NCBA Focuses on Risk Management in Farm Bill

With your Southeast Regional Ag News, I am Haylie Shipp. This is the Ag Information Network.

Last week I had a chance to sit in on a presentation from Colin Woodall. He is the CEO of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. And as I asked him about priorities for his organization, he said the Farm Bill has been top of mind...

"It's amazing that here we are talking about a farm bill again because it looks like we just finished the last one and we're really still trying to implement that farm bill. But, alas, here we are and the current Farm Bill does expire on September 30th of 2023 so it's coming up pretty quick. Both the House and Senate Ag Committees are doing field hearings to get some input on what's going on. And some of the input that we're providing them is in regards to risk management. After everything this industry has been through in the past two years, we know that we need more help especially with our cow/calf sector to make sure that they can manage risk and there's programs available to help them. And through the Risk Management Agency and some of the programs such as Livestock Risk Protection, we believe that we're going to be able to provide more in terms of that risk management."

And while we know that folks that are livestock producers often struggle to go to the FSA office to ask for assistance, Colin emphasized that this is not a handout. This is what these programs are here for...

"That's exactly right. This is not a hand out at all. As a matter of fact, as we look at these programs that are ran through the Risk Management Agency, it's a lot like crop insurance. So there is money that you have to put up front as well to be able to participate in this."

Again Colin Woodall, CEO for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association.