Mon Dec 10 Update - Conference Committee Announces Farm Bill

House and Senate Ag Committee Leaders Release Farm Bill Conference Report

House and Senate Agriculture Committee Chairmen Mike Conaway (R-Texas) and Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and Ranking Members Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) today released the text of the bipartisan, bicameral 2018 Farm Bill conference report.

 “America’s farmers and ranchers are weathering the fifth year of severe recession, so passing a farm bill this week that strengthens the farm safety net is vitally important,” said Chairman Conaway. “I am grateful to the President, Secretary Perdue and my leadership for standing fast for the hard-working farm and ranch families that clothe and feed us. I also appreciate the members of the conference committee for bringing this process one step closer to completion.”

“The 2018 Farm Bill is our opportunity to make the American food and agriculture systems work more efficiently. I’m pleased to say we have done just that in this conference report,” said Chairman Roberts. “We started this journey nearly two years ago. Since then, the Senate Agriculture Committee has held dozens of hearings, listened to more than 90 witnesses, and received thousands of public comments. As promised, this farm bill provides much needed certainty and predictability for all producers – of all crops – across all regions across the country. I thank my counterparts in the Senate and House for coming to – and staying at – the table to reach a bipartisan, bicameral agreement for rural America.”

 “This bill is a strong start to addressing the issues our producers are facing right now, particularly our dairy farmers,” said Ranking Member Peterson. “The bill’s new provisions will offer more flexible coverage for lower cost when dairy farmers need it most, and provide producers more tools to manage their risk. It also invests $300 million in the prevention and response for animal pests and disease. More broadly, the bill invests in research, outreach to beginning & underserved producers, local and organic food production, bioenergy, and access to new markets. It also addresses broadband, farm stress and mental health issues, and the opioid epidemic in rural areas. It’s the product of strong bipartisan work in both the House and the Senate, and it’s something I’m proud to encourage folks to vote for.”

“By working across the aisle, we overcame many differences to deliver a strong, bipartisan farm bill for our farmers, families, and rural communities,” said Ranking Member Stabenow. “The 2018 Farm Bill is a good bill for our farmers and everyone who eats. Working together, we continued to expand the diversity of our agricultural economy, maintained a strong food and farm safety net, created new opportunities in our small towns and rural communities, and made significant investments in land and water conservation. Now is not the time to rest on our laurels – it’s time to get the bill across the finish line as soon as possible. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.”

Click here to read the text of the report.... https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20181210/CRPT-115hrpt1072.pdf. 

The conference report was signed by the House and Senate Farm Bill conferees and will be considered with a vote in both chambers.



Secretary Perdue Statement on Release of Farm Bill Conference Report

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today issued the following statement regarding the release of the 2018 Farm Bill conference report:

“I welcome the introduction of the Farm Bill conference committee report, and hope the Congress can approve this legislation expeditiously. This legislation maintains a strong safety net for the farm economy, invests in critical agricultural research, and will promote agriculture exports through robust trade programs. While we would have liked to see more progress on work requirements for SNAP recipients and forest management reforms, the conference agreement does include several helpful provisions and we will continue to build upon these through our authorities. As farmers prepare to make decisions about next season, I commend the leadership of the conference committee in producing a bill that can be passed before the year’s end. If Congress passes this legislation I will encourage the President to sign it.”



NMPF Commends Lawmakers for Farm Bill That Makes Significant Dairy Policy Reforms

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) thanked members of Congress, especially the bipartisan leaders of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees, for crafting a farm bill that includes much-needed reforms to help American dairy farmers. The 2018 Farm Bill reached a key milestone on Monday with the release of a long-awaited conference report.

“Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle should be commended for reaching a deal that will benefit U.S. agriculture and ensure safe, affordable food for Americans and the world,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of NMPF. “A new law is especially important for dairy, a sector struggling with low prices and disrupted exports. We thank lawmakers for addressing our concerns with measures that will help producers in need.”

NMPF called on the full Congress to pass the bill quickly while thanking its four principal negotiators: Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), as well as House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway (R-TX) and Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-MN).  While the bill includes a vast array of farm policy changes, improvements benefiting dairy include:
-    Higher coverage levels in a renamed Margin Protection Program (MPP) that address deficiencies in the current program’s feed-cost formula
-    Greater flexibility to allow producers of all sizes to access Tier 1 premium rates
-    Expanded access to additional risk management tools, allowing producers to participate in both MPP and the Livestock Gross Margin insurance program
-    Continued support for land and water conservation programs that assist dairy producers
-    Full funding for Farm Bill trade promotion programs, a crucial concern in an era of markets lost to tariffs
-    Nutrition provisions intended to enhance consumption of fluid milk

The law’s provisions build on improvements enacted in the Bipartisan Budget Act earlier this year, including dairy safety net reforms spearheaded by Stabenow and Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), as well as risk management provisions championed by Conaway and Peterson.



