Press Releases

(Washington, D.C.) – Congressman Larry Bucshon, M.D. (IN-08) released the following statement after voting in support of the 2018 Farm Bill, officially known as the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (H.R. 2):

“Our farmers and ranchers work tirelessly to ensure our nation has a safe and affordable supply of domestically-produced food, fuel, and fiber.  In Indiana, Hoosier farmers continue to be the backbone to our state’s economy, ranking among the top ten of states in agricultural production. The Farm Bill is critical to the continued success of our farmers and ranchers, ensuring that producers have the tools and certainty they need to withstand and manage the enormous risks inherent to agriculture.

“Outdated and inadequate work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has led to an inescapable cycle of generational poverty. Work requirements for able bodied participants in federal assistance programs like welfare and SNAP will reduce unemployment and create a foundation of pride and strong work-ethic that did not previously exist. Through the reforms to the SNAP program found in the Farm Bill, we will help lift Americans out of poverty – while protecting benefits for our nation’s most vulnerable citizens – and put them onto the path to a better life of self-sufficiency and dignity that comes through work.  It is no secret, access to the American Dream includes self-sufficiency and hard-work. Because I support the American Dream, I support these reforms that will undoubtedly lead to a better life.”

“The passage of the Farm Bill that addresses food security and provides a framework for a strong farm economy is crucial to our farmer members,” said Randy Kron, Indiana Farm Bureau president. “In order to stabilize a farm economy that has experienced significant decline in the last several years, we need a Farm Bill that protects farmers from factors they cannot control. We thank the House for their efforts in passing H.R. 2, the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018, today.”

Background

·       Reauthorizes and strengthens the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) options through 2023.

·       Existing work requirements for able bodied participants are strengthened, streamlined and paired with a variety of options to increase opportunities for SNAP recipients, including participating in a fully-funded, guaranteed Employment & Training (E&T) slot.

·       Maintains long-standing legal authority for the secretary to provide assistance to farmers and ranchers affected by unfair foreign trading practices.

·       Prioritizes working-lands conservation by retaining and including the best features of the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) into the nation’s flagship incentive-based program for voluntary conservation – the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

·       Authorizes substantial annual appropriations for rural broadband and requires USDA to establish forward-looking broadband standards.

·       Establishes a new National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program, designed to protect the health of the nation’s livestock sector.