state small and beginning farmer and rancher coordinator from among the state office employees of the Farm Service Agency, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Risk Management Agency, the Rural Business-Cooperative Service, and the Rural Utilities Service. Amends the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 to establish in USDA the position of Military Veterans Agricultural Liaison.

Date: 2011-11-10
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Growing Opportunities for Agriculture and Responding to Markets Act of 2011 - Amends the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a local farm business and market garden loan program to make available to eligible lending entities loans to develop revolving loan funds to assist: (1) producers in establishing local farm business projects or market garden projects that will produce fresh foods locally, and (2) local farm business projects and market garden projects to create local employment opportunities. Sets forth program provisions.

Date: 2011-11-17
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Agriculture and food
Upstate Works Act - Amends the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act to: (1) direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish a program to provide grants to states to establish revolving loan funds to provide loans to small and medium-sized manufacturers to finance the cost of reequipping, expanding, or establishing manufacturing facilities in the United States to produce clean energy technology and energy efficient products or of reducing the energy intensity or greenhouse gas production of a manufacturing facility; and (2) include as an activity of Regional Centers for the Transfer of Manufacturing Technology (known as the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Centers) the establishment of a clean energy manufacturing supply chain initiative. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a 50% tax credit for investment in value-added agricultural property. Directs the Secretary of Labor to award grants to assist eligible consortia of businesses that serve counties with populations of no more than a million residents in improving job skills necessary for employment in specific industries. Extends the authorization of appropriations for loans and loan guarantees to extend access to broadband telecommunications services in rural areas through FY2017. Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to the Build America Bond program, to: (1) extend until December 31, 2012, the authority to issue such bonds and the authority for payments to issuers of such bonds, (2) reduce the percentage rate of payments to issuers in 2011 and 2012, (3) allow refundings of currently issued bonds, and (4) allow the use of Build America bonds to fund capital expenditures for levees and flood control projects.

Date: 2011-11-17
Topic: Agriculture (Subsidies to Farmers)
Subject: Economics and public finance