Occasional thoughts on the politics and activities of Washington, D.C., as they may have relevance to our tree fruit industry.
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Hudson Valley Apple Pie
● If the apple industry of Washington state would like to address some of its
Drugged Media
● Last Friday, the Food and Drug Administration released two of its proposed regulations implementing
Potomac Precipice
● The fiscal cliff legislation, H.R. 8, that passed the House last night, did so
Activist Agenda
● Over the past few years there has been a minor boom in publishing books
Lame Duck
● The 112th Congress continues to lumber towards its eventual close, with a raft of
My Apple Cup Runneth Over
● Randy Green, a former Deputy Undersecretary of USDA and chief of staff to the
A Peach of a Part
● A bill to improve trade relations with Russia, H.R. 6156, was passed by the
Post Election
● At a news conference this week, President Barack Obama expressed optimism about moving comprehensive
The Election
● It’s over. President Obama will have four more years to fashion policy and lead
Lincoln
● The Organic Trade Association is boosting the idea of a multicommodity federal promotion and
Are the Apples Rotten?
● November 6 will slam shut the door to the political future of many of
Futile and Weak
● One of my more enjoyable tasks is serving on the board of advisors to
Jenkins Hill XI
● This Sunday I plan to travel across country to attend the Washington Public Policy
Jenkins Hill X
This month, Ellen Terpstra was named the new chief executive officer of the International Food
Apple Anarchy
● Four of life’s misfits have been charged in Georgia with murder and other crimes.
Politics
● For some reason known only to cheeseheads, Wisconsin has been at the center of
Washington State Primary
● Tuesday’s primary in Washington clarified who will be running in the general election for
Farm Bill V
● Moving a Farm Bill through Congress this year has proved difficult. Why? Because it
Insane Coils of Red Tape
● As a result of this year’s redistricting, commercial tree fruit growers will have reason
PMA/United
● The merger talks between the Produce Market Association and the United Fresh Produce Association
Farm Bill IV
● The House Committee on Agriculture approved by a bipartisan vote of 35-11 its version
The Supremes
● The Farm Bill is set to be marked-up by the House Agriculture Committee on
Farm Bill III
● The U.S. Senate’s version of the Farm Bill, S. 3240, passed last Thursday by
Mexico
● President Obama acted last Friday to help many young people—those without the correct residency
Farm Bill II
● The U.S. Senate’s version of the Farm Bill, S. 3240, now has over 220
Farm Bill
● The Senate’s version of the Farm Bill, S.3240, today cleared its first procedural hurdle
A Slow Boat to China
The annual meeting of the Western Governors’ Association will be held at the Cascade Mountain
Primaries
● Oregon: No surprises on Tuesday in terms of federal elections. All five members of
Jenkins Hill IX
● Senator Richard Lugar (R/Indiana) lost his primary reelection race on Tuesday. The senator, age
Criminal Apples
● The Leonardo Academy, located in Madison, Wisconsin, released on April 19 its draft document
Unite
● The United Fresh Produce Association sent out its ballot for 2012 officers and board
Jenkins Hill VIII
● Biotechnology continues to be a contentious issue. Of note is a concentrated effort afoot
Jenkins Hill VII
● Wednesday, January 4, was the day set for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Jenkins Hill VI
● Last Tuesday, Mitt Romney announced his agriculture advisory committee, a group co-chaired by Senator
Jenkins Hill V
● Norm Dicks will not be serving in the 113th Congress. On March 2, Mr.
Jenkins Hill IV
● A report to Congress was issue in February by the Food and Drug Administration
Jenkins Hill 3
● The United Fresh Produce Association held town hall meetings in both Wenatchee and Yakima
Jenkins Hill II
● A flurry of meetings will be held in Washington, D.C., the week of March
Jenkins Hill
● After two trips to Washington, D.C., in January, I am even more convinced that
Senator Cantwell
● Yesterday, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (Democrat, Washington) visited Yakima, with one of her stops
New Districts
● Reapportionment for federal elections based on the 2010 census will have its greatest impact
Apple Pie
● The Food Safety Modernization Act calls for the Food and Drug Administration to issue
FDA
● Last week, I spent time in Wenatchee with Dr. Jim Gorny and Bob Keeney,
Uncool
● Brianne Miller has jumped to the other side of Capitol Hill and is currently
Casino Jack and the JSC
● The Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (JSC), co-chaired by Senator Patty Murray (D/Washington)
Occupy Washington, D.C.
● After arriving in the nation’s capital on Monday, the 17th, for a meeting later
No Such Thing as a Bad Apple
● Over the past week, the Northwest Horticultural Council worked at the request of the
Washington City IX
The current multistate outbreak of listeria linked to whole cantaloupes grown on a farm in
Verify
Chairman Lamar Smith (R/Texas) of the House Judiciary Committee insists that a mandatory employer E-Verify
Unsustainable
In our work with USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service, we occasionally help out when FAS arranges