Congressman Brecheen introduces two bills to protect taxpayers, ag producers

I'm a bit behind on posting these, but Oklahoma's 2nd District Congressman Josh Brecheen recently filed two pieces of legislation, the Stop Government Overreach in Ranching Act and the Healthy SNAP Act.

The Stop Government Overreach in Ranching Act would reverse FDA guidance, “GFI 263,” which restricts the use of commonly used livestock antibiotics, such as penicillin. This has put added expense and hardship upon the those involved in agriculture and livestock. The Healthy SNAP Act would exclude soft drinks, candy, ice cream, and prepared desserts from being purchased with SNAP benefits (informally known as food stamps). 

Read below for more details on both:

Lucas, colleagues call on USDA to disclose foreign purchase of US farmland

I don't normally post press release about congressional letters, but this one I think rises to a level of importance. The purchase of American farmland by hostile entities such as Communist Chinese-connected individuals and corporations is something that must be stopped.

Lucas, Colleagues Call on USDA to Disclose Foreign Purchase of U.S. Farmland

Cheyenne, OK – Recently, Congressman Frank Lucas (OK-03) joined Representatives Tom Emmer (R-MN) and Dan Newhouse (R-WA) in sending a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack requesting information about USDA’s process for compiling data and reporting on foreign purchases of U.S. agricultural land. Foreign ownership of domestic agricultural land has risen sharply in recent years, with Chinese land holdings alone increasing from 13,720 acres to 352,140 acres between 2010 and 2020.

AG O’Connor blasts Biden for withholding school lunches unless schools embrace gender-identity agenda

AG O’Connor Blasts Biden for Withholding School Lunches from Children Unless Schools Embrace Gender Identity Agenda

OKLAHOMA CITY -  Attorney General John O’Connor has joined a coalition of 26 state attorneys general calling on President Joe Biden to withdraw the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) new guidance on sex discrimination for schools and programs that receive federal nutritional assistance. The coalition says recent guidance from the USDA imposes new—and unlawful—regulatory measures on state agencies and operators receiving federal financial assistance from the USDA. 

Hamilton files bill to ban foreign-owned businesses from purchasing Oklahoma lands

Hamilton files measure prohibiting foreign-owned businesses from purchasing Oklahoma lands

OKLAHOMA CITY –  As a rancher in Southeastern Oklahoma, Sen. Warren Hamilton has seen the impact of Oklahoma lands being purchased by foreign entities. The McCurtain Republican says it’s time the legislature puts a stop to these transactions and has filed Senate Bill 1469 to clarify that foreign ownership of Oklahoma lands is prohibited, even from business entities and trusts.

“As Oklahoma’s marijuana industry continues to grow, we’ve seen an increasing number of foreign interests come into our state and purchase our farmland for astronomical amounts of money in order to set up grows and other related businesses,” Hamilton said. “While Oklahoma law already prevents foreign land ownership, it doesn’t prevent these folks from creating businesses to purchase property. Senate Bill 1469 will put an end to this workaround of current state statute.”

OSDE uncovers $1.6 million in fraud at child-feeding sites during pandemic

OSDE uncovers $1.6 million in fraud at child-feeding sites during pandemic 

OKLAHOMA CITY (June 7, 2021) – In the wake of schools, community organizations and nonprofits having raced to provide free meals to children during the pandemic, the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) uncovered a record amount of fraud at child-feeding sites across the state. Over $1.6 million in federal funds were improperly claimed for reimbursement since April 2020, OSDE officials found. The majority of improper claims were reported at child-care sites. 

The agency’s Office of Child Nutrition Services uncovered the fraudulent activity through a number of accountability measures, including an unannounced review process implemented in 2016 under State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister.

“We are incredibly grateful for our schools and community partners that stepped up to ensure the nutritional needs of children were met over the last year, as hundreds of schools provided summer meals for the first time. Oklahoma families rely on these services, and we are committed to ensuring integrity for these programs that fuel young learners,” Hofmeister said. “Oklahoma will continue to leverage federal dollars to help our children gain supports to be healthy and successful, and it is our charge to safeguard that valuable investment by taxpayers.” 

State legislators Attack Beef Problems

Legislators Attack Beef Problems

OKLAHOMA CITY (June 18th) – An Oklahoma beef task force designed to analyze problems in marketing and processing beef has been organized by State Rep. Justin Humphrey, R-Lane, and State Sen. David Bullard, R-Durant.

The two legislators have invited independent ranchers, meat buyers, meat processors, livestock auction owners and meat inspectors to convene and identify financial obstacles and structured solutions that will provide a process for long-term financial gain for Oklahoma farmers and ranchers.