Fischer Statement on Farm Bill Conference Agreement

U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, released the following statement today after the House and Senate Farm Bill conference committee released the text of the 2018 Farm Bill conference report:

“The Farm Bill conference report maintains key elements I fought for in the Senate bill, such as protecting crop insurance, simplifying trade promotion programs, and unleashing more broadband infrastructure in rural America. The report also includes my Precision Agriculture Connectivity Act, a solution to find and close gaps in broadband connectivity across farm and ranch country. Nebraska ag producers want a clearer and more predictable guide for the future, and that’s what this bill will provide.”



Soy Growers Pleased With Stability & Support New Farm Bill Will Provide

ASA today congratulated the House and Senate Agriculture Committees and Congressional leadership on release of a conference report that reflects a broad consensus of support for the “Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018.” ASA strongly supports this legislation and urges the House and Senate to approve it this week so it can be enacted before Congress adjourns for the year.

“Enactment of a new farm bill on schedule has been a top ASA priority for the last two years,” stated ASA President Davie Stephens, a soybean farmer from Clinton, Ky. “This legislation will provide the risk management tools farmers need to navigate difficult economic conditions over the next five years. It provides full funding for the Foreign Market Development program and the Market Access Program – key partnerships under which ASA and USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service work to expand developing and emerging country markets.” Stephens continued, “We commend Chairmen Conaway and Roberts and Ranking Members Peterson and Stabenow for finding compromises on several contentious issues, and urge President Trump to give his endorsement so this much-needed legislation can be delivered to farmers, ranchers and all rural Americans.”

Stephens’ remarks followed release of the joint House-Senate conference report that will extend authorization and funding for a broad spectrum of programs affecting producers and consumers of food, feed, fiber and fuel, not only in the United States, but also overseas programs that aid U.S. producers. Spread across 13 titles, the farm bill provides assurances to all Americans that the federal government will continue to provide assistance, when needed, through farm income support programs, nutrition and feeding programs, and through conservation, rural development, agricultural research, energy, and international agricultural development and food aid programs. Provisions in the bill important to soybean farmers include the following:
-    Allowing producers to sign up for the county option under the Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) program or the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program for 2019-2020 crops, and annually for 2021, 2022, and 2023 on a farm-by-farm and crop-by-crop basis.
-    Allows farmers to update their program yields, increasing the support they’re eligible to receive.
-     Increasing the Marketing Assistance loan rate for soybeans by 24 percent, to $6.20/bu. from $5.00/bu.
-     Establishes the Agricultural Trade and Facilitation Program, which will provide $255 million per year to fund FMD, MAP, emerging markets, and TASC. FMD is funded each year at not less than $34.5 million, and MAP is funded each year at not less than $200 million. A Priority Trust Fund will provide $3.5 million per year to programs for which requests are greater than the funds available. The Bill also allows FMD funds to be used in Cuba.
-    Reduces mandatory funding of the Energy Title significantly, but continues baseline funding for the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). The Biobased Market Program will be funded at $3 million per year for 5 years – the only Energy Title program to get increased funding.
-    Increases the overall acreage limit for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) to 27 million from 24 million acres by FY 2023, including 8.6 million acres to be devoted to continuous practices and two million for grasslands. Limits Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) funding, and encourages States to give higher consideration to contracts that improve soil health.
-    Maintains authorization for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) at $700 million per year and directs USDA to utilize the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) “Science Breakthroughs to Advance Food and Agricultural Research by 2030” consensus report, which identifies priority research areas for developing a more efficient, resilient, sustainable, and competitive U.S. agricultural system. ASA helped fund this study.
-    Crop insurance provisions allow producers to establish a single-enterprise unit across county lines. The language also includes cover crops as a good farming practice under crop insurance and ensures that the planting of a cover crop does not impact the insurability of a subsequent crop.

