Farm bill anxiety 

When it comes to a farm bill, United States Sen. Roger Marshall understands why farmers and ranchers are anxious. 

During the recent WIBW Live Ag Forum—during the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson at the People’s Bank and Trust Arena—the Kansas Republican senator, a member of the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, noted the current farm bill expires Sept. 30. He expects current provisions to stay in place until the 2023 bill is passed and signed by President Joe Biden at some point in 2024. 

“I’m as frustrated as anyone,” said Marshall adding, that farmers and ranchers and Congress understand its importance. “A farm bill gives us certainty.” 

While most farm bill monies are allocated for nutrition programs it also provides certainty with crop insurance. He tells his colleagues and urban constituents that crop insurance helps farmers to be able to buy seed to plant the following year’s crop, which is critical when they are coming off the heels of a crop failure. 

Marshall remembered it took an extension to get the 2018 bill approved and signed by then-President Donald Trump in late 2018. 

U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann, R-KS, a member of the House Committee on Agriculture, said it is important for Congress to have policies that help farmers and ranchers because they are the backbone of the economy. He said the U. S. is a free country because it understands the importance of food security. 

Mann said former Sen. Pat Roberts, the country’s only House and Senate ag committee chairman, often remarked that when people see or hear of reports of a hungry country, “you see a country in chaos.” 

With a $330 trillion federal debt, Marshall said there will be a push to reduce government spending. The ag committees have been working in a bipartisan manner but as Marshall noted that when there is an effort to add money for crop insurance or other direct programs to help farmers and ranchers, “The biggest challenge is how we’ll pay for more.” 

The 2018 farm bill budgeted $65 billion a year for nutrition programs and in the past two years the U.S Department of Agriculture was authorized to spend $180 billion a year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Senate writers have focused on $120 billion a year, Marshall said. 

Crop insurance is about 5% of the farm bill. As of now, he expects the next farm bill to cost about $1.6 trillion over a 10-year period. Marshall said since the passage of the 2018 farm bill, agricultural producers and consumers have dealt with a pandemic, higher inflation, interest and input costs. 

“This is an opportunity to make programs more efficient,” Marshall said. 

Mann said the farm bill does provide a safety net to help farmers as they plan for the current year and future years. A common theme he hears is producers need reference prices to reflect the challenges that were referenced by Marshall. Mann said the burden is shared by lenders in nearly all cases as they also understand the importance of well-written policies. 

Both elected officials believe in supporting programs to boost trade. While President Biden’s administration has endorsed trade both want to see more action than rhetoric. The lawmakers believe more could be done with the Federal Market Access and Federal Market Development programs. 

Marshall said farmers and ranchers can continue to benefit from trade with China but added that other matters also complicate the trade equation. 

The lawmakers would like to see the Biden administration have a clearer picture on policies regarding renewable fuels. Agriculture has been a consistent leader in environmental matters and renewable fuels, oil and gas, wind, solar and other sources must all be part of the equation to keep America strong. 

Marshall said year-around E-15 renewable fuel sales have bipartisan support in Congress. He agreed that a full complement of energy sources work in America’s best interests. Today, the U.S. has victimized itself because it does not have a comprehensive energy policy. 

“We need long-term solutions. Energy and agriculture go together like peanut butter and jelly,” Marshall said. 

Farmers and ranchers need to share their stories about the work it takes to produce food and fiber, Mann said. Marshall said all Americans need to understand where their food comes from, and farmers and ranchers should work closely with farm organizations who can help tell their story. 

The lawmakers also supported continuation of checkoff programs for promotion of commodities saying that long term it has helped farmers and ranchers. Both also opposed the creation of a stand-alone livestock title in a farm bill. Even if it is well-intended, they also fear it could create a layer of bureaucracy that hinders livestock producers. Mann said individual ranchers have found ways to improve their herds with genetics, entrepreneurship and pursuing added value without what he termed as federal government interference. 

Dave Bergmeier can be reached at 620-227-1822 or [email protected].