Is Your Government Relations Team #SmartWorking?

April 14, 2020Tim CanslerAgriculture, BioTech, Budget & Appropriations, Cansler News, COVID-19, Defense, Drinking Water, Energy, Farm Bill, Food Safety, Govt News, Health Care, Industry News, Infrastructure, Leaner Govt Relations, Press, Rural Dev., Trade, Transportationgovernment relations, K-Street, Lobbying, SmartWorking

There’s been a huge swell in lobbying activities in Washington during the COVID-19 pandemic as Congress swiftly enacts policies to help those impacted. Events like the COVID-19 pandemic typically alter the course for many sectors toward technologies and different methods they should have been using all along. So, it begs the question why are some government relations firms charging their clients $40,000, $50,000 and $80,000 per quarter? It’s outrageous. #Smartworking government relations firms will never cost that much.

As Senate Republicans Huddle, House Democrats Move Forward on FY 2020 Discretionary Spending Bills

June 11, 2019Tim CanslerAgriculture, BioTech, Budget & Appropriations, Cansler News, Defense, Energy, Food Safety, Govt News, Health Care, Industry News, Infrastructure, Leaner Govt Relations, Press, Rural Dev., TransportationAgriculture, Appropriations Committee, budget House of Representatives, Democrats, Drinking Water, Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, Energy & Commerce, Environmental Protection Agency, federal budget, federal programs, House Appropriations, infrastructure, international trade, National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST, Republicans, The Food and Drug Administration, trade, Transportation, U.S. Senate Budget Committee, Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act

House Maintains Modest Increases in all 12 Appropriations Bills Above FY 2019 Levels On June 11 officials from the White House & Office of Management and Budget will meet with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) & Senate Appropriations Chairman Richard Shelby (R-AL) to chart a path forward on the FY 2020 appropriations bills that…

What Can Possibly Be Accomplished During 2018 Lame Duck Session of Congress?

October 28, 2018Tim CanslerAgriculture, BioTech, Budget & Appropriations, Cansler News, Defense, Energy, Farm Bill, Food Safety, Govt News, Health Care, Industry News, Infrastructure, Press, Rural Dev., Transportation, Uncategorized

Congress left many issues undone for the 16-days scheduled in the legislative calendar after the 2018 midterm elections, known as the lame duck session of Congress. Below are some of those remaining issues. FY 2019 Appropriations Bill Congress enacted 5 (of the total 12) annual FY 2019 appropriations bills prior to the beginning of the…

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) at Forefront of Emerging Technologies

July 24, 2018Tim CanslerAgriculture, BioTech, Budget & Appropriations, Defense, Govt News, Industry News

The U.S. House Science, Space, and Technology Committee has unanimously approved the National Institute of Standards and Technology Reauthorization Act of 2018 (H.R. 6229), introduced by Congresswoman Barbara Comstock (R-VA), Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Research and Technology. The U.S. House was scheduled to adopt H.R. 6229 by unanimous consent this week. However it no…

Cansler Keynotes Annual Conference for Tennessee Farm Bureau Presidents

August 11, 2017Tim CanslerAgriculture, BioTech, Budget & Appropriations, Cansler News, Energy, Farm Bill, Food Safety, Govt News, Health Care, Industry News, Leaner Govt Relations, Press, Rural Dev., Transportation, Uncategorized

“Tim Cansler’s behind the scenes Washington knowledge on agricultural and farm issues makes him an excellent choice for hearing the “rest of the story” about current Washington happenings. His agricultural and Farm Bureau background provide a solid foundation and understanding of the issues important to farmers.” Jeff Aiken President Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation Cansler Consulting,…

Post Election Stock Market

November 9, 2016Tim CanslerIndustry Newselection, fortune magazine, investing, Lobbying, Lobbyist, S&P, stock market

According to the November issue of Fortune Magazine, while 2017 still may be a rough year for the financial markets, history shows us that after each election, no matter who wins, there is a dip in the market that corrects itself. We have the benefit of hindsight that the article’s author, Taylor Tepper, (a staff writer at Money) didn’t have. We KNOW the finale of the election results.

What comes through in the November article is: while The President can have a major impact on our day-to-day lives, presidential politics has a very minor impact on the stock markets. Over the long run.

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Seed and Agrochemical Mergers and Acquisitions

September 22, 2016Tim CanslerGovt News, Industry NewsAgriculture, Lobbying, Lobbyist, mergers, Washington, Washington DC

A Response to Emerging Fourth Industrial Revolution

Congress has begun to focus on recent mergers and acquisitions in the seed and agrochemical industry. This industry provides inputs to farmers for growing crops.

There are six companies involved in the research and development, manufacturing, and distribution of agrochemicals and biotech seeds, namely Bayer, BASF, Dow, DuPont, Monsanto and Syngenta. All compete with one another for market share while simultaneously working with each other through cross licensing agreements. Cross licensing agreements between companies result in the companies trading technologies and products under certain conditions that typically render enhanced choices of products for farmers and facilitates innovation.…

114th Congress Agricultural Issues

January 15, 2015Tim CanslerFood Safety, Govt News, Industry News114th Congress, agricultural, biofuel, Congress, Cuba, Food Safety, Issues, Lobbying, Lobbyist, Washington, Washington DC

Here are a few items that are likely to be at the top of the 114th Congress’s Agricultural To Do List.

