Farm group leaders and House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) said this week it is still, in Lucas’ words, “theoretically” possible for Congress to approve new farm and food legislation before the 2008 Farm Bill expires on Sept. 30.

Members of the Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture (AC21) met this week for the group’s fifth round of deliberations to identify solutions for improving coexistence in American agriculture.

America’s Heartland, the only public TV show about American farms and farmers, will start airing the first episodes in its eighth season shortly after Labor Day.

We hope you find this quick update useful. The full Report from Washington and the Weekly Wheat Digest will return on Sept. 13, at the conclusion of Congress’ August recess.

Congress is still out of session, but the news hasn’t stopped. Please enjoy this quick update in lieu of our regular publications. The full The Report from Washington and the Weekly Wheat Digest will return on Sept. 13.

Throughout the August recess, NAWG will issue quick updates on Thursday afternoons in lieu of our regular weekly publications, The Report from Washington and the Weekly Wheat Digest. We hope you find this shorter publication informative and welcome feedback to wheatworld (at) wheatworld.org. Please also join us online at www.twitter.com/wheatworld and www.facebook.com/wheatworld for the latest association, industry and policy news.

The House of Representatives passed a $639 million, stand-alone livestock disaster bill Thursday afternoon, forgoing consideration of the pending farm bill that would authorize similar disaster spending.

Members of Congress are returning to their districts and constituents Friday for August recess without a clear path for passing a five-year farm bill before the current law expires on Sept. 30.

A new online reference is available at http://canada-usgrainandseedtrade.info for U.S. and Canadian wheat farmers examining their marketing options following the end of the Canadian Wheat Board monopoly on Wednesday.

The undersigned farm organizations support finding a path forward to reaching agreement on a new five-year farm bill before current program authorities expire on Sept. 30. We are disappointed that the House Republican leadership has decided to not move forward with the House Agriculture Committee’s bill before adjourning for the August recess. That bill would provide the disaster relief our farm and ranch families need at this time.