Hundreds of ag professionals have been in Washington DC the last couple of weeks, urging lawmakers to get a new farm bill in the books.
Ag groups, lobbyists, and even producers hit the Hill as soon as lawmakers returned from summer recess. With little time left before the Farm Bill expires, their goal was to reach as many lawmakers as possible.
“They did a little over 140 meetings with our House and Senate members to discuss why we need a farm bill this year and why we can’t handle another one or two-year extension. That is simply not going to solve the problems that we have in rural America as [the] cost of production continues to rise, we must get this farm bill done by December 31st, and I feel that we were definitely heard definitely seen as we had all those meetings up there,” said Chandler Goule.
Cotton growers were also on the Hill, and they found having real conversations with lawmakers goes a long way.
“So I think whenever these Congressmen hear stories such as this, I think it really resonates with them. And I do know that our Congressmen here on the High pPains are in tune with what’s going on. But it also helps them to see what the need is out in the countryside and to actually kind of tally the number of people that are actually contacting their offices and requesting assistance. And that gives them standing to go and talk to their committees that are involved with the farm bill,” said Mark Brown.
House leadership recently released a stop-gap spending bill that would keep the government running through late December, and it is the first big hurdle before work can begin on the Farm Bill. A number of growers have asked for temporary assistance, but congressional ag leaders say it is too early for those talks, and remain hopeful a new five-year bill can get through before the end of the session.
