Farm Bill has bipartisan buy-in BUT disputes over funding could derail it

WASHINGTON D.C. — Tuesday, Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Hull, Iowa, brought forth a piece of legislation intended to extend crop and livestock insurance protections to 10 years for any new and beginning farmers.

The bill, known as the "Crop Insurance for Future Farmers Act," was introduced by Feenstra and Angie Craig, D-Prior Lake, Minnesota would double the length of current enhanced crop insurance protections, according to a release about the proposal.

"I have repeatedly heard that a robust crop insurance program is the top priority for our agriculture community in this year’s Farm Bill," Feenstra said in a release. "These same producers are extremely concerned – as am I – that our young farmers face major hurdles to succeed in today’s bleak economy."

Craig said she was proud of the bipartisan work she and Feenstra are doing and getting new farmers to a place where they can build successful operations "starts with better crop insurance protections."

Iowa Farm Bureau Federation President Brent Johnson said recently that a strong safety net for farmers is vital as Congress works to reauthorize a key agriculture bill for 2023.

"The cost of production right now … is higher than our expected revenue come this fall," Johnson said. "And to deal with two, three hundred percent inflation, knowing that our cash flows are upside down currently, that puts real risk into communities."

Reauthorized every five years, the U.S. Farm Bill addresses an array of concerns including: farming, nutrition, conservation, forestry, rural development and more. Nutrition assistance programs, such as SNAP, are actually wrapped up in the Farm Bill. The most-recent bill came in 2018 and if one doesn't come this fall, a number of programs would be in jeopardy. 

A Tuesday newsletter from Politico noted that crop insurance has buy in from both Democrats and Republicans but funding will be an issue.