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Klobuchar says existing farm bill a good template
A senior member of the Senate Agriculture Committee says the existing farm bill provides a good base for writing the next one.
Minnesota Democrat Amy Klobuchar tells Brownfield there have been improvements to disaster aid, crop insurance, and dairy programs.
“Want to keep the sugar program in there (too), it’s been very good and worked for us so far. So that’s going to be a big part of what we’re doing, getting ideas in the coming year from farmers and ranchers and bringing them back and putting them in writing in the farm bill.”
She suggests funding the next farm bill could be a struggle.
“That’s why it’s so important to have nutrition in there.”
Klobuchar says she’s hopeful the Senate-passed Inflation Reduction Act that includes more than $20 billion to support conservation efforts can help take some of the pressure off funding the 2023 Farm Bill.
The medical research indicates that over-consumption of sugar is responsible in large part for diabetes, heat disease, dementia and other chronic disease. Lower-income communities are disproportionately affected by these diseases. How about keeping products with added sugar out of purchases with SNAP benefits? Like we do with alcohol and tobacco? It’s time to eliminate the sugar subsidy. I hope that Cargill, as a good corporate citizen will continue to support Ms. Klobuchar if she would advocate these changes.