With a $1.3 trillion omnibus spending bill approved by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump, a Kansas congressman will focus on a 2018 farm bill in the upcoming weeks.
U.S. Rep. Roger Marshall, a Republican who represents the First District, conducted a question and answer session March 23 at the 3i Show in Dodge City, Kansas. Lt. Gov. Tracy Mann was at the 3i Show March 22 and outlined concerns he has heard at the state level.
Marshall, a member of the House Agriculture Committee, expects the framework of a farm bill to be completed and out of committee in the next few weeks so farmers and ranchers can digest it.
Crop insurance should remain intact as a program staple particularly as producers continue to experience persistently low prices per bushel. He had staff members write down several questions from producers about tweaks that could be done to streamline and provide greater protection for their operations. He said Risk Management Agency data will still serve as a benchmark.
He expects the Conservation Reserve Program to continue with the same number of dollars as the current program, but it is possible more acreage may be allowed to be enrolled in the new bill. Right now there are about 24 million acres enrolled and the new farm bill may allow 30 million acres.
The nutrition component is where most of the farm bill dollars are spent and he does not expect it to be stripped out like some lawmakers would like to do.
“I live in a practical world,” Marshall said. “No way we will pass a farm bill without nutrition in it.”
He has advocated requiring a healthy adult recipient to take 20 hours of training or serve as volunteers as a condition of receiving benefits, which is a cause championed by Republican leaders on the committee. In answering a question later about the concern of its practicality in sparsely populated areas, Marshall said he would have to see the final language in the bill. He said technology such as Skype or similar methods might be an option. He used telemedicine as an example in which technology allows new techniques to reach remote clinics.
Democrats on the committee have withdrawn their support of the nutritional requirement until they see a full text of the farm bill, he said.
Sen. Pat Roberts, R-KS, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, has pledged to work on the legislation as soon as it heads over from the House. The Senate needs 60 votes to pass a farm bill while the House needs a simply majority so Marshall expects a final bill to have revisions.
RFS
The Renewable Fuel Standard should be safe until at least 2022. The program is popular with producers and while Sen. Ted Cruz, R-TX, is a powerful critic, Marshall said the RFS has bipartisan support. Kansas has 10 ethanol plants and they have worked together to provide a unified approach.
Trade matters
He also noted the importance of trade and trade relations particularly with Mexico and Canada are important and he believes an agreement will be reached that will be beneficial to all three countries. A possible trade war with China has ramifications for agriculture, the freshman congressman said, adding Trump has spelled out what he believes needs to be corrected between the two economic superpowers.
Agriculture has benefited by selling in expanding markets in the Pacific Rim, Marshall said. Japan likes U.S. beef so having agreements in place to facilitate trade make sense, he said, and one proposed agreement that Trump has balked at makes sense to him.
“I think the Trans-Pacific Partnership would be a better way to deal with China,” Marshall said.
A $1.3 trillion omnibus bill is going to help farmers and ranchers, Marshall said as provisions included a fix to the Section 199A as part of the recent tax law change that affected grain companies and cooperatives, delay of the Electronic Logging Device mandate on livestock haulers, expanding rural broadband access. Other parts include funding Farm Service Agency offices. Money will also be available for highway programs on a cost-share basis.
Rains have helped
Mann, a Quinter, Kansas native, said recent rains helped the mood of farmers. He helped with the ribbon cutting to open the 3i Show on March 22 on behalf of his boss—Gov. Jeff Colyer.
“Virtually the entire state got some rain and people are emotionally feeling a little better,” Mann said. “The drought and low commodity prices are on the minds of producers. The governor understands the importance of agriculture to the state’s economy and he is doing all he can to help agriculture.”
Keeping trade before Trump is the governor’s mission, Mann said.
Colyer and Mann have signed letters to express concerns about what could happen to commodity prices if the U.S. withdraws from the North American Free Trade Agreement as Trump has threatened to do. They have also spoken to Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue.
Mann, who grew upon a Gove County farm, said other lieutenant governors across the Midwest are in agreement.
“We have an opportunity to improve NAFTA,” he said, adding that progress is being made for a renegotiated pact with Canada and Mexico.
As of March 22, about six of 30 disputes have been resolved.
While the Trump administration is at odds with China, Kansas grain sorghum producers caught the brunt of a China’s retaliation when Trump slapped tariffs on the imports of solar panels and washing machines. China responded by launching an anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigation against the U.S. The decision dropped sorghum futures 25 percent, Colyer said.
“Agriculture is so intertwined with all we do from a world trade standpoint,” Mann said.
Dave Bergmeier can be reached at 620-227-1822 or [email protected].
