We have been really focused on the 2023 Farm Bill for the past few months. There are concerns about getting it passed, especially with the debt ceiling debates currently going on. We focus a lot on safety nets and nutrition, which are two of the most important titles in the legislation. However, it doesn?t stop there. There are thirteen titles in the Farm Bill, and each one of them affects life in America to some degree.
One of those places is in rural communities. They need the monies to keep providing vital services to their urban and rural residents. Services that citizens in larger cities take for granted.
Skylar Sowder is VP of Government Affairs for the Farm Credit Council. She talks to us about the rural communities that rely on a timely Farm Bill.
For those of you who aren?t as well-versed in Farm Bill policies, you may be curious about how a piece of agriculture and nutrition legislation affects a city?s services. That is because USDA Rural Development Dollars are included in the Farm Bill to provide funding to help these communities upgrade services.
Sowder talks about the support that House and Senate leaders have for making sure these dollars are available.
Sowder says that these communities need services, businesses, and infrastructure to keep farmers in the area successful. She says that is one of the pillars that Farm Credit stands upon.
Sowder says that if Farm Credit Services can?t help directly, they are going to make sure that they steer those people and entities to those who can. They aren?t just going to say, ?Tough luck?, and send you away.
