American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall late Wednesday praised President Biden for visiting a farm in Illinois and made a cautious statement about Biden’s plan to address production costs and the affordability of food.

“AFBF appreciates that President Biden took time to visit a farm and recognize the hard-working families who grow crops and tend to the animals each and every day. We agree with the president’s description of the American farm as the ‘breadbasket of Democracy,’” Duvall said.

“America’s farmers take seriously their responsibility to stock America’s pantries and help feed the rest of the hungry world. This effort to create greater opportunities and reduce barriers is welcomed, recognizing that this alone will not solve the multiple challenges we face.

“Removing the disincentives for double cropping has the potential to increase near term production in areas suitable for the practice and for farmers who have the financial capacity to do so. Similarly, the proposal to increase domestic fertilizer production is an acknowledgment by the administration of the extraordinarily high cost of supplies for farmers and ranchers, but it could take years to realize the benefits.

“There is no magic bullet to reduce food costs. It will require addressing all the factors contributing to higher costs, including record high fuel and fertilizer prices that are bearing down on farmers. We will continue working with the administration, Congress and the private sector to get the supply chain moving again and find solutions that will enable farmers to keep store shelves filled with groceries that America’s families can afford.”