Why We Need a New Farm Bill

Straight Talk with Sam

It's been said that everyone "needs a farmer every day, three times a day." Otherwise, you might get a little hungry.

That's why getting a Farm Bill done isn't just important for someone who is busy shelling corn, cutting beans, or sorting cattle right now; it's important for everyone who wants to eat dinner tonight.

Usually, Congress tries to pass a Farm Bill every five years, but it's been almost six years since the last one. Instead, we've been working under an extension for nearly a year. That's better than getting kicked by a rowdy steer that won't go down the chute, but not by much.

The problem is that much has changed since the last Farm Bill was signed into law in 2018. As American families have struggled with inflation, farmers have been strangled by it. The price of fertilizer, fuel, seed, and every other input has gone through the roof-and don't even get me started on land prices and interest rates. At the same time, the prices farmers get for selling corn and soybeans at the elevator are crashing down-pinching us right in the middle. It's become next to impossible for young farmers to get started while still being able to feed their families.

Despite all this, we're still stuck working with a farm safety net meant to help farmers weather rock-bottom prices. Now, prices are higher, but not enough to make ends meet with sky-high input costs. It's a problem that the old farm bill was never really designed to help with.

Now, it's no secret that I'm a farmer and have been all my life. I cherish this way of life and am deeply grateful for the opportunity to share it with my father, my children, and my grandkids. However, this isn't about making a buck for me. Since I was first elected to Congress, I haven't taken a dime in farm subsidies. This is about keeping this dream and this way of life alive for the tens of thousands of farmers and ranchers across North Missouri.

The House Agriculture Committee has passed a good, bipartisan Farm Bill that we need to get signed into law sooner rather than later. Otherwise, farmers and ranchers will continue to suffer, and the rest of us will start going to bed at night with a lot emptier stomachs.

Sincerely,

Sam Graves