Senate To Hold Farm Bill Field Hearing In Jonesboro On June 17
With the 2023 Farm Bill in the works, Arkansans involved in agriculture are invited to attend a U.S. Senate committee field hearing June 17 at Jonesboro.
Division of Agriculture photo
MARY HIGHTOWER
With the 2023 Farm Bill in the works, Arka nsans involved in agriculture are invited to attend a U.S. Senate committee field hearing June 17 at Jonesboro.
U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry; and John Boozman of Arkansas, ranking member of the committee; announced the committee will hold the hearing at Arkansas State University in Riceland Hall of the school’s Fowler Center.
The meeting is scheduled to run from 9 a.m.-11 a.m.
“Holding field hearings around the country has traditionally been a part of shaping any new farm legislation,” said Scott Stiles, extension economist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “The upcoming hearing in Arkansas is an opportunity for our producers and industry stakeholders to provide input for the 2023 Farm Bill on a number of issues from strengthening our current farm safety net to improving rural economies and infrastructure.”
The last Farm Bill was signed into law in 2018.
Stiles said that “despite strong commodity prices, our agricultural producers are especially concerned about historically high input costs. The current Farm Bill safety net isn't designed to handle a dramatic increase in production costs.”
Thanks to global conflict and other causes, fertilizer and fuel prices have reached record levels. The current farm safety net is designed to address price and yield risk or a combination of the two.
“It is not designed to account for reductions in net farm income due to increased costs of production,” Stiles said. “This is a key concern on the minds of not only Arkansas producers, but producers across the United States.”
RSVPs are encouraged by end of day June 10 and can be made by contacting contact Patrick Creamer or Sara Lasure.
For those unable to attend in person, the meeting will be streamed live at ag.senate.gov. ∆
MARY HIGHTOWER: University of Arkansas