11/08/07 No Ag Jobs with Farm Bill; soil samplers

An Ag Jobs will not be paired with the Farm Bill. California Senator Diane Feinstein has decided that she could not successfully add the Ag Jobs bill to the Senate Farm Bill now under consideration. Feinstein says when looking at the politics of the farm bill and comprehensive immigration reform it became clear that she didn't have the needed support. Feinstein has been trying to get the bill passed, either on its own or as part of two immigration bills that have gone down to defeat in the past two years. Opponents of Ag Jobs see it as an amnesty bill and a filibuster would have almost been certain. Even some Ag Job supporters thought it would muddy up the Farm Bill if added to it. The Idaho State Department of Agriculture will conduct several soil sampler certification outreach meetings next week. The meetings will outline the parameters needed for certification under new rules that went into effect in September. Beef and dairy soil samples must be taken by a certified sampler and tested in a laboratory. The first meeting in next Tuesday, November 13th at Farm Bureau headquarters in Pocatello. On Wednesday the 14th the meeting is in Twin Falls and the November 15th session will be in Nampa. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott