Legislation introduced by Senators Heidi Heitkamp and Joni Ernst would make changes to the Agricultural Risk Coverage program. American Farm Bureau Federation and other farm groups penned a letter to the Senators this week expressing support for the bill. AFBF congressional relations director Mary Kay Thatcher says the bill would change the program to better serve farmer’s needs.
The bill would also require USDA to calculate safety net payments based on a farm’s physical location. The changes should help ensure farmers a strong safety net moving forward.
Committee markup of the next farm bill may start soon, but the bulk of the farm bill work isn’t likely until early next year. Thatcher says the budget is very limited.
That’s AFBF congressional relations director Mary Kay Thatcher.
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting News Service.