There’s never a shortage of agriculture news. Here are a few policy stories you may have missed recently.

Scott accuses Republicans of taking food away

House Ag Committee ranking member David Scott, D- Ga., penned an Aug. 30 Atlanta Journal Constitution op-ed on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program’s future. While the piece was ostensibly written to mark SNAP’s 60^th anniversary, Scott didn’t miss the opportunity to slam his Republican counterparts. He said their proposals to reduce nutrition spending are proof they plan to “turn back the clock” on SNAP.

“Their 2024 Farm Bill would revert the underlying SNAP calculus to the past, leading to decreased SNAP benefit levels,” Scott says. “Four in five SNAP households include a child, elderly person or someone with a disability, and every single one of them would suffer from the $30 billion cut to SNAP that House Republicans call for.”

House Republicans have consistently refuted Democrat claims that their farm bill proposal reduces SNAP funding. They counter that the language governing the Thrifty Food Plan, which helps determine SNAP funding, is necessary to rein in spending.

Still, no matter the explanation, the end result will almost certainly be less money for future nutrition spending. That’s a point the Dems have been quick to pounce on.

“Republicans are quick to point out how much the cost of groceries has increased because of inflation and corporate price gouging,” Scott says. “I agree that we must do more to help families whose pocketbooks are being stretched thin. Taking people’s food away, however, does nothing to improve the situation.”

Scott ended his piece by calling for a robust nutrition policy that “recalls us to the better angels of our nature.”

Boozman says Biden, Harris are failing farmers

Senate Ag Committee ranking member John Boozman, R-Ark, says the Biden-Harris administration’s trade policies are failing famers and rural America. On Aug. 28, the Senator issued a scathing public statement shortly after USDA released a report projecting a record agriculture trade deficit in fiscal year 2025.

“The Biden-Harris administration is failing our farmers, ranchers and foresters when it comes to maintaining our competitive advantage in the global marketplace,” Boozman said. “The President and his team simply must do more to actively engage and aggressively advocate for our agriculture producers on the world stage. There is just no way around it.”

According to USDA’s initial agriculture trade forecast for fiscal year 2025, ag exports are projected to be around $169.5 billion. That’s down $4 billion from 2024 projections. Imports are expected to increase to $212 billion, creating a $42.5 billion trade deficit next year.

Boozman also called on Congress to “step up to the plate” and pass a farm bill with greater investments in USDA trade promotion programs. He notes his farm bill framework would double funding for the Market Access Program and the Foreign Market Development Program.

“This is an excellent place to start,” Boozman says. “Anything less is yet another a step in the wrong direction.”

USDA debuts debt consolidation tool

USDA officials announced a new debt consolidation tool on Aug. 29. They say it’s an “innovative tool” intended to increase the financial viability of farmers and ranchers.

Producers may access  the tool on famers.gov. Once there, they can input information about their operation, and see how a debt consolidation loan may be able to help.

“Providing producers with options to structure their debt in a manner that affords them every opportunity to meet the goals of their agricultural operation is the best way to ensure the nation’s farmers and ranchers build financial equity and resilience,” FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux says.