Eleven county Farm Bureau leaders traveled to Washington, D.C. to meet with elected officials to discuss the 2023 farm bill priorities, EPA’s Waters of the United States (WOTUS) regulation, and labor/immigration during Nebraska Farm Bureau’s first County Leaders D.C. Fly-In. Over the course of three days, these individuals met with Senators Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts, Representatives Adrian Smith, Don Bacon, Mike Flood, and the Senate Ag Committee.
“It is impactful when lawmakers hear from farmers and ranchers who are directly affected by the farm policy they vote on,” said Nebraska Farm Bureau Senior Director of National Affairs Jordan Dux. “The farm bill is imperative to ensuring that producers have the necessary risk management tools to help them successfully support the needs of a growing population. As these county leaders interacted directly with elected officials, the personal stories and connections they shared, in addition to the policy goals, encourage the lawmakers to actively support the legislation.”
Nebraska Farm Bureau’s first County Leaders D.C. Fly-In was held in conjunction with the American Farm Bureau’s Advocacy Fly-In. During the visit, county leaders had a chance to hear directly from the chair and ranking members of the Senate and House Agriculture Committees and hear their plans for formulating the next farm bill, with prioritizing funding for risk management tools including federal crop insurance programs being at the top of the list. Excitement over the recent U.S. Supreme Court WOTUS win regarding Sackett v. EPA was also discussed. However, more will need to be finalized before farmers and ranchers can fully breathe a sigh of relief. Lastly, finding a practical solution to the agricultural worker problem by updating labor and guest worker policy was also a top priority. NEFB’s county leaders shared personal experiences with all three issues directly with Nebraska’s Congressional Delegation.
“With the current drought, crop insurance is so important to have. My message to our Nebraska delegation was to keep that safety net so we can get through another year and can plant a crop next year,” said Dawn Kucera, who farms near Madison and serves on the Nebraska Farm Bureau board representing the P&E Committee. “I think the Advocacy Fly-In program is extremely valuable, because it gives us an opportunity to come to Washington, D.C. to see what our primary purpose as Farm Bureau is: promoting policy and working to get legislation that is favorable to farmers and ranchers. This experience gives us an opportunity to see that process firsthand and realize the power that we have when advocating for our issues.”
Members of Congress valued the experience of meeting with Farm Bureau members noting that the best ideas come from the grassroot level.
Source: ruralradio.com
Photo Credit: gettyimages-frankoppermann
Categories: Nebraska, Crops, Corn