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Agricultural News


As Senator Jim Inhofe Ends Senate Career- Battling Regulatory Overreach Highlights His Legacy for Agriculture

Tue, 27 Dec 2022 05:25:09 CST

As Senator Jim Inhofe Ends Senate Career- Battling Regulatory Overreach Highlights His Legacy for Agriculture As senator Jim Inhofe ends his decades of service to Oklahoma in Washington- his Senate office has prepared several releases related to his efforts in championing various sectors- including what he has done on behalf of farmers and ranchers in the state.

U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) was first elected to Congress in 1986 and has served in the Senate since 1994. As a member and past chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Inhofe has been a staunch advocate for farmers and ranchers through his work to stop excessive regulations, support rebuilding the nation’s crumbling infrastructure, protecting investments in agriculture research and innovation and promoting policies that help create jobs and economic prosperity. He led the legislative charge against the flawed and unlawful Obama-era Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule and has been a leading voice on Capitol Hill for bringing a common-sense, science-based approach to the regulatory process.

Sen. Inhofe’s Most Notable Congressional Feats

Some of Inhofe’s most notable congressional feats for agriculture include fighting against burdensome regulations during the Obama Administration, including the Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) rule for farmers and the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule. Inhofe also helped secure a limited commercial expansion to farm trucks facing burdensome regulations when they cross state lines – a multi-year effort with members of the Oklahoma delegation and Sen. Merkley (D-Ore.).

In addition, Inhofe supported farmers in northwest Oklahoma during the wake of devastating wildfires, secured multiple wins in the 2018 Farm Bill, advocated for funding for agricultural research at Oklahoma State University and supported livestock producers through the passage of the SALE Act and the Relief for Producers Act in the FY2021 omnibus appropriations law.

Over the years, Sen. Inhofe has been honored with numerous awards to recognize his works:

Sen. Inhofe’s Agricultural Awards   

Inhofe has been awarded the "Friend of Farm Bureau" award from American Farm Bureau Federation in the 104th, 106th, 108th, 109th, 110th, 111th, 112th, 114th, 115th and 117th Congress.

2001: Agricultural Retailers Association “Legislator of the Year”

2003: National Rural Water Association “Green Key Environmental Award”

2004: National Association of Chemical Distributors “Legislator of the Year”

2005: 2005 Distinguished Service to Oklahoma Agriculture award; Oklahoma Farm Bureau “Lifetime Achievement Award”; Oklahoma Pork Council Distinguished Service Award; Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation "Pioneer Award in Agriculture & Plant Science"

2006: Animal Enterprise Protection Coalition Award for Outstanding Leadership 2006; Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation "Pioneer Award in Agriculture & Plant Science"

2007: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Conservation Legislator of the Year; Oklahoma Peanut Producer Appreciation for the Commodity Assessment, Protection and Reform Act

2009: American Farm Bureau Federation Golden Plow Award (Inhofe is the only member of Congress to receive this award for 2009. It is AFBF’s highest award for a member of Congress.)

2010: Honored by the Oklahoma State Legislature in Senate Concurrent Resolution 37 for Accomplishments in Agriculture (The SCR passed the state Senate on February 2nd, 2010 and passed the state House on February 8th, 2010.); American Agri-Women’s “Champion of Agriculture Award”

2018: American Farm Bureau Federation Distinguished Service Award (It is AFBF’s highest award presented to any individual.)


Timeline of Senator Inhofe’s Accomplishments for Agriculture   

1995

Cosponsored S.1086 – American Family-Owned Business Act: A bipartisan bill exempting small family farms and businesses from federal estate taxes.

Cosponsored S.191 – Farm, Ranch, and Homestead Protection Act of 1995: A bill to amend the Endangered Species Act to prohibit new determinations of endangered species or critical habitats until the ESA was reauthorized.

Cosponsored S.275: A bill to establish a moratorium on wetlands designations until passage of 1995 farm bill.

Cosponsored S.490: A bill to amend the Clean Air Act to exempt agriculture-related facilities from certain permitting requirements.

Cosponsored S.647: A bill to amend the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 to require phasing-in of species population or revisions to land and resource management plans.

Cosponsored S.794: Minor Use Crop Protection Act of 1995: Amends the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) to decrease regulations on minor use of pesticides on an animal or commercial agricultural crop or site.

Cosponsored S.843 – Food Stamp Flexibility Act of 1995: Amends the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to restructure the existing food stamp program as a block grant program with a state mandate for work by beneficiaries.

Cosponsored S.852 – Public Rangelands Management Act of 1995: “To provide for uniform management of livestock grazing on federal land, and for other purposes.”

Cosponsored S.1166 – Food Quality Protection Act of 1995: “To amend the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, to improve the registration of pesticides, to provide minor use crop protection, to improve pesticide tolerances to safeguard infants and children, and for other purposes.”

Cosponsored S.1491 – Antimicrobial Pesticide Registration Reform Act of 1995: “To reform antimicrobial pesticide registration, and for other purposes.”

1996

Cosponsored S.1541 – Agricultural Reform and Improvement Act of 1996: This omnibus 1996 farm bill revised and simplified direct payment programs for crops and eliminated milk price supports through direct government purchases, among other reforms. It became Public Law on April 4, 1996.

