A hearing by the House Agriculture Committee today (Wednesday) focuses on setting the stage for the next farm bill. House Agriculture Chairman Mike Conaway says farmers and ranchers are enduring challenging times. The Texas Republican referred to a recent Department of Agriculture report that shows net farm income fell 45 percent from 2013 to 2016, the largest three-year percentage drop since the Great Depression. The hearing, Rural Economic Outlook: Setting the Stage for the Next Farm Bill, features a panel of economists discussing the challenges farmers and ranchers are facing and providing context for the needs of rural America in the next farm bill. The House Agriculture Committee will also hold a hearing Thursday to consider the Pesticide Registration Enhancement Act and the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act. The Senate Agriculture Committee will hold a farm bill field hearing next week in Manhattan, Kansas.
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting news service.
Upon announcing the hearing, Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway issued the following statement:
“As we prepare for the upcoming farm bill reauthorization, farmers and ranchers are enduring challenging times. USDA reported this week that net farm income fell 45 percent from 2013 to 2016, the largest 3-year percentage drop since the Great Depression. Net farm income is expected to decline even further in 2017. Our hearing, Rural Economic Outlook: Setting the Stage for the Next Farm Bill will feature a panel of distinguished economists who will discuss the challenges faced by farmers and ranchers and provide context for the needs of rural America in the next Farm Bill.”