![Top House Ag Republican Wants Enhanced Safety Net](http://townsquare.media/site/1144/files/2022/12/attachment-Glenn-Thompson-Floor.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Top House Ag Republican Wants Enhanced Safety Net
The top Republican on the House Ag Committee wants a stronger safety net for U.S. farmers. Pennsylvania Republican Glenn Thompson wants Congress to strengthen crop insurance and farm subsidy programs so producers don’t have to rely on stop-gap federal aid to survive challenges like trade wars, natural disasters, and COVID-19.
“The need for a reliable farm safety net is paramount,” says Thompson. He will likely become the committee chair in January when Republicans gain a slim majority in the House. According to Agriculture.com, almost 80% of federal agriculture funding has moved through bailout programs since 2018. Farm groups want higher reference prices, a factor in calculating subsidy payments, and more protection under the federal crop insurance program.
Some industry experts say a status-quo farm bill is possible because of the small majorities in the House and Senate and a potential lack of new funding sources for the Farm Bill.
If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-9791, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@townsquaremedia.com
More From PNW Ag Network
![Farm Bill Simplified: Conservation](http://townsquare.media/site/1144/files/2020/07/Water-Pond-1.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![WA Farmer Faces Max Penalty on False Crop Insurance Claims](http://townsquare.media/site/1144/files/2022/04/Combine-Wheat-Harvest-2022-2.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![What Is Needed in the Farm Bill](http://townsquare.media/site/1144/files/2022/08/attachment-Farm-Stock-50.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![New Report Links National Security and Global Hunger](http://townsquare.media/site/1144/files/2020/05/Hunger-2020-1-scaled.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![How is The Political Landscape Impacting Rural America?](http://townsquare.media/site/1144/files/2020/03/US-Capitol-STOCK-8-1024x764-1.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![COVID Vaccine May Be Like Flu Shot In The Future](http://townsquare.media/site/1144/files/2020/08/COVID-Virus-2-scaled.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Schrier: Farm Bill Chair Role Great For The 8th](http://townsquare.media/site/1144/files/2020/03/Farm-STOCK-19.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![New Coalition Calls for Robust Farm Bill Agriculture and Nutrition Funding](http://townsquare.media/site/1144/files/2020/08/Fence-Post-Clear-Summer-2.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Newton: Working Up The Farm Bill Will Be Challenging](http://townsquare.media/site/1144/files/2020/02/US-Capitol-STOCK-11-scaled.jpg?w=980&q=75)