WASHINGTON – At a hearing of the Senate Agriculture Committee last week, Senator John Hoeven discussed efforts to advance key priorities for farm country with agriculture industry leaders from across the U.S. The hearing included testimony from leaders in the soybean, sugarbeet, wheat, corn and barley industry, representing crops that are foundational to North Dakota’s agriculture economy. In particular, Hoeven discussed with the witnesses the importance of:
- Passing a strong farm bill that makes needed investments in the farm safety net, including:
- Improving the affordability of higher levels of crop insurance coverage, consistent with Hoeven’s FARMER Act.
- Updating reference prices under the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs.
- Improving access to foreign markets for U.S. farmers and ranchers.
- Hoeven stressed that, during his first term, President Trump was able to use tough trade policies like tariffs to remove market barriers in, and improve producer access to, nations like China, Canada and Mexico.
- The senator highlighted how the president is working to build upon this progress, having already secured initial concessions from Canada and Mexico in ongoing negotiations.
“Our discussion in the Senate Agriculture Committee this week made two things perfectly clear – we need to invest in the farm safety net and producers need better access to free and fair markets,” said Hoeven. “The reality is that the reference prices under ARC and PLC do not reflect the cost of production and need to be updated, while enhancing the affordability of crop insurance will ensure our farmers can recover from natural disasters and challenging markets, mitigating the need for future ad hoc assistance. At the same time, we need to recognize that the U.S. gets taken advantage of in international trade. Our producers deserve a fair deal, and we’re working with President Trump to secure better terms and improved market access in Canada, Mexico, China and elsewhere.”
Among others, the witnesses at the hearing included:
- Zippy Duval, President of the American Farm Bureau Federation.
- Rob Larew, President of the National Farmers Union.
- Josh Gackle, Chairman of the American Soybean Association and a resident of Kulm, North Dakota.
- Hoeven introduced Gackle at the hearing, outlining his years-long experience producing a wide variety of crops and his work to advocate on behalf of his fellow farmers.
- Mr. Tim Deal, Vice President of the American Sugarbeet Growers Association.
- Keeff Felty, President of the National Association of Wheat Growers.
- Chris Engelstad, President of the National Barley Growers Association.
Hoeven to serve as chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee
In other news from the Senator’s office, John Hoeven also announced recently that he will again serve as chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee. Hoeven has served as the lead Republican on the committee since 2017, having previously fulfilled the role of chairman in the 115th and 116th Congresses.
“The hard work of our farmers and ranchers provides a solid foundation for North Dakota’s economy, while ensuring Americans continue to benefit from the lowest-cost, highest-quality food supply in the world,” said Hoeven. “My role on the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee has been a tremendous opportunity to address the needs of our producers, agri-businesses and rural communities. I look forward to serving as chairman once again, where I will continue working to provide the tools and resources needed to support a strong ag economy, while advancing new innovations and market access to give our producers a competitive edge in the global economy.”
As chairman, Hoeven will continue his efforts to advance critical priorities for farmers, ranchers and rural America through annual funding legislation. This includes:
- Advancing implementation of the $33.5 billion in disaster assistance that he worked to secure for producers in the year-end legislation.
- Securing strong support for agriculture research, including:
- The precision agriculture work being undertaken by Grand Farm, North Dakota State University (NDSU) and their partners.
- The agriculture policy research center the senator is working to stand up at NDSU.
- Ensuring access to credit for producers to better enable them to manage their operations, cover their costs and weather challenges.
- Improving access to foreign markets for producers and agri-businesses.
- Supporting greater transparency and competition in cattle markets, including through his Cattle Contract Library Pilot Program.
- Providing regulatory relief to reduce costs for producers and making sure programs are voluntary and farmer-friendly.
