The acres and acres of farm fields comprising the Caleb Ragland family farm in LaRue County have been used to grow crops for over 200 years. Ragland’s children represent the 10th generation on the farm, something he is very proud of.

“It's very satisfying to know that we help feed the world and have fed folks here in Central Kentucky for over two centuries,” he said. “It's a very noble thing to provide people with something to eat, and that's why I've really enjoyed farming and being involved in agriculture. We're making people's lives better by meeting their basic needs of food, and I'm glad to do a small part in making that happen.”

That satisfaction and the pride of farm families like the Ragland’s in Kentucky and throughout the country help keep these farming traditions alive.

But, as the number of farmers has declined over the years and the demand for what they do continually grows, legislation known as the Farm Bill becomes more important every time a reauthorization of the bill comes up. And it’s not just critical for farmers but for anyone who eats.

The first Farm Bill was passed in 1933 as part of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal programs. According to information provided by the U.S. Library of Congress, the purpose of this law was to achieve “parity,” or a fair exchange value for agricultural products.

More permanent laws were passed in 1938 and 1948 with the idea of reauthorization every five years.

Congress has not always stuck to that five-year plan but, instead, has often passed an extension until a new bill could be passed.

“Over the years, there have been reoccurring issues with the bill as the world of agriculture has changed and new regulations have had to be added to keep up with these changes,” Kentucky Farm Bureau First Vice President Eddie Melton said. “Today’s legislation has a total of 12 titles connected to everything from food assistance programs to crop insurance and conservation regulations. The 1948 Farm Bill only contained three titles.”

As with most legislation being debated in the nation’s capital, funding generally comes up in the conversation as it has with this legislation. Melton said you have to consider what the bill cost compared to what it provides.

“By far the largest portion of the Farm Bill expenditures, approximately 80 percent, goes to food assistance programs, and we understand completely how important those programs are,” he said. “But one of the most critical parts of the bill for producers relates to crop insurance, which only comprises less than nine percent of the total cost of the bill.”

The crop insurance portion of the bill serves as a safety net for farm families in the event of economic or natural disasters taking place.

Commodity prices have a history of fluctuating to the point that often the cost of producing a crop is less than the profit received after harvest, emphasized Melton.

“As farmers, we simply can’t do without adequate safety measures provided by the Farm Bill if we are expected to meet the food, fiber, and fuel needs in this country and around the world,” he said.

A host of agricultural representatives including Ragland, who serves as Secretary on the American Soybean Association’s Executive Committee, and American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) President Zippy Duvall recently testified in front of the Senate Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Commodities, Risk Management, and Trade. The hearing focused on commodity programs, credit, and crop insurance.    

Duvall told lawmakers that the wide-ranging Farm Bill touches every family in America, not just those in rural America.

“A country that cannot feed its people is not secure, so the strong farm policy that supports a strong food supply truly is part of a smart national security strategy,” he said.

Duval identified two key issues AFBF is focused on in the Farm Bill.

The first is keeping crop insurance intact, as well as broadening additional coverage for specialty crops, including fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and horticulture and nursery crops, as well as floriculture, according to information from the USDA.

The second issue Duvall spoke of is reference prices set by the bill that do not match production costs.

Reference prices refer to a set of predetermined commodity prices which are supposed to reflect production costs. If market prices fall below a statutorily determined reference price, assistance would be provided based on historically planted acres and crop yields. Producers have emphasized that these reference prices no longer reflect the true costs of production.  

Ragland said the number one priority within Farm Bill negotiations is keeping the risk management programs strong.

“The program has a great track record and it's widely used, providing a solid safety net that our farmers need,” he said. “But we need an increase in our reference prices, not to guarantee a profit, but to provide a good solid safety net. I believe our legislators will come together and will find common ground in order to make that happen. But we're really at a new plateau in cost of production and the prices that are supported within our farm programs now need to reflect that.”

As is the case in most other industry sectors, advanced technology has made American farms more sustainable while using fewer inputs and acreage. And while this helps the business of farming, it is still a competitive market especially when speaking in terms of exports.

The U.S. remains the largest exporter of agricultural goods in the world, a fact that is important to the economic well-being of producers in this country, as well as being vital to the people of the world who are fed by these exports.

But many countries are vying for those same export dollars. The advanced technology coupled with a transportation infrastructure that is more solid than many other ag-producing countries, helps keep the U.S. in the lead, but the gap is closing, noted KFB President Mark Haney.

“If we are to remain the world leader in agriculture production, we need to have a solid Farm Bill that supports, protects, and encourages the American farmer to keep them in business and bring others to the farm to ensure our food supply now and for the future,” he said.     

Duvall told committee members the U.S. is being outspent by other countries, especially China, three-to-one in research and development dollars.

“Research and development are what keeps us on the cutting edge; it keeps us more competitive across the world, it keeps us more sustainable, it makes us more friendly to the environment, and it makes our businesses more efficient in having new research coming down the pike,” he said.

As the complexity of the bill has increased, the number of legislators who have a direct connection to the farm, and will debate and pass the bill, has diminished causing a greater need than ever for a strong advocacy base, Ragland emphasized. 

Haney said in standing as the “Voice of Agriculture,” Farm Bureau has an important role in advocating for this Farm Bill while educating those who will debate it in Congress and those consumers who will ultimately benefit from it.

“We should never lose sight of the fact that food security is national security, and this legislation helps to ensure our farm families have the necessary programs and support to remain on the farm," he said.