 “Four major meat packers, Tyson Foods, Cargill, JBS (Brazilian owned) and National Beef are controlling about 87 percent of beef processing and sales,” Humphrey said. “They have considerable control over what ranchers are paid for cattle and what consumers pay for meat. The beef price is very low for ranchers and extremely high for consumers while meat packers are making millions of dollars. This is not acceptable.”

Cong. Lucas joins US, OK Ag Secretaries in announcing $71M for rural broadband in Oklahoma

Lucas Joins USDA, Secretary Blayne Arthur Announcing $71 Million for Rural Broadband in Oklahoma

Cheyenne, OK (May 7, 2020) – This morning, Congressman Frank Lucas (OK-03) joined United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue and Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture Blayne Arthur announcing the investment of $71 million in broadband services in unserved and rural areas in Oklahoma. Funded by USDA’s Rural Development Broadband ReConnect Program, the project will build over 800 miles of fiber to the premises for more than 12,500 households, farms, and businesses.

“The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the digital divide between rural and nonrural America. When schools and businesses shut down and residents were asked to stay in their homes, many Americans were left scrambling to adjust to their new largely virtual world. This proved especially challenging for rural America, where barely two-thirds of households have access to broadband Internet. Over the last two months I have been reminded of the innovative spirit of rural America. Teachers, doctors, and business owners have had to come up with creative solutions to continue their work of supporting their communities in the face of this vast technical challenge. Programs like ReConnect are desperately needed, now more than ever,” said Congressman Lucas.

Lucas, Oklahoma delegation ask USDA to provide findings of Beef pricing investigation

Members of Congress Ask USDA to Provide Findings of Beef Pricing Investigation As Soon As Possible

Cheyenne, OK – Today, Congressman Frank Lucas (OK-03) led a bipartisan letter with 24 of his House colleagues to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue requesting that he provide the findings of the Agency’s beef pricing investigation to Congress as soon as possible. Following the announcement of the USDA’s Packers and Stockyard Division investigation in August of 2019, Secretary Perdue, extended USDA’s investigation last month to determine the causes of divergence between live beef and box prices during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Beginning in the first few weeks of the crisis, cattlemen have seen prices drastically decline, with cattle futures falling 29% between the month of January and April, all-the-while beef prices increased on market shelves. While we do recognize the complexity of the beef markets generally, the devastating effect this has had on many of our constituents in the last few weeks is clear. This is of great concern to us for a variety of reasons but chief among them being the doubt it casts on our markets as a whole. When market participants begin to believe that markets are not competitive or transparent that suspicion has a dangerous industry-wide ripple effect. That is why we applaud you for expanding the ongoing investigation into the cattle market's reaction to the 2019 plant fire in Holcomb, Kansas to encompass the more recent CV-19 related market concerns. This oversight role the agency plays is an immensely important one that helps ensure that our markets are equipped to function properly,” the Members of Congress wrote.

Lucas helps introduce bill increasing scrutiny of foreign investment in US agriculture

Lucas, Fudge Introduce Legislation Increasing Scrutiny of Foreign Investment in Agricultural Businesses

Cheyenne, OK  – Today, Congressman Frank Lucas (OK-03) and Congresswoman Marcia Fudge (OH-11) introduced the Agricultural Security Risk Review Act, formally placing the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary as a member of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). The Agricultural Security Risk Review Act ensures that CFIUS is operating effectively and efficiently to determine if a transaction, including agricultural, threatens to impair the national security of the United States.

“I am proud to be introducing this important piece of legislation with my good friend, Congresswoman Fudge, that works to ensure that foreign investment in our nation’s agricultural sector is given the amount of scrutiny needed to protect and maintain our national security,” said Congressman Lucas.

Lucas joins calls for USDA to provide immediate assistance to cattle producers

Lucas Joins Colleagues Urging USDA to Provide Immediate Assistance to Cattle Producers

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Frank Lucas (OK-03) joined a letter led by U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and U.S. Reps. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue requesting that he provide immediate assistance to cattle producers by using the resources provided in the recently enacted Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Stabilization (CARES) Act, including the replenishment of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and additional emergency funding. Doing so would help facilitate the stabilization of farm and ranch income for producers who are facing market volatility in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic fallout.

“The COVID-19 outbreak has demonstrated the need for domestic food security,” the Members of Congress wrote. “All farmers and ranchers are vital to our country’s ability to keep food on the table in a future pandemic or related crisis, and many producers, including young producers, are often highly leveraged and cannot fall back on years of equity in a time of crisis. As such, we urge you to quickly deliver relief to producers as we work to lessen the economic impact of this pandemic.”

