National and state proposals address 12 specific titles.
This article is regularly updated.
Natalie Willis, Reporter, Valley Ag Voice
Ahead of the 2023 Farm Bill, several state and national entities submitted various proposals and recommendations as “priorities” to include in the new bill. The 2018 Farm Bill is set to expire on Sept. 30 but a series of delays as well as a lack of funding has postponed the draft. The U.S. Congress considered extending the current Farm Bill in response to draft delays.
Despite uncertainty over this year’s bill, recommendations are continuously presented to Congress. Current titles in the Farm Bill include Commodities, Conservation, Nutrition, Credit, Rural Development, Research, Forestry, Energy, Horticulture, Crop Insurance, and other miscellaneous projects.
STATE RECOMMENDATIONS
Many organizations and nonprofits in California have presented Farm Bill recommendations to Congress.
The California Democratic Delegation emphasized funding priorities for nutrition programs, specialty crop insurance, and conservation research.
The CDFA, appealed to Congress as the nation’s largest agricultural exporter, and requested that the 2023 Farm Bill prioritize nutrition programs, conservation, trade programs, and sustainability efforts.
The American Farmland Trust guided California’s chapter to highlight current policy priorities. One major funding contender is the conservation of state agricultural land. The AFT also recommended funding be directed at regenerative agriculture programs and diverse agriculture communities.
State representatives of NSAC recommended large-scale investments in the next generation of farmers, “climate-smart” agriculture practices, and regenerative programs.
NATIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS
The AFBF outlined important legislative events in its recommendations. This includes continued funding to 2018 farm bill programs, crop insurance and commodity programs, USDA staffing and resources, and conservation programs.
FACA’s recommendations included six categories of interest—conservation, energy, food waste, forestry, livestock and dairy, and research. They explained that these program areas are necessary to sustain rural livelihoods as well as the nation’s ability to provide a safe food supply.
Recommendations from SCFB emphasize conservation programs such as the Tree Assistance Program. The alliance also requested a proportional share of the Farm Bill’s resources to be allocated toward specialty crops.
