Alabama farming leaders are praising the new Farm Bill, which the U.S. House Agriculture Committee will begin considering this week.
The 800-plus page legislation outlining farming and nutrition policy for the next several years has been highly anticipated, as Congress has not passed a long-term bill since 2018.
Subscribe to The Alabama Baptist today!
SIGN UP for our weekly Highlights emails.
“It’s really the American consumer that’s reaping the rewards of the Farm Bill, because we still have the safest, most abundant food supply in the world and the most affordable,” Mitt Walker with Alabama Farmers Federation told Alabama Daily News. “So the Farm Bill policies allow for that to happen, and allow us to be able to feed and clothe and fuel ourselves as a country.”
What would the bill do?
The Republican-led Farm Bill, which was released earlier in February, builds on the farming provisions, such as raising reference prices, included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The president signed the law in July. But lawmakers have yet to tackle many of the other priorities typically included in a full farming measure. That’s where the new Farm Bill comes in.
“There is a lot left to do,” Walker told ADN.
For Alabama, the legislation makes the feral swine eradication and control program permanent, which Walker said is a “big deal” for the state that is reeling from swine damage.
The Farm Bill provides support and funding for research at land-grant institutions, which in Alabama includes Auburn University, Tuskegee University and Alabama A&M.
It also increases funding for research on the mechanization and automation of specialty crop production, which could help streamline the process when fewer workers are available.
“This is kind of taking a look at the lack of the labor force out there and doing more to mechanize and automate specialty crop production, fruits and vegetables,” Walker said. “That’s a positive thing.”
Under the new measure, funding for the Foreign Market Development Program, which helps promote U.S. agricultural products overseas, is doubled, Walker said. Those partnerships can help create new markets for farmers.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Alex Angle and originally published by Alabama Daily News.
Share with others: