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ASA on top issues during lame duck session

The American Soybean Association is closely watching what Congress will do in the final stretch of the lame duck session, according to Executive Director for Government Affairs Christy Seyfert.

“One of those is the COVID-19 package… and I don’t know if it comes together in the lame duck session or if it is more likely a 2021 issue, but we’ll watch to see what is incorporated in that when it eventually happens,” she says.

 She says there is also concern about the extension of government funding.

“December 11 is coming quickly, and we certainly don’t want to see a government shutdown at the federal level,” she says. “Right now, momentum is pointing toward this coming together.”

Seyfert says ASA is hopeful the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) gets across the finish line in the session.

“Our team has worked diligently and many of our board members in states weighed in on passage of WRDA, particularly as it relates to increased investment in inland waterways that make US agriculture so competitive,” she says.

Seyfert spoke during the Indiana Corn and Soybean Ag Policy Forum this week. She says ASA is also watching when the House will take up the Grain Standards Reauthorization Act that was passed by the Senate. She says grain standards provide assurances to overseas buyers that US grain and oilseeds have been inspected and meet specific standards.