Walmsley: Funding Ag Needs Must Be A Priority For The New Congress

Funding will be one of the biggest challenges in writing the next Farm Bill as the new Congress prepares to grapple with that and many other priorities.  The American Farm Bureau said there’s no question, the need is there.  Farm profits have been squeezed for some time, and the AFBF’s Andrew Walmsley says support triggers aren’t high enough.

“I think there’s a recognition our farmers are facing pretty high inflationary and high input prices, and there’s a need to address reference prices. We’re hopeful that the committees will have the resources they need to address the needs that our members are identifying.”

Walmsley said Congress could rearrange existing dollars given new conservation dollars from the Inflation Reduction Act, though moves from that title to commodities are hard to see.

"I think, in theory, Congress could move those dollars around.  I definitely think it will be a focus of discussion on what we can do to improve our conservation programs.  Politically, however, I don’t really see a pathway forward where you move those dollars out of the conservation title.”   

AFBF President Zippy Duvall called the Farm Bill a “critical piece of legislation,” but one that can only be strengthened if the new Congress provides the needed resources.

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