This week I supported a oneyear extension of current Farm Bill programs.While a conventional 5-year reauthorization of the Farm Bill is preferable, many of these critical programs lapsed September 30th.The current lapse shouldn’t affect 2023 crops, but a one-year extension was necessary to prevent reverting back to pre-1930s farm policy as we begin 2024. I’m pleased Congress has acted to ensure American producers will have another year of certainty as they work to put food on our table and fuel in our cars – and now the Agriculture Committees in the House and Senate can finish their work on a new and improved Farm Bill without putting agriculture producers in an impossible position.
Crop insurance, in terms of funding, is a small portion of the Farm Bill; however, its renewal is one of the most important provisions to Nebraska’s producers.
Because of the investment protections farmers opt into with their crop insurance premiums, we’re able to avoid ad hoc disaster payments, ultimately saving taxpayer dollars while providing farmers an important safety net.
