Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/279733
www.potatogrower.com 45 enforcement of our nation's immigration laws, and the ineffectiveness of the cur- rent h-2A guest worker program. During the fly-In, growers called on members of the house—where immigration reform has stalled—to pass a new immigration policy that retains the current agriculture workforce and provides a guest worker program to supply agricultural labor needs in the future. trade proMotion authority With one out of every six rows of potatoes now destined for consumers outside the United states, trade issues are more important than ever to the industry. however, as the Obama administration works to finalize important trade agree- ments that will benefit growers—such as the 12-country transatlantic trade and Investment Partnership (ttIP) trade pact—the president lacks trade promo- tion authority, or fast-track authority, that allows the executive branch to better negotiate with its international partners. since 1974, U.s. presidents have gen- erally been granted the power to negotiate trade agreements that could not be altered at the last minute by Congress. Instead, once the agreement was presented to Congress, it would need to be voted on within 90 days without amendment. During their hill visits, growers reminded their elected officials that the continued growth and strength of the U.s. potato industry depends on the expansion of trade opportunities, and that Congress should support trade promotion authority for the president. truCK weight reforM Legislation has been introduced in Congress that would give states the option to increase federal interstate weight lim- its to 97,000 pounds for trucks equipped with six axles, up from 80,000 pounds on trucks with five axles. Increasing the truck weight limit is not just good for business; it would result in fewer trucks on the roads, less wear and tear on our infrastructure, and fewer emissions. With many of our global competitors, including Mexico and Canada, enjoying the benefits of higher truck weight limits, growers took to Capitol hill to lobby for the safe and efficient transportation Act, which would put domestic industries back on a level playing field. the annual Potato D.C. fly-In provides growers the opportunity to demonstrate to policymakers—most of whom have never worked on a farm—that their decisions have real-world consequences on family farms. even if you were unable to attend this year's fly-In, you can always visit www.nationalPotatoCouncil.org or con- tact your state organizations to find ways to get involved in advocating for federal farm legislation. together, we can make a difference. PG U.S. Senator Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, listens as nPC president Randy Hardy discusses his vision for the future of the U.S. potato industry.