Washington, DC—Today, U.S. Representative John Rose (TN-06), a member of the House Agriculture Committee, applauded the Committee passage of H.R. 8467, the “Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024,” which is commonly referred to as the Farm Bill.
U.S. Representative John Rose released the following statement:
“The Farm Bill is a once in five-year opportunity to help support our farmers who feed our families, and House Republicans are committed to delivering on our promise to pass a Farm Bill that helps them fight inflation caused by Bidenomics,” said Rep. Rose. “The Farm, Food, and National Security Act is the product of a bipartisan process spanning years of listening to stakeholders—including in Tennessee’s Sixth District at a Farm Bill listening session with Chairman Thompson, who I commend for his diligent work on this monumental bill. This piece of legislation provides extensive new tools in commodity programs, conservation, credit, and crop insurance that support producers as they navigate financial instability, and I am proud to support its passage out of committee and onto the House Floor.
Rep. Rose delivered remarks during the committee proceedings. Excerpts can be found below:
“Farmers expect the largest recorded year-to-year dollar drop in net farm income this year, which is estimated to decrease by $40 billion from 2023. Two major factors driving these forecasts are lower prices for commodities and increased input costs. Given these predicaments, farmers cannot wait any longer for relief. It is our duty to provide an adequate safety net to protect against production and market hardships.
This Farm Bill provides 10 to 20 percent increases in reference prices for commodities, which producers have desperately requested for years. These new price levels will allow the payment trigger to take effect and support farmers.
The bill also expands the number one risk-mitigating instrument producers have: crop insurance. The supplemental coverage option of crop insurance is enhanced to provide up to 90 percent coverage.”
Rep. Rose also addressed the Agricultural Fiber Products Trust Fund, which will establish a baseline of $50 million annually to support wool apparel manufacturers, Pima cotton activities, and wool research and promotion.
“These programs help protect American jobs from unfair trade policies that harm every tier of the production chain for specific wool and cotton products.
Specifically, these programs have helped keep jobs like those at Measure Up Custom Shirts in Lafayette, Tennessee, by responding to tariff and trade anomalies that negatively affect the industry.”
Rep. Rose also addressed concerns that the legislation cuts funding for nutrition benefits to those in need.
“Saving and cutting are not the same. By reining in executive overreach and preventing future circumvention, the $27 billion in nutrition savings is reinvested into the Farm Bill.
These savings originate from establishing guardrails on the Thrifty Food Plan and ensuring any future administration cannot abuse their authority by increasing or decreasing benefits, unless cost neutral.”
Watch Rep. Rose’s remarks during the committee proceedings here.
Background:
The Farm Bill is a comprehensive piece of legislation that sets the agricultural and food policy for the United States. It is typically reauthorized every five years and addresses a wide range of issues related to agricultural production, food assistance, rural development, conservation, and trade.
More information on the “Farm, Food, and National Security Act,” including bill text and detailed summaries, can be found here.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://johnrose.house.gov/media/press-releases/us-rep-john-rose-commends-passage-farm-bill-out-house-agriculture-committee