Farmers, Ranchers, Foresters, and Consumers Deserve Certainty

Floor Speech

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Mr. MANN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his leadership of our committee in this effort.

I rise to call on this Congress to pass a comprehensive 5-year farm bill. This is my 25th time to come to the House floor to address the importance of a 5-year farm bill that is long enough to provide certainty and short enough to respond to the market changes and strengthen the safety net. America's farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers deserve it, America's food and national security depend on it, and this Congress must deliver it.

In the almost 5\1/2\ years since the last farm bill was signed into law, the world has drastically changed. Since 2018, we have experienced a global pandemic, seen a war unfold between Russia and Ukraine and now Israel and Hamas, and witnessed President Biden's failed trade agenda cause market fluctuations that no one could have imagined.

On top of that, President Biden's spending spree and senseless war on American energy has driven inflation to historic levels. No matter how many times the administration officials and political pundits say that input costs and inflation rates are coming down, our ag producers know that these levels are still sky high in comparison to the last farm bill in 2018.

As Congress considers these conditions, we must also anticipate future market fluctuations as best we can. That is why my priorities for the farm bill are to strengthen and protect crop insurance, incentivize agriculture trade, and conduct rigorous oversight.

Last year's drought and market conditions caused producers in Kansas to abandon the highest number of acres of wheat since World War I, and I witnessed a 35 percent decrease in annual wheat harvested per acre in my district.

A good crop insurance program and strong safety net help ag producers in situations like these and help producers reliably stock our grocery store shelves, maintain a robust food supply, and keep people fed. It is one of our Nation's best examples of a private-public partnership, and Congress must use a scalpel and not a sledgehammer when ensuring its continued success for generations to come.

Ag trade promotion helps America remain competitive and secure, as well. Back in February, I introduced legislation which would allocate additional resources to trade promotion programs in the farm bill.

Between 1977 and 2019, these trade programs added a 13.7 percent of additional export revenue to the value of U.S. ag products and helped to create more than half a million American jobs.

It is no secret that perhaps more than any other profession ag producers face endless hurdles as they work tirelessly to raise our livestock, grow our food, and put fuel in our cars. This next farm bill must not handicap them with additional overly restrictive regulations. Instead, Congress must get out of their way and support them with the tools they need to protect the future of American food and agriculture.

If you think about a safety net, the higher the risk the higher the fall, and the stronger the safety net that you need to survive. The livelihoods of American producers and consumers are on the line right now, and that means our food security and national security are on the line, as well.

American farmers, ranchers, and agriculture producers need certainty like never before, and Congress must deliver for them with a 5-year farm bill.

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