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Producer says farm bill needs to be passed this year

Some farmers and ranchers are concerned lawmakers won’t be able to pass the 2023 Farm Bill by September 1^st.

Eastern Iowa farmer Dave Walton serves on the American Soybean Association’s Board of Directors.

“If we could get it by the end of the year, that would be helpful,” he said. “Anytime past that, farmers are starting to make cropping decisions for the following year and it puts a lot of those decisions in limbo.”

He tells Brownfield he has several policy priorities as farm bill discussions pick up steam.

“The number one thing is safety nets,” Walton said. “We want to protect crop insurance. We’re actually looking at a few enhancements to crop insurance like margin protection and that kind of thing. Number two is some of the conservation programs. We want to see money still spent there.”

Walton says conservation programs need to remain voluntary.