Industry leaders call on Congress to pass farm bill
Throughout the month of February, representatives from numerous agricultural groups testified before the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry on the state of the U.S. ag industry and called on Congress to pass an updated farm bill as soon as possible.
The first hearing, held on Feb. 5 at the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C. featured farming industry representatives from the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), National Farmers Union (NFU), National Cotton Council, National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG), National Barley Growers Association, National Sorghum Producers, American Soybean Association, American Sugarbeet rowers Association, U.S. Peanut Federation and USA Rice.
Three weeks later, the committee heard from the livestock and poultry sectors on Feb. 26 at the Hart Senate Office Building, including representatives from the American Sheep Industry Association (ASI), National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), National Turkey Federation (NTF) and United Egg Producers (UEP).
Farm safety net
As the first line of defense against unpredictable weather and ongoing drought conditions, NAWG President Keeff Felty noted crop insurance is one of the strongest pillars of the farm bill’s safety net.
“As we continue to have conversations about the reauthorization of the farm bill, NAWG will continue to place crop insurance as one of our top policy priorities,” Felty said during his testimony. “NAWG opposes any proposed cuts to crop insurance and supports efforts to make crop insurance more affordable for producers.”
Felty also brought up the issue of outdated reference prices and the need for a stronger Title I program. NFU President Rob Larew; NCGA President Kenneth Hartman, Jr. and AFBF President Zippy Duvall reiterated this sentiment in their respective testimonies.
Larew remarked, “The farm safety net should ensure family farmers and ranchers can achieve sustainable net farm income. Unfortunately, farmers continue to face high input costs, high interest rates and low commodity prices which are often below the cost of production. Many farmers are struggling to break even, and the current safety net is inadequate to protect farmers in today’s economic environment.”
Larew was also one of several industry representatives who commented on expanding disaster assistance and risk management programs.
In his testimony, Larew called on Congress to establish permanent disaster programs in the farm bill, written with “appropriate eligibility and payment caps, provisions to incentivize the use of conservation-focused farming practices and safeguards to avoid practices which could undermine crop insurance.”
He was joined in this opinion by ASI President Ben Lehfeldt, NCBA President Buck Wehrbein, NMPF Board Member Harold Howrigan and Duvall.
Labor reform
Workforce shortages have plagued the ag industry for years and with President Donald J. Trump back in office, the discussion on labor reform has resurfaced stronger than ever.
Nearly every representative to testify mentioned ag labor issues.
Duvall stated, “One of the greatest domestic policy threats to American agriculture is the persistent inaction to find a solution to our workforce needs. In short, the costs are too high, the domestic willingness to work is too low and family farms are closing down. This is our heartbreaking reality, and it has direct and tangible impacts on our rural communities.”
In their testimonies, Lehfeldt, Wehrbein, Howrigan, Larew and NPPC President Lori Stevermer called on Congress to reform the H-2A Visa Program, including access to year-round workers, the ability for processors to utilize the program and to move the program under the administration of the U.S. Department of Agriculture where producers are better understood.
Howrigan reiterated the importance of a year-round workforce, noting milk production is a seven-days-a-week, 365-days-a-year endeavor where cows require constant, daily care and handling – like many other livestock operations.
“Simply put, dairy farmers in the U.S. must rely on immigrant workers to ensure their herds are cared for and milked, ensure a strong milk supply system in the U.S. and keep the price of milk and dairy products affordable to U.S. consumers,” he said.
“Unfortunately, this nation’s single agricultural visa program focuses on a seasonal or temporary need for workers and excludes dairy farms with year-round needs from participation,” he added.
Additionally, Larew urged the committee to consider new grant intitiatives like the previous administration’s Farm Labor Stabilization and Protection Pilot Program to improve the supply, stability and training of the ag workforce.
“Increasing wage costs, a lack of available workers and farmworkers’ fears of deportation because of recent executive orders leave many farmers uncertain if they will soon be without access to a workforce,” Larew stated. “Congress should pass comprehensive immigration reform modeled on the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, a bipartisan bill introduced in the 116th, 117th and 118th Congresses.”
