Farmer speaks out after farm bill fails to get passed the Senate
MALCOM, Neb. (KLKN) — For Nebraska producers, the farm bill isn’t just another piece of legislation in Washington. It’s something that can affect decisions made right in the field. For Nebraska farmers, today’s setback means more uncertainty.
Larry Hudkins, a former Lancaster County Commissioner, has been farming for decades.
He noted that the cost of farming has grown drastically over the past couple years.
“We just have a tremendous input. Seed corn is about $300 a bag, and fertilizer skyrocketing in the last three or four years. Ever since Covid things have really escalated. So, we’ll have five to seven hundred dollars worth of inputs in crop. You’ve got to insure for at least that amount of money so that you can farm against next year,” Hudkins said.
The farm bill hasn’t been changed since 2018. Every year, a stalemate has occurred between republicans and democrats. This time around, republicans are pushing for states to cover a larger portion of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits that help low-income families, while democrats want the federal government to continue paying for most of those benefits.
The two parties have agreed on some topics, like expanding E15 fuels to year-round sales, which would help corn farmers. The SNAP funding is what the sides clash on.
“It’s a shame what we have going on in Congress today. We’re just like 50/50. How are you going to find a compromise and get something done if you’re not even willing to listen to the other person’s point of view,” Hudkins said.
On Thursday, the farm bill failed to pass out of committee. U.S Sen. Pete Ricketts said in a statement, “America’s farmers and ranchers feed and fuel the world. Republicans will continue to fight for them while democrats continue to treat them as political pawns.”
Dan Osborn, who is running against Ricketts in the fall, stated “Democrats could have also reached across the aisle to make sure a farm bill passed, but refused to compromise. Any democrat could have voted to move this bill forward but chose to stand by their party bosses rather than do what’s best for the constituents. The farm bill is more important than scoring partisan points.”
Hudkins said at this point, he just wants lawmakers to find a way to move forward. Now, the question is whether or not they can reach a comprise and get the farm bill moving again.
