OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — With just weeks left before his scheduled execution, Oklahoma death row inmate Anthony Sanchez took the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oklahoma-clemency-death-row-inmate-sanchez-37215eb35b41d410e065c8ea3f4db646">unusual step</a>&nbsp;of firing his attorneys and skipping a clemency hearing that many viewed as the last chance to spare his life.

Sanchez's decision, and his relationship with an activist pastor who is a spiritual adviser to death row inmates across the country, has drawn fierce criticism from capital defense attorneys and anti-death penalty groups.

They say the Rev. Jeff Hood is turning desperate inmates against their lawyers, who are often the last line of defense in a state with one of the busiest death chambers in the country.

Hood is a death row minister associated with national anti-capital punishment organization Death Penalty Action. He says his intention is to raise the profile of inmates and draw public attention to their cases to stop executions.

Critics say Hood is in it to keep himself in the limelight and raise money for Death Penalty Action.

Sanchez, 44, is scheduled to receive a lethal injection on Thursday for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legal-proceedings-crime-oklahoma-city-676722e9de2c75a3ed1da33e56d14351">1996 killing</a>&nbsp;of 21-year-old University of Oklahoma dance student Juli Busken. The slaying went unsolved for years until DNA recovered from her clothes linked Sanchez to the crime.

Sanchez previously exhausted his state appeals and his case has wound its way through federal court.

Sanchez's court-appointed federal attorneys who were recently removed from the case and members of a longtime advocacy group, the Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, place the blame on Hood for Sanchez's decision to forgo clemency.

The Oklahoma group claims Hood has worked to drive a wedge between death row inmates and their court-appointed legal teams, sometimes offering misguided legal suggestions to the condemned inmates.

Don Heath, a minister and attorney who serves as executive director of the Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, said his group tries to work in conjunction with defense attorneys to coordinate strategy, unlike Hood and Death Penalty Action.

“Essentially, we think they're doing harm to the inmates,” Heath said. “I don't try to offer inmates legal advice. On some of the cases, especially the Sanchez case, they seem to be they’re giving their legal assessment of the case.”

Randall Coyne, Sanchez's former court-appointed attorney, is even more blunt in his assessment.

“What they're doing is using this myth of Anthony Sanchez, an innocent man facing his death, as a publicity fundraising campaign,” Coyne said. “This is all about raising money."

Public filings with the IRS show Death Penalty Action has significantly boosted its fundraising in recent years, bringing in nearly $425,000 in 2021, the most recent year for which its filings were available. The group received around $90,000 in 2018.

In the last week, Death Penalty Action has sent fundraising solicitations out every day, many focused on Hood's plan to walk 120 miles (193 kilometers) from the state penitentiary in McAlester to deliver petitions to Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt seeking a delay in Sanchez's execution.

The group's executive director, Abraham Bonowitz, earned about $76,500 in compensation in 2021, while the executive treasurer worked part-time for about $43,000.

“Nobody is getting rich here, I can tell you that,” said Bonowitz, who disputed suggestions that the group pits death row inmates against their attorneys.

“We are not in the business of trying to get in the way of attorneys,” he said. “We're in the business of trying to get people off of death row.”

Hood's critics also include District Court Judge Joe Heaton in the Western District of Oklahoma, who heard testimony at a hearing this summer about Hood's activity among death row inmates.

Heaton described Hood as a “nominal spiritual adviser” who interjected himself between capital defendants and their attorneys, which Heaton said was at least partly motivated "by considerations other than the best interest of the client.”

Hood was profiled in GQ magazine after organizing a Black Lives Matter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/dae6c38b396f400b93d0ccf0c4289b10/leaders-black-lives-matter-condemn-violence-dallas">protest in Dallas</a>&nbsp;where five police officers were killed in 2016. He claims not to earn a salary from Death Penalty Action nor make any revenue from his podcast and YouTube channel featuring interviews with death row inmates. He also disputed the suggestion that he offers legal advice to death row inmates.

“It's ludicrous to think that some spiritual adviser could come off of the street and say, ‘You need to get rid of your attorneys,’” Hood said. “If they were doing such a great job, then these guys wouldn't want to get rid of them.”

Sanchez aid in a recent interview from death row that the decision to hire new attorneys was his alone.

“I did not trust the lawyers that they have representing me,” he said. “There is no trust whatsoever.”

Hood has been fiercely critical of the Oklahoma public defenders representing death row inmates, saying in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mcalesternews.com/news/federal-judge-denies-death-row-inmates-request-for-new-attorneys/article_1e5bc27a-061c-11ee-9c89-17dd1e8b07ae.html">recent interview</a>&nbsp;that they “seem to be good at one thing: making sure the slaughter continues.”

Emma Rolls, the chief of the capital unit at the Federal Public Defender's office in Oklahoma City, declined to comment on Hood.

But Dale Baich, a former federal public defender who has defended Oklahoma death row inmates, said it can be detrimental for an outside group to promote legal theories out of alignment with an inmate's legal claims.

“The lawyers know the most about the case,” Baich said. “And someone on the outside may have an observation or an idea that could end up being harmful in some way.”

Ellen Yaroshefsky, a professor of legal ethics at the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University in New York, said capital defense lawyers are highly specialized experts and described Hood's conduct as “very troubling.”

“In numerous cases, he appears to interfere between highly skilled lawyers and their clients, who are emotionally distraught, extremely vulnerable and often mentally challenged,” Yaroshefsky said. “And he appears to discourage ongoing representation.”

Oklahoma has executed more inmates per capita than any other state since the 1976 reinstatement of the death penalty. The state has carried out nine executions since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-prisons-executions-oklahoma-oklahoma-attorney-generals-office-6e5eedd1956a38f83db96187651f145c">resuming lethal injections</a>&nbsp;in October 2021 following a nearly six-year hiatus resulting from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-eb707c6c064444f29ab1bac58f890ac9">problems with executions</a>&nbsp;in 2014 and 2015.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-texas-executions-john-roberts-fcd32356dbb867063d324d7d33d6a21f">ruled last year</a>&nbsp;that death row inmates have a right to have a minister present with them inside the death chamber, Hood has been present for the executions earlier this year of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-execution-drug-robbery-four-killed-e5fae732feec073703cccc87bff18a4b">Arthur Brown Jr. in Texas</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legal-proceedings-crime-texas-mcalester-oklahoma-0dd33bd726031c3881e641bed900d676">Scott Eizember in Oklahoma</a>.

Hood said he plans to continue advocating for death row inmates and against the death penalty.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694976802994.jpeg" alt="Rev. Jeff Hood speaks during a news conference, July 8, 2016, in Dallas. With just weeks left before his scheduled execution, Oklahoma death row inmate Sanchez took the unusual step of firing his attorneys and skipping a clemency hearing that many viewed as the last chance to spare his life. His decision, and his relationship with the pastor who is a spiritual adviser to death row inmates across the country, has drawn fierce criticism from capital defense attorneys and anti-death penalty groups. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)" />
 <figcaption>Rev. Jeff Hood speaks during a news conference, July 8, 2016, in Dallas. With just weeks left before his scheduled execution, Oklahoma death row inmate Sanchez took the unusual step of firing his attorneys and skipping a clemency hearing that many viewed as the last chance to spare his life. His decision, and his relationship with the pastor who is a spiritual adviser to death row inmates across the country, has drawn fierce criticism from capital defense attorneys and anti-death penalty groups. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — With just weeks left before his scheduled execution, Oklahoma death row inmate Anthony Sanchez took the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oklahoma-clemency-death-row-inmate-sanchez-37215eb35b41d410e065c8ea3f4db646">unusual step</a>&nbsp;of firing his attorneys and skipping a clemency hearing that many viewed as the last chance to spare his life.Sanchez's decision, and his relationship with an activist pastor who is a spiritual adviser to death row inmates across the country, has drawn fierce criticism from capital defense attorneys and anti-death penalty groups.They say the Rev. Jeff Hood is turning desperate inmates against their lawyers, who are often the last line of defense in a state with one of the busiest death chambers in the country.Hood is a death row minister associated with national anti-capital punishment organization Death Penalty Action. He says his intention is to raise the profile of inmates and draw public attention to their cases to stop executions.Critics say Hood is in it to keep himself in the limelight and raise money for Death Penalty Action.Sanchez, 44, is scheduled to receive a lethal injection on Thursday for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legal-proceedings-crime-oklahoma-city-676722e9de2c75a3ed1da33e56d14351">1996 killing</a>&nbsp;of 21-year-old University of Oklahoma dance student Juli Busken. The slaying went unsolved for years until DNA recovered from her clothes linked Sanchez to the crime.Sanchez previously exhausted his state appeals and his case has wound its way through federal court.Sanchez's court-appointed federal attorneys who were recently removed from the case and members of a longtime advocacy group, the Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, place the blame on Hood for Sanchez's decision to forgo clemency.The Oklahoma group claims Hood has worked to drive a wedge between death row inmates and their court-appointed legal teams, sometimes offering misguided legal suggestions to the condemned inmates.Don Heath, a minister and attorney who serves as executive director of the Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, said his group tries to work in conjunction with defense attorneys to coordinate strategy, unlike Hood and Death Penalty Action.“Essentially, we think they're doing harm to the inmates,” Heath said. “I don't try to offer inmates legal advice. On some of the cases, especially the Sanchez case, they seem to be they’re giving their legal assessment of the case.”Randall Coyne, Sanchez's former court-appointed attorney, is even more blunt in his assessment.“What they're doing is using this myth of Anthony Sanchez, an innocent man facing his death, as a publicity fundraising campaign,” Coyne said. “This is all about raising money."Public filings with the IRS show Death Penalty Action has significantly boosted its fundraising in recent years, bringing in nearly $425,000 in 2021, the most recent year for which its filings were available. The group received around $90,000 in 2018.In the last week, Death Penalty Action has sent fundraising solicitations out every day, many focused on Hood's plan to walk 120 miles (193 kilometers) from the state penitentiary in McAlester to deliver petitions to Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt seeking a delay in Sanchez's execution.The group's executive director, Abraham Bonowitz, earned about $76,500 in compensation in 2021, while the executive treasurer worked part-time for about $43,000.“Nobody is getting rich here, I can tell you that,” said Bonowitz, who disputed suggestions that the group pits death row inmates against their attorneys.“We are not in the business of trying to get in the way of attorneys,” he said. “We're in the business of trying to get people off of death row.”Hood's critics also include District Court Judge Joe Heaton in the Western District of Oklahoma, who heard testimony at a hearing this summer about Hood's activity among death row inmates.Heaton described Hood as a “nominal spiritual adviser” who interjected himself between capital defendants and their attorneys, which Heaton said was at least partly motivated "by considerations other than the best interest of the client.”Hood was profiled in GQ magazine after organizing a Black Lives Matter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/dae6c38b396f400b93d0ccf0c4289b10/leaders-black-lives-matter-condemn-violence-dallas">protest in Dallas</a>&nbsp;where five police officers were killed in 2016. He claims not to earn a salary from Death Penalty Action nor make any revenue from his podcast and YouTube channel featuring interviews with death row inmates. He also disputed the suggestion that he offers legal advice to death row inmates.“It's ludicrous to think that some spiritual adviser could come off of the street and say, ‘You need to get rid of your attorneys,’” Hood said. “If they were doing such a great job, then these guys wouldn't want to get rid of them.”Sanchez aid in a recent interview from death row that the decision to hire new attorneys was his alone.“I did not trust the lawyers that they have representing me,” he said. “There is no trust whatsoever.”Hood has been fiercely critical of the Oklahoma public defenders representing death row inmates, saying in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mcalesternews.com/news/federal-judge-denies-death-row-inmates-request-for-new-attorneys/article_1e5bc27a-061c-11ee-9c89-17dd1e8b07ae.html">recent interview</a>&nbsp;that they “seem to be good at one thing: making sure the slaughter continues.”Emma Rolls, the chief of the capital unit at the Federal Public Defender's office in Oklahoma City, declined to comment on Hood.But Dale Baich, a former federal public defender who has defended Oklahoma death row inmates, said it can be detrimental for an outside group to promote legal theories out of alignment with an inmate's legal claims.“The lawyers know the most about the case,” Baich said. “And someone on the outside may have an observation or an idea that could end up being harmful in some way.”Ellen Yaroshefsky, a professor of legal ethics at the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University in New York, said capital defense lawyers are highly specialized experts and described Hood's conduct as “very troubling.”“In numerous cases, he appears to interfere between highly skilled lawyers and their clients, who are emotionally distraught, extremely vulnerable and often mentally challenged,” Yaroshefsky said. “And he appears to discourage ongoing representation.”Oklahoma has executed more inmates per capita than any other state since the 1976 reinstatement of the death penalty. The state has carried out nine executions since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-prisons-executions-oklahoma-oklahoma-attorney-generals-office-6e5eedd1956a38f83db96187651f145c">resuming lethal injections</a>&nbsp;in October 2021 following a nearly six-year hiatus resulting from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-eb707c6c064444f29ab1bac58f890ac9">problems with executions</a>&nbsp;in 2014 and 2015.Since the U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-texas-executions-john-roberts-fcd32356dbb867063d324d7d33d6a21f">ruled last year</a>&nbsp;that death row inmates have a right to have a minister present with them inside the death chamber, Hood has been present for the executions earlier this year of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-execution-drug-robbery-four-killed-e5fae732feec073703cccc87bff18a4b">Arthur Brown Jr. in Texas</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legal-proceedings-crime-texas-mcalester-oklahoma-0dd33bd726031c3881e641bed900d676">Scott Eizember in Oklahoma</a>.Hood said he plans to continue advocating for death row inmates and against the death penalty.

