Q&A: Where Things Stand on the Farm Bill

Q&A: Where Things Stand on the Farm Bill

With U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley

Q: What legislative priorities were you able to secure in the current Senate Farm Bill so far?

A: The Senate Agriculture Committee recently met to consider the long-delayed Farm Bill. Building upon substantive reforms enacted last year to strengthen the farm safety net in the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, farmers and rural communities are counting on Congress to enact a full, five-year Farm Bill to bring much-needed certainty to the struggling ag economy. As a lifelong family farmer, I understand the financial hardship farm families are facing today to keep their operations afloat. It's costing more money to put crops in the ground than what farmers are getting when they market their crops. High input costs, low commodity prices and trade uncertainty put farmers in an unsustainable financial situation. We can't afford to repeat the mistakes of the 1980s Farm Crisis. That's why I keep in touch with producers, commodity groups and community bankers to stay on top of the challenges in farm country. That feedback informs my work on behalf of farm families at the policymaking table to address market uncertainty and deliver stability.

During the committee's work on the Farm Bill, a number of my legislative priorities were included to support family farmers and boost the ag economy, including:

• Year-Round E15, which would deliver a $14 billion boost in corn demand and lower prices at the pump by up to 40 cents per gallon.

• Improvements to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission whistleblower program to help uphold integrity in U.S. commodity markets that farmers use to manage risk and lock in prices for their crops.

• Transparency tools to help bring down fertilizer, seed and fuel costs.

Q: Where does the Farm Bill stand in the Senate?

A: I'm disappointed the bipartisan, regional alliance that has helped shape the nation's Farm Bills for decades is on shaky ground. After hours of debate and a series of votes on amendments, the Senate Agriculture Committee did not advance the Farm Bill after every Democrat on the committee voted no. They chose to block the Farm Bill in protest over commonsense reforms to curb waste in the food stamp program, known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Their partisan blockade puts passage of the Farm Bill in jeopardy and leaves farm families hanging in the balance. Both Sen. Joni Ernst and I voted to advance the Farm Bill. The committee recessed so debate on the Farm Bill can continue in September and hopefully prove to be more fruitful.

The House of Representatives has already passed a version of the Farm Bill, backed by Iowa Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Ashley Hinson, Zach Nunn and Randy Feenstra. In the Senate, I'm going to continue fighting to get the Farm Bill to the president's desk this year. That includes my efforts to deliver year-round E15, drive down input costs, fix Proposition 12, enact sensible farm payment reforms to reinforce the integrity of the farm safety net and sharpen tools at the USDA to stop anticompetitive practices in the meatpacking industry. Rural Americans are counting on us to get the job done.

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