Tackling Farm Input Costs &
Lowering Food Prices
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This week, I have taken various steps to address rising costs directly impacting the agriculture industry. Fertilizer costs have skyrocketed, and fuel is at a record high, all while the Biden administration prioritizes climate policies that further burden our farmers. Since farmers now must put more money, time, and resources into production, American families are feeling the effects in consumer prices. They are struggling to afford groceries, if they can even find everything on their grocery list at one store. This is a growing problem directly affecting our community in the First District of Arkansas.
On Monday, I joined my colleagues in sending a letter to President Biden to raise these concerns and outline a myriad of actions that the Biden administration can take to ease this burden, including addressing farm input costs, stopping the Waters of the U.S. regulation (WOTUS), refocusing the EPA on Sound Science, and ending onerous climate rules.
I also helped introduced H.R. 8069, the Reducing Farm Input Costs and Barriers to Domestic Production Act, Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, and House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member GT Thompson. This bill would address the ongoing cost and supply challenges felt by our agriculture producers and they could continue using key crop protection tools. H.R. 8069 clarifies WOTUS regulations to further protect land owned by farmers, ranchers, and landowners. Farmers already know it’s in their best interest to keep their land healthy and sustainable for years to come. The bill also rescinds the SEC’s harmful proposed rule on climate-related disclosure, reinstates the 2020 NEPA streamlining, and requires an economic analysis on the costs and benefits of GIPSA rules.
As I often say, if you eat you are involved in agriculture, which means these issues are impacting all of us. Agriculture security is vital to the security of the nation because a nation that cannot feed or clothe itself is vulnerable. If we continue down this path, we will regulate ourselves further and further into global dependency for our most basic needs. I call on House Democrat Leadership to consider H.R. 8069 in the House Agriculture Committee and bring it to the House floor for a vote.
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- Fails to modernize the Endangered Species Act which hasn’t been updated since 1988.
- The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that this bill will result in a mandatory cost of $12.7 billion in the first ten years alone.
- Doesn’t include a sunset clause – meaning this additional spending will last forever and never expire.
- Will make credit more expensive and less accessible by creating additional regulations that businesses will need to re-direct resources to meet.
- Imposes mandates on businesses rather that allowing them to self-access the make up of their workforce. Meaning companies would be forced in many cases to assume the race of their clients.
- Perpetuates the false narrative that private industry is responsible for record inflation.
- Duplicates existing USDA programs and offices already tasked with enforcing the Packers and Stockyards Act.
- Creates an investigator with the USDA to specifically go after the beef industry and refer any suspects to the DOJ.
- Addresses recent backlogs and supply chain issues within the shipping industry.
- Creates a level playing field while increasing competitiveness with nations like China.
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This week, I delivered remarks at the Senate Agriculture Committee field hearing breakfast discussing my position on the House Agriculture Committee and my role in drafting the next Farm Bill. |
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Railway Age
Indeed, Crawford raised the issue, stating in opening remarks, “America’s freight railroads rank as one of the safest means of transporting goods in the world. According to the Association of American Railroads, train accidents were down 33% between 2000 and 2020, and accidents involving hazardous materials were down 60%. These gains in safety build toward the ultimate target of zero accidents. Monitoring and protecting our 140,000-mile freight rail network is no easy job. Improving highway-rail grade crossing protections, reducing human error, and supporting innovative new drone and automated safety technologies can all contribute toward reaching the zero-accident goal. Specifically, we must continue to encourage the development of automated track inspection safety technology, which has been shown to decrease accidents, identify new safety issues, and free up safety inspectors to focus on other important duties.”
Brownfield Ag News
Rick Crawford of Arkansas says the bill would address skyrocketing input costs by incentivizing domestic production. “But, we have chosen to rely on foreign sources. We’ve done that with energy, but we can’t afford to do that with agriculture because we create a state of food insecurity.”
Agri-Pulse
Congress considered legislation this week that House Democrats argued was a necessary step to address inflation in food and fuel prices, but House Ag GOP members offered a counter approach they suggested was the better way to go. Committee Republican Rick Crawford of Arkansas joins Agri-Pulse to discuss that legislation, the broader issue of inflation and his goals for the upcoming farm bill.
Talk Business & Politics
Federal legislators and industry organization leaders from Arkansas touted a new law that’s expected to benefit U.S. exporters and ease supply chain issues, The U.S. Senate approved the act in March, and the House of Representatives approved it June 13.
According to a Thursday (June 16) news release, U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, R-Rogers, and U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Jonesboro, praised the bipartisan, bicameral Ocean Shipping Reform Act they championed and President Joe Biden signed into law.
Forbes Breaking News
In remarks on the House floor Thursday, Rep. Rick Crawford (R-AR) spoke about agriculture.
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