A preacher to death row inmates says he wants to end executions. Critics warn he's only seeking fame

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/madison-mcvan/">MADISON MCVAN</a>

As food prices&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2022/12/14/heres-why-food-prices-remain-stubbornly-high-even-as-inflation-cools/">rose</a>&nbsp;around the country, so did farmers’ take-home pay.

Net farm profits rose by 30% from 2021 to 2022, according to recent data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. At the same time, food prices inflated by more than 10%.

The USDA predicts farm incomes will drop by about 20% in 2023 to levels still above pre-pandemic averages — and interest groups are already using the expected drop in profits to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fb.org/news-release/president-duvall-testimony-as-prepared-for-the-senate-agriculture-committee">lobby</a>&nbsp;for more money as Congress works on the next Farm Bill.

Farm incomes vary widely based on commodities and local weather patterns, so experts warn against making sweeping industry-wide generalizations. The record-high incomes last year were largely driven by high prices and good yields for the country’s biggest cash crops — corn and soy — according to Pauline Van Nurden, extension economist at the Center for Farm Financial Management at the University of Minnesota.

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/farm-income-and-wealth-statistics/charts-and-maps-about-your-state/">Minnesota</a>&nbsp;was fifth in the nation in farm income last year, bringing in $9.7 billion, mostly through corn, soy, hog, cattle and dairy production.

Most of the income growth is concentrated among the industry’s biggest farms, according to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.

In the warehouse of a St. Paul food nonprofit on Aug. 28, Vilsack announced the record-high income levels to a crowd of agriculture leaders and media before visiting the Minnesota State Fair.

He made a show of stepping away from the podium, removing his jacket and walking over to the whiteboard, where he started writing numbers.

Less than 8% of the country’s farms brought in more than $500,000 last year. Those farms made up 89% of the record-breaking farm profits last year, he explained.

Overall, farmers took home&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://data.ers.usda.gov/reports.aspx?ID=17833">$15 billion</a>&nbsp;in direct government payments, most of which go to the biggest farms, according to the Environmental Working Group, which tracks subsidy&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://farm.ewg.org/progdetail.php?fips=00000&amp;progcode=totalfarm&amp;page=conc&amp;regionname=theUnitedStates">data</a>.

Vilsack pointed to the numbers representing large farms, and sent a strong signal the Biden administration has no interest in policies that would negatively affect the richest farmers.

“These folks are great people — good people, hard working people,” he said. “They have a lot of risk. They are providing food for our families and for the world’s families. I don’t think it’s a circumstance or a situation where you necessarily have to do something to this world.”

He pointed to the numbers representing the smaller farms that shared the remaining profits.

“But you sure as heck need to do something about these people,” he said.

Vilsack touted investments that would help create new revenue streams for farms, like paying them to use “climate-smart” farming techniques, opening up carbon markets and finding ways to get fresh produce directly into grocery stores and schools.

Farm groups across the political spectrum largely support voluntary programs that pay farmers for implementing climate-friendly practices.

Ahead of the Farm Bill, however, commodity groups have also prioritized&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/cd49557a-ffe2-33e2-baa4-13cf24f355db/Testimony_Larew_05.02.2023.pdf">protecting and expanding crop insurance</a>, and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncga.com/stay-informed/media/in-the-news/article/2023/05/ncga-leader-highlights-importance-of-crop-insurance-at-senate-ag-subcommittee-hearing-on-farm-bill-priorities">lowering premiums</a>.

Jonathan Coppess, director of the Gardner Agriculture Policy Program at the University of Illinois, said the projected drop in farm income — from extreme highs in 2022 to above-average in 2023 — is to be expected given the ag sector’s volatility.

“There’s a temptation, if not a strategic mindset, to proclaim this as something drastic and bad,” Coppess said, referring to the farm lobby using the expected drop in income to influence the Farm Bill debate.

In a May 2 Senate hearing, American Farm Bureau Federation president Zippy Duvall&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fb.org/news-release/president-duvall-testimony-as-prepared-for-the-senate-agriculture-committee">presented</a>&nbsp;a bleak picture of U.S. agriculture, leaning on the USDA data that showed a projected decrease in farm income.

“Much uncertainty remains related to the ability for farmers and ranchers to access supplies, to manage volatile markets and to deal with regulation and weather-related challenges,” Duvall said.

Republican U.S. Senate Agriculture committee staff recently published a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/newsroom/minority-blog/usda-forecasts-sharpest-decline-in-us-farm-income-in-history">blog</a>&nbsp;headlined “USDA Forecasts Sharpest Decline in U.S. Farm Income in History,” urging lawmakers to fund strong crop insurance and risk management programs.

The current Farm Bill will expire at the end of the month.

This story was originally published by&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2023/09/12/farm-profits-reached-new-heights-last-year/">the Minnesota Reformer</a>, a States Newsroom affiliate.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589039066122.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/madison-mcvan/">MADISON MCVAN</a>As food prices&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2022/12/14/heres-why-food-prices-remain-stubbornly-high-even-as-inflation-cools/">rose</a>&nbsp;around the country, so did farmers’ take-home pay.Net farm profits rose by 30% from 2021 to 2022, according to recent data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. At the same time, food prices inflated by more than 10%.The USDA predicts farm incomes will drop by about 20% in 2023 to levels still above pre-pandemic averages — and interest groups are already using the expected drop in profits to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fb.org/news-release/president-duvall-testimony-as-prepared-for-the-senate-agriculture-committee">lobby</a>&nbsp;for more money as Congress works on the next Farm Bill.Farm incomes vary widely based on commodities and local weather patterns, so experts warn against making sweeping industry-wide generalizations. The record-high incomes last year were largely driven by high prices and good yields for the country’s biggest cash crops — corn and soy — according to Pauline Van Nurden, extension economist at the Center for Farm Financial Management at the University of Minnesota.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/farm-income-and-wealth-statistics/charts-and-maps-about-your-state/">Minnesota</a>&nbsp;was fifth in the nation in farm income last year, bringing in $9.7 billion, mostly through corn, soy, hog, cattle and dairy production.Most of the income growth is concentrated among the industry’s biggest farms, according to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.In the warehouse of a St. Paul food nonprofit on Aug. 28, Vilsack announced the record-high income levels to a crowd of agriculture leaders and media before visiting the Minnesota State Fair.He made a show of stepping away from the podium, removing his jacket and walking over to the whiteboard, where he started writing numbers.Less than 8% of the country’s farms brought in more than $500,000 last year. Those farms made up 89% of the record-breaking farm profits last year, he explained.Overall, farmers took home&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://data.ers.usda.gov/reports.aspx?ID=17833">$15 billion</a>&nbsp;in direct government payments, most of which go to the biggest farms, according to the Environmental Working Group, which tracks subsidy&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://farm.ewg.org/progdetail.php?fips=00000&amp;progcode=totalfarm&amp;page=conc&amp;regionname=theUnitedStates">data</a>.Vilsack pointed to the numbers representing large farms, and sent a strong signal the Biden administration has no interest in policies that would negatively affect the richest farmers.“These folks are great people — good people, hard working people,” he said. “They have a lot of risk. They are providing food for our families and for the world’s families. I don’t think it’s a circumstance or a situation where you necessarily have to do something to this world.”He pointed to the numbers representing the smaller farms that shared the remaining profits.“But you sure as heck need to do something about these people,” he said.Vilsack touted investments that would help create new revenue streams for farms, like paying them to use “climate-smart” farming techniques, opening up carbon markets and finding ways to get fresh produce directly into grocery stores and schools.Farm groups across the political spectrum largely support voluntary programs that pay farmers for implementing climate-friendly practices.Ahead of the Farm Bill, however, commodity groups have also prioritized&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/cd49557a-ffe2-33e2-baa4-13cf24f355db/Testimony_Larew_05.02.2023.pdf">protecting and expanding crop insurance</a>, and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncga.com/stay-informed/media/in-the-news/article/2023/05/ncga-leader-highlights-importance-of-crop-insurance-at-senate-ag-subcommittee-hearing-on-farm-bill-priorities">lowering premiums</a>.Jonathan Coppess, director of the Gardner Agriculture Policy Program at the University of Illinois, said the projected drop in farm income — from extreme highs in 2022 to above-average in 2023 — is to be expected given the ag sector’s volatility.“There’s a temptation, if not a strategic mindset, to proclaim this as something drastic and bad,” Coppess said, referring to the farm lobby using the expected drop in income to influence the Farm Bill debate.It’s already happening.In a May 2 Senate hearing, American Farm Bureau Federation president Zippy Duvall&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fb.org/news-release/president-duvall-testimony-as-prepared-for-the-senate-agriculture-committee">presented</a>&nbsp;a bleak picture of U.S. agriculture, leaning on the USDA data that showed a projected decrease in farm income.“Much uncertainty remains related to the ability for farmers and ranchers to access supplies, to manage volatile markets and to deal with regulation and weather-related challenges,” Duvall said.Republican U.S. Senate Agriculture committee staff recently published a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.agriculture.senate.gov/newsroom/minority-blog/usda-forecasts-sharpest-decline-in-us-farm-income-in-history">blog</a>&nbsp;headlined “USDA Forecasts Sharpest Decline in U.S. Farm Income in History,” urging lawmakers to fund strong crop insurance and risk management programs.The current Farm Bill will expire at the end of the month.This story was originally published by&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2023/09/12/farm-profits-reached-new-heights-last-year/">the Minnesota Reformer</a>, a States Newsroom affiliate.&nbsp;

