OFW logo
1-202-933-5394
MENU

Public Policy

Universities Salute World Food Prize Commitment to Sound Science & Biotechnology

Public Policy /

As I mentioned last week, a major coalition of farm, food and anti-hunger organizations joined 30 institutions of higher education in praising the World Food Prize Foundation for shining a spotlight on agricultural biotechnology with this year’s World Food Prize theme, “The Next Borlaug Century: Biotechnology, Sustainability and Climate Volatility.”  This morning, three Universities followed up […]

Universities Salute World Food Prize Commitment to Sound Science & Biotechnology Read More »

Major Coalition, including Academia, Commends World Food Prize for Supporting Biotechnology

1 Comment / Public Policy /

A very broad coalition of 100 food and agriculture organizations, including 30 research universities and anti-hunger organizations, have sent a letter to World Food Prize Foundation in Iowa commending them for a focus on biotechnology this year. The letter says, in part,  “Feeding a world population of nine billion people by 2050 in the face

Major Coalition, including Academia, Commends World Food Prize for Supporting Biotechnology Read More »

Hot Dogs on the Hill

OFW Law News, Public Policy /

Former Congressman and OFW Law Senior Policy Advisor Charlie Stenholm (D-TX) greets six-time Major League Baseball Gold Glove Award winning catcher Jim Sundberg, who spent 12 years with the Texas Rangers, at the American Meat Institute’s (AMI) Annual Hot Dog Lunch on Capitol Hill.  The 2013 Hot Dog Lunch was co-hosted by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank

Hot Dogs on the Hill Read More »

New HHS Privacy Rule Conflicts With Congressional Support for Refill Reminder Programs

Health Care, Public Policy /

The Obama Administration (HHS’s Office for Civil Rights) promulgated its new HIPAA Privacy Rule ostensibly to strengthen consumers’ medical privacy rights.  The result, however, is likely to harm patients by restricting clinicians’ and pharmacists’ ability to provide them with compliance and persistence messages – so-called “refill reminders” (about currently prescribed drug therapy).  In fact, as

New HHS Privacy Rule Conflicts With Congressional Support for Refill Reminder Programs Read More »

Congress Clears Final Agriculture/FDA Spending Measure for FY 2013

FDA, Public Policy, USDA /

The House of Representatives and Senate have now given final approval to the FY 2013 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill (the Bill) as part of a combined multi-Department omnibus measure, clearing it for the President’s expected signature.  The current Continuing Resolution expires on March 27, 2013.   The Bill

Congress Clears Final Agriculture/FDA Spending Measure for FY 2013 Read More »

The Economic Report of the President on Agriculture

Public Policy /

The 2013 Economic Report of the President, an annual report written by the Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, was released on Friday, March 15.  An important vehicle for presenting the Administration’s domestic and international economic policies, the report provides an overview of the nation’s economic progress.  This year, it includes a chapter on agriculture,

The Economic Report of the President on Agriculture Read More »

Ag Portion of FY 2013 CR: Explanatory Statement

Public Policy /

Click here for the explanatory statement accompanying the agriculture portion of the Senate’s Continuing Resolution (CR), which was released Monday night and includes  the Agriculture appropriations bill.  It contains language similar to a Conference Report in that it incorporates by reference items from the House and Senate reports, while highlighting certain items.  The Senate CR is a

Ag Portion of FY 2013 CR: Explanatory Statement Read More »

More Budget Cliffs – Get Ready for Weeks of Bungee Jumping

Public Policy /

The fiscal cliff is behind us, or over us, depending on your point of view.  But with deadlines looming for extension of the debt limit, for avoiding the across-the-board cuts required by sequestration, and the need to extend the Continuing Resolution to keep the federal government operating, it certainly looks like we have weeks of

More Budget Cliffs – Get Ready for Weeks of Bungee Jumping Read More »

New Bill would Authorize Voluntary “Carcinogen-Free” Labeling of Food and Consumer Goods

Public Policy /

By Mark L. Itzkoff A new bill introduced into the U.S. House of Representatives last month could eventually result in new labeling for food and other consumer products.  H.R. 6601, The Carcinogen-Free Label Act of 2012 (CFLA) introduced last month by Rep. Theodore Deutch (D-FL) and Rep. Sue Myrick (R-NC), would require the U.S. Food and

New Bill would Authorize Voluntary “Carcinogen-Free” Labeling of Food and Consumer Goods Read More »

PCAST Report

Public Policy /

Today, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) released its Report to the President on Agricultural Preparedness and the Agriculture Research Enterprise.  The report outlines the importance of agricultural research as well as the top seven scientific challenges facing agriculture: The need to manage new pests, pathogens, and invasive plants; increase the

PCAST Report Read More »

An Idea for Barack Obama: Why Not Pick Sen. Dick Lugar as Secretary of State?

OFW Law News, Public Policy /

By Kenneth D. Ackerman, as published on The Huffington Post So, President Obama, you need a new Secretary of State to replace Hillary Clinton, but you don’t like any of the choices sitting on your desk? You think Susan Rice deserves it and would do a great job, but she comes with too much controversy? You feel

An Idea for Barack Obama: Why Not Pick Sen. Dick Lugar as Secretary of State? Read More »

Block Grants: Over Sold – Under Thought

Public Policy /

By Marshall L. Matz and Roger R. Szemraj, as published in Agri-Pulse There has been a lot of discussion lately about converting various food assistance programs from their current status as entitlement programs into a block grant.   This is not a new idea.  It was part of the “Personal Responsibility Act” included in Speaker Newt Gingrich’s 1995-1996 Contract

Block Grants: Over Sold – Under Thought Read More »

Marcia Fudge, Member of House Ag Committee, to Chair Congressional Black Caucus

Public Policy /

On November 14th, the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) unanimously elected Congresswoman Marcia Fudge (D-OH) to serve as Chair during the 113th Congress.  Rep. Fudge is the first member of the House Agriculture Committee to serve as CBC chair. The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), for whom we are the U.S. representative, is delighted by the election of

Marcia Fudge, Member of House Ag Committee, to Chair Congressional Black Caucus Read More »

History Suggests Grand Bargain to Avert Fiscal Cliff

OFW Law News, Public Policy /

By Kenneth D. Ackerman, as published in Bloomberg News. The “fiscal cliff,” a combination of tax increases and severe spending cuts scheduled to kick in next year, is a product of multiple deceptions. Both the expiration date on the Bush-era tax cuts and the trillion-dollar “sequesters” that were enacted as part of last year’s debt- ceiling

History Suggests Grand Bargain to Avert Fiscal Cliff Read More »

The Waiting Game

FDA, Public Policy /

It’s been a weird week.  The “Frankenstorm” also known as Sandy blew through Washington, closing everything from the stalwart federal government to the Metro system.  OFW Law weathered the storm pretty well, though the view outside my window of the muddy, debris-filled Potomac is an ever-present reminder that our problems pale in comparison to those

The Waiting Game Read More »

Industries

Food & Agriculture
Medical Products
Customs and Trade
Consumer and Commercial Litigation
Government Relations

Our Firm

Home
People
Alumni
About
Contact

Insights

News & Insights
Blog
Facebook Twitter Linkedin