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LOBBYING REPORT |
Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (Section 5) - All Filers Are Required to Complete This Page
2. Address
| Address1 | 2627 KFB PLAZA |
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| City | MANHATTAN |
State | KS |
Zip Code | 66503 |
Country | USA |
3. Principal place of business (if different than line 2)
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5. Senate ID# 21131-12
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6. House ID# 336450000
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| TYPE OF REPORT | 8. Year | 2018 |
Q1 (1/1 - 3/31) | Q2 (4/1 - 6/30) | Q3 (7/1 - 9/30) | Q4 (10/1 - 12/31) |
9. Check if this filing amends a previously filed version of this report
| 10. Check if this is a Termination Report | Termination Date |
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11. No Lobbying Issue Activity |
| INCOME OR EXPENSES - YOU MUST complete either Line 12 or Line 13 | |||||||||
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| 12. Lobbying | 13. Organizations | ||||||||
| INCOME relating to lobbying activities for this reporting period was: | EXPENSE relating to lobbying activities for this reporting period were: | ||||||||
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| Provide a good faith estimate, rounded to the nearest $10,000, of all lobbying related income for the client (including all payments to the registrant by any other entity for lobbying activities on behalf of the client). | 14. REPORTING Check box to indicate expense accounting method. See instructions for description of options. | ||||||||
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Method A.
Reporting amounts using LDA definitions only
Method B. Reporting amounts under section 6033(b)(8) of the Internal Revenue Code Method C. Reporting amounts under section 162(e) of the Internal Revenue Code |
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| Signature | Digitally Signed By: Ryan D. Flickner |
Date | 1/18/2019 12:40:03 PM |
LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.
15. General issue area code AGR
16. Specific lobbying issues
Wildfires flared up in Kansas in February and March 2018. Kansas Farm Bureau requested USDA-FSA and USDA-NRCS allow CRP acres, including CP25, to be emergency hayed and grazed to lessen the fire threat, provide improved management of landscapes and forage. Allowing haying and grazing prior to the end of the primary nesting season (July 15) in future years will help producers impacted, reduce future fire risk and improve the ecosystem wildlife. Drought conditions expanded across Kansas through July and feed and forage for livestock ran short. In early September may parts of Kansas were hit with extreme amounts of rainfall -- in some areas over 10 inches -- in single storm events.
Frequent communication with USDA and the Kansas congressional delegation has been ongoing to discuss the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP), Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) emergency grazing and other programs that came into play after the 2016 and 2017 wildfires. When USDA Secretary Perdue came to Kansas in May, Kansas Farm Bureau lobbied to get CP25 released for grazing due to severe drought conditions impacting many counties in Kansas. We continued this push with congressional offices and discussion regarding the 2018 Farm Bill (H.R. 2).
The Senate Agriculture Committee and the House Agriculture Committee have held hearings in Washington, DC and listening tours across the country to prepare for the 2018 Farm Bill. Kansas Farm Bureau supported changes included in the 2018 Farm Bill (H.R. 2) simplifying ARC-CO, PLC, rural development and conservation programs. Crop insurance was KFB's number one goal to strengthen and protect in the 2018 Farm Bill conversation. Promoting trade through the Farm Bill and USDA-FAS is important to move Kansas agricultural products across the globe.
17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None
U.S. SENATE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Agriculture - Dept of (USDA)
18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area
| First Name | Last Name | Suffix | Covered Official Position (if applicable) | New |
Ryan |
Flickner |
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19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None
LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.
15. General issue area code CAW
16. Specific lobbying issues
KFB continues to discuss the consequences of the the Water of the United States (WOTUS) rule and lobby for it to be fully repealed by Congress. KFB supports Acting EPA Administrator Wheeler's efforts to roll out a new Clean Water, Clear Rule to replace the previous WOTUS regulations.
KFB supports S. 517 and HR 1311, which gives ethanol a fair opportunity to be sold throughout the year. Retailers should be able to choose what products they sell at the fuel pump. KFB also is not in favor of the ethanol point of obligation to be changed. KFB has lobbied the Kansas congressional delegation and Administrator Wheeler to engage in conversations taking place at the White House regarding ethanol, specifically supporting E15 to be sold all year long, and we look forward to the update rule being released so that E15 may be sold starting in the summer of 2019.
