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After four years—which seemingly went by at warp speed—it’s that time again. Stakeholders are spooling up for the 2018 Farm Bill’s expiration in September of 2023. Coalition creation: Veteran farm policymakers advised National Corn Growers’ Association members that nutrition and farm programs make a pair that lends the bill to both urban and rural support. They encouraged the strengthening of relationships with nutrition advocates, environmental groups, and minority farmers. Soundbite: “It’s time to kind of step back and say, I may not agree with that as a matter of policy, but these are constituency groups that can be enormously valuable to build a broader coalition,” said former Sen. Heidi Heitkamp. Meanwhile, in Iowa: Corn country representatives are starting to build their wish list for next year’s bill. So far, that list includes a few key things:
Or, slash spending: The Republican Study Committee proposed a budget package that would separate public nutrition programs from the Farm Bill and cut off federal crop insurance support. The proposal says it’s “pro-farmer” by cutting farm spending to support “pro-growth tax reforms and deregulatory measures.” Where this goes: House Agriculture Committee members are looking for feedback from producers, stakeholders, and consumers (aka, anyone). That feedback will be combined with hearings and listening sessions to build the 2023 Farm Bill. |
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