The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Food and Drug and Associated Agencies recently marked up their version of the FY 2013 Agriculture Funding Bill.

As reported in last week's Advocacy Alert, the 2012 Farm Bill, known formally as the Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act (S. 3240), was brought to the Senate floor for discussion. Since its introduction, more than 220 amendments (many having nothing to do with agriculture) have been filed.

On Friday, June 15, the Department of Homeland Security announced that, effective immediately, certain young people who were brought to the United States as children, do not present a risk to national security or public safety and meet several key criteria will be considered for relief from removal from the country.

Another closely watched vote was on the amendment offered by Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC). The amendment would have prohibited mandatory promotion and research orders, or checkoff programs.