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.
