Congress Faces a Challenge in Passing Timely Farm Bill
Published: Friday, July 21, 2023
Ranking Member of the Ag Committee John Boozman (R-Ark.) came together on Tuesday with Sens. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) to discuss the 2023 Farm Bill with Hoosier farmers on Kevin Underwood's farm in West Lafayette. As the Sept. 30 farm bill deadline approaches, Braun and Boozman say the biggest challenge going forward is buckling down to get it done. In the case of slow progress, Boozman indicated Oct. 1 or Jan. 1 as a new deadline for the bill.
"We're hearing a common theme. This is a big farm bill and we'll make sure the farming portion of it is going to be represented, not changed," Braun said, listing some of the top concerns for the bill. "I can tell that there is concern that the crop insurance stay in place, and I see no reason that it won't. Things never work quickly in Congress, and I don't know that we'll get done by the end of the fiscal year."
Broadband is an increasing concern in the agricultural community. Braun, Boozman and Young say there is no concern about broadband not reaching every county, but installing it everywhere nationwide takes time and patience.
Other concerns Braun spoke to include timing, governmental spending accountability and agricultural trade.
"Trade has gotten even more complicated because the main trading partner out there is the country that seems to break all the rules. So, they will trade with you when they need you. They do things like forced technology transfers and if they over-produce, they dump the glut. They've got to start behaving like most other players do, and that's by the norms of what free and fair trade is about, and I'm referring to China," he said.
He went on to say that China needs to make the necessary changes to become a desirable long-term trade partner.
Boozman has been traveling throughout the states to discuss farm bill concerns. The No. 1 concern he has heard is about risk management tools; farmers want to strengthen them and update them to today's needs.
He said they need to be "up-to-date with the world today, which is very different than it was in 2018."
Other thematic concerns he has heard include: strong trade, research and development, labor and risk management.
"When you look at a farm bill, you simply have to have the risk management tools that you need, so that you know that if a hailstorm comes, you have some sort of a situation that you don't get the yields that you like, that you're not going to be left out," he said.
He also mentioned the importance of working with local bankers to ensure risk management is effective, affordable and efficient.
"The No. 1 thing we have to do is make sure the risk management tools, crop insurance, ARC, PLC, those things work together," he said.
Nearly 40 people arrived to voice concerns, including farmers, representatives from the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, Indiana Corn Growers Assn., Indiana Soybean Alliance, the Soil and Water Conservation District, Indiana Pork Assn., Corteva, food banks and others. While the statewide discussion was mostly attended by local county members and surrounding county members, farmers came from as far as Marshall County to talk to the senators.
"We learned a long time ago that the answer to our problems needs to come from the ground, up," Boozman said in his opening comments.
Young named areas in Indiana's agriculture that he finds important to Hoosiers for the farm bill, including education, labor and research and development.
With that, they opened the floor to questions. Concerns discussed at the INFB event include: immigration, H2A and the ag workforce; protection against foreign animal disease; Prop 12; the Small Farms Act; regulations; and the Nutrition Title.
The leading question was whether the farm bill could impact workforce regulations concerning H2A and employees who are minors to help ease the labor pressures in the ag industry.
Braun pointed to life skills classes in Indiana's schools to increase the understanding and interest in the ag industry in young people. He said that because life skill classes are no longer mandatory, many youths simply don't have the knowledge needed to enter the ag workforce, causing a shortage of minor workers. The solution starts in the schools, he said.
Boozman discussed demographics and H2A. As many in the Baby Boomer generation are retiring or nearing retirement, a large gap is made, and fewer people are available to fill it because people are marrying later and having fewer children.
"Programs like the H2A are the solution," he said.
However, he notes that some are trying to unionize farm labor, and H2A hampers that process.
Young warned that some problems won't be solved by the farm bill and H2A, with several complex ties, is expected to be one of them. However, he said updates needed for the H2A program may be addressed in border security if it cannot be resolved in the farm bill.
A concern mentioned by Indiana Pork Assn. representatives was the research and development portion of the farm bill and its role in addressing animal pandemics such as the swine flu and the recent avian flu.
Braun and Boozman said they expect the funding for research and development to remain as it currently is in the farm bill. Braun added that all scientific efforts in government need to remain because it is vital to remain financially and developmentally competitive.
"If you're not researching and developing, you're stagnating," Braun said. "It's part of building a better future."
Boozman said he is committed to having all the tools needed to prevent animal diseases available for farmers. He also said Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) funding is important and will be supported.
Prop 12 is more likely to be solved in the courts and by citizen input than by the 2023 Farm Bill, the senators said. Boozman encourages every farmer to get active in the various agricultural organizations and committees to fight for their position.
The Relief for Small Farms Act was also discussed. This act offers financial assistance and loan forgiveness to small farmers. Braun does not see this act gaining a lot of ground for the 2023 Farm Bill.
Boozman joined in, warning farmers about the possibility for regulation in the Relief for Small Farms Act. He says many such acts are intended to advocate for farmers, but instead hinder them with regulations.
"These regulations are what kills small farms," he warned.
Finally, a representative of Feeding Indiana's Hungry informed the senators that local food banks are still reporting pandemic-level needs and asked for a $500 million plus inflation adaptation base in the Nutrition Title.
"That would be the proof in the pudding of how policies are working," Braun said concerning the food bank traffic. Inflation has "beaten back real wage gain" and hampered federal support, he added.
Also due to inflation, the senators do not expect to gain much funding for the farm bill but will instead need to reallocate funds to give various areas more attention. However, Boozman noted that the farm and agriculture portion continues to keep about $3 billion, which has become its normal.
He said 30-35% of the population in Arkansas and in Indiana are working poor, and lots of funding for nutrition and work training programs is available
"What we need to do is take those folks who are struggling and make minimum wage and give them the skills they need to make a living wage," he said.
Young added that they need and strive to deregulate wherever possible to increase people's chances to qualify for assistance through the Nutrition Title and overcome work challenges.
"It would be compassionate for us to find some bipartisan deregulatory measures to free up more money so people can feed themselves and their families," he said.
The senators traveled through Indiana, touring agricultural facilities such as Fair Oaks Farms, the Purdue Corn and Soybean Center and talking with farmers and the Purdue ag advisory committee. They ensured that they are getting some farm bill policies in writing for 2023 and are working to finalize it by the end of the year.
Return to Top of Page