Cosponsored S.1661: “A bill to specify that states may waive certain requirements relating to commercial motor vehicle operators under chapter 313 of title 49, United States Code, with respect to the operators of certain farm vehicles, and for other purposes.”

Cosponsored S.1743 – Temporary Emergency Livestock Feed Assistance Act of 1996: A bipartisan bill to provide temporary assistance for certain livestock producers, obligate specified funds for 1996 livestock feed emergencies, and report on the use of certain commodity reserves for livestock assistance.

Cosponsored S.1755: “A bill to amend the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 to provide that assistance shall be available under the noninsured crop assistance program for native pasture for livestock, and for other purposes.”

Cosponsored S.Con.Res.63: “A concurrent resolution to express the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Agriculture should dispose of all remaining commodities in the disaster reserve maintained under the Agricultural Act of 1970 to relieve the distress of livestock producers whose ability to maintain livestock is adversely affected by disaster conditions existing in certain areas of the U.S.”

1997

Cosponsored S.181 – Family Farm Alternative Minimum Tax Relief Act of 1997: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code to reduce taxes on farmers by making the alternative minimum tax inapplicable to specified farm property installment sales.

Cosponsored S.1090: A bill that authorizes states that issue commercial motor vehicle licenses to waive any requirement to obtain such a license for operators of custom harvesting farm machinery or employees of farm-related service industries.

Cosponsored S.1879: A bill to permanently extend income averaging for farmers, a tax policy to balance a farmers’ income tax burden over several years to reduce the impact of lean and bounty years.

1998

Sponsored S.2361 – Disaster Mitigation Act of 1998: A bipartisan bill to mitigate the amount of damage caused by natural disasters as well as streamline the process when federal disaster assistance is needed.

1999

Sponsored S.880 – Chemical Safety Information Site Security and Fuels Regulatory Relief Act: This bill removed propane from the potential regulation from EPA which would have placed new and unreasonable bureaucratic rules on all agriculture. It became Public Law on August 5, 1999.

Cosponsored S.Amdt.1516 to S.Amdt.1499: As a cosponsor of Senate Amendment 1516 to the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2000, Inhofe strove to provide stability in the United States agricultural sector and promote adequate availability of food and medicine abroad by requiring congressional approval before the imposition of any unilateral agricultural or medical sanction against a foreign country or foreign entity. The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2000 became Public Law with this amendment on October 22, 1999.

Arranged Oklahoma Agriculture Summit: In coordination with Oklahoma Congressman Frank Lucas, Inhofe arranged a public forum in El Reno in September 1999 to solicit a solutions-based discussion of agricultural issues from leading Oklahoma farm and banking representatives. This special hearing allowed direct input from all sectors of Oklahoma’s farm community, prompting renewed efforts to address immediate crop insurance and emergency aid priorities as well as longer term goals.

Cosponsored S.185: “To establish a Chief Agricultural Negotiator in the Office of the United States Trade Representative.” This bill established the position of Chief Agricultural Negotiator to conduct trade negotiations and enforce trade agreements relating to U.S. agricultural products and services. It passed the Senate on November 3, 1999.

Cosponsored S.315 – Selective Agricultural Embargoes Act of 1999: “Amends the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 to direct the president, if he or she takes action to embargo the export under an export sales contract of an agricultural commodity to a country that is not part of an embargo on all exports to the country, to report to the Congress, not later than five days after imposing the embargo, on the reasons for such embargo and its proposed duration. Sets forth congressional procedures for termination of the embargo.”

Cosponsored S.1464 – Regulatory Openness and Fairness Act of 1999: This bill would have ensured that the EPA did not unnecessarily disrupt American agriculture, industry and foreign trade if it made changes regarding pesticides or tolerance levels to pesticide residues under the Food Quality Protection Act of 1996. It would require EPA to compile a transition analysis report to explain the results of its decision along with the certainty of its results before it recommends or mandates the revocation of an acceptable tolerance level of a particular pesticide.

Cosponsored S.1580 – Risk Management for the 21st Century Act: A bipartisan bill to reform crop insurance programs and other risk management tools in order to better assist farmers.

Sponsored S.1691 – Disaster Mitigation Act of 1999: A bipartisan bill to fund federal programs for pre-disaster mitigation and streamline disaster relief administration.

Cosponsored S.1771 – Food and Medicine for the World Act: A bipartisan bill to prohibit the president from imposing a unilateral agricultural or medical sanction against a foreign country, except in certain cases, unless the president has made a specified report to Congress not less than 60 days before the imposition of the sanction and the Congress has enacted a joint resolution approving the report.

2000

Sponsored S.1627 – NRC Fairness in Funding Act of 2000: A bill to amend the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 to extend through FY 2005 the authority of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to assess and collect user fees and annual charges.

Cosponsored S.1155 – National Uniformity for Food Act of 2000: A bill to prohibit any state or political subdivision from establishing or maintaining in interstate commerce a requirement for dietary supplement and food labeling or food adulteration that is not identical to specific Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act provisions.

Cosponsored S.1762 – Small Watershed Rehabilitation Act of 2000: “A bill to amend the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to provide financial assistance to an eligible local organization to cover a portion of the total costs incurred for the rehabilitation of structural measures originally constructed as part of a covered water resource project.”

