ASA TOP LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES FOR 2010
March 2010

1.      Biodiesel

a.       Enact a retroactive extension of the biodiesel tax incentive for 2010 and a multi-year extension beyond 2010.

b.       Ensure that payments under the Bioenergy Program for Advanced Biofuels are equitable and effective for all U.S. biodiesel producers, including elimination of the arbitrary and unnecessary requirements on rural area and domestic ownership.

2.      Ag Budget Cuts & 2008 Farm Bill – Oppose reopening the 2008 Farm Bill and the Administration’s proposals to:  (1) reduce the cap on Direct Payments; (2) reduce program eligibility limits based on Adjusted Gross Income; and (3) reduce funding for federal crop insurance.

3.      Climate Change

a.       Ensure that farmers, livestock producers, and oilseed processors are not adversely impacted by climate change legislation or regulation.

b.       Ensure that productive farmland is not idled or afforested in response to carbon sequestration incentives, and that any U.S. action is contingent upon action taken by major developed and developing countries so as not to reduce the United States’ international competitiveness.

c.       Support legislative and legal measures that would prevent EPA from regulating greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act.

4.      FY-2011 Appropriations

a.       Support the President’s budget request of $429 million for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI).

b.       Fully fund USDA’s Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) and Conservation Security Program (CSP).

c.       Fully fund the Foreign Market Development program ($34.5 million) and the Market Access Program ($200 million) administered by the Foreign Agricultural Service.

d.       Provide $2.5 billion for food assistance programs (P.L. 480 Title II, Food for Progress, and the Dole-McGovern Food for Education Program).

5.      Trade Agreements

a.       Enact pending Free Trade Agreements (Colombia, Panama, South Korea).

b.       Renew Presidential Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) to enable the Administration to negotiate new FTAs with countries that represent significant markets for soy and livestock products.

c.       Negotiate a WTO Agreement that significantly increases market access for soybean and livestock product exports to developing as well as developed countries.

d.       Support legislation to normalize financial and travel relations with Cuba.

6.      Transportation

a.       Enact legislation that addresses rail infrastructure, rates, and service issues.

b.       Enact a fair and appropriate funding mechanism for waterways infrastructure to accelerate work on locks and dams in the Upper Mississippi River system

7.      Offshore Aquaculture – Enact a regulatory framework for this new source of demand for U.S. soybean meal.