Thompson's Farm Bill Proposal: A Compelling Case for Passage

There have been rumblings around the Hill asking why we even need to do a farm bill. Take one look at the proposals released over the past two weeks. Even recognizing that things will change and that scores and text will tell more, there is still a lot to be excited about given what we have seen.

First, the bill moves us away from ad hoc disaster assistance and provides predictability to the farm safety net. The bill promises to take the first step in addressing currently ineligible producers, increasing reference prices to better reflect current market conditions, and making important enhancements to crop insurance to ensure producers are protected when the worst happens. This will not only provide a better safety net for producers facing declining prices but also provide important predictability to producers.

Next, moving a farm bill now will maximize the IRA investment in farmer-led conservation work by doubling down on funding long into the future. Both proposals reinvest IRA dollars back into conservation programs that have long addressed not only climate but also other resource concerns that matter to farmers like water quality and habitat. This move will provide a durable, generational investment in on-farm conservation, and give producers the tools to meet the moment for climate and the sustainability of their operations.

Furthermore, the bill provides a framework for certainty in nutrition assistance by both addressing current needs and by futureproofing the program for outyear changes. SNAP is vital to vulnerable Americans and this bill maintains existing eligibility and expands access to neighbors who have ?been left out of the program for too long. Administration changes can result in huge swings in benefits and eligibility. This bill shows wisdom in maintaining eligibility and, importantly, continuing to incorporate cost of living adjustments while also providing certainty on benefits for this administration and those recipients into the future. [NH1]?

Lastly, there is a lot more to a farm bill than commodities, conservation, and nutrition. The bill invests in new and diverse markets for producers, modernizes FSA lending limits to meet modern cost structures, invests in research and innovation, enhances opportunities for bioproducts, expands markets for wood products, grows vital programs relied upon by the specialty crops industries, enhances our readiness to respond to foreign animal disease threats, and drives home the need to evaluate and address national security threats, including cyber, to the food and agriculture sectors.

If this sounds a bit like a list, that is because there is a lot to include.

What has been laid out shows that there are plenty of reasons to move a farm bill. In this Congress, momentum is needed to give any optimism. The efforts of Chairman Thompson and his team should be applauded and encouraged for their work to bring a thoughtful and balanced product to the negotiating table. In DC, the politics can align at any time but that only works if the product is in place. This is a product worth bringing to the discussion table.