Agriculture
Georgia’s farmers, ranchers, and producers are the backbone of our state’s most important industry: agriculture. As the Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture and Co-Chair of the Congressional Peanut Caucus, I am a staunch supporter of the agricultural community in Georgia's Second Congressional District and the entire nation. I support assistance to farmers affected by drought, wildfires, and other natural disasters that occur each year. In addition, I have worked to ensure that the peanut support program remained strong in the 2014 Farm Bill; strengthen our nation's nutrition programs; reform the H2-A program for non-immigrant agricultural workers; bolster child nutrition programs in our nation’s schools; prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from imposing burdensome regulations on agriculture; ensure that Mexican tomatoes and chicken do not drive down the prices of U.S.-produced tomatoes and chicken due to illegal dumping; and advance agricultural research, food safety initiatives, and broadband services to rural communities.
More on Agriculture
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02), member of the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies cosponsored the newly introduced Pest Free Food Supply Act. The legislation would force the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to withdraw a proposed regulation that would remove the authorized food uses of the industry standard fumigant, sulfuryl fluoride (SF), often used in commodity and food processing facilities.
COLQUITT, GA—Secretary of Agriculture Thomas J. Vilsack recently announced that 23 counties in Georgia have been named primary or contiguous natural disaster areas due to a recent drought. In accordance with the designation, farm operators in primary counties and contiguous counties are now eligible to be considered for emergency loans from the Farm Service Agency (FSA) for the next eight months.
Bryan, Bulloch, Chatham, Colquitt, Effingham, Jenkins, Miller, Screven, and Seminole counties have been designated as primary affected counties.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA), member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies welcomed notification of an agreement between the United States and Mexico regarding the investigation of tomato ‘dumping’. Congressman Bishop has continued to be supportive of southwest Georgia’s tomato industry and has urged the Administration to find a solution to this issue.
WASHINGTON D.C. – Today, Congressman Sanford Bishop (D-GA) and Congressman Rick Crawford (R-AR) announced members of the bipartisan Congressional Chicken Caucus in the 113th Congress. Bishop and Crawford founded the Chicken Caucus in 2012 and will continue serving as co-chairs of the caucus in the 113th Congress.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representatives Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA) and Martha Roby (R-AL) announced the re-formation of the Congressional Peanut Caucus for the 113th Congress.
The group of 17 lawmakers representing states with significant peanut farming and production will work together to ensure that peanut interests have a strong voice in Congress and that peanut issues are taken into account in agriculture legislation. Reps. Bishop and Roby will again co-chair the group.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02), will again serve as Ranking Member on the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies for the 113th Congress. Congressman Bishop will also remain on the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food & Drug Administration and Related Agencies as well as the Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch.
ATHENS - January 23, 2013 Applications are currently being accepted for the Rural Business Enterprise Grant (RBEG) for projected 2013 funding of the program. The Rural Development’s RBEG program provides grants for rural projects that finance and facilitate development of small and emerging rural businesses, help fund distance learning networks, and help fund employment related adult education programs. To assist with business development, RBEGs may fund a broad array of activities.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) released the following statement commending the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on launching a new microloan program aimed at assisting small and beginning farmers, veterans, and disadvantaged producers secure loans up to $35,000.
Public encouraged to comment on new proposals.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed two new food safety rules that will help prevent foodborne illness. The proposed rules implement the landmark, bipartisan FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) and are available for public comment for the next 120 days. FDA encourages Americans to review and comment on these important proposed rules.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As co-chairs of the Congressional Chicken Caucus, Congressman Sanford Bishop (D-GA) and Congressman Rick Crawford (R-AR) expressed their concern with the Environmental Protection Agency’s recent decision to not waive its’ mandate on the use of corn for ethanol production, ignoring the needs of family farmers and poultry producers. Affected negatively by drought conditions, corn production has decreased, which has driven up the cost of feed grain.