Farm Bill Now rally ups pressure to pass new farm bill

Backed by 88 agriculture organizations and associations, the recently-formed Farm Bill Now coalition held a Wednesday rally on Capitol Hill aiming to push lawmakers to move a new farm bill.

The legislation has stalled in the House with current law set to expire Sept. 30.

 “Perhaps never in the history of farm legislation have so many diverse farmer and rancher voices joined together for such a common call for action on a farm bill,” said Bob Stallman, American Farm Bureau Federation president, during the event.

“We gather here under a banner adorned with three words: farm bill now. And we are here to raise our voices toward Capitol Hill … for a shared purpose.”

Congressional members who spoke at the event included Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow, chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran, Minnesota Rep. Collin Peterson, ranking member of the House Agriculture Committee, and South Dakota Rep. Kristi Noem.

Jon Scholl, American Farmland Trust President, said passage of a new, comprehensive, five-year new farm bill before the current bill expires is imperative because farmers and ranchers rely on farm bill conservation programs to be good stewards of our natural resources and the environment.

This year’s drought, which has affected every sector of agriculture, makes it especially important that farmers have access to short-term and long-term farm bill conservation programs to protect fragile soils, restore wetlands and conserve precious water.

“This year’s drought has affected every sector of agriculture. More than 1,800 counties in 38 states have been declared natural disaster areas,” said Scholl. “There are both immediate and long-term impacts from this drought, and we need the right policy in place to address those.