WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD NEWS) — Pressure is building in Washington for another round of farm aid. Ag groups are urging President Trump to include relief in a supplemental spending package tied to the war in Iran. They say disruptions in energy and fertilizer markets are adding stress to an already struggling farm economy.
House Ag Chair “GT” Thompson says he is eyeing about 15 billion dollars in aid. Ten billion would go to specialty crops, with additional funding for forestry and sawmills.
Thompson also says any new aid should be offset with spending cuts elsewhere. He adds the dairy sector may not need extra help right now.
A busy morning ahead on Capitol Hill, with key hearings set to get underway. First, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is testifying before a full House committee. The focus is expected to include health policy and federal spending priorities.
Following that, the House Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee is holding a budget hearing with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins as Congress begins planning its spending for next year. Lawmakers are likely to seek specifics on USDA’s budget and rural program finance.
“Great progress. There is no doubt that this is a very challenging time in farm country,” Rollins said in her opening statement. Their statement that we have a lot of things to continue to work on, but in the last year, whether it is battling HPAI -- I think, Mr. Chairman, you mentioned, chickens and eggs -- we announced about a year ago our billion-dollar plan to combat avian flu and bring egg prices down. That plan has worked based on and compared to this time last year, HPAI cases are down 61%.”
Following Rollins, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will testify before appropriators. That hearing will likely touch on trade policy and global market access.
Rising input costs continue to pressure farm margins, with fuel and fertilizer concerns shaping operational decisions and prompting calls for additional support from Congress. Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) joined us on Thursday’s Market Day Report from Capitol Hill to discuss what he is hearing from producers and what policy solutions are being considered.
In his interview with RFD NEWS, Marshall said he remains in close contact with farmers and small business owners in Kansas, who are increasingly concerned about rising input costs and overall economic uncertainty. He also addressed federal “bridge payments” intended to help offset financial losses and discussed whether Congress or the administration could take additional steps to support producers facing continued cost pressures.
Marshall also responded to proposals from House Agriculture Committee Chairman GT Thompson seeking additional aid for farmers, offering his perspective on potential legislative support.
He further discussed the “Homegrown Fertilizer Act,” which he has sponsored alongside Senator Klobuchar, explaining that the legislation aims to strengthen domestic fertilizer supply amid elevated energy and input costs driven in part by global geopolitical tensions.
Finally, Marshall addressed feedback on the bill and discussed the timeline for USDA grant programs for fertilizer storage and infrastructure, as well as producers’ concerns about affordability heading into the next production cycle.