“Farmers need a long-term solution to these labor challenges, including the ability to hire skilled workers,” he continued. “We also encourage collaborative work between the Department of Labor and USDA to update the Adverse Effect Wage Rate to address the rising costs of H-2A wages.
Additionally, in his testimony, Lehfeldt noted ASI has re-established an industry H-2A working group with plans to present regulatory recommendations to Congress during the last week of March.
Animal health and disease
In the throes of a devastating highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak, multiple livestock and poultry representatives brought up the need for strong animal disease preparedness and response measures.
“The HPAI outbreak is a prime example of how important the farm bill is to our industry and the animal agriculture community,” said NTF Chairman John Zimmerman. “Foreign animal diseases can devastate the agricultural sector, posing long-term threats to the economic viability of U.S. livestock and poultry production.”
He continued, “The new farm bill must address these animal health risks while strengthening U.S. animal agriculture’s long-term competitiveness in the global market, ensuring a safe, wholesome and affordable food supply produced sustainably.”
The poultry industry has taken a brutal hit, with 162 million birds euthanized due to HPAI and an exponential fall in egg supply.
In response, UEP Board Member Tony Wesner noted the importance of adopting an aggressive vaccination strategy – and trade strategy to avoid harming exports – correcting indemnity calculations for laying hens and pullets; addressing inter-species transfer of HPAI and establishing an HPAI Strategic Initiative to develop new methods for prevention, detection and response.
While HPAI is not fatal to dairy cows like it is to poultry, Howrigan explained the outbreak has still had an impact on dairy productivity and voiced support for vaccine development.
Foreign animal disease (FAD) is also a priority in the livestock industry.
In her testimony, Stevermer urged Congress to continue funding FAD programs including the National Animal Vaccine and Veterinary Countermeasures Bank, National Animal Health Laboratory Network, National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program, National Veterinary Stockpile, Feral Swine Eradication and Control Pilot Program and Agricultural Quarantine and Inspection Services User Fees Program.
Trade and marketing
Trade and marketing are also essential to all sectors of the ag industry, and provisions regarding the two were mentioned in almost every testimony.
Larew was one of several industry representatives who commented on the need for fair, open and competitive markets, urging Congress to pass a farm bill with provisions to strengthen livestock competition law enforcement; protect the Packers and Stockyards Act; initiate the development and expansion of alternative, local and regional markets and establish the right to repair farm equipment.
He and Howrigan voiced support for doubling funding for the Market Access Program and Foreign Market Develop Program.
He also reminded Congress to be mindful of the far-reaching impacts implementing tariffs will have.
“If used carefully, tariffs can be important tools for trade negotiations and for shielding domestic producers from the effects of unfair foreign trade practices,” Larew stated. “As Trump begins implementing his 2025 trade agenda, policymakers should remember the significant impacts of past trade wars on the farm economy.”
“Although our trading partners must be held accountable to agreements, past tariffs on goods from China resulted in severe and damaging retaliation against American family farmers and ranchers,” he added. “Our members suffered significant losses from the trade dispute with China and lost valuable market share, particularly for soybeans, to competitors like Brazil.”
With this, he noted the upcoming six-year review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement poses an opportunity to create a more beneficial trade model.
Wehrbein commented on the importance of holding trade partners to America’s high standards in an effort to prevent FADs, especially foot and mouth disease, from crossing the border, and Stevermer requested comprehensive trade agreements that eliminate or reduce tariffs and nontariff barriers to U.S. exports.
“While our two million U.S. farms and ranches are the backbone of America’s food and agricultural sector, the impact of decreased exports and resulting economic fallout reverberates throughout the economy,” Duvall remarked. “We believe an agricultural trade agenda must focus on maintaining existing markets and completing trade agreements to expand market access for U.S. agricultural products.”
“By eliminating and reducing foreign tariff and nontariff trade barriers, American producers will gain export market opportunities. Congress must protect American agriculture and modern production practices from undue burden and respect farmers’ and ranchers’ ability to innovate and solve problems,” he concluded.
Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
