Six Republican members of the U.S. House say they share a “strong opposition” to potential increases in crop reference prices in the next Farm Bill.
In a letter addressed to both Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA-15th District), Chair of the U.S. House Ag Committee, and Rep. David Scott (D-GA-13th District), Ranking Member of the U.S. House Committee, the representatives believe that any increases in spending would “only drive up inflation further at a time when the country’s finances are in peril.”
The six representatives who signed the letter are:
- Rep. Alex Mooney (R-WV-2nd District)
- Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC-1st District)
- Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN-5th District)
- Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ-5th District)
- Rep. Carol Miller (R-WV-1st District)
- Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL-21st District)
The letter states, “At a time when Congress must be taking steps to reduce federal spending, we must resist costly attempts to expand the scope of government intervention in the free market.” The lawmakers argue that “higher price guarantees” would mostly benefit fewer than 6,000 farms. Increasing price guarantees for major crops would mostly benefit peanut, cotton, and rice farmers in Southern states, not corn and soybean farmers, according to the letter. Since payments are linked to production, the largest producers get the lion’s share of the funding.
In 2021, just ten percent of farmers received more than 80 percent of all Price Loss Coverage payments, the lawmakers claim.
Click HERE to read the full letter.
Source: NAFB News Service.