Courtesy of NAA:
Bipartisan support is essential to move aquaculture friendly legislation intended to strengthen the 2023 Farm Bill. The following three topics are attracting support across the aisle; however, more horsepower is needed for each set of bills (i.e., House and Senate companion legislation). HR 3951 Sustaining Healthy Ecosystems, Livelihoods, and Local Seafood Act (SHELLS) Act Sponsor: Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-1) Co-sponsors: Ed Case (D-HI-1), Frank Pallone (D-NJ-6), Chellie Pingree (D-ME-1), Robert Wittman (R-VA-1) S 2211 Sustaining Healthy Ecosystems, Livelihoods, and Local Seafood Act (SHELLS) Act Sponsor: Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) Co-sponsors: Angus King (I-ME), Roger Wicker (R-MS) Senate and House companion bills focused on creating an Office of Aquaculture and associated advisory committee in the US Department of Agriculture. What needs to be done:
HR 4127 Fair Access to Agriculture Disaster Programs Act Sponsor: Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-19) Co-sponsors: Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01), Kat Cammack (R-FL-3), Yadira Caraveo (D-CO-08), Jim Costa (D-CA-21), Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR-05), John Duarte (R-CA-13), Chuck Edwards (R-NC-11), Scott Franklin (FL-18), Jennifer Kiggans (R-VA-02), Nick Langworthy (R-NY-23), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-18), Austin Scott (R-GA-08), Franklin Scott (R-FL-18), Kim Schrier (D-WA-08), Robert Wittman (R-VA-1) S xxx Fair Access to Agriculture Disaster Programs Act Sponsor: Co-sponsors: The House bill focuses on exempting farms with 75% or more in farm income from an adjusted gross income limitation of $900,000 that prevents aquaculture farms from benefiting from USDA disaster assistance programs (e.g., ELAP, NAP). What needs to be done:
HR 3542 Promoting American Competition in Aquaculture Research Act Sponsor: Jill Tokuda (D-HI-2) Co-sponsors: Ed Case (D-HI-1), Robert Wittman (R-VA-1) S xxx Promoting American Competition in Aquaculture Research Act Sponsor: Mazie Hirono (D-HI) Co-sponsors: The House bill is focused on increasing the funding authorization for the five USDA Regional Aquaculture Centers that support farmer directed applied research. Current authorization is $5 million, or $990,000 per Center per year. The bill will increase authorization to $15 million. An effort to increase the appropriation (i.e., real money) will occur later when the economy improves. What needs to be done:
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