ASA TOP LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES FOR 2010
July 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 are equitable for all U.S. biodiesel producers, including elimination of the rural area and domestic ownership requirements.

2.      Trade Expansion

a.       Enact legislation (HR 4645) to normalize financial and travel relations with Cuba.

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

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

3.      FY-2011 Appropriations

a.       Fund the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) at $429 million.

b.       Fully fund USDA conservation programs, including $1.58 billion for EQIP and full enrollment of 12.8 million acres for the Conservation Stewardship 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.

4.      2012 Farm Bill

a.       ASA supports a farm safety net that is effective, efficient and defensible.

b.       The soybean loan rate and target price do not provide adequate price and income support.

c.       Provisions of the ACRE, SURE, and federal crop insurance programs discourage participation by soybean producers on a nationwide basis.  ASA supports making appropriate changes to crop insurance in separate legislation, not in the 2012 Farm Bill.

5.      Energy/Climate Change

a.       Ensure that agriculture is not subject to an emissions cap or adversely impacted by climate change legislation or regulation.

b.       Obtain commitments that any legislation will ensure that productive farmland is not idled or afforested in response to carbon sequestration incentives, and will maintain the international competitiveness of U.S. agriculture.

c.       Prevent EPA from regulating greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act.

6.      Offshore Aquaculture

a.    Enact a regulatory framework for this new source of demand for U.S. soybean meal.

b.   Oppose efforts to prohibit offshore aquaculture in House energy legislation (HR 3534).

7.      Transportation

a.       Enact the Capital Development Plan as part of a 2010 Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) to fund and streamline construction of waterways infrastructure, including locks and dams in the Upper Mississippi River system.

b.       Enact the Surface Transportation Board Reauthorization Act (S. 2889) that addresses rail infrastructure, rates, and service issues.

8.      Ag-Related Regulatory Approvals

a.       Increase funding for the Biotechnology Regulatory Service at APHIS/USDA by $6.0 million to accelerate approvals of pending applications for new biotech traits.

b.       Urge EPA to maintain science-based processes for approval of pesticide products.

9.      Biobased Products

a.       Urge USDA to finalize regulations for the biobased label to promote soy-based products.

b.       Urge federal agencies to comply with the Farm Bill requirement that they purchase biobased products when they are comparable in price and performance with petroleum-based products.

c.       Enact a biobased production tax credit.