Farm profits reached new heights last year, but are expected to drop in 2023

LINCOLN&nbsp;—&nbsp;After a shift this week in California law, Nebraska will not be on a restricted list for state-funded travel from the Golden State.

In July, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced that Nebraska would be the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/07/17/gender-care-law-prompts-california-to-restrict-state-funded-travel-to-nebraska/">26th state</a>&nbsp;to join the travel ban, alongside each of Nebraska’s neighbors, except Colorado. California said the 26 states have laws on the books discriminating against LGBTQ people.&nbsp;

Nebraska would have joined the list Oct. 1 due to the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/05/19/nebraska-passes-stricter-abortion-ban-limits-on-gender-affirming-care/">passage this spring</a>&nbsp;of Legislative Bill 574, which restricts gender-affirming care for minors. That bill bans transition surgeries and authorizes the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/05/10/final-say-on-nebraska-gender-care-legislation-would-be-delegated-to-executive-appointee-and-dhhs/">state chief medical officer</a>, Dr. Timothy Tesmer, to craft rules and regulations involving the use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones.

“These laws pose significant risks for deepening the stigmatization and alienation of LGBTQ+ youth who are already subject to pervasive discrimination, bullying and hate crimes,” Bonta said at the time.

California Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, sponsored a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB447">measure</a>&nbsp;to repeal the 2016 law restricting state-funded travel, stating it had an “unintended impact” of further isolating LGBTQ people in affected states and hampering research, business and engagement.

Atkins is the first openly LGBTQ person to lead the California Senate and previously led the California State Assembly.

“At a time when LGBTQ+ rights and protections are being rescinded, and the very words we use are being weaponized, putting understanding and kindness at the forefront is more important than ever,” Atkins said in a March 29&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://sd39.senate.ca.gov/news/20230329-senate-leader-atkins-announces-bridge-project-lift-travel-ban-create-marketing-program">statement</a>. “The goal here is to speak to people’s hearts and open minds.”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Atkins’ measure Wednesday.

Next year, the University of California, Los Angeles is set to join the Big Ten Conference alongside Nebraska and three other states that were on the prohibited list — Indiana, Iowa and Ohio.&nbsp;

With the change, UCLA faculty, staff or students could use state funds to travel to any of the previously banned states. So, too, could any California state agency, board or commission.

The University of Southern California, a private university, and UCLA will join the Big Ten on Aug. 2, 2024.

Atkins’ measure puts in place an outreach program to encourage LGBTQ acceptance and inclusivity. The bill states this could include a national or targeted media campaign.

“We will be the bridge to a more understanding and compassionate nation,” Atkins said in a Wednesday&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.gov.ca.gov/2023/09/13/governor-newsom-signs-legislation-9-13-23/">news release</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693229790108.jpeg" alt="The Sower atop the Nebraska State Capitol (Rebecca S. Gratz for Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>The Sower atop the Nebraska State Capitol (Rebecca S. Gratz for Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN&nbsp;—&nbsp;After a shift this week in California law, Nebraska will not be on a restricted list for state-funded travel from the Golden State.In July, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced that Nebraska would be the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/07/17/gender-care-law-prompts-california-to-restrict-state-funded-travel-to-nebraska/">26th state</a>&nbsp;to join the travel ban, alongside each of Nebraska’s neighbors, except Colorado. California said the 26 states have laws on the books discriminating against LGBTQ people.&nbsp;Nebraska would have joined the list Oct. 1 due to the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/05/19/nebraska-passes-stricter-abortion-ban-limits-on-gender-affirming-care/">passage this spring</a>&nbsp;of Legislative Bill 574, which restricts gender-affirming care for minors. That bill bans transition surgeries and authorizes the&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/05/10/final-say-on-nebraska-gender-care-legislation-would-be-delegated-to-executive-appointee-and-dhhs/">state chief medical officer</a>, Dr. Timothy Tesmer, to craft rules and regulations involving the use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones.“These laws pose significant risks for deepening the stigmatization and alienation of LGBTQ+ youth who are already subject to pervasive discrimination, bullying and hate crimes,” Bonta said at the time.<h2>‘Unintended impact’</h2>California Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, sponsored a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB447">measure</a>&nbsp;to repeal the 2016 law restricting state-funded travel, stating it had an “unintended impact” of further isolating LGBTQ people in affected states and hampering research, business and engagement.Atkins is the first openly LGBTQ person to lead the California Senate and previously led the California State Assembly.“At a time when LGBTQ+ rights and protections are being rescinded, and the very words we use are being weaponized, putting understanding and kindness at the forefront is more important than ever,” Atkins said in a March 29&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://sd39.senate.ca.gov/news/20230329-senate-leader-atkins-announces-bridge-project-lift-travel-ban-create-marketing-program">statement</a>. “The goal here is to speak to people’s hearts and open minds.”California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Atkins’ measure Wednesday.<h2>Big Ten Conference</h2>Next year, the University of California, Los Angeles is set to join the Big Ten Conference alongside Nebraska and three other states that were on the prohibited list — Indiana, Iowa and Ohio.&nbsp;With the change, UCLA faculty, staff or students could use state funds to travel to any of the previously banned states. So, too, could any California state agency, board or commission.The University of Southern California, a private university, and UCLA will join the Big Ten on Aug. 2, 2024.Atkins’ measure puts in place an outreach program to encourage LGBTQ acceptance and inclusivity. The bill states this could include a national or targeted media campaign.“We will be the bridge to a more understanding and compassionate nation,” Atkins said in a Wednesday&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.gov.ca.gov/2023/09/13/governor-newsom-signs-legislation-9-13-23/">news release</a>.

California changes course, will not restrict state-funded travel to Nebraska

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Men incarcerated at Louisiana State Penitentiary filed a class-action lawsuit Saturday, contending they have been forced to work in the prison’s fields for little or no pay, even when temperatures soar past 100 degrees. They described the conditions as cruel, degrading and often dangerous.

The men, most of whom are Black, work on the farm of the 18,000-acre maximum-security prison known as Angola -- the site of a former slave plantation -- hoeing, weeding and picking crops by hand, often surrounded by armed guards, the suit said. If they refuse to work or fail to meet quotas, they can be sent to solitary confinement or otherwise punished, according to disciplinary guidelines.

“This labor serves no legitimate penological or institutional purpose,” the suit said. “It’s purely punitive, designed to ‘break’ incarcerated men and ensure their submission.”

It names as defendants Angola’s warden, Timothy Hooper, and officials with Louisiana’s department of corrections and its money-making arm,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.prisonenterprises.org/">Prison Enterprises</a>.

Ken Pastorick, a spokesman for the state Department of Public Safety and Corrections, said the department hadn't officially been served with the suit.

“We cannot comment on something we have not seen nor had any opportunity to review,” he said.

The United States has historically locked up more people than any other country, with more than 2.2 million inmates in federal and state prisons, jails and detention centers. They can be forced to work because the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which abolished slavery after the Civil War, made an exception for those “duly convicted” of a crime.

The plaintiffs include four men who formerly or are currently working in the fields, along with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.voiceoftheexperienced.org/">Voice of the Experienced</a>, an organization made up of current and formerly incarcerated people, around 150 of whom are still at Angola.

The suit said the work is especially dangerous for those with disabilities or health conditions in the summer months, with temperatures reaching up to 102 degrees in June, with heat indexes of up to 145.

Some of the plaintiffs have not been given the accommodations and services they are entitled to under the Americans with Disabilities Act, it said.

These men are forced to work “notwithstanding their increased risk of illness or injury,” the suit said.

It asserts the field work also violates their 8th Amendment rights to be free of cruel and unusual punishment, and that some plaintiffs in the suit were sentenced by non-unanimous juries and therefore were not “duly convicted” within the meaning of the 13th Amendment.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694948675097.jpeg" alt="Prison guards ride horses that were broken by inmates as they return from farm work detail at the Louisiana State Penitentiary on Aug. 18, 2011, in Angola, La. Men incarcerated at Louisiana State Penitentiary filed a class-action lawsuit Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, contending they have been forced to work in the prison’s fields for little or no pay, even when temperatures soar past 100 degrees. They described the conditions as cruel, degrading and often dangerous. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)" />
 <figcaption>Prison guards ride horses that were broken by inmates as they return from farm work detail at the Louisiana State Penitentiary on Aug. 18, 2011, in Angola, La. Men incarcerated at Louisiana State Penitentiary filed a class-action lawsuit Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, contending they have been forced to work in the prison’s fields for little or no pay, even when temperatures soar past 100 degrees. They described the conditions as cruel, degrading and often dangerous. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Men incarcerated at Louisiana State Penitentiary filed a class-action lawsuit Saturday, contending they have been forced to work in the prison’s fields for little or no pay, even when temperatures soar past 100 degrees. They described the conditions as cruel, degrading and often dangerous.The men, most of whom are Black, work on the farm of the 18,000-acre maximum-security prison known as Angola -- the site of a former slave plantation -- hoeing, weeding and picking crops by hand, often surrounded by armed guards, the suit said. If they refuse to work or fail to meet quotas, they can be sent to solitary confinement or otherwise punished, according to disciplinary guidelines.“This labor serves no legitimate penological or institutional purpose,” the suit said. “It’s purely punitive, designed to ‘break’ incarcerated men and ensure their submission.”It names as defendants Angola’s warden, Timothy Hooper, and officials with Louisiana’s department of corrections and its money-making arm,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.prisonenterprises.org/">Prison Enterprises</a>.Ken Pastorick, a spokesman for the state Department of Public Safety and Corrections, said the department hadn't officially been served with the suit.“We cannot comment on something we have not seen nor had any opportunity to review,” he said.The United States has historically locked up more people than any other country, with more than 2.2 million inmates in federal and state prisons, jails and detention centers. They can be forced to work because the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which abolished slavery after the Civil War, made an exception for those “duly convicted” of a crime.The plaintiffs include four men who formerly or are currently working in the fields, along with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.voiceoftheexperienced.org/">Voice of the Experienced</a>, an organization made up of current and formerly incarcerated people, around 150 of whom are still at Angola.The suit said the work is especially dangerous for those with disabilities or health conditions in the summer months, with temperatures reaching up to 102 degrees in June, with heat indexes of up to 145.Some of the plaintiffs have not been given the accommodations and services they are entitled to under the Americans with Disabilities Act, it said.These men are forced to work “notwithstanding their increased risk of illness or injury,” the suit said.It asserts the field work also violates their 8th Amendment rights to be free of cruel and unusual punishment, and that some plaintiffs in the suit were sentenced by non-unanimous juries and therefore were not “duly convicted” within the meaning of the 13th Amendment.

