Along with aid to Israel and Ukraine, Congress is unable to move on the farm bill, a massive piece of legislation critical to securing the nation's food supply.
It covers everything from SNAP benefits for low-income families to insurance for farmers. The bill is a road map for the web of federal agencies that support Missouri farmers, according to Joe Aull, state executive director the Federal Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Missouri.
As the House struggles to chose a speaker, Missouri farmers are combating drought and inflation.
The Missouri FSA distributed over $130 million in drought relief to tens of thousands of cattle farmers across the state in 2022, according to Aull.
Farmers across the state are in the midst of a drought. Almost all of Cooper County, and parts of Boone, Cole, Moniteau and Howard counties are suffering extreme drought.
That brings "major" crop losses and water shortages, according to the National Weather Service drought classification. This year, Missouri's corn harvest is expected to drop between 20% to 30%, according to Darrick Steen, director of public policy at the Missouri Corn Growers Association.
The farm bill creates a crucial safety net for farmers dealing crop losses. A record $19.1 billion in crop insurance was paid out in 2022.
If Congress can't pass the farm bill by the end of the year, Missouri commodity farmers could face a "worst case scenario," Steen said. That's when safety-net programs like crop insurance could be impacted.
That insurance is essential for farmers, according to Theadore Weter, a retired farmer living in Ashland. Weter owned a farm in Milan, Missouri, where he raised livestock and grew crops.
Weter sold the farm in 1977, but his son and grandson now operate their own farm in Milan.
Source: kbia.org
Categories: Missouri, Crops, Corn, Government & Policy, Livestock