We know that there are a lot of things that are being juggled around in the ag industry. There are a lot of policies that are being made or stalling in Washington, that farmers need to have certainty about. The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) is made up of the ag leaders of each state. It is a bipartisan group that works to find consensus among the 50 states and then work together to help support solutions on things happening in the capital.
RJ Karney is Sr. Director of Public Policy, and he talked with me about several topics at hand. The first is a Farm Bill. He commented on the headwinds it is facing, but that there is a desire to get it done.
Certainty in the guest worker programs is something else that NASDA is working hard on. Not every farm job is seasonal, and policy needs to reflect that.
Crop Protection is another main concern for farmers. Having the tools they need available is a huge hurdle lately. NASDA is working with EPA to find common-sense solutions.
Of course, protecting pollinators while protecting crops is a hot topic right now.
