Work on new farm bill begins

Work began Feb. 15 on a new farm bill, without President Donald Trump’s nominated agriculture secretary in place. 

The farm bill, also known as the Agriculture Adjustment Act, was first passed in 1933. The most recent farm bill was passed in 2014. During the first hearing on the bill, members of the House Committee on Agriculture heard from witnesses concerning low commodity prices, declining net farm income, tighter credit conditions and unfair trade practices by foreign competitors among other things.

“There is real potential for a crisis in rural America,” House Committee on Agriculture Chairman K. Michael Conaway said in a press release. “Net farm income for America's farmers and ranchers has fallen 50 percent over the past four years with the collapse in commodity prices. As we begin the farm bill process, these economic realities must be front and center. The farm bill serves as a safety net for producers, helping manage risk in difficult times. We are in those times now, and we must deliver solutions that work for our nation’s farmers and ranchers.”

Farmers have had a lot to worry about in recent years, with a 45 percent overall drop in net income during the last three years, which Conway said was “the largest three-year drop since the start of the Great Depression.”

Even with the agriculture secretary still awaiting confirmation, Republicans hold a 26 to 19 vote edge in the committee that will ultimately send the next bill to the floor. A recent analysis noted that cotton producers may be among some of the strongest represented during the debate, which should bode well for that market.