2001

Cosponsored S.1538 – High Plains Groundwater Resource Conservation Act: “Amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture in FY 2002 through 2011 to provide cost-share payments, incentive payments, and technical assistance to eligible producers (persons who are engaged in livestock or agricultural production) who enter into contracts with the Secretary through a High Plains Aquifer Groundwater Conservation Incentives Program.”

2002

Voted for 2002 Farm Bill: Responding to the concerns expressed by Oklahoma farmers, Inhofe voted for the comprehensive Farm Bill that was signed into law by President Bush in May 2002. The bill provides a safety net for our farmers with policies that provide for certainty in today’s volatile agricultural market. The bill was also designed to end the annual cycle of ad hoc “emergency” disaster payments that farmers had required, and that Inhofe had consistently supported, in recent years.

Supported Protection of Property Rights: As the second ranking Republican on the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee, Inhofe was a leader in the fight to protect farmers’ private property rights, through proper oversight and reform of federal regulations dealing with such issues as endangered species, wetlands, clean air and clean water. He voted against the proposal to force landowners to forfeit their water rights to the government in order to participate in the Conservation Reserve Program.

Opposed Reduction in Payment Limitation: During consideration of the Senate Farm Bill in 2002, Inhofe voted against the proposal to cut the yearly limitation on farm payments from $500,000 to $275,000. Such a reduction would have especially hurt Oklahoma cotton farmers.

Supported Opening Foreign Markets: Supported giving the president trade promotion authority to broaden international market opportunities for our producers, processors, wholesalers and retailers.

2003

Sponsored S.930 – Emergency Preparedness and Response Act of 2003: A bill to amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish a program to provide assistance to states to enhance the ability of state and local first responders to respond to all hazards. Limits the Federal share to 75% of eligible costs, with an increase to 90% for an economically distressed recipient.

2004

Sponsored S.2866 – Commodity Assessment, Protection, and Reform Act: Giving Oklahoma farmers the ability to change their contributions to state-administered commodity marketing and research programs. The Oklahoma Peanut Commission expressed its formal appreciation for his effective leadership on the passage of this bill. It became Public Law on December 21, 2004.

2005

Supported Oklahoma’s Livestock Industry: In 2005, Sen. Inhofe secured the passage of a Senate resolution delaying the importation of Canadian cattle until stronger health safety measures against BSE (mad cow disease) were implemented. Sen. Inhofe also authored a letter with Congressman Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) directly asking the U.S. Department of Agriculture to delay its plan to reopen the border to Canadian cattle. Because of the threat of BSE from Canadian cattle, some countries banned imports of U.S. beef and cattle, an action severely injuring Oklahoma livestock producers. Sen. Inhofe’s actions on behalf of the cattle industry helped lead to the reopening of Japanese markets in 2006.

2006

GAO Report on USDA Conservation Programs: In 2006, GAO released a report, requested by Inhofe, overviewing incentives and disincentives for landowners to participate in USDA programs that benefit threatened and endangered species. The report outlined several reasons regarding landowners’ choice not to participate in those programs in time for their reauthorization within the Farm Bill the following year.

2007

S.Amdt.1602 to S.Amdt.1502 – Senate Amendment 1602 to the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007: Inhofe’s amendment provided transitional assistance for farmers who plant dedicated energy crops for a local cellulosic refinery. This amendment was agreed to in Senate on June 21, 2007, but, unfortunately, it was removed from the final bill before it became Public Law on December 19, 2007.

Cosponsored S.165 – Livestock Assistance Act of 2007: Sen. Inhofe cosponsored S. 165 to aid farmers and ranchers who were severely impacted by blizzards and ice storms in 2006.

Cosponsored S.807 – Agricultural Protection and Prosperity Act of 2007: Sen. Inhofe cosponsored this bipartisan bill to ensure that Oklahoma farmers and ranchers were not faced with federal liability for the reasonable use of fertilizers.

Cosponsored S.1716: Sen. Inhofe cosponsored S. 1716, which passed by unanimous consent and was signed into law shortly thereafter to ensure aid is properly allocated to livestock producers affected by wildfire, drought and other natural disasters.

Supported the Farm Bill: In December 2007, Sen. Inhofe voted in favor of the Senate Farm Bill, which included provisions he championed to provide transitional assistance to farmers to produce bioenergy crops, address poultry waste in an economically and environmentally sustainable way and designate the Illinois River Watershed as one of the priority areas for regional water programs.

2008

Introduced S.3271: Sen. Inhofe and fellow Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn introduced this bill to ease restrictions on farm vehicles transporting goods across state lines - a problem faced by a number of farmers in Oklahoma and around the country.

Cosponsored S.3337: Sen. Inhofe cosponsored S. 3337 to reinstate critical feed use (CFU) program to give farmers access to grazing lands in times of severe drought, after some lost access to the program following litigation by special interest groups.   

Supported the Farm Bill: On May 15, 2008, Sen. Inhofe voted in favor of the conference report to the 2007 Farm Bill and voted in favor of the bill again on May 22 in order to override a presidential veto. The bill maintained provisions Sen. Inhofe championed to support farmers producing bioenergy crops and to address poultry waste.

