House Farm Bill Faces Full House Vote!

We stand with Idaho businesses, farmers and ranchers in asking more from the 2018 Farm Bill

Idaho Business for the Outdoors stands with the businesses, farmers, ranchers and countless others in rural communities that rely on strong farms, healthy lands and policies to help guard our food supply, water quality, land quality, and public health.  We urge Congress to meet its nonpartisan obligations to help support a strong agricultural economy, more responsible pesticide use, and the reinstatement of the nonpartisan energy title within the 2019 House Farm Bill.

Without an energy title, Idaho's private sector investment in renewable energy and supportive manufacturing in rural communities may see a sharp decline.  There are a number of biobased, biodegradable lubricants that are being developed for automotive, industrial, marine, mining, aviation, energy, drilling, manufacturing, transportation, construction and agriculture industries nation wide.  These efforts must be supported in Idaho to support our diverse and growing economy. 

1 ) We ask that an energy title be reinstated and funded as part of the 2018 HouseFarm Bill.  An energy title is a critical component in addressing our changing climate.  Idaho businesses trying to address these challenges through bioenergy, biofuels, biolubricants, renewables and other technological and manufacturing innovations need support.  The bipartisan energy title with mandatory funding for key programs requires minimal federal investment.  It is less than 1 percent of total farm bill spending, yet helps incentivize hundreds of thousands of jobs, new manufacturing, technology innovation and helps drive a cleaner, healthier America. More than 1.5 million U.S. workers manufacture biobased products, generating over $127 billion in annual economic activity. 

2 )  We ask the House Farm Bill provide broader protections against pesticide use to help promote and enact health standards that  ensure our right to clean land, food and drinking water. 

3 )  The House Farm Bill must comply with the Endangered Species Act.  It should not allow the EPA to approve pesticides without considering how they may harm threatened or endangered species.  It should not exempt the EPA, pesticide manufacturers, and applicators from any liability should those pesticides kill or harm listed wildlife.  Regulations, years in the making and put in place to protect our wildlife, should not be rescinded to benefit pesticide manufacturers.  

Please reach out to our Congressmen this week:  Mike Simpson:  (208) 334-1953 and Raul Labrador:  (202) 225-6611 to share your concerns over the 2018 House Farm Bill.