Louisiana prisoner suit claims they’re forced to endure dangerous conditions at Angola prison farm

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/09/15/consumers-face-higher-car-prices-lower-inventory-with-auto-workers-on-strike/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

Economic experts and researchers say that the auto workers strike could have far-reaching economic consequences for businesses and consumers, depending on its duration. In addition to workers’ job losses, consumers could see higher prices for cars and depleted inventory.

The United Auto Workers union, representing about 150,000 auto workers, walked off the job at midnight Thursday after failing to reach a contract deal with the “Big Three” auto manufacturers, Ford, Stellantis and General Motors. It is the first time in union history that a strike has affected all three automakers, the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://michiganadvance.com/2023/09/15/strike-united-auto-workers-declares-historic-strike-against-detroit-three-automakers/">Michigan Advance reported</a>.

The union is seeking 32-hour work weeks, a 46% pay increase over four years and improved benefits, including pensions and paid time off, the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://michiganadvance.com/blog/get-strike-ready-uaw-votes-to-authorize-strike-against-detroit-automakers/">Michigan Advance</a>&nbsp;has reported. Union members also are demanding the right to strike over the closure of plants and the elimination of tiered workers. Tier 2 workers, who are newer, receive less pay and benefits than Tier 1 workers and also work more on electric vehicles that may not be covered by union contracts,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.morningstar.com/news/marketwatch/20230909316/i-have-a-pension-they-dont-why-united-auto-workers-are-fighting-to-end-a-two-tier-system-for-wages-and-benefits">according to</a>&nbsp;MarketWatch, which some members argue hurts the effectiveness of the union.

The union also wants more security for its members as the auto industry continues to produce more electric vehicles.

“Given the EV transformations currently underway in the auto sector, the UAW will be looking to establish as much security as possible for its members. Top concerns include what labor demand will look like in the new EV landscape and how to ensure that wage gains keep pace with high inflation and record automaker profits,’’ according to a University of Michigan analysis.

Experts say the weight of any work stoppage is dependent upon the numbers of workers who walk off the job, their location and its duration. Meanwhile consumers could see higher prices for materials including steel and auto parts reflected in their car purchases and repairs.

UAW president Shawn Fain has&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/uaw-president-lot-work-remaining-reach-auto-labor-deals-2023-09-13/">said</a>&nbsp;the union and companies are far apart on priorities such as pay increases, with the companies offering half or less than half of what the union has proposed.

In a statement, Ford said the company “has bargained in good faith in an effort to avoid a strike, which could have wide-ranging consequences for our business and the economy. It also impacts the very 57,000 UAW-Ford workers we are trying to reward with this contract.”

The last auto workers strike was in 2019, when<a target="_blank" href="https://michiganadvance.com/2019/10/17/uaw-looks-to-have-scored-big-victories-in-jobs-wages-and-benefits-in-gm-strike/">&nbsp;50,000 GM workers walked off the job</a>&nbsp;for six weeks. General Motors lost $3.6 billion,<a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/detroit-three-strike-deadline-nears-sides-remain-far-apart-2023-09-14/">&nbsp;Reuters reported</a>.

The Anderson Economic Group, an economic research and market analysis group, has&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.andersoneconomicgroup.com/10-day-uaw-strike-against-big-three-could-cause-economic-losses-exceeding-5-billion/">estimated</a>&nbsp;that a 10-day strike by all of the 150,000 union members would total $5 billion in economic losses. If the strike affected only one automaker, the company would lose $325 million and the loss of direct wages would total $341 million.

For every 2,000 employees on strike at one location, there could be up to $10 million in lost wages, which would be felt locally, said Tyler Marie Theile, director of public policy and economic analysis at the Anderson Economic Group. The estimate does not factor in strike pay, unemployment benefits, or reputational damage to companies or the union in its assessment of the economic impact of a strike. Auto workers on strike can receive&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/13/business/uaw-strike-shawn-fain.html#:~:text=The%20union%20plans%20to%20pay,companies%20for%20about%20three%20months.">$500</a>&nbsp;in union benefits.

The Advance reported picket lines at Ford’s Michigan Assembly, GM’s Wentzville plant in Missouri and Stellantis’ Jeep plant in Toledo, Ohio.

Michigan faces the greatest economic impact. A one- or two-week strike at Ford could result in the loss of 28,000 jobs,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lsa.umich.edu/content/dam/econ-assets/Econdocs/RSQE%20PDFs/UAW_Strike_Analysis_(RSQE_2023.09).pdf">according to</a>&nbsp;a University of Michigan estimate. Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois, and Missouri also would be affected by a Ford strike. Ohio and Indiana face a potential&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lsa.umich.edu/content/dam/econ-assets/Econdocs/RSQE%20PDFs/UAW_Strike_Analysis_(RSQE_2023.09).pdf">Stellantis strike</a>&nbsp;and Indiana, Missouri, Ohio, New York, Texas, Tennessee, Kansas and Kentucky, a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lsa.umich.edu/content/dam/econ-assets/Econdocs/RSQE%20PDFs/UAW_Strike_Analysis_(RSQE_2023.09).pdf">General Motors strike</a>.

In the event of a lengthy walkout, Theile said, Southern plants may see more of an impact than they did in 2019 because of the growth of auto manufacturing and assembly and battery manufacturing in the region.

“The most important driving factor there is going to be is the number of UAW workers striking. Since in the South, UAW participation and representation is not as dense as it is up in the Midwest, we likely wouldn’t see quite a strong impact, at least early on,” Theile said. “If a strike were to become quite lengthy, many manufacturing and assembly facilities are shut down and 1st and 2nd tier suppliers are shut down, that’s going to start to have a rippling effect through the automotive industry. And facilities that are not on strike and not represented by the UAW will not be fully insulated from the economic impact.”

Ali Bustamante, deputy director of the worker power and economic security program at the Roosevelt Institute, a progressive think tank, said the expansion into Southern states has somewhat “hedged the impact of a strike” because there are both unionized and non-unionized shops.

“By and large, the reason why so much of car manufacturing has moved to the South is because of historically low levels of union density,” Bustamante said. “The political and social conditions make it really difficult to get unions off the ground there as well.”

It’s also challenging to predict how a targeted strike would affect the economy overall when it’s unknown how halted production at some plants would affect work at other plants where workers are not on strike. Fain&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/uaw-president-lot-work-remaining-reach-auto-labor-deals-2023-09-13/">said</a>&nbsp;the union’s targeted approach is meant to “create confusion.”

“It’s a little unclear to me how many locations would potentially operate as normal or as close to normal when other locations, that they may depend on, are shut down and striking. I do think that those targeted strikes are still going to have a really significant impact on the economy,” Theile said.

Bustamante added that the strike would also impact the steel industry and would add to pressures on car prices.

Theile agreed that consumers would feel the effects.

“We have about 20% of the inventory that was on hand in 2019. The current conditions would affect dealers and consumers, possibly much stronger and much sooner,” Theile said.

But Bustamante said the Federal Reserve’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/transportation/2023-07-28/feds-interest-rate-hike-car-shoppers#:~:text=In%20the%20past%20year%2C%20average,8.3%20percent%20to%2011%20percent.">raising of interest rates</a>&nbsp;is a far bigger contributor to the problem of car affordability, since rates for car loans have risen in the past year.

Some economists have also argued that the UAW strike is a sign of a strong economy and say that long-term gains in labor organizing will lift up more workers.

“Strong labor markets, fueled by large-scale public investments in the workers who keep our economy going, offer workers agency to stand up for better wages and working conditions and walk off the job when basic labor standards aren’t met,” stated Rakeen Mabud, chief economist at Groundwork Collaborative, a progressive economic advocacy nonprofit.

“ … A workforce that enjoys better working conditions, better pay, and increased worker agency adds up to a stronger economy for all of us.”

Bustamante said that if the UAW wins many of its demands, it will encourage more workers to organize.

“As long as economic conditions hold steady, the [UAW] does have disproportional leverage and again, more leverage than they’ve had in the past 50 years or so,” he said. “It would certainly boost the [labor organizing] waves that we’re already seeing.”