Fought against harmful Lieberman-Warner Climate Bill: In his role as Ranking Member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, Sen. Inhofe worked to protect Oklahoma’s agriculture interests by fighting against the America’s Climate Security Act (Liberman-Warner), which would have been economically devastating to Oklahoma and the nation. In his battle to oppose the bill, Sen. Inhofe highlighted a study showing the bill would have imposed a significant increase on production costs for eight major crops. The bill failed a procedural vote on June 6, 2008.

Supported Farmers Suffering from Drought: In the summer of 2008, Sen. Inhofe and other members of the Oklahoma delegation wrote a letter to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) supporting a disaster designation for several counties in Northwest Oklahoma, thereby making farm operators in those counties eligible for special assistance through USDA. USDA granted the request on July 17, 2008.

2009

Cosponsored S.527: A measure that would prevent federal agencies from enacting cap-and-trade regulations through the Clean Air Act. The bill would amend the Clean Air Act to prohibit the issuance of permits for any carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, water vapor or methane emission resulting from biological processes associated with livestock production. The legislation passed as part of H.R. 2996 which is now Public Law 111-88 on October 30, 2009.

Cosponsored S.1375: To amend the Agricultural Credit Act of 1987 to reauthorize State mediation programs, extending the authorization of appropriations through FY2015 for state mediation programs.

Cosponsored S.1553: To direct the Secretary of the Treasury to mint/issue gold and silver coins in commemoration of the National Future Farmers of America Organization and the 85th anniversary. Surcharges received from the sale of the coins would be paid to the National Future Farmers of America Foundation in Indianapolis for the creation of an endowment to enhance and expand programs that encourage the development of leadership skills, personal growth and career success through agricultural education and the Future Farmers of America.

Rural Water Funding through Departments of Agriculture and Interior: Inhofe lead one letter and joined another urging appropriators to support rural water funding through the Departments of Interior and Agriculture, respectively.

Initiated S.639 – Legislation to Help Farm Truck Drivers: Inhofe re-introduced common sense bipartisan legislation with Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) to address a problem faced by a number of farmers and ranchers in Oklahoma and around the country when they drive their goods across state lines.

Advocated for Oklahoma Priorities through Appropriations: Inhofe helped secure funding for various agriculture initiatives in Oklahoma, including for research at OSU.

2010

Opposed Burdensome EPA Regulations: Inhofe joined twenty-one colleagues in a letter to the EPA voicing strong opposition to EPA’s efforts to impose unparalleled regulation on dust which would harm farmers and ranchers.

Grain Inspection, Packers, and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) Rule: Inhofe wrote to the USDA to request a 120-day extension in the public comment period to USDA’s amended regulations under the Packers and Stockyards Act, expressing concern over the proposed changes and scope of the government regulation. Inhofe wanted to ensure that stakeholders had sufficient information and time to understand the implications of the regulations. The letter resulted in the USDA agreeing to extend the comment period.

Risk Management Agency: Inhofe wrote to the Risk Management Agency at USDA concerning the standard reinsurance agreement renegotiation. As a result of the letter, the Risk Management Agency at USDA conducted additional negotiations.

S.Res.430: A resolution commending the members of the 45th Agri-Business Development Team of the Oklahoma National Guard for their efforts to modernize agriculture and sustainable farming practices in Afghanistan as well as their dedication and service to the United States.

S.Res.452: A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that the president should insist on increased access to Japanese markets by U.S. exporters of beef and beef products. This resolution was strongly supported by agricultural and cattlemen’s organizations throughout the country.

2011

Cosponsored S.1561 – The Charitable Agriculture Research Act: To amend the tax code to allow for the creation of a new type of charitable, tax-exempt organization entitled Agricultural Research Organizations (AROs). AROs would spur new agricultural research, leveraging private dollars to create charitable partnerships between universities and private entities to strengthen and improve American agriculture.    

Supported Watershed and Flood Prevention Programs: Sen. Inhofe cosponsored an amendment to transfer $8 million to watershed and flooding prevention programs under the Fiscal Year 2012 appropriations bill for Agriculture, Rural Development, FDA and related agencies. The measure passed without objection by a voice vote and the appropriations bill was signed into Public Law 112-55 that December.

EPA extension of implementation timeline for amended SPCC rule: Inhofe led a bi-partisan effort with 32 other senators requesting the extension of the implementation timeline for the amended Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) rule for farmers, requiring that certain facilities develop and implement oil spill prevention, control, and countermeasures. EPA extended the compliance date until May 2013.

Grain Inspection, Packers, and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) Rule: Inhofe continued to oppose the USDA’s efforts to impose burdensome regulations on farmers under the Packers and Stockyards Act, including working with a coalition of lawmakers to block funding for the rule in the FY2012 USDA appropriations, thereby securing a major victory for Oklahoma’s livestock producers.

Opposed Burdensome Department of Labor (DOL) Regulations: In September 2011, the DOL proposed a new rule governing the regulations of child labor on agriculture operations, which was expansive and a severe overreach. Inhofe began his opposition to this rule in October 25, 2011, working with 31 senators requesting additional time to comment on the regulation. Sen. Inhofe continued to work on repealing the rule until on April 26, 2012, when the Department of Labor pulled the proposal.

