With the Republicans working to craft an agenda to win this fall, one element which needs to be discussed is a strong farm policy that speaks to voters in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. Republicans in the House and Senate can be proactive in addressing the concerns of their constituents by passing the Farm Bill this year. That would help communicate to voters that politicians in D.C. do listen to the needs and wants of voters in middle America.
The Farm Bill sets the agricultural policy and priorities of the country on a five year basis however the legislation is even more important this year as our farmers grapple with market fluctuations caused by geopolitical conflict, and the day-to-day challenges of weather, inflation, and rising costs. Even in an election year, helping America’s farmers, ranchers, and rural communities is a unifying issue that can and should garner support from both parties. A strong U.S. agricultural sector is important for consumers, farmers, and national security.
In May, under the leadership of Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA), the House Agriculture Committee passed a Farm Bill with bipartisan support. Sen. John Boozman (R-AR), the ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, has also released a Farm Bill framework to “put more farm in the Farm Bill.”
If you’re a supporter of America’s farmers, you should be encouraged by the fact that both proposals include strong pro-farmer provisions to combat the threat of heavily subsidized foreign commodities which can be dumped in the U.S. market. Unfair trade deals and foreign subsidies distort the global market, putting our farmers at a substantial disadvantage.
This is especially true in the case of sugar, which has been called the most distorted commodity market in the world. Because sugar is such a critical commodity and necessary to produce so many foods, many foreign governments prop up their sugar producers with a variety of support mechanisms. When countries make too much sugar, they then flood the global market with this cheap, government-subsidized sugar, artificially lowering the global market sugar price and severely undercutting American farmers who play by the rules.
Despite that, the U.S. ranks as the fifth largest producer of sugar and the third largest sugar importer in the world. Our trade policies allow for significant domestic production, while favoring sugar imports from more than 40 countries to meet demand.
However, without the America-first trade policies contained in a strong Farm Bill, we run the risk of letting foreign sugar further dominate our market here at home. To do so would put at risk our domestic sugar industry and undercut our strong supply chain for American-made sugar. Today, farmer, employee, and family-owned entities account for over 150,000 U.S. jobs and contribute roughly $23 billion annually to our economy.
Further outsourcing our food supply to foreign countries which heavily subsidize their sugar sector would jeopardize American food security. Today, the U.S.’s yearly sugar needs for food manufacturing and grocery sales are between 70% and 75% filled by American producers. Weakening our position and unilaterally disarming our farmers by further opening the U.S. market to unlimited and subsidized sugar imports would make American consumers more dependent on foreign countries.
Thankfully for both food manufacturers and all Americans, the Farm Bill includes a U.S. sugar policy designed to operate at no cost to taxpayers. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is authorized to offer loans to sugar producers, which are repaid in full with interest, as well as work with trade officials to balance domestic production and imports.
It's crucial and imperative Congress pass a Farm Bill this year. A strong Farm Bill will ensure our agricultural sector remains competitive, sustainable, and resilient in the face of global challenges. The sugar policy exemplifies how Congress can support domestic interests by preventing actions that would favor foreign producers and workers over our own. “More farm in the Farm Bill” means more jobs and more fairness–for our farmers, consumers, and taxpayers alike.
Republicans in Congress could go a long way to jumpstart messaging to farm state voters by taking a run at the bill before the election. It is possible to pass a bill this year, but Congress must dig in, get their hands dirty, and do the hard work. Messaging and talk only go so far and voters are jaded enough to not believe promises when action can be taken today.
Peter Mihalick is former legislative director and counsel to former Reps. Barbara Comstock, Virginia Republican, and Rodney Blum, Iowa Republican.
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