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Farmers Union official hopes farm bill provides ‘stability’
Rob Larew of National Farmers Union spoke at the annual meeting of Nebraska Farmers Union in Lincoln.
A vote on the 2018 farm bill is expected next week.
National Farmers Union senior vice president of public policy, Rob Larew, says passage of the bill should help provide some certainty for farmers at a time when it is badly needed.
“Even though we don’t expect to see dramatic changes—and we would certainly prefer to have seen some improvements in the safety nets—I think the fact that we’re getting a farm bill finally complete hopefully will create some stability and some certainty out there for folks as they begin to plan,” Larew says.
The bill will reportedly provide more help to dairy producers by enhancing the dairy Margin Protection Program. But Larew questions whether it will be enough.
“The struggles in dairy country right now are just so deep, it’s going to require, I think, a lot more.”
House Ag Committee ranking member Collin Peterson has indicated that changes to the Margin Protection Program for dairy will basically guarantee break-even milk prices for operations with about 240 cows or less.
Brownfield spoke with Larew at the Nebraska Farmers Union annual meeting in Lincoln.
AUDIO: Rob Larew
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