Requested USDA to reduce or eliminate fees to Conservation Reserve Program participants who participate in emergency grazing and haying during severe droughts: Inhofe was able to get USDA Secretary Vilsack to allow grazing for a month after end of FY 2011 which prevented the fee from being asses for FY 2011 and 2012, for areas hit by the drought.

2012

Supported Legislation to Help Farm Truck Drivers: Sen. Inhofe supported an amendment to the 2012 Highway Bill to provide a limited commercial exemption to farm trucks facing burdensome federal regulations when they cross state lines - a problem faced by a number of farmers and ranchers in Oklahoma and around the country when transporting their crops from the farm to the marketplace. Inhofe had been working with Sen. Merkley (D-Ore.) and members of the Oklahoma delegation on this issue since 2009. The amendment passed by unanimous consent and was included in the final highway bill.

Amendments to the Farm Bill: Sen. Inhofe offered multiple amendments to the 2012 Farm Bill to reign in the EPA –including through exempting certain farmers from Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) regulations for above-ground oil storage tanks and clarifying the scope of the Clean Water Act – as well as an amendment to impose fiscal responsibility on the Food Stamp program. Sen. Inhofe voted against the final bill due to the inclusion of welfare programs that were unrelated to farming and because the bill was designed to help support the crops of only a few states.

Introduced S.3559 – to amend the EPA’s Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) rule: Sen. Inhofe and Sen. Pryor (D-AR) introduced a bill to exempt most farmers from the EPA’s burdensome SPCC rule, which would require farmers with oil and gas tanks on their farms to hire a certified professional engineer to design a SPCC Plan. In 2011, EPA extended the compliance deadline for the rule to 2013, following a bipartisan letter led by Sen. Inhofe to this end.

Introduced S.3602 – The Food Stamp Restoration Act: to convert the Food Stamp program from a mandatory program into a discretionary one and giving states power to the states to run and design it.

2013

Supported Funding for Water Infrastructure for Rural Communities: Sen. Inhofe introduced an amendment to the Water Resources and Development Act to ensure small, rural communities have access to Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) financing by allowing communities of less than 25,000 residents to apply for WIFIA loans on projects with a cost of five million dollars or more without authorizing any additional government spending. The amendment was adopted by unanimous consent.

Cosponsored S.427: Sen. Inhofe cosponsored S. 427, the Sensible School Lunches Act to provide school districts with greater flexibility to meet the nutritional needs of all students.

Introduced S.496 – to amend the EPA’s Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) rule: Inhofe led five senators in once again introducing a bill to exempt most farmers from the EPA’s burdensome SPCC rule, which would require farmers with oil and gas tanks on their farms to hire a certified professional engineer to design a SPCC Plan. In 2011, EPA extended the compliance deadline for the rule to 2013, following a bipartisan letter led by Sen. Inhofe.

Introduced Amendment delaying Implementation of EPA’s SPCC Rule: Sen. Inhofe successfully offered an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2013 Continuing Resolution prohibiting the EPA from enforcing the SPCC rule against farmers until later that year.

Supported Amendment exempting Farmers from EPA’s SPCC Rule: Sen. Inhofe supported an amendment to the Water Resources and Development Act exempting certain farmers from the EPA’s burdensome SPCC Rule, which passed by unanimous consent and was included in the final bill.

Questioned EPA's Authority to Retroactively Enforce SPCC Rule on Farmers: Sen. Inhofe and Sen. Pryor (D-Ark.) sent a letter to EPA expressing concern with the EPA's intent to retroactively enforce the SPCC rule despite bicameral and bipartisan congressional support to delay implementation and ultimately exempt much of the agriculture industry from it. This was sent after reports that EPA planned to being retroactively enforcing the rule starting on September 23 of that year.

Cosponsored S.1280 – The Charitable Agriculture Research Act: To amend the tax code to allow for the creation of a new type of charitable, tax-exempt organization entitled Agricultural Research Organizations (AROs). AROs would spur new agricultural research, leveraging private dollars to create charitable partnerships between universities and private entities to strengthen and improve American agriculture.    

2014

Introduced Amendment to Allow Horse Slaughter Plants: Sen. Inhofe introduced an amendment to the omnibus spending bill that would strike a provision of the bill blocking the USDA from inspecting horse slaughter plants and thereby effectively banning those facilities in the United States.

2015

Supported Passage of the Charitable Agriculture Research Act: This bill, which Inhofe cosponsored to support private agricultural research efforts together with land grant universities, was signed into law as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (P.L. 114-113).

Supported Agriculture Research: Sen. Inhofe supported the inclusion of $350 million for the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, which funds advanced research, education, and public outreach projects at land-grant universities across the nation – including Oklahoma State University and Langston University – in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (P.L. 114-113).

Dietary Guidelines: Sen. Inhofe joined 29 senators in sending a letter to the Obama administration expressing concerns that the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee ignored peer-reviewed and published scientific evidence in recommending that “lean meat” be removed from what is considered a healthy diet. Inhofe supported the inclusion of Section 734 of H.R. 2029, which was enacted in P.L. 114-113, and required that the Dietary Guidelines for Americans be based on significant science and limited in scope to nutritional, dietary information.

