FARRM Bill Approved by House Ag Committee

More choices for farmers around the country are to come in the near future. 

On May 15^th of this week, the House Agricultural Committee approved the new Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management (FARRM) by a bipartisan vote of 36-10.

Chairman Frank Lucas from Oklahoma in his opening statement said, “There are often criticisms about the partisanship of Congress and how little is accomplished because folks can’t work together. This is not the case for the House Agriculture Committee. Today, this Committee will mark up a reform-minded farm bill that was developed with true bipartisanship.”

Some of the benefits of this bill include saving approximately $40 billion in funds, revising more than 100 agricultural programs, and some relief measures are to be taken to help the ranchers, farmers, and rural communities of this country. 

One of the programs that will be reformed for the first time since the Welfare Reform Act of 1996 will be the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program. SNAP helps those who are need of assistance with nutrition to low income families and provides communities with economic benefits. 

FARRM will be more diligent in assuring all households meet the income tests for SNAP, close loopholes such as increasing household payments that will benefit the program, and cut out fraud and abuse issues. All three of these changes will help farmers know their products are being the most beneficial to their communities.

Where there is integrity and a positive outlook on a bill such as this one, the rural farmer can feel better about giving their goods to those who need it most.

Congress Ignores Argricultral, Small Town Consumers Embrace It

When the farms of the United States are in trouble, they turn to their own sources, not the governments.

U.S. farmers receive a higher percentage of their gross income from the marketplace rather than from government supports, compared to other nations.

In fact, according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, in the U.S., just 8 percent of gross farm income comes from government support, compared to 14 percent in Canada, 18 percent in the European Union, 52 percent in Japan, and 53 percent in Canada.

According to the 2007 United State Department of Agricultural census, the average government payment to farms is approximately $9,532 whereas the average farm income is $15,133. The 2013 census is underway and won't come out until February of 2014.

Government support isn’t there as much as it has been in the past for farmers across America. Madison County isn’t any different. 212 out of 450 farms in the country have a sale value of less than $10,000. This value is drastic compared to expenses Madison farms make which are around $210,191.

Where do they make their money? It is from the small town effect of knowing and helping out each other. Most Madison county farms sell their produce to local grocery stores and farmers markets. The friendly atmosphere of the county helps them stay afloat, while the government worries about other issues.

Backing out of government funding and trusting on the neighbor in the community is one of the best ways to help out the American farmer. 

Without it, farmers would lose even more money, while Congress keeps backing away.