Friend,
As a member of the House Committee on Agriculture, I’ll play a major role in negotiating the upcoming Farm Bill. It’s a responsibility I take seriously, especially given the importance of farming in my home state and because tens of thousands of families in my community depend on food stamps through the SNAP program -- which is funded through the Farm Bill.
In case you missed it, I recently discussed the Farm Bill in
Politico’s Weekly Agriculture newsletter.
Here are some of the key points I made about my priorities for the bill:
- We need to protect food assistance programs. SNAP benefits help feed some of the most vulnerable in our community and Republicans want to make cuts. There are already work requirements in place for recipients which is likely to hurt overall food security.
- We need to help farmers prepare for a more volatile future. Increasingly frequent extreme weather is adding pressure for lawmakers to boost crop insurance – a measure I would fully support.
- We need to protect farmers’ well-being. The suicide rate among family farmers is extremely concerning, and it’s imperative that the Farm Bill include provisions that help address that crisis while laying the groundwork to set up the next generation of farmers for success.
Those are my thoughts, friend, but I also want to hear from supporters and constituents. What are your Farm Bill priorities?
Fill out our brief one-minute survey and let us know which issues you think deserve attention in the Farm Bill negotiations.
I always appreciate your input.
– Eric