Cosponsored S.110 – National Forest System Trails Stewardship Act: To direct USDA to publish a national strategy to significantly increase the role of volunteers and partners in trail maintenance.

Sponsored S.1805 – School Lunch Price Protection Act of 2015: To prevent School Food Authorities (SFAs) from being forced to raise meal prices when a school's program is financially solvent, a federal mandate known as Paid Lunch Equity.

Cosponsored S.Res.232: A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate that August 30, 2015, be observed as “1890 Land-Grant Institutions Quasquicentennial Recognition Day.”

Cosponsored S.Res.349: A resolution congratulating the Farm Credit System of the celebration of its 100th anniversary.

2016

Inclusion of Price Protection Provision in School Lunch Reauthorization: A provision mirroring Sen. Inhofe’s School Lunch Price Protection Act, which blocked mandatory price increases on school lunches, was included as a part of the Child Nutrition, Integrity and Access Act of 2016 as reported by the Senate Agriculture Committee in January 2016.

GMO Labelling (S.764): Sen. Inhofe supported legislation to ensure that Oklahoma’s agricultural producers had a clear and straightforward national bioengineered food disclosure standard for consumers to be informed by facts, free from bias of activist organizations. This bill was signed into P.L. 114-216 on July 29th, 2016.

Revising USDA’s SNAP Rule: On Aug. 2, Inhofe joined 46 senators in sending a letter to USDA expressing concerns with its rule impacting the eligibility requirements for retailers participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The rule would have changed food stocking requirements for stores accepting SNAP benefits. Complying with the new rule would be too costly and burdensome for small neighborhood stores, drugstores and convenience stores in many rural areas to meet, meaning they could no longer accept SNAP benefits. However, because of Inhofe’s advocacy, the final rule did not include the most onerous aspects of those changes.

Preventing Overregulation of Farmers and Ranchers by OSHA: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a unilateral reinterpretation of existing rules on July 22, 2015, that would have applied strict federal regulations for fertilizer storage to all agriculture retailers without any direction from Congress. OSHA’s new bureaucratic requirements would have added tens of thousands of dollars in costs to individual facilities. In response, Inhofe included language in the Labor Appropriations bill that prohibited the rule from being enforced. On Sept. 23, the federal courts struck the rule, preventing it from moving forward.

Watershed Rehabilitation: At Inhofe’s request, the Agriculture Appropriations bill included $12 million for the USDA’s Small Watershed Program, which is responsible for maintaining over 11,000 flood control structures nationwide.

2017

Supporting Farmers in Northwest Oklahoma: Inhofe was instrumental in supporting farmers affected by wildfires in Northwest Oklahoma in the spring of 2017. Sens. Inhofe and Lankford worked to ensure affected individuals had information about available USDA programs to assist them in the aftermath of the wildfires. Inhofe met with several hundred Oklahoma farmers and ranchers affected in northwest Oklahoma after touring areas damaged by the fires in his twin engine plane.

Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Centers: Sen. Inhofe worked with the whole Oklahoma delegation to highlight the value of the research efforts at all three of Oklahoma’s ARS centers to Oklahoma producers in three separate letters to the Senate and House Appropriations Committees. Inhofe was able to secure funding to ensure all three centers would remain open and continue to serve Oklahoma’s farmers, ranchers and rural communities.

2018

Introduced Wildfire Regulatory Relief Act: Sens. Inhofe and Udall (D-N.M.) to improve federal wildfire disaster response, specifically for the agricultural community. In March of 2017, devastating wildfires in northwest Oklahoma destroyed hundreds of miles of fencing and other farming and ranching equipment. The Wildfire Regulatory Relief Act would address the unique concerns farmers, ranchers and rural communities face after a wildfire.

Flexible Agricultural Repayments and Modifying Schedules (FARMS) Act and the Farmers of Tomorrow Act: Inhofe and Udall (D-N.M.) introduced two bills to strengthen the next generation of farmers and ranchers by reducing the burden of student loan debt and making capital easier to obtain so new farmers can buy land, equipment or livestock. The two bills aim to attract younger generation to farming and shore up the future of farming and ranching in the United States, where the number of new farmers continues to decline and the average age of farmers continues to rise.

Amendments to the Farm Bill: Inhofe introduced several amendments to the 2018 Farm Bill, the Agriculture Improvement Act. Amendments included efforts to restore fiscal accountability to the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP); giving banks greater regulatory flexibility after a disaster declaration (similar to the Wildfire Regulatory Relief Act); and protecting farmers and ranchers if dealers become insolvent during the purchase and resale of livestock – this amendment was also introduced as the SALE Act alongside several other Republican members.

