The Farm Bill - An Important Piece of Legislation

The Farm Bill is a package of legislation passed about every 5 years, which affects farming jobs, the growing of crops and the kinds of food that are grown. Subjects covered are crop insurance (which provides protection for farmers in losses for crop revenue or whole farm revenue) and healthy food access for low-income families. The 12 titles of the bill also include: Commodities, construction, nutrition credit (designed to help farmers access the financial credit they need to grow and sustain farming operations), rural development, research, forestry, energy, horticulture, and miscellaneous. The bill does not include: workers’ rights, public land grazing rights, irrigation rights, FDA food safety, WIC, the clean water and air acts, to name a few.

The senate and the house committees in agriculture are in charge of writing the bill. Every 5 years the bill expires and is updated. The original Farm Bill began under FDR in the 1930’s, with 3 original goals: Keep food prices fair for farmers and consumers, ensure an adequate food supply, and protect and sustain our natural resources. The bill has changed in 70 years but these goals are the same.

In 2018 the bill was projected to cost 428 billion over 5 years, according to the congressional budget office. The current bill expired in Oct of 2023. Congress has passed two 1 year extensions under the American Relief Act. If Congress allows the bill to expire again in Oct 2025, it will make it harder for food producers to farm and care for their land.

In the US family farms account for approximately 96% of all farms. Agriculture is Arkansas largest industry. Yet, Arkansas Republican Senator Tom Cotton voted against the farm bill. Sixth generation farmer, Hallie Shoffner, who recently lost her family farm, has officially launched her campaign against him. “If I can’t farm, I’ll fight,” she says. To quote her: “As a sixth generation family farmer, I know what it’s like to fight tooth and nail for everything you have, and still get crushed by an economy that’s rigged against you.” In response to Cotton voting against the farm bill twice, she vowed that she’ll fight for a bill that gives farmers “room to breathe,” and argued that Cotton’s tax cuts are for “land barons” stating that “Republicans just blew a massive hole in our national debt.”

Here in NY farmers are facing workforce shortages (because of recent deportations), financial pressures and the impacts of climate change. Yet, Congress Rep Elise Stefanik of the 21st district, (home to 35,000 dairy farms, apple orchards and breweries) was recently booed off the stage and called a traitor by constituents at a local event in Plattsburgh.

In rural NY, the Trump admin is also responsible for the halting of 186 million in conservation payments to farmers. From the page of The Nature Conservancy: “The Farm Bill is America’s largest investment in the voluntary conservation, restoration and management of America’s private lands.”

The Trump admin froze billions in payments to rural NY farmers and small businesses for climate friendly projects approved by the Biden admin under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), stopping grants to plant trees, protect farmland from the effects of climate change, and to bring solar power and other forms of clean energy to farmers. On Trump’s first day, he ordered USDA (United States Dept of Agriculture) to stop all payments to IRA grants. He also froze 560,000 to Adirondack North Country (ANCA) a nonprofit in Saranac Lake, that fosters economic development for 8 small dairy, beef and vegetable farms, to help them become more resistant to heat, drought and heavy rains.

In a quote from ANCA staff manager: “Suddenly 8 farms that thought they had this amazing opportunity to grow are being stuck in their tracks, and the implications of that will be felt over many years. We’re losing funds to do good rural economic development work in a region that really, really needs it.”

Cites: Focus, Capitol Confidential, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, Nature Conservancy, Arkansas Advocate, Farm Journal Report, Fox News

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