By Julie Tomascik
Editor
The 2018 Farm Bill is on the horizon, and it has many in agriculture eyeing funding, challenges and outlining needs as farm policy talks get underway.
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway announced yesterday the launch of a new farm bill landing page for updates and information throughout the process of crafting the 2018 Farm Bill.
The new web page is linked to the House Agriculture Committee’s site. It includes videos, farm facts and outlines needs in rural America.
“I’m committed to completing a farm bill on time. We’ve spent the past three years preparing—holding 113 hearings and six listening sessions around the country,” Conaway said in a news release. “We recognize what’s at stake. We’re working on getting the policy right and will use this site as a resource as we advance the next farm bill.”
In an interview with POLITICO, Conaway said again that changes are needed to address the concerns of dairy and cotton farmers.
“There will be changes within the Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs. Of course, we want cotton growers to be eligible for those programs. We’re also looking at data issues with respect to ARC,” he said.
Earlier this year, Texas farmers and ranchers weighed in with their needs in the new farm legislation during one of the field listening sessions hosted by the House Agriculture Committee.
During that session, farmers reiterated the need to return cotton to Title I of the farm bill.
More updates will be posted in Texas Agriculture Daily as farm bill talks continue.