Renewable Fuel – The EPA’s delayed mandates for 2014 biofuel commercial use until 2015 giving opponents another chance to modify or repeal the law that created the Renewable Fuel Standard. This impacts corn growers since the RFS guarantees a market for producers of conventional ethanol, largely corn-based fuel.
Cuba -Relaxing trade restrictions around Cuba could be a big win for Rice, soybeans and poultry producers, getting the attention of pro-trade agribusiness and farm groups.
Immigration – President Obama’s announcement regarding immigration this winter left agriculture companies and employers pondering how this will impact their workforce since 70% of farm workers in the United State are here illegally. If there is no need for them to stay in farming, since they can qualify for other jobs now, farm employers wonder who is going to work the farms. This can only lead to higher prices for consumers for fruits & vegetables.

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WGN Radio Interviews Cansler for ResponsibleAG

December 21, 2014Tim CanslerAgriculture, Cansler News, Industry NewsAgriculture, Cansler, fertilizer, interview, ResponsibleAg, WGN Radio

Orion Samuelson and Max Armstrong, WGN Agri-Cast

Tim Cansler, Executive Director of ResponsibleAg was interviewed by WGN-Radio, Chicago for their Agri-Cast. The interview aired December 20th during the Morning Show with Orion Samuelson and Max Armstrong. To listen to the interview here is the link to the podcast: http://wgnradio.com/2014/12/20/agri-cast-december-20/…

Farmers Have to Choose a New Risk Management Program

September 30, 2014Tim CanslerAgriculture, Farm Bill, Govt News, Industry NewsAgriculture Risk Coverage, ARC, Farm Bill, Farm Subsidies, farmers, Lobbying, Lobbyist, PLC, risk managemen, USDA

Let’s face it farming is not easy and manging risks amists Mother nature’s whims is even more risky. The only upside is that Congress is trying to help producers with new, innovative 21st Century risk management programs.

Farmer will have to make a choice between Risk Management Programs very soon. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently unveiled new programs as part of the 2014 Farm Bill that will help farmers manage their risks: Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) & Price Loss Coverage (PLC). The choice producers make in the next few months will be irrevocable and used for the next five crop years.…

Online Tools to Help You Choose Farm Risk Management

September 30, 2014Tim CanslerAgriculture, Farm Bill, Govt News, Industry NewsAgriculture Risk Coverage, ARC, Farm Bill, farmers, Lobbying, Lobbyist, PLC, risk management, USDA, Washington DC

To help farmers choose between Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC), USDA helped create online decision tools that allow farmers to enter information about their operation and see projections about how each program will benefit them under possible future scenarios. The new tools are now available at www.fsa.usda.gov/arc-plc. …

Waterway Supply Chains Need U.S. Investment

December 5, 2012Tim CanslerIndustry News, Transportationimport, international trade, Transportation

Transporting $270 Billion of Our Exports

After five years since the last adoption of the (2007) Water Resources Development Act, congressional committees are beginning to focus on the U.S.’ water resources infrastructure. The United States maintains 300 commercial ports, 12,000 miles of inland and intra-coastal waterways and about 240 lock chambers, which carry more than $270 billion in U.S. exports and just over half (by value) of U.S. imports.…

U.S. Manufacturers May Pick Up Tab For FSMA

September 18, 2012Tim CanslerGovt News, Industry NewsBudget, Food Safety, Food Safety Modernization Act, FSMA, USDA

Recent OMB Report & Other Factors Indicate U.S. Food Manufacturers May Pick up Tab For FSMA

In February of this year Cansler Consulting foretold of the fiscal challenges ahead at the Food and Drug Administration (click here to read article) in implementing the nation’s new food safety law, The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Late last week the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released a congressionally-mandated report outlining potential impacts of budget sequestration on defense and non-defense discretionary programs verifying our analysis. The 400-page document showcases the impacts that budget cuts would have on all areas of government, including the safety of our nation’s food supply that is under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Agriculture.

Dept of Ag to Cut nearly $3 Billion Next Year

According to the OMB report the Department of Agriculture would be required to cut a total $2.996 billion in the remaining eight months of FY 2013 (January to September 2013). This includes $86 million from the Food Safety Inspection Service that is responsible for the safety of the nation’s commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products.…

U.S. Court of Appeals Rules: EPA Exceeded Mandate

August 24, 2012Tim CanslerGovt News, Industry NewsClean Air Act, Court of Appeals, Environmental Protection Agency, EPA

U.S. Court of Appeals Rules: EPA Exceeded Mandate Limiting Sulfur Dioxide and Nitrogen Oxide Emissions From Power-generating Plants

On August 21, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled, 2-1, that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had exceeded its mandate with the Clean Air Act, which was to limit sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions from power plants in 28 mostly Eastern states and Texas.

EPA’s rule intended to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions by 73% and nitrogen oxide by 54% at coal-fired power plants below 2005 levels. It is believed that reducing emissions from these plants will further reduce pollutants that cause acid rain and smog that cross state lines. A factor that it didn’t take into account was the financial hardship the rule would create for energy producers and their customers, possibly closing down energy facilities.

The judges ruled that the EPA exceeded its authority under the Clean Air Act by……

Trade Disputes: Are Your Products Impacted?

August 22, 2012Tim CanslerAgriculture, Industry NewsFood Safety, international trade, Lobbying, Lobbyist

Every year U.S. agribusinesses and manufacturers work to produce high quality goods for global export markets. But each year Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) trade measures continue playing an increasingly critical role in shaping the flow of U.S. agricultural global trade. SPS trade barriers are erected from measures that foreign governments apply on the basis that the measures are necessary to protect human, animal, or plant life or health from risks arising from the entry or spread of plant- or animal-borne pests or diseases, or from additives, contaminants, toxins, or disease-causing organisms in foods, beverages, or feedstuffs.…

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