Brian Glenn
Director, Government Affairs
Chad Smith
Associate News Service Editor, NAFB
The Senate Ag Committee released a draft version of farm bill text this week. Chad Smith has more on what's next.
Smith: After several months of anticipation, Senate Ag Committee Chair John Boozman has released a 900-page
draft farm bill for discussion. Brian Glenn, director of government affairs for the American Farm Bureau Federation, said the text contains important policy updates.
Glenn: Increased loan limits and enhanced financing options for farmers and ranchers, which certainly is important. Additionally, significant investments in specialty crops across several titles to help ensure specialty crop growers have access to a wider range of tools. The bill enhances and streamlines conservation programs that farmers rely on.
Smith: Glenn said it is critical for Congress to get a farm bill done this year, but there are still several steps left in the process.
Glenn: The chairman welcomes feedback from stakeholders on this draft, and there will be continued negotiations and discussion among Senate Ag committee members. This will lead into a markup of the bill in the Senate Ag Committee, which Chairman Boozman has said should occur before Congress embarks on our August recess.
Glenn: We are also calling on Congress to deliver on priorities that are not included in this discussion draft, including providing economic aid to help farmers handle historic inflation, protecting interstate commerce from a patchwork of state laws, and approving the sale of E15-blended fuel year-round.