Casey Quinlan<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/09/15/consumers-face-higher-car-prices-lower-inventory-with-auto-workers-on-strike/">Nebraska Examiner</a>Economic experts and researchers say that the auto workers strike could have far-reaching economic consequences for businesses and consumers, depending on its duration. In addition to workers’ job losses, consumers could see higher prices for cars and depleted inventory.The United Auto Workers union, representing about 150,000 auto workers, walked off the job at midnight Thursday after failing to reach a contract deal with the “Big Three” auto manufacturers, Ford, Stellantis and General Motors. It is the first time in union history that a strike has affected all three automakers, the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://michiganadvance.com/2023/09/15/strike-united-auto-workers-declares-historic-strike-against-detroit-three-automakers/">Michigan Advance reported</a>.The union is seeking 32-hour work weeks, a 46% pay increase over four years and improved benefits, including pensions and paid time off, the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://michiganadvance.com/blog/get-strike-ready-uaw-votes-to-authorize-strike-against-detroit-automakers/">Michigan Advance</a>&nbsp;has reported. Union members also are demanding the right to strike over the closure of plants and the elimination of tiered workers. Tier 2 workers, who are newer, receive less pay and benefits than Tier 1 workers and also work more on electric vehicles that may not be covered by union contracts,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.morningstar.com/news/marketwatch/20230909316/i-have-a-pension-they-dont-why-united-auto-workers-are-fighting-to-end-a-two-tier-system-for-wages-and-benefits">according to</a>&nbsp;MarketWatch, which some members argue hurts the effectiveness of the union.The union also wants more security for its members as the auto industry continues to produce more electric vehicles.“Given the EV transformations currently underway in the auto sector, the UAW will be looking to establish as much security as possible for its members. Top concerns include what labor demand will look like in the new EV landscape and how to ensure that wage gains keep pace with high inflation and record automaker profits,’’ according to a University of Michigan analysis.Experts say the weight of any work stoppage is dependent upon the numbers of workers who walk off the job, their location and its duration. Meanwhile consumers could see higher prices for materials including steel and auto parts reflected in their car purchases and repairs.UAW president Shawn Fain has&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/uaw-president-lot-work-remaining-reach-auto-labor-deals-2023-09-13/">said</a>&nbsp;the union and companies are far apart on priorities such as pay increases, with the companies offering half or less than half of what the union has proposed.In a statement, Ford said the company “has bargained in good faith in an effort to avoid a strike, which could have wide-ranging consequences for our business and the economy. It also impacts the very 57,000 UAW-Ford workers we are trying to reward with this contract.”The last auto workers strike was in 2019, when<a target="_blank" href="https://michiganadvance.com/2019/10/17/uaw-looks-to-have-scored-big-victories-in-jobs-wages-and-benefits-in-gm-strike/">&nbsp;50,000 GM workers walked off the job</a>&nbsp;for six weeks. General Motors lost $3.6 billion,<a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/detroit-three-strike-deadline-nears-sides-remain-far-apart-2023-09-14/">&nbsp;Reuters reported</a>.The Anderson Economic Group, an economic research and market analysis group, has&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.andersoneconomicgroup.com/10-day-uaw-strike-against-big-three-could-cause-economic-losses-exceeding-5-billion/">estimated</a>&nbsp;that a 10-day strike by all of the 150,000 union members would total $5 billion in economic losses. If the strike affected only one automaker, the company would lose $325 million and the loss of direct wages would total $341 million.For every 2,000 employees on strike at one location, there could be up to $10 million in lost wages, which would be felt locally, said Tyler Marie Theile, director of public policy and economic analysis at the Anderson Economic Group. The estimate does not factor in strike pay, unemployment benefits, or reputational damage to companies or the union in its assessment of the economic impact of a strike. Auto workers on strike can receive&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/13/business/uaw-strike-shawn-fain.html#:~:text=The%20union%20plans%20to%20pay,companies%20for%20about%20three%20months.">$500</a>&nbsp;in union benefits.The Advance reported picket lines at Ford’s Michigan Assembly, GM’s Wentzville plant in Missouri and Stellantis’ Jeep plant in Toledo, Ohio.Michigan faces the greatest economic impact. A one- or two-week strike at Ford could result in the loss of 28,000 jobs,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lsa.umich.edu/content/dam/econ-assets/Econdocs/RSQE%20PDFs/UAW_Strike_Analysis_(RSQE_2023.09).pdf">according to</a>&nbsp;a University of Michigan estimate. Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois, and Missouri also would be affected by a Ford strike. Ohio and Indiana face a potential&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lsa.umich.edu/content/dam/econ-assets/Econdocs/RSQE%20PDFs/UAW_Strike_Analysis_(RSQE_2023.09).pdf">Stellantis strike</a>&nbsp;and Indiana, Missouri, Ohio, New York, Texas, Tennessee, Kansas and Kentucky, a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lsa.umich.edu/content/dam/econ-assets/Econdocs/RSQE%20PDFs/UAW_Strike_Analysis_(RSQE_2023.09).pdf">General Motors strike</a>.In the event of a lengthy walkout, Theile said, Southern plants may see more of an impact than they did in 2019 because of the growth of auto manufacturing and assembly and battery manufacturing in the region.“The most important driving factor there is going to be is the number of UAW workers striking. Since in the South, UAW participation and representation is not as dense as it is up in the Midwest, we likely wouldn’t see quite a strong impact, at least early on,” Theile said. “If a strike were to become quite lengthy, many manufacturing and assembly facilities are shut down and 1st and 2nd tier suppliers are shut down, that’s going to start to have a rippling effect through the automotive industry. And facilities that are not on strike and not represented by the UAW will not be fully insulated from the economic impact.”Ali Bustamante, deputy director of the worker power and economic security program at the Roosevelt Institute, a progressive think tank, said the expansion into Southern states has somewhat “hedged the impact of a strike” because there are both unionized and non-unionized shops.“By and large, the reason why so much of car manufacturing has moved to the South is because of historically low levels of union density,” Bustamante said. “The political and social conditions make it really difficult to get unions off the ground there as well.”It’s also challenging to predict how a targeted strike would affect the economy overall when it’s unknown how halted production at some plants would affect work at other plants where workers are not on strike. Fain&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/uaw-president-lot-work-remaining-reach-auto-labor-deals-2023-09-13/">said</a>&nbsp;the union’s targeted approach is meant to “create confusion.”“It’s a little unclear to me how many locations would potentially operate as normal or as close to normal when other locations, that they may depend on, are shut down and striking. I do think that those targeted strikes are still going to have a really significant impact on the economy,” Theile said.Bustamante added that the strike would also impact the steel industry and would add to pressures on car prices.Theile agreed that consumers would feel the effects.“We have about 20% of the inventory that was on hand in 2019. The current conditions would affect dealers and consumers, possibly much stronger and much sooner,” Theile said.But Bustamante said the Federal Reserve’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/transportation/2023-07-28/feds-interest-rate-hike-car-shoppers#:~:text=In%20the%20past%20year%2C%20average,8.3%20percent%20to%2011%20percent.">raising of interest rates</a>&nbsp;is a far bigger contributor to the problem of car affordability, since rates for car loans have risen in the past year.Some economists have also argued that the UAW strike is a sign of a strong economy and say that long-term gains in labor organizing will lift up more workers.“Strong labor markets, fueled by large-scale public investments in the workers who keep our economy going, offer workers agency to stand up for better wages and working conditions and walk off the job when basic labor standards aren’t met,” stated Rakeen Mabud, chief economist at Groundwork Collaborative, a progressive economic advocacy nonprofit.“ … A workforce that enjoys better working conditions, better pay, and increased worker agency adds up to a stronger economy for all of us.”Bustamante said that if the UAW wins many of its demands, it will encourage more workers to organize.“As long as economic conditions hold steady, the [UAW] does have disproportional leverage and again, more leverage than they’ve had in the past 50 years or so,” he said. “It would certainly boost the [labor organizing] waves that we’re already seeing.”

Consumers face higher car prices, lower inventory with auto workers on strike

Poorly considered policy driven by ideological agendas can have devastating consequences for Americans, bringing the greatest harm to those with the least recourse when good intentions go awry. There’s always room for improvement in federal policy. However, damage is often avoidable if decision-makers simply take the time to consider the impact of their decisions upon Americans and the variety of their needs and lifestyles across our country.

This week the House considered legislation to address efforts by California and nine other states to ban the sale of gas-powered cars. In August 2022, California’s Air Resources Board adopted “zero emission” standards for all vehicles sold in the state—effectively banning the sale or use of new vehicles with internal combustion engines by 2035.

Under federal law, states are only permitted to enact their own emissions standards for new vehicles when granted a waiver by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to do so. Without an EPA waiver, new vehicles are subject to already-stringent federal emissions standards. In March of 2023, the state of California received a Clean Air Act waiver from the EPA for emissions regulations stricter than federal mandates.

Overbroad government mandates rarely make for good policy, and removing an entire line of products from the market on which the vast majority of Americans depend daily has troubling potential to harm consumers, our supply chain, and our economy. In 2021, 93.8 percent of personal and commercial vehicle registrations in the U.S. were for cars powered by gasoline or ethanol.

The measure passed by the House with my support this week, the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act, would halt these efforts to misuse the EPA waiver process to ban gas-powered cars, while continuing to allow states to work with EPA to manage air pollution issues.

From increased dependance on China for critical minerals used in electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing to the overwhelming burden it would levy on our electric grid, there is no shortage of drawbacks which demonstrate EVs are not the answer for everyone. Significantly, in Nebraska nearly half of our electricity, necessary to run EVs, is generated by coal, a consideration the detractors of fossil fuels seem slow to acknowledge.

For a winning energy strategy, we must embrace an all-of-the-above approach and let consumers weigh and make the best choices for themselves and their families. The development of alternative energy sources and products which are run by them needs to be driven by innovation and the success of the best outcomes for Americans, not big government mandates.

While a candidate for president in 2020, Joe Biden promised to ignite the economy and bring Americans together. Unfortunately, his administration has repeatedly failed to deliver, prioritizing a far-left agenda over pro-growth common sense, leaving American families and taxpayers with mounting expenses. However, as a candidate, time and time again President Biden also made it clear his goal was to declare war on the fossil fuels industry—one promise he has kept. Since day one of his presidency, he has cracked down on oil and gas leases and maintained a stranglehold on American energy production. Predictably, this is reflected in the soaring prices at the pump which have marked his presidency including the current gasoline prices in Nebraska--10 percent higher than this time last year.

President Ronald Reagan once quipped, "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the Government, and I'm here to help." Rather than crushing the options of consumers, effective lawmaking confronts and puts a stop to bad ideas. Misguided mandates and prohibitions on everything from EVs down to gas stoves is a recipe for continued supply chain difficulties and obstacles to growth. House Republicans have worked to keep our&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001QDkZSMNZ-_xga0eqNL6Tt2oaTD5xZghB26B1H49-D8Cg0KygasK-5nbBa3V3GcCy_E5s03T6mKTWaPkh6hj7fM6niAlzvjvUcBVLnYY4nz-8eVSfAA27t-p7dyoCDEkUyaMoQDNi-FClntz2WByJD_Tfb9jF0EZTI2OM2W8NQNMcAoN-Jhj0gw==&amp;c=XfjZzfIr0HVwDELBNiJM21flTWVoqXHmknXRTOmTSMEVbsQWyVJkDg==&amp;ch=v-MOLPfMD4_e6HkXNuq4G37ozHuV7llqdTgO8TAKx1F9BOZ4RuyPAg==" target="_blank">Commitment to America&nbsp;</a>for an economy that’s strong with a plan to streamline permitting efficiencies, maximize production, and lower the cost of fuel and utilities. By staying true to commonsense principles, we can ensure American energy dominance, protect consumer choice, and secure better outcomes for the future.