“ASA applauds the improvements in Title I support programs, including giving producers the option to choose between the county ARC and PLC programs in four of the five years of the new bill. This will allow farmers to respond to increased volatility in overseas markets and prices in coming years,” Stephens said. The ASA president added that, “The increase in the soybean loan rate will benefit farmers who need to access low-interest financing for their 2019 and future crops.”



Smith Statement on Farm Bill Conference Report

Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement after the Farm Bill conference report was released for consideration by the House of Representatives and Senate.

“Through my Farm Bill listening sessions and travels across the Third District, Nebraska’s producers have made clear they need the certainty of a long term Farm Bill. I am pleased the conference report continues our commitment to a strong crop insurance program and creates a vaccine bank to help contain any future incidents of foot and mouth disease. I look forward to supporting the bill later this week as we move to quickly send it to President Trump for his signature.”



Nebraska Farm Bureau Urges Farm Bill Passage

The Nebraska Farm Bureau is calling on Congress to move swiftly in passing the 2018 Farm Bill as packaged by agriculture leaders in the House and Senate. The comprehensive bill would address many of the priorities previously outlined by the organization during farm bill negotiations.

“Our number one priority has been the protection of federal crop insurance. This final version delivers on that priority. We appreciate all the efforts that have gone into developing a farm bill that works for agriculture, as well as rural and urban Americans,” said Steve Nelson, Nebraska Farm Bureau president, Dec. 11.

In addition to providing a strong crop insurance foundation, the bill makes needed adjustments in commodity programs, specifically the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs authorized in the 2014 Farm Bill. It also improves on federal conservation programs, funds important trade promotion programs, expands funding for broadband access in rural America, and provides permanent funding for an expanded livestock vaccine bank.

“All of these components are critical to current and future generations of Nebraska farm and ranch families,” said Nelson.

Votes on the 2018 Farm Bill could take place in both the House and Senate as early as this week.

“I want to thank the members of the Nebraska Congressional delegation for their efforts to get us to this point. Sen. Fischer, Sen. Sasse, Congressman Fortenberry, Congressman Bacon, and Congressman Smith have all played important roles in delivering the 2018 Farm Bill,” said Nelson. “Now it’s critical the House and Senate pass the 2018 Farm Bill and provide certainty to Nebraska’s farm and ranch families who continue to face a challenging agriculture economy.”



Center for Rural Affairs: Rural America has waited too long for farm bill

Congress released its compromise farm bill yesterday, Dec. 10, 2018, securing several victories for conservation, beginning farmers, and rural communities, while failing to cap payments to the largest farms or secure long-term funding for working lands conservation, according to Center for Rural Affairs Policy Manager Anna Johnson.

“Bottom line, farmers and rural America have waited too long for this bill,” Johnson said. “We are encouraged to see meaningful investment in beginning farmers, conservation, and programs that support rural vitality. At the same time, we are deeply disappointed that Congress disregarded bipartisan reforms to cap payments to the largest farms and address consolidation in agriculture.”

Conservation
Farm bill conservation programs provide support and pathways for farmers and ranchers to improve their stewardship of soil and water resources on their land.

“We are pleased that Congress has maintained the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) in the final bill, and included many policy changes to strengthen the program,” Johnson said.

Policy changes include increased support for key practices such as cover crops, resource-conserving crop rotations, and advanced grazing management.

“While we also appreciate that overall conservation title funding was maintained, we are concerned that the funding for CSP is structured such that it and other conservation programs will enter the next farm bill debate at a funding disadvantage,” Johnson said. “Future funding for conservation will remain a top priority for the Center.”

Payment rules will further farm consolidation
“We are deeply disappointed that Congress did not step up to fix provisions that drive farm consolidation and funnel taxpayer dollars to the largest operations,” Johnson said. “Sadly missing from the final bill are Sen. Chuck Grassley’s (R-IA) bipartisan proposals to strengthen ‘actively engaged’ provisions, which would have closed loopholes in farm programs that allow many (loosely defined) ‘managers’ to receive payments of taxpayer dollars every year.”

Johnson said Congress chose instead to take a step in the opposite direction and expand these loopholes. The existing payment limitation of $125,000 can now be multiplied not only via spouse and immediate family members, but also by adding nephews, nieces, and first cousins.

“This will effectively allow mega farms to continue to collect unlimited payments and perpetuate misuse of taxpayer dollars,” she said. “We will continue our decades-long campaign to rein in these unlimited payments.”

Beginning farmers and rural vitality
Johnson praised the bill’s provisions for programs that support new farmers and rural vitality.

