Several U.S. Representatives from Texas have signed a letter urging the immediate passage of the 2024 Farm Bill.
The Farm, Food, and National Security Act, colloquially called the Farm Bill, takes up where the 2018-2023 Farm Bill left off in establishing policy for the agricultural industry over the next five years. An extension to the previous bill was passed last winter to cover 2024, but expired on September 30.
The estimated $1.5 trillion measure passed out of the House Agriculture Committee in May of this year. Another extension to the last Farm Bill has been proposed but has met opposition.
According to the letter, federal support for agriculture will decline to its lowest level in more than 40 years without a Farm Bill.
Inflation has driven production costs to the highest on record, meanwhile commodity prices across the board have fallen precipitously, creating a severe margin squeeze on farm and ranch families. A $34 billion projected loss in crop cash receipts is expected to result in the sharpest two-year decline in net cash income in our nation’s history: 31% ($69.2 billion). Farm debt, $540 billion, is the highest ever, both nominally and when adjusted for inflation. These factors show no signs of abating for all major commodities. Yet, despite the overwhelming increase in production costs, declining commodity cash receipts, and the record-breaking decline in net cash income, without intervention, federal support provided to agriculture in 2024 is projected to reach its lowest level since 1982, a year that presaged the farm financial crisis of the mid-1980s.
“The negative impacts of failing to act will not just stop at the farm gate, but will also hit Main Street businesses, rural communities, and the national economy,” the letter reads.
It also urges that the Farm Bill be considered a “must pass” for the Republican Conference.
U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-13), one of the members of the Texas delegation to sign the letter, told Texas Scorecard, “As the representative for Texas’ number one agricultural-producing district and a member on the House Committee on Agriculture, I take immense pride in fighting for America’s farmers and ranchers.”
“Extending the 2018 farm bill is not in the best interest of farmers and ranchers who are already experiencing massive headwinds from the Biden-Harris administration,” continued Jackson.
“The left’s woke policies have driven nearly every input cost to record highs, caused the sharpest decline in farm income ever recorded, and led us to the largest agricultural trade deficit ever recorded. Unfortunately, Senate Democrats have done nothing to propose a farm bill for passage before the end of this calendar year, and it is clear that they are not serious about working with House Republicans to get this done.”
U.S. Reps. August Pfluger, Pete Sessions, John Carter, Pat Fallon, Jake Ellzey, Lance Gooden, Tony Gonzales, Kay Granger, Keith Self, Monica De La Cruz, Jodey Arrington, Brian Babin, Michael McCaul, Morgan Luttrell, Nathaniel Moran, Randy Weber, and Dan Crenshaw also signed the letter.
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