Adrian SmithPoorly considered policy driven by ideological agendas can have devastating consequences for Americans, bringing the greatest harm to those with the least recourse when good intentions go awry. There’s always room for improvement in federal policy. However, damage is often avoidable if decision-makers simply take the time to consider the impact of their decisions upon Americans and the variety of their needs and lifestyles across our country.This week the House considered legislation to address efforts by California and nine other states to ban the sale of gas-powered cars. In August 2022, California’s Air Resources Board adopted “zero emission” standards for all vehicles sold in the state—effectively banning the sale or use of new vehicles with internal combustion engines by 2035.Under federal law, states are only permitted to enact their own emissions standards for new vehicles when granted a waiver by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to do so. Without an EPA waiver, new vehicles are subject to already-stringent federal emissions standards. In March of 2023, the state of California received a Clean Air Act waiver from the EPA for emissions regulations stricter than federal mandates.Overbroad government mandates rarely make for good policy, and removing an entire line of products from the market on which the vast majority of Americans depend daily has troubling potential to harm consumers, our supply chain, and our economy. In 2021, 93.8 percent of personal and commercial vehicle registrations in the U.S. were for cars powered by gasoline or ethanol.The measure passed by the House with my support this week, the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act, would halt these efforts to misuse the EPA waiver process to ban gas-powered cars, while continuing to allow states to work with EPA to manage air pollution issues.From increased dependance on China for critical minerals used in electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing to the overwhelming burden it would levy on our electric grid, there is no shortage of drawbacks which demonstrate EVs are not the answer for everyone. Significantly, in Nebraska nearly half of our electricity, necessary to run EVs, is generated by coal, a consideration the detractors of fossil fuels seem slow to acknowledge.For a winning energy strategy, we must embrace an all-of-the-above approach and let consumers weigh and make the best choices for themselves and their families. The development of alternative energy sources and products which are run by them needs to be driven by innovation and the success of the best outcomes for Americans, not big government mandates.While a candidate for president in 2020, Joe Biden promised to ignite the economy and bring Americans together. Unfortunately, his administration has repeatedly failed to deliver, prioritizing a far-left agenda over pro-growth common sense, leaving American families and taxpayers with mounting expenses. However, as a candidate, time and time again President Biden also made it clear his goal was to declare war on the fossil fuels industry—one promise he has kept. Since day one of his presidency, he has cracked down on oil and gas leases and maintained a stranglehold on American energy production. Predictably, this is reflected in the soaring prices at the pump which have marked his presidency including the current gasoline prices in Nebraska--10 percent higher than this time last year.President Ronald Reagan once quipped, "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the Government, and I'm here to help." Rather than crushing the options of consumers, effective lawmaking confronts and puts a stop to bad ideas. Misguided mandates and prohibitions on everything from EVs down to gas stoves is a recipe for continued supply chain difficulties and obstacles to growth. House Republicans have worked to keep our&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001QDkZSMNZ-_xga0eqNL6Tt2oaTD5xZghB26B1H49-D8Cg0KygasK-5nbBa3V3GcCy_E5s03T6mKTWaPkh6hj7fM6niAlzvjvUcBVLnYY4nz-8eVSfAA27t-p7dyoCDEkUyaMoQDNi-FClntz2WByJD_Tfb9jF0EZTI2OM2W8NQNMcAoN-Jhj0gw==&amp;c=XfjZzfIr0HVwDELBNiJM21flTWVoqXHmknXRTOmTSMEVbsQWyVJkDg==&amp;ch=v-MOLPfMD4_e6HkXNuq4G37ozHuV7llqdTgO8TAKx1F9BOZ4RuyPAg==" target="_blank">Commitment to America&nbsp;</a>for an economy that’s strong with a plan to streamline permitting efficiencies, maximize production, and lower the cost of fuel and utilities. By staying true to commonsense principles, we can ensure American energy dominance, protect consumer choice, and secure better outcomes for the future.

Options, Not Mandates, Bring the Best Outcomes

By Casey Quinlan,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/09/11/millions-more-workers-would-receive-overtime-pay-under-proposed-biden-administration-rule/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694787851007.png" alt="The union is seeking 32-hour work weeks, a 46% pay increase over four years and improved benefits, including pensions and paid time off-photo UAW" />
 <figcaption>The union is seeking 32-hour work weeks, a 46% pay increase over four years and improved benefits, including pensions and paid time off-photo UAW</figcaption>
 </figure>By Casey Quinlan,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/09/11/millions-more-workers-would-receive-overtime-pay-under-proposed-biden-administration-rule/">Nebraska Examiner</a>Economic experts and researchers say that the auto workers strike could have far-reaching economic consequences for businesses and consumers, depending on its duration. In addition to workers’ job losses, consumers could see higher prices for cars and depleted inventory.The United Auto Workers union, representing about 150,000 auto workers, walked off the job at midnight Thursday after failing to reach a contract deal with the “Big Three” auto manufacturers, Ford, Stellantis and General Motors. It is the first time in union history that a strike has affected all three automakers, the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://michiganadvance.com/2023/09/15/strike-united-auto-workers-declares-historic-strike-against-detroit-three-automakers/">Michigan Advance reported</a>.The union is seeking 32-hour work weeks, a 46% pay increase over four years and improved benefits, including pensions and paid time off, the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://michiganadvance.com/blog/get-strike-ready-uaw-votes-to-authorize-strike-against-detroit-automakers/">Michigan Advance</a>&nbsp;has reported. Union members also are demanding the right to strike over the closure of plants and the elimination of tiered workers. Tier 2 workers, who are newer, receive less pay and benefits than Tier 1 workers and also work more on electric vehicles that may not be covered by union contracts,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.morningstar.com/news/marketwatch/20230909316/i-have-a-pension-they-dont-why-united-auto-workers-are-fighting-to-end-a-two-tier-system-for-wages-and-benefits">according to</a>&nbsp;MarketWatch, which some members argue hurts the effectiveness of the union.The union also wants more security for its members as the auto industry continues to produce more electric vehicles.“Given the EV transformations currently underway in the auto sector, the UAW will be looking to establish as much security as possible for its members. Top concerns include what labor demand will look like in the new EV landscape and how to ensure that wage gains keep pace with high inflation and record automaker profits,’’ according to a University of Michigan analysis.Experts say the weight of any work stoppage is dependent upon the numbers of workers who walk off the job, their location and its duration. Meanwhile consumers could see higher prices for materials including steel and auto parts reflected in their car purchases and repairs.UAW president Shawn Fain has&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/uaw-president-lot-work-remaining-reach-auto-labor-deals-2023-09-13/">said</a>&nbsp;the union and companies are far apart on priorities such as pay increases, with the companies offering half or less than half of what the union has proposed.In a statement, Ford said the company “has bargained in good faith in an effort to avoid a strike, which could have wide-ranging consequences for our business and the economy. It also impacts the very 57,000 UAW-Ford workers we are trying to reward with this contract.”The last auto workers strike was in 2019, when<a target="_blank" href="https://michiganadvance.com/2019/10/17/uaw-looks-to-have-scored-big-victories-in-jobs-wages-and-benefits-in-gm-strike/">&nbsp;50,000 GM workers walked off the job</a>&nbsp;for six weeks. General Motors lost $3.6 billion,<a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/detroit-three-strike-deadline-nears-sides-remain-far-apart-2023-09-14/">&nbsp;Reuters reported</a>.The Anderson Economic Group, an economic research and market analysis group, has&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.andersoneconomicgroup.com/10-day-uaw-strike-against-big-three-could-cause-economic-losses-exceeding-5-billion/">estimated</a>&nbsp;that a 10-day strike by all of the 150,000 union members would total $5 billion in economic losses. If the strike affected only one automaker, the company would lose $325 million and the loss of direct wages would total $341 million.For every 2,000 employees on strike at one location, there could be up to $10 million in lost wages, which would be felt locally, said Tyler Marie Theile, director of public policy and economic analysis at the Anderson Economic Group. The estimate does not factor in strike pay, unemployment benefits, or reputational damage to companies or the union in its assessment of the economic impact of a strike. Auto workers on strike can receive&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/13/business/uaw-strike-shawn-fain.html#:~:text=The%20union%20plans%20to%20pay,companies%20for%20about%20three%20months.">$500</a>&nbsp;in union benefits.The Advance reported picket lines at Ford’s Michigan Assembly, GM’s Wentzville plant in Missouri and Stellantis’ Jeep plant in Toledo, Ohio.Michigan faces the greatest economic impact. A one- or two-week strike at Ford could result in the loss of 28,000 jobs,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lsa.umich.edu/content/dam/econ-assets/Econdocs/RSQE%20PDFs/UAW_Strike_Analysis_(RSQE_2023.09).pdf">according to</a>&nbsp;a University of Michigan estimate. Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois, and Missouri also would be affected by a Ford strike. Ohio and Indiana face a potential&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lsa.umich.edu/content/dam/econ-assets/Econdocs/RSQE%20PDFs/UAW_Strike_Analysis_(RSQE_2023.09).pdf">Stellantis strike</a>&nbsp;and Indiana, Missouri, Ohio, New York, Texas, Tennessee, Kansas and Kentucky, a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lsa.umich.edu/content/dam/econ-assets/Econdocs/RSQE%20PDFs/UAW_Strike_Analysis_(RSQE_2023.09).pdf">General Motors strike</a>.In the event of a lengthy walkout, Theile said, Southern plants may see more of an impact than they did in 2019 because of the growth of auto manufacturing and assembly and battery manufacturing in the region.“The most important driving factor there is going to be is the number of UAW workers striking. Since in the South, UAW participation and representation is not as dense as it is up in the Midwest, we likely wouldn’t see quite a strong impact, at least early on,” Theile said. “If a strike were to become quite lengthy, many manufacturing and assembly facilities are shut down and 1st and 2nd tier suppliers are shut down, that’s going to start to have a rippling effect through the automotive industry. And facilities that are not on strike and not represented by the UAW will not be fully insulated from the economic impact.”Ali Bustamante, deputy director of the worker power and economic security program at the Roosevelt Institute, a progressive think tank, said the expansion into Southern states has somewhat “hedged the impact of a strike” because there are both unionized and non-unionized shops.“By and large, the reason why so much of car manufacturing has moved to the South is because of historically low levels of union density,” Bustamante said. “The political and social conditions make it really difficult to get unions off the ground there as well.”It’s also challenging to predict how a targeted strike would affect the economy overall when it’s unknown how halted production at some plants would affect work at other plants where workers are not on strike. Fain&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/uaw-president-lot-work-remaining-reach-auto-labor-deals-2023-09-13/">said</a>&nbsp;the union’s targeted approach is meant to “create confusion.”“It’s a little unclear to me how many locations would potentially operate as normal or as close to normal when other locations, that they may depend on, are shut down and striking. I do think that those targeted strikes are still going to have a really significant impact on the economy,” Theile said.Bustamante added that the strike would also impact the steel industry and would add to pressures on car prices.Theile agreed that consumers would feel the effects.“We have about 20% of the inventory that was on hand in 2019. The current conditions would affect dealers and consumers, possibly much stronger and much sooner,” Theile said.But Bustamante said the Federal Reserve’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/transportation/2023-07-28/feds-interest-rate-hike-car-shoppers#:~:text=In%20the%20past%20year%2C%20average,8.3%20percent%20to%2011%20percent.">raising of interest rates</a>&nbsp;is a far bigger contributor to the problem of car affordability, since rates for car loans have risen in the past year.Some economists have also argued that the UAW strike is a sign of a strong economy and say that long-term gains in labor organizing will lift up more workers.“Strong labor markets, fueled by large-scale public investments in the workers who keep our economy going, offer workers agency to stand up for better wages and working conditions and walk off the job when basic labor standards aren’t met,” stated Rakeen Mabud, chief economist at Groundwork Collaborative, a progressive economic advocacy nonprofit.“ … A workforce that enjoys better working conditions, better pay, and increased worker agency adds up to a stronger economy for all of us.”Bustamante said that if the UAW wins many of its demands, it will encourage more workers to organize.“As long as economic conditions hold steady, the [UAW] does have disproportional leverage and again, more leverage than they’ve had in the past 50 years or so,” he said. “It would certainly boost the [labor organizing] waves that we’re already seeing.”

