As lawmakers work to write the next farm bill, the American Farm Bureau Federation is sharing stories of its importance to agriculture, including this one from Missouri farmer Megan Richner.
Missouri has been one of the driest spots in the country. Richner says the farm bill’s conservation programs have not only positively impacted her operation, but they’ve also kept them in business.
“Really, those conservation programs in the Farm Bill saved our farm during this drought that we’re experiencing. If it wasn’t for those, we’d be in pretty bad shape on our farm. We have not had to sell any cows. We’ve had some land, we’ve had some grass, and really our land and grass would be in much worse condition if we would not have started using these conservation programs back in 2014.”
Richner says Congress can’t wait until next year to pass a farm bill.
“Due to the uncertainty in agriculture, whether it’s an uncertainty in markets, whether it’s the uncertainty of weather across the United States. Certainly, for us, the Farm Bill has been a safety net. It allows farmers like us to weather the storm and help us continue to grow food for our communities, whether it’s crops or, in our case, producing beef, still able to do that because of the farm bill and the programs that it provides.”
She encourages farmers to reach out to their elected officials and share their agriculture story to help get this Farm Bill across the finish line.
“Pick up the phone and have a conversation with your legislators or their staff. How has the Farm Bill impacted your farm? They say a picture’s worth 1,000 words. Show them those pictures. Tell them your story.”
For more information on how to best interact with your elected officials, go to fb.org/farmbill.
Source: NAFB News Service
