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Hoosier farmers, ag groups participate in 2023 Farm Bill listening session
Indiana farmers and ag groups highlighted concerns and priorities during a farm policy roundtable in Lebanon, Indiana today.
Congressman Jim Baird hosted the listening session with House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Glenn “GT” Thompson.
Baird says it’s critical to hear from agriculture stakeholders before drafting the 2023 Farm Bill.
“I think it’s so important to hear from the people that are right on the frontlines involved daily with the activities and policies that are implemented in Washington D.C. out of the USDA and agriculture committee,” he says. “Because they deal with those issues on a daily basis, it’s good to hear from them and that will help enhance our ability to make a farm bill in 2023. We’re starting on that now and this is one of those first opportunities to get that kind of discussion. It’s important for GT Thompson to be here as the ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee and it’s a real pleasure to have him here with us.”
Hoosier organizations participating in the roundtable included Agribusiness Council of Indiana, Indiana Agriculture Nutrient Alliance, Indiana Beef Cattle Association, Indiana Corn Growers Association, Indiana Department of Environmental Management, Indiana Farm Bureau, Indiana Pork Producers Association, Indiana Soybean Alliance, Indiana State Department of Agirulcutre, Indiana State Poultry Association, Purdue University, and The Nature Conservancy.
Baird tells Brownfield some of the topics he’s taking away include “agriculture has become very capital intensive and so several times during the roundtable people mentioned that we need to protect agriculture during hard times. Even the financial institutions and the lending agencies like to make sure we’re using crop insurance and risk management. Something else I heard today fortifies my feelings for research, development, and innovation. If we’re going to feed a growing population, we have to have that technology and innovation and we have to implement it. We must make it a program that farmers and ranchers can use. It will help all of us in the end because agriculture is stronger.”
Congressman Thompson says he’s honored to be invited to participate in the roundtable by Congressman Baird.
“It’s a way to bring the voices of Indiana agriculture to the 2023 farm bill process,” he says. “This roundtable has been outstanding. It was a great cross section of commodities, key stakeholders, and Purdue University and Purdue Extension. These great voices led to a great discussion.”
Topics discussed today included rural broadband, conservation, crop insurance, climate, biotechnology, trade, foreign animal disease prevention, supply chain, Waters of the U.S., Proposition 12, biofuels, regulations preventing crop protection tools, risk management, Indiana’s diverse agriculture sector, and sustainability.
Audio: Jim Baird
Audio: Glenn “GT” Thompson
