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 

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