Supported Final Passage of the Farm Bill: Inhofe voted in favor of the conference report to the 2018 Farm Bill, which made reforms sought by Inhofe to address waste and fraud in the food stamps program and included the following provisions he advocated for –

Wildfire Regulatory Relief Act: legislation to make it possible for cattle to graze on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) lands after a wildfire.
Farmers of Tomorrow Act: legislation to strengthen the next generation of farmers and ranchers by reducing the burden of student loan debt and making capital easier to obtain so new farmers can buy land, equipment or livestock.
Emergency Conservation Program Payments Legislation: gave USDA the authority to offer landowners the option to be paid upfront a portion of the fair market value of property damaged in natural disasters such as wildfires.
Small Watershed Rehabilitation Program: $50 million annually to help rehabilitate aging flood control dams nationwide, including the over 2,107 flood control dams protecting farms and ranches across Oklahoma.
SALE Act: Directing the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct a study on the feasibility of establishing a livestock dealer statutory trust. The outcome of this study would support Inhofe’s SALE Act, which directs USDA to create a livestock dealer statutory trust.
Praised new Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Rule: Inhofe praised President Trump and Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue for taking steps to strengthen work requirements for SNAP by updating regulations on state waivers. Inhofe fought for and secured reforms to the 2018 Farm Bill that empowered President Trump to take this action.

Cosponsored S.2421 – Fair Agricultural Reporting Method (FARM) Act: To amend the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 to exempt air emissions from animal waste at a farm from specified release notification requirements, recordkeeping requirements and associated penalties.

Cosponsored S.2663 – Agriculture Creates Real Employment (ACRE) Act: To protect ranchers, farmers and livestock markets from burdensome federal overregulation.

2019

Cosponsored S.382 – Chronic Wasting Disease Transmission in Cervidae Study Act: To require the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the U.S. Geological Survey to contract the National Academy of Sciences to study the predominant pathways and mechanisms of the transmission of chronic wasting disease in wild, captive, and farmed populations of deer, elk, reindeer and moose populations in the United States.

Cosponsored S.2025, Agricultural Trucking Relief Act: To expand the definition of an “agricultural commodity” to include horticultural and aquacultural products, promote consistency across all federal and state agencies and ease regulatory burdens on the trucking industry.

Joined Effort to Lower Indian Pecan Tariffs: Inhofe joined Sen. David Perdue and 10 other senators in sending a letter encouraging U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to prioritize a reduction in pecan tariffs as the Trump administration continued trade negotiations with India. Oklahoma is consistently ranked top five in pecan production nationwide, producing about 5% of the country’s total pecan production each year.

2020

Introduced S.3419 – SALE Act of 2020: Inhofe introduced this bill along with eight bipartisan senators to address the problem of dealer payment default. Quick turnaround between the purchase and resale of cattle by a dealer can often leave the rancher who originally owned the cattle with little recourse if a dealer defaults on a purchase—the livestock has often already been resold. The SALE Act would establish dealer statutory trusts, mimicking existing packer statutory trusts, for the purpose of ensuring that cattle sellers receive payment should a livestock dealer become insolvent.

Joined Effort to Urge USDA to Assist Cotton Industry in Wake of Coronavirus: Inhofe joined a letter from 21 senators to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue—led by Sens. John Boozman (R-Ark.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.)—that noted while all sectors of the agricultural economy were impacted by Coronavirus public health crisis, the U.S. cotton industry has been particularly hard hit during this time, making the need for assistance all the more urgent. Their letter encouraged USDA to work with the cotton industry so that needed aid could be delivered in a timely manner.

Held Virtual Town Halls with Oklahoma Ag Groups on COVID-19 Resources: Inhofe held virtual town halls throughout the spring of 2020 with the Oklahoma Farm Bureau, the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association and the Oklahoma Pork Council on the COVID-19 response and resources available for families, individuals, small businesses and agriculture producers across the state. Specifically, they discussed the Trump administration’s efforts to alleviate hardships in the agriculture sector via the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program.

Joined letter Supporting Rural Electric Cooperatives: Inhofe joined a letter to the Small Business Administration and the Treasury to ensure that rural electric cooperatives, as private corporate business concerns operating on a cooperative basis, be considered eligible recipients under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The following month, Treasury clarified that rural electric cooperatives with less than 500 employees were eligible for PPP.

Urged USDA to Support Chicken Producers: Inhofe joined a letter to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) highlighting the severe impacts of COVID-19 on the U.S. chicken industry and requesting direct assistance for chicken growers and continued support for processing facilities.

Cosponsored S.4152 – Flexible Financing for Rural America Act of 2020: Inhofe cosponsored this bill to make it possible for rural electric cooperatives and telecommunications providers to refinance their Rural Utilities Service (RUS) debt at lower interest rates.

Introduced S.4155 – RELIEF for Producers Act of 2020: In July 2020, Inhofe introduced the RELIEF for Producers Act along with several other members to support producers faced with euthanizing their livestock and poultry due to COVID-19, provide resources for animal health laboratories as they develop solutions to defend against emerging animal disease spread and give additional authority to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary through the existing Commodity Credit Corporation Charter to deal with removal and disposal of livestock for any public health emergency moving forward. This bill was supported by many stakeholders in the agriculture industry, including the Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture, the Oklahoma Pork Council Executive Director and the Oklahoma Farm Bureau.

Introduced S.4235 – Agricultural Security Risk Review Act: Inhofe and Sen. Tillis (R-N.C.) introduced the Agricultural Security Risk Review Act, legislation that would formally place 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.

Joined Letter urging Flexibility for School Meals: Inhofe joined U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, in sending a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to urge the Department to continue providing flexibilities to schools and sponsoring organizations for school meals and child nutrition during the ongoing COVID emergency.

