Ag officials have outlined 10 priority areas for the next bill
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
Work is underway on the 2023 Farm Bill.
These bills are packages of legislation which can cover multiple items including crop insurance, loan programs, rural development, and conservation.
The current bill, a five-year, $867 billion piece of legislation, received President Trump’s signature in December 2018. It will expire in 2023.
Ag officials representing U.S. agriculture have published a list of priorities they would like to see in the upcoming bill.
The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) has items related to 10 specific topics it wants to be included in the next bill.
- Agriculture research
- Animal disease
- Conservation and climate resiliency
- Cyber security
- Food safety
- Hemp
- Invasive species
- Local food systems
- Specialty Crop Block grants
- Trade promotion
In the area of ag research, for example, NASDA “recommends significant funding for research focusing on the safety and security of the food system and improving and protecting our natural resources.
For cyber security, NASDA supports maintaining funding levels of $20 million per year to protect the sector from cyberattacks.
Last year, hackers targeted the U.S. ag sector on multiple occasions.
When it comes to trade promotion, NASDA supports increasing Market Access Program funding.
This program, which helps promote U.S. farm products abroad, received at least $200 million in funding annually for the duration of the farm bill.
The final bill, however it appears, must reflect a collaborative voice to support American agriculture, said Ted McKinney, CEO of NASDA.
“The next Farm Bill must remain unified, securing a commitment to American agriculture and the critical food and nutritional assistance programs for those who need it most,” he said in a statement. “Often the officials closest to farmers themselves and as co-regulators with the federal government, NASDA members are uniquely positioned to lead impact and direct policymaking solutions for the 2023 Farm Bill.”
Farms.com has contacted ag organizations for comment on upcoming farm bill discussions.