With debate over the 2023 Farm Bill set to pick up in the coming months, commodity groups have been building their wish lists and letting lawmakers know what they would like to see in this year’s legislation.

 

Representative Dan Newhouse, a central Washington farmer, said for him, he wants a Farm Bill that encourages and promotes research and development.  He said it’s important American farmers are on the cutting edge when it comes to producing food and fiber.  Newhouse added the new Farm Bill must do a better job at addressing the catastrophic events farmers across the Northwest have faced over recent years.

 

“We've seen an unusual frequency of smoke related damage to agricultural crops many of these things have been kind of treated in in kind of an ad hoc manner and so trying to do a better job of covering some of these things through the farm that the insurance programs that are available.”

 

The Chair of the Western Caucus added lawmakers need to make those programs are more sustainable, allowing for predictability in farm country.  He added it’s not appropriate for farmers wonder if help will be available; they should know a needed safety net will be in place.

 

“Farm Bill is something that we pass once every five years it truly is an important part of agriculture success throughout the country, and I just had a long conversation with our perspective chairman of the Ag committee [Rep. Glenn Thompson] and he's determined to get the Farm Bill passed on time, so that farmers in our country will not be left wondering, and guessing, what Congress is going to do as it relates to farm programs.”

 

Newhouse added conservation issues will be another key topic of discussion as lawmakers work on the 2023 Farm Bill.

 

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