Several valuable programs for beginning, socially-disadvantaged, and veteran farmers; value-added agriculture; and local foods are combined into two new programs that will permanently preserve their functions. These are the Farming Opportunities Training and Outreach Program, and the Local Agricultural Marketing Program.

In addition, Congress increased funding for the Conservation Reserve Program - Transition Incentive Program to $50 million. Johnson said this change will do important work to facilitate beginning, socially-disadvantaged, and veteran farmers working with retiring farmers to access land.

“We deeply appreciate that Congress has chosen to invest beginning farmers and rural communities through these programs,” she said.

Another program that stimulates rural small businesses development, the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program (RMAP), was reauthorized but, unfortunately, not funded in the final bill.

“RMAP’s support for loan funding and technical assistance to rural entrepreneurs will not continue unless Congress takes separate action to restore its funding, which we encourage them to do,” Johnson said.

She said a final bright note in the bill is the restoration of the position of Undersecretary of Rural Development at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

“Maintaining Rural Development as a Mission Area within USDA keeps rural programs on equal footing with the other functions of USDA,” Johnson said.

Overall
“Congressional action on this bill is long overdue,” Johnson said. “This compromise bill secures important victories for beginning farmers, programs that support rural vitality, and conservation. But, over the next five years, Congress will have a responsibility to keep funding strong for conservation and rural microenterprise development, and boldly address the policies and incentives that reward only the largest farms and drive farm consolidation.”



Dairy Producers from Coast to Coast Urge Congress to Quickly Approve Pro-Dairy Farm Bill

With the release of a farm bill that Congress will vote on in the coming days, the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) joined its member cooperatives and state dairy associations in urging Congress to pass the new law, which includes several measures crucial to dairy during tough economic times.

“Dairy farmers and the cooperatives they own are enduring a period of prolonged economic distress,” NMPF writes in a letter to the chairs and ranking members of each congressional agriculture committee – Reps. Mike Conaway (R-TX) and Collin Peterson (D-MN), and Sens. Pat Roberts (R-KS) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI). “Timely reauthorization of the Farm Bill will provide effective, needed risk management tools to dairy producers across the country as we enter yet another year of uncertainty.”

The Farm Bill features several important policy reforms for dairy, including:
-    Affordable higher coverage levels in the Dairy Margin Coverage program (DMC) (renamed from the Margin Protection Program) will permit all dairy producers to insure margins above $8.00 on their Tier 1 (first five million pounds) production history.
-    The bill will reduce the cost of $5.00 margin coverage by roughly 88 percent. This aids larger producers and is critically important in states where margins fall more quickly.
-    Greater flexibility to allow producers of all sizes to access Tier 1 premium rates.
-    Expanded access to additional risk management tools, allowing producers to participate in both the DMC and the Livestock Gross Margin insurance program.
-    An option that will allow producers to receive a 25 percent discount on their premiums if they agree to lock in their coverage level for the entirety of the bill.

In addition to strong dairy-producer support, NMPF worked closely with the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) to forge an unprecedented industry consensus. The final bill includes an agreement reached between the two organizations on risk management that will help producers, cooperatives and processors to better hedge price risk.



NACD STATEMENT ON FARM BILL CONFERENCE REPORT

On Monday, Dec. 10, House and Senate Agriculture Committee leaders released the text of the 2018 Farm Bill conference report. The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) President Brent Van Dyke issued the following statement on the bicameral agreement:

“This is a great day for conservation on America’s private, working lands,” NACD President Brent Van Dyke said. “NACD welcomes the continued investment in the Conservation Title and appreciates the consideration given to the overall conservation delivery system. With the continued effects of a recession in the farm economy, strong agriculture policy ensures a safety-net for America’s producers. We appreciate the members of the conference committee and their staffs for their commitment to bringing this important process one step closer to completion.”

In addition to maintaining funding for the Conservation Title, NACD is pleased this farm bill keeps the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) functioning as separate programs; allows more grazing opportunities and acreage to the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP); makes reasonable reforms to the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) without converting the program away from its intended function; and supports forestry management by promoting reductions of hazardous fuel loads to prevent wildfires.

“The best parts of both bills are reflected in this final product—including NACD’s primary legislative priorities,” NACD President-elect Tim Palmer said. “Successful implementation of on-the-ground conservation is made possible through conservation districts and the locally-led conservation model. Investing in conservation is an investment in the nation’s future, and this agreement continues to make that a priority. We are thankful our nation’s farmers, ranchers and private forest landowners can continue to execute sustainable practices with the support of this bipartisan legislation.”

