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Wiesemeyer: commodities title needs a fix

A policy analyst says the commodities title of the farm bill isn’t working. Jim Wiesemeyer tells Brownfield it’s evident, based on the more than $80 billion Congress spent on ad-hoc disaster relief in the last four years.

“Why didn’t the Title 1 safety net cushion enough crop and livestock producers from taxpayers having to pay those relief payments?”

He says with the high price tag of the new farm bill, it could be a challenge for lawmakers to fill in the gaps, but agriculture committee leaders have the responsibility to ask for additional resources.

“Behind closed doors, at least Republicans can talk to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy from California, and just say, you know the numbers, Mr. Speaker. Year in and year out, rural voters vote 60% to 62% Republican, pay up.”

Weisemeyer says it’s too soon to make the call a farm bill isn’t getting done this year. But if it doesn’t get done, he is anticipating a completed bill by spring 2024. Brownfield interviewed him at the Missouri Pork Expo.