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What’s the Farm Bill worth to the nation?

So, what’s the Farm Bill worth to our nation? That’s the question Iowa Soybean and Illinois Soybean Associations attempted to answer, in a study released this week in partnership with Informa Economics.

Carol Balvanz, policy director for Iowa Soybean, tells Brownfield as they looked at the rhetoric in Washington, DC and other places about what needed to be CUT from the next Farm Bill, Iowa and Illinois farmers sat down and decided that maybe lawmakers needed to hear more about the return on investment from the Farm Bill. More specifically, she says, what the value is in the ability of a nation to provide for all of its principle food needs.

“We decided to really capitalize on those things that agriculture does well, trying to get that put into the conversation,” And Balvanz says those things include,

“Trade – we export every other row of soybeans, for example; the value of research and economic research to help us feed our country and the world; energy; environment; conservation efforts.”

While it’s difficult to quantify everything that agriculture contributes, Balvanz says, ag production and the ability to provide it is ‘a public good in itself and, therefore, some public investment in agriculture has value, even to consumers.’  Bottom line, she says, there’s a great return on the public’s investment in agriculture in terms of jobs, income, but mostly in food security.

AUDIO: Carol Balvanz (6:00 mp3)

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