House Ag Committee Hearing on Growing Farm Financial Pressure

House Ag Committee Hearing on Growing Farm Financial Pressure

A continued downturn in the farm economy has been forecast by the USDA and many farmers and ranchers out in the country are left facing tough operating decisions. The House Agriculture Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management is taking a proactive look at these issues in light of the next Farm Bill negotiations. Agriculture leaders were invited to testify yesterday morning before the committee at a hearing. National Farmers Union president Roger Johnson was among the panel testifying on Capitol Hill.
Johnson: “Family farmers and ranchers throughout the country are really in a tough spot today. Commodity prices have continued to fall over the past few years and consequently net farm income has also dropped rather dramatically. A lot of commodity prices are half of what there were three years ago. So we expect to see negative scenarios playing out in the countryside: trouble accessing credit, we’ll see negative farm budgets, we’re going to continue to see depressed markets, we’re going to test the safety net.”
Concluding his statements to the Committee, Johnson encouraged all parties to continue their tireless efforts on behalf of family farmers and ranchers
Johnson: “The Committee has a challenging task ahead, especially as it looks to crafting the next Farm Bill. Our collective challenge is to continue working to provide help when and where needed and to encourage the continued growth and success of our most vital industry — agriculture.”
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