Thune, Cortez Masto, Johnson, Cuellar and others worked hard to ensure the CARES Act replenished the CCC and appropriated an additional $9.5 billion for USDA to assist producers, including livestock producers, throughout this crisis.

Read the full letter here and below:

April 1, 2020
The Honorable Sonny Perdue
Secretary
U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20250

Dear Secretary Perdue,

We write to request swift assistance for cattle producers with the resources provided in the recently enacted Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Stabilization (CARES) Act to facilitate the stabilization of farm and ranch income to producers who are facing market volatility in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic fallout.

Recognizing the market volatility and financial hardships producers are facing because of COVID-19, the CARES Act provides $14 billion toward replenishment of the Commodity Credit Corporation and an additional $9.5 billion for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to assist farmers and ranchers in response to COVID-19.  While we do not know what the full market impact will be for the various commodities produced in our states, we recognize that there is an immediate need for assistance for our cattle producers.

We request that USDA consider data and estimates available from the Office of the Chief Economist and implement a program that would directly respond to the negative effect on producers caused by COVID-19.  This program should deliver targeted, temporary, equitable relief to cattle producers in a manner that limits market distortions and negative effects on price discovery.

The COVID-19 outbreak has demonstrated the need for domestic food security.  All farmers and ranchers are vital to our country’s ability to keep food on the table in a future pandemic or related crisis, and many producers, including young producers, are often highly leveraged and cannot fall back on years of equity in a time of crisis.  As such, we urge you to quickly deliver relief to producers as we work to lessen the economic impact of this pandemic.

USDA waiver grants Oklahoma public school students two free meals per day

USDA approves Oklahoma’s request for free meals for all students regardless of school free and reduced lunch percentage

OKLAHOMA CITY (March 30, 2020) – Oklahoma students statewide will soon be able to access two free meals a day following a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) waiver, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister announced today.

The Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) applied for the waiver March 11 and March 25 to remove the requirement that school feeding sites be located in high-need areas under the Emergency School Closure provisions of the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). Approved over the weekend, the waiver grants site-area eligibility to 31 states, including Oklahoma.

Prior to the waiver, districts could provide free meals only if 50% of students at a school met eligibility for the free and reduced-price lunch program.

Hofmeister said the waiver is welcome news as districts clamor for ways to get meals to students in the midst of distance learning necessary in the wake of the global pandemic.

“Amid such uncertainty and instability, we should not be asking our families or schools to worry over needless red tape,” she said. “This waiver means that, following a simple application, any district in the state can establish feeding sites for up to two free meals a day for every student who needs one.”

Oklahoma received a swift response to its multiple waiver requests after U.S. Sen. James Lankford intervened.

The waiver is in effect until June 30, 2020, or until the federally declared public health emergency expires.

Hern applauds new food stamp work-requirement rule for able-bodied adults without dependents

Hern applauds new USDA rule strengthening requirements for SNAP recipients

WASHINGTON, DC – This morning, the United States Department of Agriculture published a final rule entitled “Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program (SNAP): Requirements for Able-Bodied Adults without Dependents.”

In February, Rep. Kevin Hern (OK-01) sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue in support of this proposed rule with the support of 64 Members of Congress.

“I’ve been a strong supporter of this new rule since the moment they announced it,” said Rep. Hern. “There is nothing quite as empowering as a job. No federal program has the power to pull a person out of poverty, no government handout can help a person find independence and success. Only through gainful employment can a person find true stability. We should be encouraging our people to work, contribute to the economy, and put themselves on the path to independence rather than chaining them to the crutch of social programs. Programs like SNAP were never meant to be a long-term solution, but merely a temporary assistance. This ruling will help the American people rise up from poverty and find a better life for themselves. I applaud Secretary Perdue’s commitment to reforming this program!”

Background Information:

The rule promotes work for able-bodied adults (ABAWDs) between the age of 18-49 without dependents and does not apply to children and their parents, those over 50 years old, those with a disability, or pregnant women. The Food and Nutrition Act limits the amount of time ABAWDs can receive SNAP benefits to three months over a 36-month period, unless recipients work or participate in an employment workfare program for minimum hours.  The law allows states to apply for waivers of this time limit due to economic conditions. The waivers resulted in 3.8 million ABAWDs on SNAP in 2016, 2.8 million of which were not working at all. The final rule adjusts the criteria for when and where state may waive these limits.  Under USDA’s rule, states retain flexibility to waive the time-limit in areas of high unemployment and to exempt a percentage of their ABAWD caseload.

You can find more information on these changes here.