Agribusiness Update for Monday 7/22/13

This is the Agribusiness Update...I’m Greg Martin...

Because the nutrition title was removed from the House farm bill - a group of House members have asked House Ag Chair Frank Lucas to hold a thorough hearing on nutrition and the impacts of changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program before a stand-alone nutrition bill is considered by the House. In a letter Representatives note there has not been one single hearing in the 113th Congress about the programs that make up the Nutrition Title.

The Senate has approved Gina McCarthy to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. The vote was 59 to 40. Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis says McCarthy is an excellent and well-qualified individual to lead the EPA. He looks forward to working with the new EPA Administrator to continue to advance the growth and development of sustainable biofuels.

Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow asked unanimous consent on the Senate floor Thursday afternoon to move to a conference with the House on the farm bill. The Senate accepted her resolution without exception. Stabenow called the action - which will send the farm bill back to the House and set the stage for a conference and the appointment of conferees - a very important step.

That’s today’s Agribusiness Update from the Ag Information Network.