Nebraska’s congressional delegation visits to talk about upcoming farm bill
LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Nebraska’s five congressional delegates spent the day in the state to share their priorities for the upcoming farm bill.
They spoke to farmers, ranchers and stakeholders at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources to learn about what they want in the bill.
The bill will include agriculture funding, as well as funding to help families afford groceries.
“Agriculture is the heart and soul of what we do here in our state,” Sen. Pete Ricketts said. “It drives our economy. One in four jobs in Nebraska are tied back to agriculture. And not only is it important to our state; it’s important to our country. Food security is national security.”
Ricketts said they’re working to end rural hunger in the U.S. and increase the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.
About 80% of the farm bill deals with SNAP benefits.
Nebraska’s representatives are also hoping to increase investments in things like ag research.
Rep. Mike Flood said learning more about plant science will help find ways to grow more crops with less water while protecting the environment.
He said people often take for granted all the food options we have.
“And the reality is we have these options because the University of Nebraska has been working since its inception to advance the research and make it possible,” he said.
Flood said biofuels are another focus this year, as they’re important to farmers and ranchers.
Finally, he said they’re hoping to keep the crop insurance the way it is right now to keep farmers protected in the economy.
Rep. Adrian Smith said they’re looking to avoid tying the hands of producers, while planning ahead for future technology and advancements.
“We need to get this right heading into another five-year period,” he said. “We want the agility for producers to be able to innovate for the future, hopefully smooth things out economically for themselves.”
The representatives said they don’t want to increase spending but instead plan to secure funds from existing programs.
They say there isn’t a final price tag on the bill yet, but they’re hoping to get all the details finalized later this year.
