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NAWG wants grower feedback on Farm Bill

The president of the National Association of Wheat Growers says the organization is surveying its members to find out their priorities in the next Farm Bill.

Montana farmer Gordon Stoner says the organization’s members are finding issues with some of the current programs.

For example, Stoner says growers claim the use of NASS data is inconsistent and that is impacting the ARC – or county program.  “In some areas of the country farmers have not reported to the National Ag Statistics Service what yields are,” he says.  “Because of that the ARC-county yields are flawed.”

He tells Brownfield crop insurance is the number one concern for growers.  “We continue to see a tax on crop insurance from various directions,” he says.  “Our growers are giving us clear direction that crop insurance is vital to the ag community.”

Stoner says so far grower feedback indicates there needs to be tweaks to several of the programs, but overall the current Farm Bill is a good starting point.