KFB continues to support sound science and the ability for farmers to utilize the latest herbicide technology on their 2018 crops. We lobbied for dicamba to be re-registered and approved in 2019 crop seasons and beyond.
KFB discussed the importance of annual prescribed wildfires to maintain and preserve the native ecosystem of the Flint Hills (tallgrass) prairie system with EPA.
17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None
U.S. SENATE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Army - Dept of (Corps of Engineers)
18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area
| First Name | Last Name | Suffix | Covered Official Position (if applicable) | New |
Ryan |
Flickner |
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19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None
LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.
15. General issue area code ANI
16. Specific lobbying issues
We oppose the USFWS listing the lesser prairie chicken and monarch butterfly as a threatened or endangered species. We oppose USFWS taking land out of production by using pollinator programs, CRP or any other government program and placing it on private lands for single-species recovery efforts.
Kansas Farm Bureau is concerned about potential restrictions on private lands as various state and federal agencies study the monarch butterfly population. Utilizing the Conservation Reserve Program at USDA to increase pollinator habitat has potential pitfalls and needs to be utilized cautiously.
KFB visited with the local manager at the Quivira National Wildlife Refuge in Stafford County, Kansas to discuss their impairment claim in May. Follow up conversations with the Kansas congressional delegation have continued since the tour. We supported our congressional delegation to make contact asking the USFWS to provide technical assistance to implement augmentation on the refuge. USFWS needs to work with adjacent private landowners and the Kansas Department of Agriculture-Division of Water Resources to come to a mutually beneficial agreement as it pertains to a water right and management agreement of the refuge.
Conversations regarding the CREP-CRP program and how it may be used in the Rattlesnake Creek basin have been on going as one potential avenue to help address the situation at Quivira NWR.
17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None
U.S. SENATE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), Agriculture - Dept of (USDA)
18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area
| First Name | Last Name | Suffix | Covered Official Position (if applicable) | New |
Ryan |
Flickner |
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19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None
LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.
15. General issue area code FOO
16. Specific lobbying issues
KFB continues to monitor the implementation of the agricultural biotech labeling measure passed by the previous Congress. We also are monitoring how nutrition labels, ingredients and calorie counts will be placed on products. KFB supports the label of "meat" only applying to products produced by live animals raised from an agricultural producer. We support USDA fully utilizing their authority over any product that contains cells or products derived from animals. Similarly, we believe the definition of milk is a product derived from a lactating mammal, not plant based byproducts.
17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S. SENATE, Agriculture - Dept of (USDA)
18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area
| First Name | Last Name | Suffix | Covered Official Position (if applicable) | New |
Ryan |
Flickner |
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19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None
LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.
15. General issue area code TAX
16. Specific lobbying issues
The tax reform discussion has been ongoing for many years. KFB supported H.R. 1, the Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017. After being signed into law it is now Public Law No: 115-97.
Moving forward, farmers and ranchers need permanent tax provisions to provide certainty after 10 years. Agriculture is a high-risk, high-input, capital-intensive business and these provisions are essential to success. We believe the estate tax must be repealed.
Kansas Farm Bureau supports retroactively extending the biodiesel tax credit for biodiesel produced in 2018 and future years. We continue to monitor the tax extenders discussion occurring in the House and Senate.
17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None
U.S. SENATE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area
| First Name | Last Name | Suffix | Covered Official Position (if applicable) | New |
Ryan |
Flickner |
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19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None
LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.
15. General issue area code TRD
16. Specific lobbying issues
KFB strongly supports free, fair and open trade and market access around the globe. We support agricultural trade with our NAFTA partners, counties that were previously part of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), KORUS, and the E.U. We strongly support strengthening trade relations with China. We do not support agriculture being utilized as a pawn in the trading game and tariffs being placed on Kansas agriculture products such as soybeans, sorghum, cor, pork, and beef.
In July, USDA announced the Market Facilitation Program (MFP) as a way to mitigate for trade distortions. Offering MFP assistance based of the 2018 production limits the opportunity for producers impacted by drought or other weather events from being fairy compensated by the trade tariffs.
