CLAUDIA LARSON

Advocated for Fiscal Year 2024 funding of 2018 Farm Bill programs, including the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network, the Dairy Business Innovation program, conservation programs, broadband, and food aid. Advocated for bill language in Fiscal Year 2024 Agriculture-FDA Appropriations bills (H.R. 4368, S. 2131, H.R. 4366)- to continue the allowance of 1% flavored milk in school feeding programs for all grade levels, to provide more considered added sugar levels and sodium levels in school meal programs to ensure schools can continue to have the freedom to serve dairy foods as works for them, and to maintain amounts of dairy allotment in WIC food allowance packages. Advocated for plus up funds for the COVID relief PMVAP program to be used to address the gap in reimbursement for farmers affected by the program's 5 million pound cap. Also seeking language in the Fiscal Year 2024 Agriculture-FDA appropriations bill to require USDA to make pandemic assistance payments to producers in states whose milk is not pooled on a federal order.

Anaerobic Digestion - Supported efforts at USDA to ensure existing Farm Bill energy programs provide adequate opportunities for the development of anaerobic digestion systems on dairy farms. Support efforts to expand flexibilities in and access to USDA's Rural Energy for American Program (REAP) while providing additional investments to help more farmers take advantage of the program. Supported RFS Electricity Pathway to make biogas eligible as a renewable fuel.

EPA Clean Water Rule - Supported efforts to finalize an effective, science-based rulemaking under the Clean Water Act.

EPA Clean Water Rule - Supported efforts to finalize an effective, science-based rulemaking under the Clean Water Act. Conservation - Supported funding for farm bill conservation programs in FY 2024 appropriations process. Supported administrative actions to provide greater opportunity for dairy farmers to access EQIP and CSP. Supported Future of Agricultural Resiliency & Modernization (FARM) Act (H.R.3814) and Converting Our Waste Sustainably (COWS) Act (H.R. 4327). Climate change - provided feedback to House and Senate committees and member offices on potential climate change legislation and its impacts on the dairy sector. Feed additives - supported the Innovative FEED Act (S. 1842, H.R. 6687) to codify a regulatory pathway for reviewing animal feed ingredients that can reduce enteric methane emissions. Supported the EMIT LESS Act (S. 4056) to better target conservation programs toward feed management.

Estate tax - Supported efforts to reform and repeal estate taxes. NMPF has also supports efforts to create and improve tax credits for investment in technology that turns organic matter into biogas energy and removes nutrient particles from manure, Supported efforts to ensure that farmers can continue to use cash accounting. Supported efforts to ensure that cooperatives could count non-patronage income in the calculation of the 199A deduction as implemented by the Treasury Department. Supported passage of the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act (H.R. 7024).

Food, Animal Residue Avoidance Databank (FARAD) - Supported funding for this system to provide the industry with information on how to avoid drug, pesticide, and environmental contaminant residue problems. Mandatory Animal ID - Supported steps to make this mandatory. Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment - Opposed legislation to avoid "overuse or misuse" of antibiotics in medicine and agriculture due to inappropriate limitations on needed antibiotics. Nonambulatory cattle - Monitored efforts to address animal handling, especially nonambulatory cattle regulations and procedures. Antibiotic Residue - Monitored and provided information relating to efforts to expand the scope of testing for antibiotic residues in animal tissues and milk. Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) Vaccine - Support steps to modernize North America FMD vaccine bank to support vaccine use strategies in the event of a U.S. outbreak. Animal Rights Mandates - Opposed efforts to enact animal rights mandates via federal legislation. Raw Milk Sales - Opposed efforts facilitating the sale of raw milk.

NATIONAL MILK PRODUCERS FEDERATION