Passage of the SALE Act and RELIEF for Producers Act: Both the SALE Act – to establish dealer statutory trusts – and the RELIEF for Producers Act – to require the USDA to provide reimbursements for producers that had to euthanize their hogs due to COVID-related supply chain disruptions – were signed into law in December 2020 as part of the Fiscal Year 2021 omnibus and COVID relief bill (P.L. 116-260). From July-October 2021, USDA began accepting applications for its Pandemic Livestock Indemnity Program, which implemented the RELIEF for Producers Act.

Waters of the United States (WOTUS): Rural states, like Oklahoma, were severely harmed by the regulatory overreach of the WOTUS rule under the Obama administration, which required farmers and landowners to spend tens of thousands of unnecessary dollars to determine if they needed to obtain a federal permit to make improvements to their land. After leading the multi-year charge to oppose the burdensome Obama-era WOTUS rule, Sen. Inhofe praised the Trump administration’s efforts to repeal and replace the WOTUS rule with a standard that brought much needed clarity to Oklahoma and its agriculture communities.

2021

Cosponsored S.978 – Flexible Financing for Rural America Act: Inhofe once again cosponsored the Flexible Financing for Rural America Act. The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Utilities Service (RUS) charges penalties when borrowers refinance their loans. S. 978 would allow electric cooperatives and rural telecom providers to take advantage of 2021’s lower interest rates and refinance RUS loans at those market rates without penalty.

Cosponsored S.1755 – Agriculture Security Risk Review Act: Inhofe once again cosponsored the Agriculture Security Risk Review Act. This bill would place the USDA Secretary as a member of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), thereby ensuring that CFIUS is operating effectively and efficiently to determine if a transaction, including agricultural, threatens to impair the national security of the United States. This is especially important as we see foreign ownership of U.S. farmland and agricultural businesses increase.

Transport of Agricultural Commodities: Inhofe joined a letter to the Federal Maritime Commission expressing concerns with reports of refusal by ocean carriers to transport certain containerized shipments of US agricultural commodities and urging the FMC to continue to investigating reports of those unreasonable practices.

Supported Chicken Growers: Inhofe joined a letter requesting the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to expedite the rulemaking process to administer direct payment to contract chicken growers, pursuant to the Fiscal Year 2021 omnibus, which allowed chicken growers to be eligible for Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) payments. In May 2020, Inhofe had engaged with former Secretary Sonny Purdue to request that USDA provide direct assistance for chicken farmers impacted by COVID-19. In January 2021, Inhofe joined the Senate Chicken Caucus.

New Swine Inspection Rule: In June 2021, Inhofe joined two separate letters – one to Agriculture Secretary Vilsack and another to Department of Justice Acting Solicitor General Prelogar– requesting that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Justice (DOJ), respectively, act to defend USDA’s New Swine Inspection System (NSIS) rule, which allowed pork processors to establish maximum line speeds, after a U.S. district court vacated this portion of the NSIS rule. In November 2021, USDA announced that it would allow certain pork processors to apply for a trial allowing them to operate at an increased speed for up to one year.

Supporting Wheat Exports: Inhofe joined a letter led by Senator Marshall (R-Kan.) urging U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Matthew Tueller to work to increase U.S. wheat exports to Iraq during a downtown in Iraq’s domestic wheat production.

Opposing the Vaccine Mandate: Inhofe signed letters regarding mask and vaccine mandates at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). In September, Inhofe joined a letter to the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) regarding FSIS’s mask mandate on meat packing and poultry processing plants. A few months later, in November, Inhofe joined a letter to USDA asking that it drop the vaccine mandate for its employees to ensure that USDA is able to fulfill its mission to support farmers and ranchers.

Protecting American Farmers and Ranchers: Inhofe joined a letter led by Agriculture Committee Ranking Member John Boozman (R-Ark.) to United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack requesting an initiation of a World Trade Organization dispute settlement case addressing India’s ongoing noncompliance with domestic support requirements for rice, wheat, and other agriculture commodities – thereby placing American rice and wheat producers at a disadvantage.

2022

Signed Letter to Pres. Biden regarding fertilizer prices: Inhofe signed a letter to President Biden expressing concern regarding record-high fertilizer prices facing American farmers before spring planting season and urging the president to consider available options to lower the cost of fertilizer.

Supported Market Access: Inhofe signed a letter urging United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to include market access commitments as part of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and any other U.S. trade agreement, thereby supporting American agricultural producers and other exporters.

Urging Biden Nominee for Agricultural Trade Negotiator to Support U.S. Producers: Inhofe joined 18 Senate colleagues in sending a letter, led by Sens. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and John Boozman (R-Ark.), to Doug McKalip, President Biden’s nominee to be the United States Trade Representative’s (USTR) chief agricultural negotiator. The senators pointed out the Biden administration’s disastrous trade policies that have weakened America’s farmers and ranchers, and they urged McKalip, if confirmed, to seek market access agreements that support U.S. agricultural producers.

Supported Pecan Growers: Inhofe signed a letter requesting assistance from United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai in remedying burdensome tariffs facing the pecan industry and thereby expanding export market opportunities.

Senator Inhofe became a member of the Senate 4-H Caucus and the Senate FFA Caucus.


   

 

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