A group of Kansas producers lobbied USTR in September to protect agriculture from unfair trade retaliations. Kansas agriculturalist need certainty and open markets to trade the commodities and livestock products they grow and raise. Finding a solution to NAFTA is of the utmost importance. Continuing to dialog with China is strongly encouraged.
Conversations regarding the second round of MFP payments occurred in November and December. We are encouraged producers will have ample opportunity to sign up and prove production of 2018 harvest yields once the government reopens. Given the 2018 fall harvest was impacted greatly by weather conditions, communication and direction to producers will be necessary.
17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None
U.S. SENATE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), Agriculture - Dept of (USDA)
18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area
| First Name | Last Name | Suffix | Covered Official Position (if applicable) | New |
Ryan |
Flickner |
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19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None
LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.
15. General issue area code TRA
16. Specific lobbying issues
Rural infrastructure including broadband, highways, water ways and rail systems are in need of improvement and modernization. Talks continue regarding an future infrastructure package. KFB continues to lobby to ensure rural America is included in infrastructure improvement bills, activities and projects. Research facilities at Land Grant Universities are in need of repair and upgrades; we support infrastructure funding focused towards deferred maintenance and repair backlogs.
Animal agriculture is unique in how it most move across the United States. Removing the Hours of Service requirement on the Electronic Log Devices (ELD) is a necessity in order to safely and humanely move livestock.
17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None
U.S. SENATE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Agriculture - Dept of (USDA), Transportation - Dept of (DOT), Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area
| First Name | Last Name | Suffix | Covered Official Position (if applicable) | New |
Ryan |
Flickner |
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19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None
LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.
15. General issue area code IMM
16. Specific lobbying issues
Agricultural producers are in need of labor year round.
We want to ensure there is a workable legal system and framework by which agricultural producers can access, employ and retain migrant farm laborers. Mandatory E-Verify does not work for most agricultural businesses. Kansas Farm Bureau supports a program such as H-2A, with increased caps, or H-2C as a way to address labor shortages on agricultural operations across the state.
Kansas Farm Bureau supported Chairman Goodlatte's approach to finding a solution to the labor challenges that exists on farms and ranches today. H.R. 4760 and H.R. 6136 include steps in the right direction to address the guest worker shortfalls that exist in rural America.
17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None
U.S. SENATE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area
| First Name | Last Name | Suffix | Covered Official Position (if applicable) | New |
Ryan |
Flickner |
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19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None
LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.
15. General issue area code TEC
16. Specific lobbying issues
Rural broadband, both hardwire and wireless, and telecommunication is extremely important to maintain rural communities, economic vitality and way of life. KFB advocated for the FCC and USDA-RD to further invest in rural communities, not only within city limits but also in rural, unincorporated farm and ranch lands.
KFB applied for and was granted a waiver in order to participate in the MF-II (Mobility Fund phase 2) which FCC held open until November. KFB has been in communication with the FCC to ensure KFB fully understand the process in which the MF-II is operating. Kansas Farm Bureau collected more than 6,000 unique data points as part of our MF-II challenge. We were able to validate 15 and 6 areas of the state of Kansas were proven to have inadequate cell phone coverage compared to what telecommunications providers told the FCC.
17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None
U.S. SENATE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Agriculture - Dept of (USDA)
18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area
| First Name | Last Name | Suffix | Covered Official Position (if applicable) | New |
Ryan |
Flickner |
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19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None
Information Update Page - Complete ONLY where registration information has changed.
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21. Client new principal place of business (if different than line 20)
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22. New General description of client’s business or activities
LOBBYIST UPDATE
23. Name of each previously reported individual who is no longer expected to act as a lobbyist for the client
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ISSUE UPDATE
24. General lobbying issue that no longer pertains
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AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS
25. Add the following affiliated organization(s)
Internet Address:
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26. Name of each previously reported organization that is no longer affiliated with the registrant or client
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FOREIGN ENTITIES
27. Add the following foreign entities:
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28. Name of each previously reported foreign entity that no longer owns, or controls, or is affiliated with the registrant, client or affiliated organization
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