Office of Congressman Tracey Mann
WASHINGTON, D.C. — With Thursday scheduled as the day for the markup of the next five-year Farm Bill in the House Agriculture Committee, Kansas First District Congressman Tracey Mann went to the House floor to praise the initial product that he has seen thus far heading into the process.
Mann's remarks are below:
Mr. Speaker, this is a week that farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers in my state have long-awaited. The House Agriculture Committee will finally markup a five-year Farm Bill. I want to start by saying thank you to Chairman G.T. Thompson for leading the committee in developing a bipartisan, comprehensive, fiscally conservative Farm Bill that gives our farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers the certainty they deserve.
Around this time last year, the Chairman and I hosted a Farm Bill listening session in the middle of a wheat field in my District. We heard from 150 Kansans about their priorities for a Farm Bill. They were clear—they need a Farm Bill that gives them certainty as they work day-in and day-out to feed, clothe, and fuel the world. The Farm, Food, and National Security Act does just that.
This Farm Bill strengthens the farm safety net and protects crop insurance. Agricultural producers in Kansas understand firsthand how important that is. In February 2021, Kansas had 13 consecutive days of below freezing temperatures which was a 40-year record. Our producers worked around the clock to protect their cattle and ensure they survived. Just last summer, drought and market conditions in Kansas caused producers to abandon the highest number of acres of wheat since World War One. Wheat farmers have seen a 35% decrease in production in the last year as a result. Mr. Speaker, the reality is Mother Nature is a very difficult business partner. One bad crop year could put the livelihood of our producers and their families at risk. This Farm Bill gives these hardworking individuals more certainty by strengthening the farm safety net, adjusting reference prices, and modernizing the Livestock Indemnity Program, dairy supports, and Conservation Reserve Program.
The committee’s Farm Bill also maintains American food independence and invests tax dollars in places we can see a return on those dollars. America is the freest country in the world, in part because we have never had to rely on another country to feed us. At the heart of that independence is agricultural research and innovation.
The Big First is home to some of the crown jewels of the animal health corridor—Kansas State University and the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility. These institutions give the nation a scientific hub of world renown research. Kansas State University is conducting groundbreaking research into areas, including new heat-tolerant wheat varieties and higher yielding sorghum. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s state-of-the-art National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan, Kansas, will conduct research into serious animal disease threats and be an important backstop in protecting our nation’s food supply. This work, and America’s continued ability to feed ourselves for generations to come, depend on a five-year Farm Bill that prioritizes food security as national security.
Mr. Speaker, this Farm Bill makes robust investments in the Market Access Program and Foreign Market Development cooperator programs that ensure our American producers remain in the international marketplace. It proactively addresses issues like deferred maintenance costs at land-grant institutions and the country’s veterinarian shortage before the problem gets worse.
I’ve been to this floor nearly thirty times to push for my priorities in the Farm Bill—to protect and strengthen crop insurance, promote trade programs that help America remain competitive and secure, conduct rigorous oversight of the executive branch to fight big government overreach, and invest in agricultural research at America’s land-grant universities. I’m pleased that the Farm, Food, and National Security Act does just that.
We need to pass a five-year, fiscally conservative Farm Bill long enough to provide certainty and short enough for Congress to respond to market changes. Farm Bills feed every corner of the nation from New England to the islands of Hawaii, both our coasts, down to the Gulf, and even the heartland of the country, including Kansas. American agricultural producers and consumers are counting on it. The legislation we markup this week will have ripple effects for the next half-decade. This body, and Congress, must use this legislation to address the concerns we have all heard over the last several years.
When we kicked off our Farm Bill listening session last year there were three combines parked behind us – John Deere, Case, and Gleaner. When you grow up on a farm, you’re born into a loyalty to one of these trusted American brands. They have different styles and features, but they are all designed to do the same thing – harvest. Our listening session that day, and the bill the House Agriculture Committee markup this week are no different. We all have different priorities and backgrounds, but we’re all here to do the same thing – harvest, work hard, and effectively churn out a product – the Farm Bill. American farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers deserve it, America’s food and national security depend on it, and Congress must deliver it.
This Farm Bill is something our agricultural community can be proud of. It puts dollars in places where Americans can see a good return on their investment. It tightens budgets and reins in reckless spending that doesn’t serve taxpayers. Most importantly, this bill ensures that American farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers can continue to keep us all fed, fueled, and clothed. The Farm, Food, and National Security Act is the first step in the right direction, and I look forward to this week’s markup.