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/09/15/nebraska-might-push-to-clarify-1889-state-law-on-foreign-land-ownership/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Nebraska has had a law on the books since 1889 limiting foreign ownership and leases of land, an expert on agricultural law told the Legislature’s Agriculture Committee on Friday.&nbsp;

But state lawmakers never clarified how they wanted to enforce the law, which agency would enforce it or what penalty would be levied for violating it, said Micah Brown of the National Agricultural Law Center in Arkansas.

“The biggest hole as I read it in Nebraska’s law … it’s one of these traditional foreign ownership laws that would restrict anybody. But there’s no enforcement or penalty provisions,” Brown said.

Ag Committee Chairman State Sen. Steve Halloran of Hastings said he would consider proposing a bill fixing those flaws. He said the state has an interest in policing foreign ownership of farm ground.

“Too often we write legislation on various issues after a problem has gotten too big to do much about it,” he said. “I would rather write legislation that carefully prevents a problem from getting out of hand.”

Halloran and five other members of the Ag Committee listened and asked questions for about 90 minutes Friday during an interim study hearing on the topic.

Halloran has said reports about Chinese interest in U.S. farmland and concerns from constituents spurred him and other lawmakers to pursue the study.

Interest in legal limits on land purchases has increased nationally after Chinese investors purchased pork producer Smithfield Co. and seed giant Syngenta.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Halloran said his top concern is that the current system of registering foreign ownership relies on people and corporations purchasing or leasing land filing the paperwork with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.&nbsp;

To him, it makes more sense to consider requiring new owners to fill out a form when they file a land purchase with the county where the land is located and have the state collect the information.

USDA recently released information from 2021 showing that foreign interests own or hold leases on about 790,000 acres of ag land in Nebraska.

That represents about 1.7% of the ag land in the state. As recently as 2010, that number was just over 34,000 acres, or less than one-tenth of 1 percent.

Wind and solar driving foreign investment

Bradley Lubben, an extension associate specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, said most Nebraska land owned or leased by foreign interests is for wind and solar power generation. Nebraska farmers lease land to energy companies that is often held until it is needed.

Today, the highest concentrations of foreign-owned ag land in Nebraska are in Antelope, Holt and Banner Counties, with most driven by Canadian and Italian companies with long-term leases.

Despite national security fears about Chinese ownership of U.S. ag land, more than 90% of foreign-owned or leased ag land in Nebraska is held by America’s neighbors to the north. China ranks 18th, officials said.

State Sen. Jane Raybould of Lincoln questioned witnesses about the potential impacts on trade in pursuing tighter controls on foreign land ownership.

Two testifiers told her they were unsure what those impacts would be. Lubben said Kawasaki owns farmland around its Lincoln plant and Syngenta also owns land in the state.

“Trade conflicts can pop up quickly, and they can linger many, many years,” Lubben said. “China was maybe the No. 1 (U.S.) soybean customer — until they weren’t.”

John Hansen, president of the Nebraska Farmers Union, said he appreciated the committee looking into the issue, and he hopes it will act.

Sure, Nebraska has “a law on the books that gives citizens the idea that something is being handled.” But, he said, it needs enforcement and penalties spelled out.

“Our law is pretty much a toothless tiger,” he said. “We ought to update it. … There is a lot of merit in shutting the door before the horse is gone.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694861771508.jpeg" alt=" Members of the Nebraska Legislature’s Agriculture Committee listen to testimony from University of Nebraska-Lincoln extension associate specialist Bradley Lubben during a hearing on foreign ownership of land. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption> Members of the Nebraska Legislature’s Agriculture Committee listen to testimony from University of Nebraska-Lincoln extension associate specialist Bradley Lubben during a hearing on foreign ownership of land. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Aaron Sanderford<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/09/15/nebraska-might-push-to-clarify-1889-state-law-on-foreign-land-ownership/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Nebraska has had a law on the books since 1889 limiting foreign ownership and leases of land, an expert on agricultural law told the Legislature’s Agriculture Committee on Friday.&nbsp;But state lawmakers never clarified how they wanted to enforce the law, which agency would enforce it or what penalty would be levied for violating it, said Micah Brown of the National Agricultural Law Center in Arkansas.“The biggest hole as I read it in Nebraska’s law … it’s one of these traditional foreign ownership laws that would restrict anybody. But there’s no enforcement or penalty provisions,” Brown said.Ag Committee Chairman State Sen. Steve Halloran of Hastings said he would consider proposing a bill fixing those flaws. He said the state has an interest in policing foreign ownership of farm ground.“Too often we write legislation on various issues after a problem has gotten too big to do much about it,” he said. “I would rather write legislation that carefully prevents a problem from getting out of hand.”Halloran and five other members of the Ag Committee listened and asked questions for about 90 minutes Friday during an interim study hearing on the topic.<h2>China is a focus</h2>Halloran has said reports about Chinese interest in U.S. farmland and concerns from constituents spurred him and other lawmakers to pursue the study.Interest in legal limits on land purchases has increased nationally after Chinese investors purchased pork producer Smithfield Co. and seed giant Syngenta.&nbsp;&nbsp;Halloran said his top concern is that the current system of registering foreign ownership relies on people and corporations purchasing or leasing land filing the paperwork with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.&nbsp;To him, it makes more sense to consider requiring new owners to fill out a form when they file a land purchase with the county where the land is located and have the state collect the information.USDA recently released information from 2021 showing that foreign interests own or hold leases on about 790,000 acres of ag land in Nebraska.That represents about 1.7% of the ag land in the state. As recently as 2010, that number was just over 34,000 acres, or less than one-tenth of 1 percent.<h2>Wind and solar driving foreign investment</h2>Bradley Lubben, an extension associate specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, said most Nebraska land owned or leased by foreign interests is for wind and solar power generation. Nebraska farmers lease land to energy companies that is often held until it is needed.Today, the highest concentrations of foreign-owned ag land in Nebraska are in Antelope, Holt and Banner Counties, with most driven by Canadian and Italian companies with long-term leases.Despite national security fears about Chinese ownership of U.S. ag land, more than 90% of foreign-owned or leased ag land in Nebraska is held by America’s neighbors to the north. China ranks 18th, officials said.<h2>Trade impacts?</h2>State Sen. Jane Raybould of Lincoln questioned witnesses about the potential impacts on trade in pursuing tighter controls on foreign land ownership.Two testifiers told her they were unsure what those impacts would be. Lubben said Kawasaki owns farmland around its Lincoln plant and Syngenta also owns land in the state.“Trade conflicts can pop up quickly, and they can linger many, many years,” Lubben said. “China was maybe the No. 1 (U.S.) soybean customer — until they weren’t.”John Hansen, president of the Nebraska Farmers Union, said he appreciated the committee looking into the issue, and he hopes it will act.Sure, Nebraska has “a law on the books that gives citizens the idea that something is being handled.” But, he said, it needs enforcement and penalties spelled out.“Our law is pretty much a toothless tiger,” he said. “We ought to update it. … There is a lot of merit in shutting the door before the horse is gone.”

Nebraska might push to clarify 1889 state law on foreign land ownership

By JENNIFER SHUTT,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — Amid rising tensions and an approaching hard deadline, the U.S. House and Senate ended their work week on Thursday without a deal to fund the federal government past the end of the month.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who has been struggling to build consensus among the members of his Republican Conference, pledged that once the chamber returned from the weekend, lawmakers would roll up their sleeves.

“When we come back, we’re not going to leave. We’re going to get this done,” McCarthy said, noting members are returning home this weekend for the Rosh Hashana holiday. “Nobody wins in a government shutdown.”

The House returned to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday following a six-week summer recess. The Senate returned last week following a five-week break. The government funding deadline is Sept. 30.

McCarthy told reporters following a heated closed-door meeting for House Republicans on Thursday morning that he is “frustrated” with some lawmakers for&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/amid-government-spending-fight-us-house-gop-punts-debating-major-defense-bill">blocking debate</a>&nbsp;on the annual Defense spending bill.

Some especially conservative House Republicans have been threatening to try to remove McCarthy as speaker through the motion to vacate, which any one lawmaker can bring up for a floor vote. Florida’s Matt Gaetz&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/09/12/u-s-house-speaker-mccarthy-tells-committees-to-launch-biden-impeachment-probe/">gave a floor speech</a>&nbsp;Tuesday, arguing that McCarthy was out of line with promises he made in private to hard-line Republicans in January.

McCarthy, according to multiple media reports,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/kevin-mccarthy-motion-vacate_n_6503144ce4b034d7e741c25b">reportedly said</a>&nbsp;behind closed doors Thursday that if lawmakers want to remove him they should “file the f – – – – – – motion.” McCarthy’s office would not share any comments he made during the closed-door conference meeting in response to a question from States Newsroom.

McCarthy pledged after the meeting to try to put more of the dozen annual government funding bills on the floor next week, though if that doesn’t happen, he plans to tell appropriators to begin working out final bills with their Senate counterparts during the conference process.

McCarthy, who has repeatedly criticized past leaders for not passing all the bills on the floor, said that going to conference with the committee-passed bills “is better for the American public — then they can see what has gone through committee.”

The House and Senate Appropriations committees’ bills were publicly released earlier this summer with committee debate and votes live-streamed. The conference process takes place behind closed doors.

McCarthy didn’t lay out a plan to pass the short-term government funding bill that will be needed to prevent a partial government shutdown when the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1. But he did express opposition to a funding lapse.

“I don’t think it’s productive to have a government shutdown during that time,” McCarthy said. “I don’t know who wins and I don’t know — watching the shutdowns before — how is that productive to get the objectives that you want to achieve for the American public.”