Monday night’s bill text release paves the way for both a House and Senate vote by the end of this week.



NSP Statement on Farm Bill Agreement

National Sorghum Producers welcomed news late yesterday an agreement was reached between farm bill conference committee leaders and the conference report was finalized.

"We commend the leaders of the Senate and House Agriculture Committees for their relentless effort driving this process forward to an agreement," NSP Chairman Dan Atkisson, a sorghum producer from Stockton, Kansas, said. "It cannot be overstated how important it is the farm bill makes it to the finish line this year, and we urge House and Senate members to vote yes in support of this legislation."

The new bill largely upholds legislation from the previous 2014 bill including a $3.95 reference price for sorghum producers. New additions to the 2018 farm bill include conservation language on resource conserving crop rotations and instructions to work on irrigated sorghum insurance. Lawmakers also provided loan rate increases in the new legislation, which will help the needs of sorghum growers.

"Farmers across the Sorghum Belt are wrapping up harvest and feeling the impacts of a difficult farm economy right now," NSP Vice Chairman Kody Carson, a sorghum producer from Olton, Texas, said."The new farm bill is central in providing much needed stability as we begin to refinance operations."

NSP has been actively engaged in the farm bill process and believes the new legislation maintains balanced and solid protection for America’s farmers and ranchers. NSP looks forward to working with lawmakers to ensure the needs of the sorghum industry are met through the implementation process once the bill is signed by the President. 



American Farmland Trust: 2018 Farm Bill a victory for farmland protection, environmentally sound farming practices and keeping farmers on the land

American Farmland Trust, the organization behind the national movement No Farms No Food®, praises the 2018 Farm Bill conference report released today and expresses great appreciation for the bipartisan nature of the final bill and the tireless work of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees. The 2018 Farm Bill delivers on the funding and programmatic priorities supporting AFT’s mission to save the land that sustains us by protecting farmland, promoting environmentally sound farming practices and keeping farmers on the land.

"Farmers, ranchers and the many partner organizations who use USDA programs to fund innovative work around the country can breathe a sigh of relief. The 2018 Farm Bill is just steps away from becoming law,” says John Piotti, AFT president and CEO. “AFT urges members of the House and Senate to vote to pass this bill, to allow programs to move forward expeditiously.”

He continues, “We are losing farmland at a rate of three acres a minute—31 million acres between 1992 and 2012 alone. Farmland is lost when farmers and ranchers don’t have adequate risk-management tools. When they can’t find new markets or develop new products. When there’s no next generation farmer able to afford the land that an exiting farmer is selling. When there’s not enough funding to meet demand for the sale of agricultural conservation easements. This bill, while not perfect, is an important step in addressing these needs.”

The bill includes many of AFT’s priorities, including funding increases and programmatic improvements to the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program, the Regional Conservation Partnership Program, the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, and the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program. With support from these programs, AFT and its partners around the country will be able to move forward in fulfilling its mission.

Protecting Farmland
ACEP is a critically important voluntary federal conservation program implemented by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service that permanently protects agricultural land and conserves wetlands. ACEP cost-shares with state and local partners to purchase agricultural conservation easements from farmers, ranchers and agricultural landowners. The program permanently protects land from sprawling development while keeping it in agricultural production. Importantly, it enables farmers and ranchers to reinvest the proceeds of the easement sale in their businesses to transition land to the next generation or to improve their stewardship.

The ACEP funding increase—AFT’s top priority for the Farm Bill—to $450 million per year, is an important gain. This funding level, a $2 billion increase over the current baseline, will allow USDA to nearly double from last year the number of applications it can fund under the new Farm Bill.

In addition, the bill makes several programmatic changes championed by AFT and its partners at state and local Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easement programs and agricultural land trusts. These include:
-    Ensuring that experienced partners can use their own easement deed terms and conditions as long as they are consistent with the program’s statutory objectives.
-    A change to the cost-share requirement that will enable partners to do more projects with limited funding.
-    A waiver of adjusted gross income limits for projects of special environmental significance, enabling partners to act on opportunities to permanently protect productive, at-risk agricultural land regardless of the financial situation of the owner.
-    Allowing “buy-protect-sell" transactions, in which land trusts help young and beginning farmers and ranchers especially gain access to land, by purchasing land in fee, protecting it with an agricultural conservation easement and then selling the protected land to a farmer or rancher.

