A congregation of agricultural leaders, experts, and enthusiasts gathered for the prestigious Agri-Pulse Ag Outlook Forum on Monday in Kansas City, Kansas. The event, attended by agriculturalists as well as business magnates and government officials, helped shed light on issues impacting agriculture.
One of the central themes of the forum was discussions surrounding the Farm Bill, which is set to expire at the end of the week without any replacement legislation drafted.
U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann was one of the lawmakers at the event who was able to share insights on the progress in Washington. In his address, the Republican from Kansas highlighted the pressing need for the legislation to evolve with the times.
“There’s no question that agriculture inputs today are much higher than they were in 2018—no question—which is why we’re having this conversation in the first place,” Rep. Mann said. “I want to get that out there.”
Mann went on to outline what a modern Farm Bill would look like. He shared his vision for the Farm Bill, expressing his desire to see provisions preserving the stepped-up basis, enabling year-round E-15 sales, and addressing immigration issues—an agenda aimed at fostering a thriving agricultural landscape.
“Number two, I would say you’ve got to remember that the farm bill today is 81% food and nutrition, 19% everything else,” he said, “In the ‘everything else’ bucket are things like crop insurance, market access programs, conservation programs. All of the things that really impact production agriculture. That’s what today’s farm bill looks like, and that’s important to keep focused on.”
However, as the congressman candidly admitted, the journey toward realizing these goals is full of challenges. He even touched upon the jurisdictional complexities that can hinder the incorporation of certain provisions into the Farm Bill. Making sure the group of agri-biz leaders understand the path forward requires careful navigation.
