Hoeven, farm leaders urge negotiators back to the table
Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., ranking member and incoming chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, and farm leaders said over the weekend that the battle over farm disaster aid is not yet over.
On Saturday leaders of the House and Senate agriculture committees said negotiations over a year-end farm disaster package had fallen apart with Republican and Democratic members blaming each other for the failure.
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Pa., and Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., the ranking member on the Senate Agriculture Committee, said they would not support a year end package without aid to farmers.
The Hill noted that the text of a bill to “keep the government’s lights on” past Friday was expected Sunday evening, but was not released.
In a Saturday speech to the North Dakota Farmers Union at its annual convention, Hoeven said he is still “working with his colleagues to address producer losses resulting from natural disasters and challenging markets” and urged Farmers Union members to tell Congress that the aid is vital.
“We continue working to provide meaningful disaster relief for American farmers and ranchers, including those in North Dakota who have dealt with recent wildfires and a challenging market,” Hoeven said.
“The ag disaster assistance package we’re working to advance as part of the CR (continuing resolution) is critical to get farm country through these hard times, and we need the help of groups like North Dakota Farmers Union to get it done,” he said.
“Once we’ve addressed this immediate need and are in the new Congress, we will be well-positioned to strengthen the tools available to producers, ensuring programs like crop insurance, ARC (Agriculture Risk Coverage) and PLC (Price Loss Coverage) work when needed most. Doing so will help prevent the need for future ad-hoc disaster assistance.”
Hoeven maintained that the Republicans “have put forward a package of $12 billion of relief for economic losses and $16 billion in weather-related assistance,” but that Democrats refused to support it.
Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., said that Democrats had offered a $10 billion package but Republicans refused to support that.
National Farmers Union, a Democratic leaning group, sent its members an action alert on Sunday.
“Don’t let lawmakers walk away from their responsibility,” NFU said. “Contact your representatives today and tell them: Don’t come home until you’ve passed a farm bill extension and meaningful economic and disaster assistance.”
Other farm groups also put out statements over the weekend urging Congress to provide farm aid.
National Association of State Departments of Agriculture CEO Ted McKinney said Sunday, “Farmers and ranchers are encountering tremendous pressures under high input costs, elevated interest costs, deeply depressed commodity futures markets and poor local cash markets.”
“Additionally, they have experienced powerful headwinds, ranging from extreme weather to uncertain global demand to supply chain disruptions,” McKinney said.
“NASDA calls on Congress to put politics aside and find a resolution that provides the necessary economic aid and disaster assistance for the farmers and ranchers who work every day to provide food security to our country while also feeding the world.”
American Soybean Association President Caleb Ragland, a soy farmer from Kentucky, said, “We urge congressional leadership to return to the negotiating table and find a path forward.”
“A package that does not include both economic and disaster assistance for our farmers who have suffered significantly from unforgiving market conditions, disastrous weather phenomena and for many, a combination of both, simply does not meet the mark for what agriculture and specifically, our soy growers, need,” Ragland said.
“We will oppose any supplemental spending package that does not provide meaningful assistance to farmers who need help now to stay afloat in 2025 and beyond.”
Ragland noted that soybean prices have dropped 40% over the past two years.
“Compounded by an already insufficient farm safety net, this has made it increasingly difficult for farming operations to remain viable,” he said.
“Without consideration for U.S. farmers, who provide feed, fuel, food and fiber for our country, rural communities and consumers nationwide will likely feel the residual effects of a mounting agriculture recession.”
National Corn Growers Association President Kenneth Hartman Jr. said, “We are deeply disappointed that congressional leadership appears to be at an impasse over crucial economic assistance for farmers in an end-of-the-year legislative package.”
“Corn growers are faced with low prices and high input costs and economic aid would provide them with critical relief during challenging economic times,” Hartman said.
“While these developments are disheartening, we call on Congress to resume negotiations and pass legislation that includes economic assistance while there is still time.”
USA Rice said it “adamantly opposes any extension of the 2018 farm bill or end-of-year federal government spending package that excludes meaningful economic assistance for rice farmers.”
“This year, rice farmers across the U.S. are expected to lose more than $400 million as a result of artificially low prices and unchecked production costs,” USA Rice said.
“And this isn’t the first year of losses. As we look to 2025, the situation is more grim with even deeper negative margins projected.
“The failure of Congress to provide immediate and direct relief for rice farmers given the lack of a new farm bill with an adequate safety net coupled with these extreme losses is irresponsible and short-sighted.
“The status quo is unacceptable. The agriculture financial crisis is real. Not only are our farms at stake, but let’s remember, an abundant and sustainable domestic food supply is national security, as well economic security for rural communities. Congress ignores this reality at all our peril,” USA Rice said.
National Sorghum Producers Chair Amy France, a sorghum farmer from Scott City, Kan., said, “Farmers are operating under an increasingly bleak economic landscape in 2024, and projections for 2025 offer little improvement.”
“Amid growing financial strain, the industry has emphasized the importance of assistance, but Congress has yet to take action. These mounting challenges pose significant risks to the financial viability of many farming operations.
“While this assistance will not make producers whole, it would be an essential step in helping farm families navigate the difficulties brought on by economic and weather-related hardships in 2024.
“We urge agricultural leaders in Congress to demand that the supplemental spending bill include substantial financial aid for farmers, and if it doesn’t, we ask that they vote against it,” France said.
The International Fresh Produce Association called on congressional leaders “to re-engage to negotiate a farm bill extension that not only maintains current USDA programs but also robustly funds the vital economic relief and overdue natural disaster aid that the specialty crop producers desperately need.”
“It is imperative that Congress fulfills its responsibility to prioritize and support American agriculture and food security in the upcoming continuing resolution, which is required to fund the government by December 20,” IFPA said.
“Inaction will jeopardize farms and producers at a time when enhancing domestic self-sufficiency and ensuring food security is at the forefront of U.S. political priorities.”
Democrats said Republicans refused to accept a provision that would incorporate conservation funding from the Inflation Reduction Act into the farm bill.
National Association of Conservation Districts President Kim LaFleur said, “NACD urges lawmakers to pass an end of the year package that includes both economic assistance for producers and the integration of IRA conservation investments.”
“America’s producers urgently require help, and integrating IRA conservation investments has strong bipartisan support and would increase funding for oversubscribed, locally led conservation programs,” LaFleur said. “The time to act is now.”
NACD added, “This bipartisan, paid-for provision would increase funding for oversubscribed, voluntary, locally led conservation programs. This has long been NACD’s highest legislative priority.”
Other farm groups including the American Farm Bureau Federation, the National Association of Wheat Growers and the National Cotton Council issued statements Saturday that farm aid is desperately needed.