Promoting Sound Farming Practices
Voluntary conservation programs are vitally important to farmers and ranchers who want to be good stewards of their land and the shared natural resources we all enjoy. A full toolbox of well-funded conservation programs, which often leverage matching funds from farmers and ranchers themselves, is important to improve environmental outcomes and to avoid the need for more stringent regulations in the future. For this reason, AFT applauds the Farm Bill Conferees for maintaining the overall funding level for the bill’s Conservation Title.

An important Conservation Title program that makes this possible is the Regional Conservation Partnership Program-- an innovative, landscape-scale program that brings many partners together to address targeted environmental issues including farmland loss. AFT is appreciative of the $300 million of annual mandatory funding for RCPP in this bill and changes to the program that pave the way for better quantification of the environmental outcomes being achieved by farmers, ranchers and their partners. AFT specifically uses RCPP to address water quality in the Macoupin Creek Watershed in Illinois, including measuring the changes in phosphorus and sediment loss from implementing conservation cropping systems.

Keeping Farmers on the Land
Since AFT’s founding in 1980, the average age of farmers has risen from 50 to 58. More than 371 million acres of agricultural land are likely to change hands within the next two decades. Yet, the most recent Census of Agriculture in 2012 showed the number of beginning farmers decreased 20 percent compared to the five years before. This bill includes several important avenues for helping beginning farmers and ranchers access the land they need to start their operations and to promote new markets and products to help all producers remain viable into the future.

Land protected under ACEP enables senior farmers to retire with a cash infusion and then sell their land at a price that new and beginning farmers can afford.

The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program is included under the umbrella of the new Farming Opportunities Training and Outreach Program. FOTOP is given baseline funding, amounting to $435 million over 10 years. Through BFRDP, AFT has provided technical support to state and local partners along with other agricultural service providers to become Land Access Trainers.

The Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program was also included in another umbrella program, the Local Agriculture Market Program, and given baseline funding at a level of $50 million per year. This program will provide grants to organizations working to improve local food infrastructure such as farmers markets, regional food hubs and value-added production enterprises that can improve farm viability for small- and mid-sized new and established farms alike.

Additionally, the bill contains several important provisions that will provide better information and better service to farmers and ranchers transitioning their land and operations to the next generation, including:
-    New reports on absent landowners and on farmland access, analyzing the effects of absent landowners and identifying barriers beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers face in accessing land;
-    New authority of State Agricultural Mediation Programs to address issues around land leases and family farm transitions;
-    A new Commission on Farm Transitions–Needs for 2050, to address the looming transfer of millions of acres of agricultural land and billions of dollars in agricultural assets over the next 20 years;
-    Expanded data collection around farmland ownership, tenure, transition and other issues, including a regular follow-on survey to the Census of Agriculture;
-    New authority enabling operators on heirs property land to obtain a farm number.

“The 2018 Farm Bill’s support for saving the land that sustains us through farmland protection, environmentally sound farming practices and keeping farmers on the land through its programs expands AFT’s ability to help ensure a future with enough farmland farmed well to sustain our society and help all of us to maintain a livable planet for this and future generations,” says Piotti.

He continues, “AFT is best known for its No Farms No Food® call to action, but just this year, I have added No Future to that mantra. We must see farmland as critical infrastructure akin to roads and bridges if we hope to feed, fuel and clothe our society for years to come.”

“AFT appreciates the bipartisan nature of this bill and the invaluable input provided from a wide variety of agricultural, conservation and nutrition stakeholders. AFT looks forward to working with Congress, with the Administration and with our partners across the country to help translate the promise of this legislation into positive direct outcomes on farms cross the nation.”



Farm Credit Welcomes Farm Bill Conference Report, Urges Passage

President and CEO of the Farm Credit Council Todd Van Hoose released the following statement following regarding the Farm Bill conference report:

“Farm Credit is deeply grateful to Senator Roberts, Senator Stabenow, Representative Conaway and Representative Peterson for their leadership in forging a strong, bi-partisan Farm Bill that will provide certainty for U.S. farm and ranch families. This Farm Bill strengthens the safety net for our farmers and ranchers, boosts jobs in rural communities and helps deliver a safe, affordable, abundant food supply to families in the U.S. and around the world.

We urge Congress to pass this bill immediately, and we urge President Trump to sign it without delay.”



