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U.S. House holds official farm bill listening session

Improved crop insurance, expanded research funding, and increased market access were among the many asks during Tuesday’s farm bill listening session at the World Ag Expo.

President of California Farm Bureau Jamie Johansson asked members of Congress to create new crop insurance options and expand existing programs.

“Less than a quarter of our 400 commodities are covered by existing crop insurance programs,” he said.  “In order to recover from significant losses, our producers have often had to rely on significantly delayed ad hoc federal funding.”

 Aubrey Bettencourt is the CEO of the Almond Alliance of California.

“This has become the most expensive year in farming,” she testified.  “The reality is the cost of farming all across the United States has gone up, we need our programs to proportionately allow for access.”

Glenda Humiston with the University of California testified on the need for more research investments and improved facilities, saying studies have found there are more than $11 billion in deferred maintenance costs.

“This puts the U.S. at a huge disadvantage as we conduct research to find solutions for what we’re dealing with,” she shared.  “Here in California that’s critically important—we receive, on average, a new pest in this state every five weeks—it’s really frightening.”

Others called for loan limits to be raised, improved program delivery, and more.

The listening session was hosted by U.S. House Ag Committee chair Glenn “GT” Thompson.

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