Please take a moment to contact your Congressman today and urge him to sign onto this important legislation discussed below.

Although Congress is in recess, with lawmakers home campaigning for reelection, there is a lot of activity on the agricultural policy front in Washington. We wanted to provide you with a few brief updates, including a call to action.

As we have discussed before, there are three distinct priorities we are advancing:

(1) disaster relief for 2023 and 2024 losses where the terrible hurricanes in the Southeast have only added fuel to the fire;

(2) economic assistance for the 2024 crop year; and

(3) completion of the Farm Bill to provide greater certainty going forward.

This week, the second item on this list is taking greater shape. Introduced by Rep. Trent Kelly (R-MS), the legislation, called the “FARM Act”, would compensate PLC/ARC eligible commodities which have seen costs of production outstrip prices received in the market. We anticipate some combination of purchases, block grants, or per acre payments for non-PLC/ARC eligible crops.

A fuller explanation is provided below but it suffices to say that there is a real need in farm and ranch country for this kind of assistance to ensure that farm and ranch families are able to secure loans next year to continue producing the safest, most abundant, most affordable food supply in the world.

Rep. Kelly, a Member of the All-Powerful House Agriculture Committee, is gathering cosponsors for the measure.

Relative to the first item on the list above, please know that lawmakers and staff are also beginning to consider the proper contours of an ad hoc relief package to address production losses for 2023 and 2024, with a great many seeking to avoid the disastrous implementation of the Emergency Relief Program for 2022. Real thought is being put into how we can get aid to our producers that is tailored to their production losses in as fast a manner as possible. This disaster package would cover the full spectrum crops and livestock losses.

Obviously, there are no guarantees in terms of the ultimate success of these efforts but we feel very good that there is a growing head of steam behind both efforts.

Rep. Ronny Jackson
Districk Director: Kristi Morrow – Kristi.morrow@mail.house.gov
ph: (202) 225-3706
Rep. Jodey Arrington
Aid: Shawn Bengali – shawn.bengali@mail.house.gov
ph: (202) 225-4005
District-wide Toll Free: (888) 217-0281
Sen. Ted Cruz
Aid: Preston Howey – preston_howey@cruz.senate.gov
(202) 224-5922
Sen. James Lankford
Aid: Ashley Higgins – Ashley_higgins@lankford.senate.gov
(202) 224-5754
Sen. Markwayne Mullin
Aid: Alexandra Slocum – Alexandra_slocum@mullin.senate.gov
(202) 224-4721
Rep. Tom Cole
Aid: Sofia Deiro – sofia.deiro@mail.house.gov
(202) 225-6165
Rep. Frank Lucas
Aid: Allison Slagell – Allison.slagell@mail.house.gov – (202) 225-5565

Relative to the Farm Bill, despite what naysayers might tell you, there is still time and opportunity to clear a 5-year Farm Bill that meaningfully strengthens the farm safety net for our farm and ranch families, especially under the Commodity Title and Crop Insurance. Please continue to press your Senators and Congressmen on the campaign trail to enact a new Farm Bill with a strong farm safety net yet this year.

If we are able to achieve these three goals this year, we will not only preserve and protect America’s farms and ranches but we can also stave off a severe economic downturn in rural America and the job losses in towns and cities that would go with that.

Thank you for all that you do for U.S. farm and ranch families and rural America |The CSA Crew

Original Co-Sponsor Request – Farmer Assistance and Revenue Mitigation Act of 2024 (The FARM Act) 

Sending Office: Honorable Trent Kelly

Sent By: semaj.redd@mail.house.gov

Background:

The current farm safety net provisions under the 2018 Farm Bill were effectively put in place in the 2014 Farm Bill utilizing cost of production data from 2010. As a result, the effective support provided by these programs has not kept up with inflation. Due to increased costs and falling commodity prices, there is an impending crisis in farm country. Over the past two years, USDA projects that farmers will experience the steepest two-year decline in net farm income in history. Meanwhile, due to an ineffective safety net, federal assistance for producers is slated to be at the lowest level since 1982.

While Congress continues to debate a farm bill that will enhance the farm safety net beginning with crop year 2025, many farmers will need more immediate assistance as they approach the lending season and work to secure credit for the upcoming year.

Bill Overview:

The Farm Assistance and Revenue Mitigation Act (FARM Act) provides emergency assistance to producers of eligible commodities for which the expected revenue in crop year 2024 is below the projected per-acre cost of production. This assistance will be critical in helping farmers pay down debt relative to the 2024 crop and assist them in obtaining financing for the 2025 crop year.

The FARM Act is endorsed by:

American Farm Bureau Federation, American Soybean Association, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Barley Growers Association, National Cotton Council, National Sorghum Producers, National Sunflower Association, U.S. Canola Association, U.S. Peanut Federation, USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council, USA Rice, and Western Peanut Growers Association

Eligible Commodities:

Acres planted or prevented from being planted in 2024 to the following crops are eligible for assistance: barley, corn, cotton, dry peas, grain sorghum, lentils, large chickpeas, oats, peanuts, rice, small chickpeas, soybeans, other oilseeds, and wheat.

Payment Formula:

(Projected Cost1 – Projected Returns2) X Eligible Acres3 X 60% = Total Payment4

  1. Projected cost is the per acre cost published by the Economic Research Service (ERS) for corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, rice, sorghum, oats, and barley. The projected cost for other eligible commodities will be determined by the Secretary in a similar manner.
  2. Projected returns for corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, rice, sorghum, oats, and barleyare determined by multiplying the projected 2024 marketing year average price published in the WASDE by the 10-year national average yield for the eligible commodity. The Secretary will be responsible for calculating a projected return for eligible commodities for which WASDE does not publish a projected price.
  3. Eligible Acres consist of 100% of the acres planted to an eligible commodity, plus 50% of the acres prevented from being planted to an eligible commodity in crop year 2024, as reported to FSA by the producer.
  4. Subject to payment limitations.

Administrative Provisions:

With the exception of alternative limitations, existing provisions relative to attribution of payments, actively engaged in farming, and other regulations apply.

  • Persons or entities that derive less than 75% of their income from farming, ranching, or forestry are subject to an overall limitation of $175,000 in assistance under this Act.
  • Persons or entities that derive 75% or more of their income from farming, ranching, or forestry are subject to an overall limitation of $350,000 in assistance under this Act.

EXTENDED: The deadline to sign on as an original is Friday, October 25th, at 9:00 am. For questions or to be added, please contact Semaj Redd at semaj.redd@mail.house.gov. Bill text here .