2013 Farm Bill

Arkansas’s First Congressional District is home to a diversified agricultural economy. In the fertile Mississippi River Delta we grow cotton, rice, corn, soybeans, wheat, peanuts and even raise catfish. In stark contrast to the Delta stand the Ozark Foothills where we have poultry, cattle, and timber producers. More rice is produced in my congressional district than any other district in the nation. In fact, farm families in my district grow nearly half of all rice produced in the United States. Annually, agriculture in Arkansas is a $16 billion economic juggernaut that employs over 260,000 Arkansans.

Of all the members on the House Agriculture Committee, I am the only representative from the Mid-South, so it is my job to educate members of the Agriculture Committee from other corners of the country about the unique challenges Arkansas’s producers face. Just as manufacturers face competition from overseas, Arkansas farmers also feel the pressure from foreign markets. I am proud that American farmers produce the safest, most reliable, most abundant supply of food on the planet. But if the great success story of American agriculture is to continue, Congress must write and pass a responsible Farm Bill that works for all farm families across the country.

Farming in the Mississippi River Delta involves the use of unique production methods. Mid-South farmers largely use irrigation methods, which reduce production risk and yield variability. However, farmers in my district grow crops that face tremendous market volatility - meaning if prices swing too far in one direction, it could be enough to put farmers out of business. The Farm Bill must be reflective of our farmers’ risks – whatever those risks might be. I do not support a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to agricultural production by imposing a Midwestern insurance risk-management model on the entirety of U.S. agriculture. This is unfair and won’t work. The House Farm Bill is fair to every region of the United States – not just a single region.

The Farm Bill represents an important opportunity for me to carry out one of the most important reasons my constituents sent me to Washington – to cut government spending. In total, the Farm Bill cuts nearly $40 billion by eliminating more than 100 outdated government programs and reforming others. There is no other Committee in Congress that has voluntarily cut billions of dollars out of their budget to reduce the size of government. Since President Obama assumed office, food stamp spending has doubled and continues to grow. His recent budget indicates that he has no interest in curbing this reckless spending, and leaves Food Stamps completely unchecked. The House Farm Bill is the first in history to make significant cuts to the food stamp program. Through commonsense reforms, we accomplish more than $20 billion in savings mostly by closing loopholes that have allowed bad actors to take advantage of the program who would otherwise be ineligible. The Farm Bill would also eliminate various areas of waste and abuse within the program.

It is important to note that if Congress decides not to take up the Farm Bill as outside groups are suggesting, we will not only be stuck with the same outdated farm programs, but food stamp spending will stay on autopilot. The same loopholes the Farm Bill would close will only grow wider, and President Obama will continue to get a blank check. Food Stamp spending is what Washington calls “mandatory” which means that even if the government shuts down, food stamps remain intact.

Unpredictable weather, an ever-changing marketplace and the continued need for investments in equipment and technology make farming one of the riskiest and most difficult of all vocations. Farm policy should encourage the participation of all producers, regardless of one’s crop or production model. The Farm Bill is the single-most important piece of legislation to Arkansas’ First district. It’s critical to the agriculture economy and thousands of Arkansas jobs. Additionally, it’s important to the American taxpayer that we enact much-needed reforms that reduce government spending. Going into the Farm Bill debate, I am committed to taking a strong, common-sense approach involving the principles of reform, budget savings, fairness and regulatory relief. On the Agriculture Committee, I am standing up for Mid-South farmers by working with Democrats and Republicans to write a Farm Bill that works for everyone across all regions of the country.