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Indiana Farm Bureau is celebrating progress made on the Farm, Food, and National Security Act – better known as the farm bill – that passed the U.S. House Agriculture Committee on May 23.

"We’re grateful to Chairman G.T. Thompson, Indiana’s U.S. Rep. Jim Baird and the House Agriculture Committee for getting their draft of a modernized farm bill passed out of committee in a bipartisan way,” said Randy Kron, INFB president. “So much has changed since the passage of the 2018 farm bill, including inflation and rising input costs. Congress must keep this process moving to the finish line before the extension deadline in September.”

The House farm bill includes several provisions that Farm Bureau members have been advocating for, including a stronger farm safety net, protecting voluntary conservation programs, increased funding for foreign market development programs, and a fix to California’s Proposition 12.

“The farm bill has a long tradition of bipartisan support and now, more than ever, it’s important for lawmakers to work together to ensure America’s farmers and ranchers can continue to provide the safest, most affordable food supply in the world,” Kron added.

Now Indiana Farm Bureau’s hope is for the House to quickly pass the Farm, Food, and National Security Act, and for the Senate to follow the House’s lead. Moving the farm bill forward in a bipartisan way will ensure America’s families continue to have access to a stable, affordable food supply.

In the Senate, Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow and Ranking Member John Boozman have each released outlines for a new, modernized farm bill that increases investments in the farm safety net and advances voluntary conservation efforts.

This is encouraging progress in the Senate, but there is much work to be done, noted Brantley Seifers, INFB national affairs director. There are significant differences between the two outlines. INFB urges Chairwoman Stabenow and Ranking Member Boozman to find common ground, draft a bipartisan farm bill that updates the farm safety net and makes crop insurance more accessible, and schedule a committee markup soon, he added.