McKinney: Congress Must Pass Farm Bill to Avoid ‘Great Uncertainty’

Many ag leaders are expressing their frustrations with lawmakers over the lack of any further action regarding a new Farm Bill. Among those leading the charge is a Hoosier ag leader.

More than 500 agricultural groups—including the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA)—sent a letter to the leaders of the U.S. House and Senate agriculture committees.

Ted McKinney, CEO of NASDA and former Director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA), said the time to pass the Farm Bill is now.

“Well, the impact of further delay was at least a big part of the letter and that was included deliberately because oftentimes I think the legislators know, members of Congress know, but many in the out in the world of even in ag don’t understand that punting this, kicking this down the road has consequences, I’d say, for our farmers and ranchers who are at the core of this. It leaves great uncertainty,” he said.

He explained even aspects of USDA come to a halt when funding stops.

“Many people don’t know that the good people of the agencies of the government, in this case, USDA cannot plan. They are disallowed legally from planning any point beyond the point where they have funding. Well, we have funding up through and including September, I believe. But after that, they’re not allowed to plan,” he said. “Well, what kind of a business is that when you are disallowed from planning for the future?”

He said he remains hopeful that it can get done before the end of the year.

“Hope springs eternal and we would not have signed the letter if we didn’t believe that might be possible,” he said. “So, we hang on that we still hang on that thread that says it can get done.”

Click BELOW to hear Indiana-native and NASDA CEO Ted McKinney and his full conversation with Hoosier Ag Today’s Sabrina Halvorson: