One of the primary issues on farmers’ minds in 2024 will be reauthorization of the federal farm bill. We all depend on agriculture’s success, so it’s important for farmers and ranchers to be supported by strong farm programs as they face weather disasters, high supply costs and inflationary pressure. America’s public investment in agriculture through farm bill programs helps secure our food supply and keep our country strong with sustainable food, fiber and renewable fuel.
The previous two farm bills included significant farm program reforms to ensure government support is market oriented and serves as a safety net. New improvements are needed to ensure farm programs address current and future realities. The farm bill has a long tradition of bipartisan support and now, more than ever, it’s important for lawmakers to work together to ensure America’s farmers and ranchers can continue to provide the safest, most affordable food supply in the world.
Crop insurance is one of the primary components of the Farm Bill. Farmers buy insurance to prepare for tough times; similarly, crop insurance authorized by the farm bill provides an important tool to help farmers and ranchers weather storms beyond their control. Continuance of the federal crop insurance program protects farmers from crop disasters and partners them directly with the federal government to ensure America has a safe and abundant agricultural base.
One of the key components to the past two Farm Bills has been to focus on natural resource conservation. Farm bill conservation programs recognize farmers as partners in sustainability and provide resources to help them care for environmentally sensitive land and employ climate-smart practices in their fields to help preserve wildlife habitat, soil and water.
Through the farm bill, farmers have voluntarily enrolled 140 million acres in conservation programs—that’s equal to the size of California and New York combined. The farm bill’s investment in agricultural research and conservation programs is critical to reaching sustainability goals as we work to feed a growing population using fewer resources. Thanks to advances in climate-smart farming, farmers are producing more with fewer resources. To put this in perspective, it would have taken 100 million more acres 40 years ago to produce the same amount of food, feed, fiber and fuel we are growing today.
Recognizing that agriculture is the driving economic force for our rural communities we need Farm Bill programs that support rural infrastructure and other investments, including broadband, a “must have” to ensure career opportunities as well as access to quality education and health care. New broadband expansion will be a critical piece of a new Farm Bill.
Some folks will query if we even need a federal Farm Bill and point to the subsidies included. But the Farm Bill impact extends well beyond the farm by protecting our nation’s food supply, providing access to nutrition for families facing hunger, advancing conservation efforts and spurring innovation through agricultural research.
Managing risk on the farm is critical to keeping food on our tables. The farm bill protects farmers from weather disasters, high supply costs and inflationary pressures, which keeps food affordable for millions of families in America.
The food and agriculture sector is critical to our economy, making up roughly one-fifth of U.S. economic activity, directly supporting nearly 23 million jobs—15% of total U.S. employment. When looking across the entire food and agriculture supply chain, the impact is even more striking, supporting more than 46 million jobs.
Others have advocated separating nutrition programs like SNAP from the Farm Bill. But it’s important to keep nutrition and farm policy in the bill because they are tied so closely together. America’s farmers and ranchers are proud to grow the food that helps supply more than 9 billion meals annually through the farm bill’s nutrition programs, which ensure the most vulnerable among us have access to healthy, affordable food.
Policies established in the farm bill don’t just provide meals for the hungry, they keep food affordable for all families in America. In America, we spend a smaller percentage of our take home earnings on food than almost anywhere in the world, in large part because of a strong food and farm policy.
Farming is more sustainable, thanks to rising productivity. Farmers are growing more food with fewer resources. U.S. agriculture would have needed nearly 100 million more acres 30 years ago to match today’s production levels.
Bottom line: a federal Farm Bill doesn’t just benefit farmers; it benefits all Americans.
“The ultimate goal of farming is not in planting crops but the cultivation and perfection of human beings.” -Masanobu Fukuoka
Ron Kern is the manager of the Ogle County Farm Bureau.
