By Jamie Martin
The American Soybean Association (ASA) has expressed appreciation for Chairman Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson’s ongoing commitment to advancing farm bill initiatives vital to soybean farmers across the United States.
The House Agriculture Committee recently concluded a two-day markup of budget reconciliation legislation, which Chairman Thompson is using as a vehicle to promote farm bill priorities that align with ASA’s key goals.
“It is no secret the farm economy is in a dire situation, and ASA appreciates the efforts of Chairman Thompson to highlight the needs of farmers, including increasing reference prices for commodities, increasing support for market access programs and more,” said ASA President Caleb Ragland, who grows soy in Kentucky. “ASA continues to urge Congress to work toward passing a much-needed five-year farm bill this year but is encouraged to see continued congressional support for our top priorities.”
The reconciliation package includes multiple provisions ASA championed during previous farm bill negotiations. These include raising reference prices for soybeans, enhancing crop insurance, and doubling funding for the Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development (FMD) Program.
Additionally, the package proposes updates to the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs, as well as increased investments in conservation, agricultural research, and biofuel programs like BioPreferred.
While this legislative step is part of a broader, multi-committee reconciliation effort among congressional Republicans, ASA remains optimistic that these early efforts indicate strong momentum toward passing a comprehensive five-year farm bill.
Categories: National