Farm Bill

In December, the 2018 Farm Bill was passed with huge bipartisan majorities in the Senate (87-13) and House (369-47). The National Grange fought, and continues to fight, for legislation that will keep the interests of rural America at the forefront without sacrificing the rights or funding that many of us rely on.

Good conservation practices ensure that we get the most out of our land, while continuing to practice good stewardship. We are able to continue reaping the benefits of a healthy environment, without sacrificing the food or productivity that the United States needs to survive. The 2018 Farm Bill focuses on increased funding for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQUIP) and preserving the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), which allows landowners to enhance their own land while improving their conservation skills. The Conservation Reserve Program enrollment was increase from 24 million acres to 27 million acres, and the Regional Conservation Partnership Program is now separated from other similar programs.

The 2018 Farm Bill also contains safety net programs for farmers. Making crop insurance work smarter and cover broader cases will allow farmers to produce without fear of unpredictable environmental disasters. Using the Margin Protection Program passed in February, the new Dairy Margin Coverage Program was built. This reduces the premiums on the first five million pounds of production, which is approximately 240 cows, and raises the top margin coverage from $8.00 per hundredweight to $9.50. This Bill has made hemp eligible for crop insurance and extended discounts for beginning farmers and ranchers to 10 years under Whole Farm Revenue Protection. Farm loan limits on operating and ownership loans increased. It also states that new policies will be researched by the USDA, in hopes of covering crops affected by hurricanes and tropical storms. In order to make sure that the food produced does not go to waste, food assistance programs can be linked with agriculture safety nets. The Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive Program was granted permanent funding and renamed the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program for the former USDA Undersecretary and Massachusetts Grange member. To advance rural development, the Bill also provides permanent authority and rules for the $600 million rural broadband grant and loan program created by the fiscal 2018 spending bill.

Research into better and healthier livestock, more permanent preventative measures for diseases and pests, healthier and less intensive crops, and a smarter combination of energy sources will allow American agriculture to remain ‘leader of the pack’ for years to come. The 2018 Farm Bill increased funding for the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research, the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative, and the Specialty Crop Research Initiative. It also created and funds a new animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program, which includes a new Foot and Mouth Disease vaccine bank. While the funding for bioenergy programs was renewed, it was also reduced. To combat contamination in forests, the provision was renewed that allows diseased and insect infested trees to be removed from government forests. It is the hard work and collaboration between brilliant minds in the agricultural and scientific communities that has allowed us to change the way that the world thinks about food and develop means to feed a population of seven billion people and counting.