Farm Bill
On her list of issues to tackle, says Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, is deciding if farmers will need another round of assistance payments later this year and if USDA headquarters should be relocated.
California’s Proposition 12 has devastated family farms, fueled market consolidation and increased food costs. Legislators brought forward The Food Security and Farm Protection Act to protect farmers and consumers from “burdensome government overreach.”
Cheap cotton prices and dwindling demand are just part of the problem. Input costs have climbed and there’s no safety net to be found from a new farm bill. One Georgia farmer says the current farm bill is irrelevant and worthless, and if a new one doesn’t get passed this year, the cotton industry is doomed.
Under the direction of Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, USDA is ready to roll out a number of programs that have been on hold pending review, and she’s pushing Congress to get to work on finishing a new farm bill.
Tara Smith, executive vice president of Torrey Advisory Group, joins the Top Producer podcast to discuss being an advocate for ag in Washington D.C., the future of the Farm Bill and the importance of crop insurance.
Rollins’ confirmation was expected, as the Senate maintains its quick pace of confirming President Trump’s key cabinet positions.
From tariffs and trade to the possible impact of President Donald Trump’s plan to cut regulations and taxes, ag economists surveyed in the latest Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor weigh in on the main factors driving the ag economy in 2025.
The Senate kicked off quietly as the House steals the spotlight to start 2025. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) plans to pass individual appropriations bills and a farm bill as well as focus on regular order and extended floor debates.
The CR includes nearly $110 billion in disaster and farmer aid, which includes $10 billion in farmer aid and $21 billion ag disaster aid. $2 billion of that disaster aid is specifically for livestock producers. The measure also includes a one-year extension of the 2018 Farm Bill.