The farm bill is an economic stimulus bill that creates jobs and helps small businesses and rural communities every year, according to American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman. Congress can – and must – finish a farm bill this year, Stallman said in remarks presented to the Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City.
“It’s obvious that we will not have a new farm bill in place by the time the current one expires, about two weeks from now,” Stallman said. “The only extension Farm Bureau supports is a five-year extension that looks a lot like the new farm bill that is working its way through Congress,” he added.
Although many political pundits in Washington and around the countryside are skeptical about the odds for passage of a farm bill in 2013, Stallman is optimistic.
“I am confident that Congress can pass a five-year farm bill this year,” he said.
Touching on another issue important to Farm Bureau, Stallman said the US will lose billions of dollars in agricultural production to other countries if problems with the current immigration system are not solved.
“We need to make it easier for farmers and ranchers to hire the foreign workers they need,” he said. “We need Congress to pass immigration reform now.”
Authorization and funding of lock and dam projects is another critical issue on Farm Bureau’s agenda.
“More than $20 billion worth of farm exports travel on our inland waterways,” Stallman said.
“More and more of those waterways transportation structures are aging, failing or just plain outdated and obsolete,” he concluded.
AFBF is conducting an organizational campaign during September called, “The Heat is On,” designed to communicate with members of Congress the importance of the farm bill, immigration reform and waterway and port infrastructure improvements.
The ABC of Kansas City is an alliance of individuals, businesses and organizations that advocate growth and awareness of the food, fiber, agri-science and related industries in the Kansas City region.
Announcements
Vacancies
- Head Grower Strawberries, Australia
- Growing Manager for Hydroponic strawberry producer
- Farm Manager Costa Rica
- Regional Sales Manager Fresh Produce
- Head Grower Strawberries, Norway
- Export Trade Manager
- Business Developer - Northern Europe
- Orchard Sector Manager
- Grower
- International Citrus Account Manager
Bob Stallman:
"Congress can – and must – finish a farm bill this year"
Publication date:
Receive the daily newsletter in your email for free | Click here
Other news in this sector:
- 2023-09-25 US (CA): Revamped USC Hotel Garden provides fresh produce to campus restaurants
- 2023-09-25 "We source our produce via Fresh Park Venlo, the Düsseldorf wholesale market, and directly from local farmers"
- 2023-09-25 Industry changemakers inspire business success
- 2023-09-25 Making sustainable choices in horticulture
- 2023-09-22 US: Vertically farmed salads now available in vending machines
- 2023-09-22 USDA cites Florida company for PACA violations
- 2023-09-22 Royal Brinkman and Empas extend partnership
- 2023-09-22 "No one can compensate for the loss of fatherly advice"
- 2023-09-22 Developer of mobile data centers next to greenhouse declared bankrupt
- 2023-09-21 Pepper grower 4Evergreen seeks CO2 partner: "Not dependent on fickle market"
- 2023-09-21 Luc Vanoirbeek re-elected as Copa-Cogeca's fruit and vegetable working group chair
- 2023-09-21 AgSafe launches new suicide prevention program in support of B.C.’s agricultural community
- 2023-09-21 New film coating facility Brazil
- 2023-09-21 Bayer expands its fruits and vegetables business to strawberries
- 2023-09-20 Independent investment firm buys NatureSweet
- 2023-09-20 US (NY): BrightFarms inks agreement to distribute more indoor-grown spinach
- 2023-09-20 US (NJ): Edible Garden launches new distribution at Woodman’s Market
- 2023-09-20 France: Skincare using vertically farmed ingredients is patent-pending
- 2023-09-20 US (CO): Denver restaurant adds 280m2 farm to deliver fresh-to-table
- 2023-09-20 Open day at Van der Valk Systemen to mark 60th anniversary