The House passed one of its dozen annual government funding bills on the floor this year before conservative hardliners blocked the process from moving forward.

Arkansas Republican Rep. Steve Womack, chair of the Financial Services appropriations subcommittee, said Wednesday the chamber’s inability to pass its bills shows it’s “dysfunctional” and “conflicted.”

“Time is running out on us to be able to get our work done and not threaten a shutdown, or not have to go to a temporary CR, which is now pretty much guaranteed,” Womack said, referring to a continuing resolution.

Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester expressed frustration Thursday with the House’s lack of floor action on spending bills, saying that without more House-passed bills, the Senate cannot bring more of its bipartisan bills to the floor.

“You guys know the process, House needs to send something over,” he told reporters.

The Constitution requires spending bills to be a product of the House, so the Senate needs that chamber to send them so-called legislative vehicles. Once that happens, the Senate can swap in its version of the government funding bills.

Tester said he’s “very concerned” about a government shutdown and that lawmakers won’t be able to approve a supplemental spending bill for Ukraine, given the state of the House Republican Conference.

“These guys don’t give a s- – – about nothing,” Tester said.

Wisconsin’s Johnson blocks Senate action

Shortly after Tester’s remarks, his own chamber’s spending process came to a halt.

After senators&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1181/vote_118_1_00228.htm">voted</a>&nbsp;91-7 to advance a three-bill spending package, Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson objected to scheduling votes on amendments from his fellow GOP senators.

Johnson told reporters afterward that he would prefer if the Senate debated one spending bill at a time, instead of three.

“We need to return some function to this place, so pretty simple objection,” Johnson said. “Let’s just proceed to this one bill. What’s wrong with that? Just go on to Military Construction and VA. Let’s proceed to that and pass it, then wait for the House to send its other bills. Makes a lot of sense.”

The spending package on the Senate floor includes the Agriculture, Military Construction-VA and Transportation-HUD funding measures — funding the departments of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, Veterans Affairs, Transportation and Housing and Urban Development, as well as military construction and water projects.

The so-called minibus is a somewhat common part of the annual appropriations process and can be used when the upper chamber has a limited number of legislative vehicles.

Maine’s Susan Collins, the top Republican on the spending panel, said she was “both surprised and disappointed” that Johnson objected to scheduling floor votes on amendments from several GOP senators.

If the Senate couldn’t debate and vote on amendments to the government funding bills, Collins said, that meant the chamber was “broken once again.”

“Members cannot have it both ways,” Collins said. “They cannot block floor consideration of appropriations bills that were unanimously reported by the committee and yet maintain that they don’t want an omnibus bill. It’s one or the other. Or a government shutdown.”

Collins said Johnson’s blockade was setting Congress up for either a 12-bill omnibus government funding package or a partial government shutdown.

“None of those outcomes serve the American people well,” Collins said.

The blocked Republican amendments, which Collins said were just the first of several batches, were offered by Kentucky’s Rand Paul, Ohio’s J.D. Vance, Iowa’s Joni Ernst, Tennessee’s Marsha Blackburn and Utah’s Mike Lee.

Johnson’s move follows months of bipartisan work by the spending committee to advance bipartisan bills.

Senate Appropriations Chair Patty Murray, a Washington Democrat, said the stalemate could upend those efforts.

“Let’s be clear: the bills we are considering aren’t Democratic or Republican spending bills. They are bills both sides, Democrat and Republican, wrote after a lot of negotiation and compromise,” Murray said.

“This package that we have reflects input from senators from across the country and across the political spectrum working on behalf of the people who sent them here,” Murray added. “And that is exactly why all these bills in this package passed our committee unanimously.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, called on Republican leaders to reject the ultra conservative members of their party who are holding up spending bills in both chambers.

“Now all of a sudden, you have a group, a small group in the Senate, trying to mimic the Freedom Caucus in the House and holding up the (spending) bill,” Schumer said. “Our Republican leaders have to reject this MAGA Republicanism for the good of the country and for the good of their party.”

Samantha Dietel contributed to this report.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694805470214.png" alt="Members of the New Mexico delegation on Thursday afternoon in the House chamber. The government funding deadline is Sept. 30. -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Members of the New Mexico delegation on Thursday afternoon in the House chamber. The government funding deadline is Sept. 30. -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>By JENNIFER SHUTT,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — Amid rising tensions and an approaching hard deadline, the U.S. House and Senate ended their work week on Thursday without a deal to fund the federal government past the end of the month.House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who has been struggling to build consensus among the members of his Republican Conference, pledged that once the chamber returned from the weekend, lawmakers would roll up their sleeves.“When we come back, we’re not going to leave. We’re going to get this done,” McCarthy said, noting members are returning home this weekend for the Rosh Hashana holiday. “Nobody wins in a government shutdown.”The House returned to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday following a six-week summer recess. The Senate returned last week following a five-week break. The government funding deadline is Sept. 30.McCarthy told reporters following a heated closed-door meeting for House Republicans on Thursday morning that he is “frustrated” with some lawmakers for&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/amid-government-spending-fight-us-house-gop-punts-debating-major-defense-bill">blocking debate</a>&nbsp;on the annual Defense spending bill.Some especially conservative House Republicans have been threatening to try to remove McCarthy as speaker through the motion to vacate, which any one lawmaker can bring up for a floor vote. Florida’s Matt Gaetz&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/09/12/u-s-house-speaker-mccarthy-tells-committees-to-launch-biden-impeachment-probe/">gave a floor speech</a>&nbsp;Tuesday, arguing that McCarthy was out of line with promises he made in private to hard-line Republicans in January.McCarthy, according to multiple media reports,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/kevin-mccarthy-motion-vacate_n_6503144ce4b034d7e741c25b">reportedly said</a>&nbsp;behind closed doors Thursday that if lawmakers want to remove him they should “file the f – – – – – – motion.” McCarthy’s office would not share any comments he made during the closed-door conference meeting in response to a question from States Newsroom.McCarthy pledged after the meeting to try to put more of the dozen annual government funding bills on the floor next week, though if that doesn’t happen, he plans to tell appropriators to begin working out final bills with their Senate counterparts during the conference process.McCarthy, who has repeatedly criticized past leaders for not passing all the bills on the floor, said that going to conference with the committee-passed bills “is better for the American public — then they can see what has gone through committee.”The House and Senate Appropriations committees’ bills were publicly released earlier this summer with committee debate and votes live-streamed. The conference process takes place behind closed doors.McCarthy didn’t lay out a plan to pass the short-term government funding bill that will be needed to prevent a partial government shutdown when the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1. But he did express opposition to a funding lapse.“I don’t think it’s productive to have a government shutdown during that time,” McCarthy said. “I don’t know who wins and I don’t know — watching the shutdowns before — how is that productive to get the objectives that you want to achieve for the American public.”<h2>‘Dysfunctional’ House</h2>The House passed one of its dozen annual government funding bills on the floor this year before conservative hardliners blocked the process from moving forward.Arkansas Republican Rep. Steve Womack, chair of the Financial Services appropriations subcommittee, said Wednesday the chamber’s inability to pass its bills shows it’s “dysfunctional” and “conflicted.”“Time is running out on us to be able to get our work done and not threaten a shutdown, or not have to go to a temporary CR, which is now pretty much guaranteed,” Womack said, referring to a continuing resolution.Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester expressed frustration Thursday with the House’s lack of floor action on spending bills, saying that without more House-passed bills, the Senate cannot bring more of its bipartisan bills to the floor.“You guys know the process, House needs to send something over,” he told reporters.The Constitution requires spending bills to be a product of the House, so the Senate needs that chamber to send them so-called legislative vehicles. Once that happens, the Senate can swap in its version of the government funding bills.Tester said he’s “very concerned” about a government shutdown and that lawmakers won’t be able to approve a supplemental spending bill for Ukraine, given the state of the House Republican Conference.“These guys don’t give a s- – – about nothing,” Tester said.<h2>Wisconsin’s Johnson blocks Senate action</h2>Shortly after Tester’s remarks, his own chamber’s spending process came to a halt.After senators&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1181/vote_118_1_00228.htm">voted</a>&nbsp;91-7 to advance a three-bill spending package, Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson objected to scheduling votes on amendments from his fellow GOP senators.Johnson told reporters afterward that he would prefer if the Senate debated one spending bill at a time, instead of three.“We need to return some function to this place, so pretty simple objection,” Johnson said. “Let’s just proceed to this one bill. What’s wrong with that? Just go on to Military Construction and VA. Let’s proceed to that and pass it, then wait for the House to send its other bills. Makes a lot of sense.”The spending package on the Senate floor includes the Agriculture, Military Construction-VA and Transportation-HUD funding measures — funding the departments of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, Veterans Affairs, Transportation and Housing and Urban Development, as well as military construction and water projects.The so-called minibus is a somewhat common part of the annual appropriations process and can be used when the upper chamber has a limited number of legislative vehicles.Maine’s Susan Collins, the top Republican on the spending panel, said she was “both surprised and disappointed” that Johnson objected to scheduling floor votes on amendments from several GOP senators.If the Senate couldn’t debate and vote on amendments to the government funding bills, Collins said, that meant the chamber was “broken once again.”“Members cannot have it both ways,” Collins said. “They cannot block floor consideration of appropriations bills that were unanimously reported by the committee and yet maintain that they don’t want an omnibus bill. It’s one or the other. Or a government shutdown.”Collins said Johnson’s blockade was setting Congress up for either a 12-bill omnibus government funding package or a partial government shutdown.“None of those outcomes serve the American people well,” Collins said.The blocked Republican amendments, which Collins said were just the first of several batches, were offered by Kentucky’s Rand Paul, Ohio’s J.D. Vance, Iowa’s Joni Ernst, Tennessee’s Marsha Blackburn and Utah’s Mike Lee.<h2>Bipartisan work in Senate</h2>Johnson’s move follows months of bipartisan work by the spending committee to advance bipartisan bills.Senate Appropriations Chair Patty Murray, a Washington Democrat, said the stalemate could upend those efforts.“Let’s be clear: the bills we are considering aren’t Democratic or Republican spending bills. They are bills both sides, Democrat and Republican, wrote after a lot of negotiation and compromise,” Murray said.“This package that we have reflects input from senators from across the country and across the political spectrum working on behalf of the people who sent them here,” Murray added. “And that is exactly why all these bills in this package passed our committee unanimously.”Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, called on Republican leaders to reject the ultra conservative members of their party who are holding up spending bills in both chambers.“Now all of a sudden, you have a group, a small group in the Senate, trying to mimic the Freedom Caucus in the House and holding up the (spending) bill,” Schumer said. “Our Republican leaders have to reject this MAGA Republicanism for the good of the country and for the good of their party.”Samantha Dietel contributed to this report.&nbsp;