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House Ag Committee member says there’s plenty to review in the farm bill

A member of the House Ag Committee says writing the farm bill is behind schedule and there are several priorities lawmakers need to review.

Republican Tracey Mann of Kansas tells Brownfield producers are pleased with crop insurance, but it could be strengthened. “How we better or maybe throw more years out where we have severe crop losses and what the balances are.  Is it possible to go and get a higher percentage of insurance and what does that cost? I think those are all things we should be looking at.”

He says the Market Access Program needs additional investments to help develop foreign trade markets. “It’s easy to say that there is a very high return on investment for dollars spent on that program as we work to build markets for dairy, wheat, grain, beef, soybeans and sunflowers all over the world.

And, Mann says, there could be an opportunity to address environmental regulation like Waters of the US and others. “We have the western prairie chicken issue in my district in Western Kansas. It impacts Colorado, Oklahoma and Texas as well. There’s been this 30×30 land grab initiative, as well.”

He says he hopes farm bill listening sessions pick up speed over the next several months.