The following opinion piece originally ran on Agri-Pulse on December 13, 2024. There is no shortage of adages about the consequences of ignoring a serious problem. They all agree that a serious problem doesn’t just go away but gets worse, and delays in addressing the issue only make the solution all the harder to come…
The Thanksgiving leftovers are put away and holiday decorations are beginning to light front porches and mantles. With only a few weeks left before the new year – and even fewer before the 118th Congress is adjourned – policymakers are tasked with a hefty to-do list. Many lawmakers are already vowing to circle back on…
Imagine for a moment sitting down at the dining table on Thanksgiving only to find empty plates – no turkey, gravy, and stuffing; no pumpkin pie or rolls; no sweet potato or green bean casserole to be had. Thankfully, that’s not the case, because America’s farm and ranch families work with grit and determination every…
When it comes to the federal budget, there is no better investment than smart farm policy. That’s why we’ve been sharing our top 10 reasons why we must pass a Farm Bill this year. Did you know that the 2018 Farm Bill expired on September 30, 2023? Farm and ranch families are facing rising input…
*NEW PODCAST EPISODE* As key provisions of the 2018 Farm Bill are set to expire, financial conditions in farm country are spelling out the dire need for a robust Farm Bill with an enhanced farm safety net to support the families who provide us in the U.S. with the safest, most abundant, and most affordable…
The following opinion piece originally ran on Agri-Pulse on October 1, 2024. Over the past two years, Congress has held numerous hearings that have documented a brewing financial crisis caused by falling commodity prices, high input costs, and tightening farm credit. Members have heard from farmers and ranchers across the country about the need for a…
Recorded on September 18, 2024 *New Podcast Episode* “I don’t want to be discouraging this morning, but it’s important to provide a glimpse of today’s economic picture for agriculture. Unless conditions change, we are facing a perfect storm, though I don’t think it will be fully understood until next year when farmers are unable to…
Farmers and ranchers from across the U.S. left their fields at a pivotal time earlier this month with a united cause and rallying cry – we need a Farm Bill NOW! In advance of the fly-in, more than 300 farm and ranch groups sent a letter to the Majority and Minority leaders in the House…
This content was originally posted via National Corn Growers Association. Citing worsening economic conditions impacting the nation’s farmers, over 300 national and state groups, including the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and its affiliated corn state grower associations, sent a letter to congressional leaders today calling on them to pass the farm bill before year’s…
The 2018 Farm Bill, signed into law in December of 2018, expired on September 30, 2023. An extension at the tail end of last year shifted that expiration date to September 30, 2024. The current situation in farm country looks vastly different than it did in 2018, and the conditions for a farm financial crisis…
*NEW PODCAST EPISODE* It’s no secret that America’s farm and ranch families are facing a myriad of challenges, and with no end in sight for Farm Bill negotiations, many have begun to wonder, where do we go from here? In our latest Groundwork podcast, we reflect on lessons learned from past Farm Bills and take…
From plunging crop prices to rising interest rates and high input costs – not to mention natural disasters – America’s farmers and ranchers are facing a myriad of challenges. New challenges warrant the need for stronger protections, but producers only have an outdated farm safety net to rely on under the current Farm Bill as…
The following opinion piece originally ran on Agri-Pulse on July 11, 2024. Plummeting crop prices. High input costs. Rising interest rates. Tightening credit. Severe and chronic natural disasters. Record U.S. agricultural trade deficits. A global economic downturn. A record fall in net farm income. An outdated farm safety net. At long last, something’s got to give.…
House Agriculture Committee Chairman, Congressman G.T. Thompson (R-PA) on May 17 unveiled the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024. In advance of the full House Agriculture Committee marking up the legislation on Thursday, May 23, we thought we’d highlight what key agriculture groups – the long-standing credible associations representing the farm and ranch…
The long-awaited 2024 Farm Bill is picking up steam as both the House and Senate Agriculture Committees press forward, releasing key documents and proposals. In fact, the House Agriculture Committee has scheduled a full Committee mark-up for May 23. The last Farm Bill was negotiated, passed, and signed into law in 2018. More than half…
*NEW PODCAST EPISODE* “Farm and food security is national security, and good farm policy isn’t written by D.C. bureaucrats for D.C. bureaucrats; it’s written by farmers in rural America for farmers in rural America.” This powerful statement came from Congressman Brad Finstad (R-MN) during a House Agriculture Committee Hearing on February 14 – laying bare the…