Conference Panel Approves 2018 Farm Bill

Pork producers – and all livestock farmers – are poised for a significant victory after passage by a Senate-House conference committee of a 2018 Farm Bill that includes mandatory funding for animal disease prevention and preparedness. The National Pork Producers Council now is urging lawmakers in both chambers of Congress to approve the new five-year agricultural blueprint. NPPC has been a leading voice for the animal health and disease preparedness funding.

“This is a huge win for the livestock industry,” said NPPC President Jim Heimerl, a pork producer from Johnstown, Ohio. “The ability to respond to foreign animal disease emergencies is critical to safeguarding the well-being of our animals, our economy and the safety of our food supply.”

Under the new Farm Bill, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will be able to use funds for a Foot-and-Mouth Disease vaccine bank; for the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN), which provides disease surveillance and diagnostic support; and for state efforts to prepare for any foreign animal disease outbreak. Surveillance and diagnostic funding is critical to prevent the spread of diseases, such as African swine fever, for which vaccines don’t exist.

The U.S. pork industry, for example, is working with USDA on efforts to prevent African swine fever from entering the country and preparing to deal with the disease, which is spreading in Asia and Europe, should an outbreak in the United States occur.

The 2018 Farm Bill includes mandatory animal health and disease preparedness funding of $120 million for the first four years of the bill. At least $5 million per year must go to the National Animal Disease Preparedness Program in the form of state block grants, and the remaining dollars can be allocated across the vaccine bank, NAHLN and state block grants. Additionally, NAHLN is authorized for another $30 million per year for all five years of the bill. The fifth year of the bill includes another mandatory $30 million for all three programs, but at least $18 million must go toward the state block grants. The bill also authorizes appropriations for the vaccine bank and the National Animal Disease Preparedness Program for sums determined to be necessary.

In addition to the animal health and disease-preparedness provisions, the bill includes funding for the International Market Development Program, which includes the Market Access Program and the Foreign Market Development Program that support export markets for U.S. farm goods. These programs are funded at not less than $200 million and not less than $34.5 million, respectively.

“NPPC supports the Farm Bill approved today by House and Senate conferees and looks forward to its swift passage in both chambers,” Heimerl said.



NCBA to Congress: Vote "Yes" to Get 2018 Farm Bill Across the Finish Line

Today President Kevin Kester issued the following statement in response to the release of the 2018 Farm Bill conference report:

“The release of the Farm Bill conference report is encouraging news for farmers and ranchers across the country. Now it is time for Congress to get the 2018 Farm Bill across the finish line. In these uncertain times, agricultural operations and rural communities depend on the certainty the Farm Bill provides.

“NCBA was pleased to see authorization of a new Foot-and-Mouth Disease Vaccine (FMD) bank. The FMD bank will provide critical protection to rural economies, and we look forward to working with Secretary Perdue and Congress to address future funding needs.

”We ask Members of Congress to vote 'yes' and get the bill across the finish line before Christmas.”



NFU Statement on 2018 Farm Bill Compromise

The Farm Bill conference committee conferees today released the text of a compromise Farm Bill, largely the effort of House and Senate Agriculture Committee leadership resolving differences between the House and Senate versions of the 2018 Farm Bill. If approved by both chambers within the next week and a half, the legislation will be on President Trump’s desk and awaiting approval before the end of the year.

National Farmers Union (NFU) President Roger Johnson released the following statement in response to the Farm Bill compromise:
“Passage of the 2018 Farm Bill cannot come soon enough for American family farmers and ranchers, who need the certainty of the Farm Bill safety net to continue to weather the worst farm economy decline in more than thirty years. We also need the bill to continue the sustainability gains and emergence of new markets for farmers that have been supported by Farm Bill programs.

“Senate and House agriculture leaders and their staff have worked tirelessly to resolve differences in the chambers’ respective farm bills, and they’ve produced a bill that represents a critical step toward providing the relief and certainty farmers need amidst struggling markets due to oversupply and trade volatility.

“We strongly urge Congress to approve the farm bill before the end of the year.”



Statement of NCFC President Chuck Conner on the Farm Bill Conference Report

“The 2018 farm bill process has entered the home stretch with the filing of the conference report last night. Getting to this point would have been impossible without the leadership and hard work of Senators Pat Roberts and Debbie Stabenow and Representatives Mike Conaway and Collin Peterson. In a time of continued low commodity prices and disruptions in overseas markets, they recognized that America’s farmers and ranchers need the certainty of a new farm bill before the new year. We urge the full House and Senate to meet that goal by passing the conference report as soon as possible.

