Broad Swath of Ag Groups Urge Congress to Pass a New Farm Bill

Smith: Over 300 food and farm groups sent a letter to Senate and House leadership asking Congress to pass a new farm bill that would slow the U.S. ag economy's downward spiral. Joe Gilson, director of government affairs for the American Farm Bureau, said the letter had a clear message.

Gilson: Congress needs to pass a bipartisan farm bill this Congress that makes meaningful investments in the farm safety net. The other key point of the letter was that so many organizations signed on to the same letter that Congress needs to do something and get to work on this farm bill with just a few months left.

Smith: He says hundreds of groups signing the letter illustrates just how urgent the situation is.

Gilson: Yeah, I think what you're seeing right now is that the ag economy is downward trending, and that's not just happening in one state or one region. That's across the entire country. You're seeing increased input costs from seed, fertilizer, diesel, and you see commodity prices across the board sinking. So, that's why you get to see so many commodity groups coming out in support of the letter.

Smith: Gilson says the situation is serious as farmers are facing significant headwinds.

Gilson: Yeah, I think we're really seeing it as harvest is beginning in some states, and farmers are thinking about how they're going to even finance next year's crop. And I think the other interesting thing about the letter is we have a lot of banks and funding institutions on the letter because they see the writing on the wall as well, that this is going to be a really tough time for the farmers and ranchers if we don't make these investments in the farm safety net.

Smith:Learn more at fb.org/news. Chad Smith, Washington.