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Challenges ahead for agriculture
Illinois Corn Growers Association immediate past president, Jim Reed says there are some challenges ahead on the horizon for agriculture. One of those issues is continuing concerns about the locks and dams systems that are vital components to the agriculture industry. Reed says they are continuing to try to get locks and dams projects started so there is improved infrastructure on the river and he says that’s a project that corn growers have been working on for over ten years. Reed tells Brownfield there are some areas that are close to catastrophic lock problems and they hope to see movement to begin restoration before there is a complete shutdown of the river system. He adds there are also continuing concerns over regulations from “DOT, OSHA and EPA” that seem to be a constant battle in the ag industry.
And then there’s the Farm Bill. Reed says while the current farm bill is good through the end of next year; it is something everyone in agriculture should be watching. He says there really is an unsteady future at this point, but – he anticipates officials will wind back the clock and take a more traditional approach to the adoption of the farm bill. Reed says he believes hearings will begin again after the first of the year.
With all the work done up to this point he thinks it puts agriculture at a good starting position for conversations about the 2012 Farm Bill to resume.
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