Last week, we heard from House Ag Committee Chair G.T. Thompson about where he saw the progress of the Farm Bill that is being renewed this year. He seemed to be in a positive frame of mind that they can get it done. Today, we will continue to get that outlook from the perspective of his Senate counterpart, Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI).
Senator Stabenow, like Congressman G.T. Thompson, addressed Farm Broadcasters during the NAFB Washington Watch event on Capitol Hill. She talked about her great partnership with Committee Ranking Member, Senator John Boozman (R-AR). Then she described how the process is going thus far.
Stabenow says that one of the biggest challenges they are facing in both chambers is that roughly 240 members have never voted on a farm bill before. This means a lot more work to be educating these members on the importance of the legislation and explaining the depth of the titles in the bill.
Stabenow talked about the importance of keeping the crop insurance program sustained, even when prices are currently better. While prices for sales are higher, so are the input costs and that is narrowing profit margins.
We will have more remarks from Senator Stabenow, later this week, on AgMatters PM.
