The National Corn Growers Association called on leaders of the Senate and House Agriculture Committees to find common ground on a farm bill so one can be signed into law before the current bill expires Sept. 30, 2018.

In a letter to Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway, R-Texas, and Ranking Member Collin Peterson, D-Minn., NCGA President Kevin Skunes said a new farm bill would provide certainty to farmers during increasingly uncertain times for agriculture. 

“Members of Congress have just a few days to come together and reach agreement on a bipartisan farm bill. There is no good reason this task can’t be completed,” Skunes said. “Farm income forecasts remain low and farmers have been negatively impacted by trade tariffs and retaliation. A new farm bill would go a long way in providing some certainty during these challenging times.”

The NCGA letter also highlighted the importance of the farm bill’s Foreign Market Development (FMD) Program, which would lose vital resources if a new bill is not completed by Sept. 30.

Excerpts from the letter: 

“Farmers are also bearing the brunt of trade tariffs and retaliation. An NCGA-commissioned economic analysis found a 44 cent per bushel loss in the price of corn from the beginning of May, right before tariffs were announced, through July, when tariffs were implemented. This is a $6.3 billion loss to corn farmers alone. In this environment, the support provided by the farm bill’s Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development (FMD) Program is increasingly important. Unfortunately, if the farm bill is not finished by Sept. 30, FMD will lose baseline, cutting off vital market development resources.

“It is unfortunate that it appears agriculture is being held hostage to politics. Farm bills have traditionally been bipartisan efforts and for a new bill to be passed this must again be the case. It is time to get past partisan politics and find the common ground needed to pass a bill. There is no good reason for delay. 

Source: National Corn Growers Association