 “The farm bill conference report will ensure a safety net for producers, maintain the strength of the federal crop insurance program and fund important priorities in conservation, rural development, trade promotion and nutrition.

“In addition, the bill contains language strengthening the Buy American provisions of the National School Lunch and Breakfast programs. This portion of the bill is needed since numerous investigations have found a troubling amount of foreign-sourced food products, particularly from China, served through the school feeding programs even when American food products are readily available and competitively priced. These provisions will help to ensure that taxpayer money is used in the way that Congress intended.”



Dangerous pesticide preemption rider scrapped from 2018 Farm Bill

The Farm Bill Conference Committee released negotiated text of the 2018 Farm Bill last night. The House version of the bill included language that would have weakened environmental and public health protections and stripped states and cities of their ability to protect their communities from toxic pesticides. This dangerous pesticide preemption rider was not included in the negotiated bill released yesterday.

In September, more than 60 local officials, in 39 communities from 15 different states across the country sent a letter to the Farm Bill conference committee urging the rejection of the pesticide preemption rider. More than 100 communities have passed policies to restrict pesticides to protect people, pollinators and the planet.

Tiffany Finck-Haynes, pesticides and pollinators program manager at Friends of the Earth, issued the following statement in response:

We are encouraged by the conference committee’s decision to prioritize public health and the environment instead of agrichemical industry profits. The dangerous pesticide preemption rider would have prevented state and local governments from protecting their communities from toxic chemicals. Thousands of people across the country, including dozens of local elected officials, spoke out against this dangerous language in the House Farm Bill. By keeping this troubling component out of the final bill, committee members stood up to preserve state and local governments’ ability to protect the public from these toxic chemicals.



NGFA issues statement on release of farm bill

In response to the Senate and House farm bill negotiators unveiling a compromise 2018 Farm Bill this week, NGFA President and CEO Randy Gordon released the following statement:

"The 2018 farm bill language unveiled by congressional negotiators this week includes several Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) reforms that the NGFA supported throughout the process, including reducing rental rates to provide a market-based disincentive to enrolling productive cropland. Too much productive farmland currently is enrolled in CRP, and reducing rental rates should help refocus the program on truly highly erodible and environmentally sensitive land. This policy change also benefits young and beginning farmers and ranchers who for too long have been forced to compete directly against the federal government to access farmland, a troubling policy when the average age of the American farmer is 58.

"While NGFA would have preferred that Congress limit the CRP acreage cap to the program's current 24 million acres - as too many whole farms and acres of prime farmland are idled while environmentally sensitive acres are left unprotected through the program's general sign-up process - the Association appreciates the conferees' adoption of a reasonable CRP limit of 27 million acres with 2 million acres of those expressly reserved for grasslands, especially in light of pressure early on from some groups to expand the CRP cap by a whopping 66 percent to 40 million acres. In implementing CRP, we also will be encouraging USDA to view this as a cap, not a minimum requirement for CRP enrollment.

"The NGFA also praises the conferees' decision not to include the Senate farm bill's provisions on permanent Conservation Reserve Easements, which we believe would have intensified what already is a rapid decline of available U.S. cropland attributable to urban encroachment, CRP and other factors. Conservation easements potentially would have removed hundreds of thousands of acres permanently from crop production each year.

"On balance, NGFA believes the conservation provisions in the compromise farm bill will help keep good quality land in production that can be farmed sustainably using prudent and sustainable conservation practices.

"The farm bill also includes an important provision for grain handlers regarding domestic official grain inspections by providing dozens of grain elevators whose non-use of service/open season exception agreements were revoked by USDA in 2017. Under the farm bill language, these elevators will have the option to restore the previous arrangement with their non-incumbent domestic official inspection provider by notifying USDA of the change. NGFA appreciates the leadership of Reps. Rodney Davis, R-Ill., and Cheri Bustos, D-Ill., to address and clarify Congress's intent in the U.S. Grain Standards Act Reauthorization.

"The NGFA thanks Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan.; Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich.; House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway, R-Texas; and Ranking Member Collin Peterson, D-Minn.; and their staffs for their hard work and dedication to completing a farm bill. The certainty that a farm bill will provide to our industry's farmer-customers, including preserving a strong federal crop insurance program, is extremely important, and the NGFA looks forward to working with lawmakers to support the bill's passage in Congress."

Congress is expected to vote on the farm bill this week.