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We’re big on commitment, and it starts with our employees.

When you work with us, you’ll see this promise come to life every day because we know that our success is closely tied to the well-being and happiness of our team. Join Kentucky’s insurance company and experience how we put this commitment into action.

Kentucky Farm Bureau has negotiated an agreement with two of the top ranking security companies in Kentucky, Modern Systems Inc and PRO Security and Fire Systems, to provide Farm Bureau members with low-cost security. The counties In western Kentucky will be serviced by PRO Security and Fire Systems, the counties in central and eastern Kentucky will be serviced by Modern Systems Inc.

The package consists of:

• Honeywell keypad
• 2 Exterior Doors Protected
• 1 Smoke Detector
• 1 motion detector
• Yard Sign and Stickers
• Professional Installation
• Total Connect Remote Services (The ability to control your system from anywhere using your smartphone, tablet or computer)

Farm Bureau members should call 800-252-7664 to request additional information or to schedule installation.

In a medical emergency every second counts™. No one knows that better than our network of providers. AirMedCare Network (AMCN) providers respond to scene calls and provide hospital-to-hospital transports—carrying seriously ill or injured patients to the nearest appropriate medical facility.

AMCN is America’s largest air medical membership network. Even with medical insurance, air medical transport can result in significant out-of-pocket expenses, however an AMCN membership ensures no out-of-pocket expenses for medically necessary flights only if flown by Air Evac Lifeteam or any other AMCN provider.

Join AirMedCare Network’s membership at a special “members only” discounted rate! Kentucky Farm Bureau members qualify for a $20 discount off their annual membership. For more information regarding how you can take advantage of this discount program, visit my.kyfb.com.

EXCLUSIVE FARM BUREAU MEMBER PRICES AND FREE SHIPPING AT GRAINGER!

Kentucky Farm Bureau members get deep discounts on critical equipment and supplies AND enjoy free standard ground shipping* on select products and supplies from Grainger, when ordering items online, over the phone or at your local Grainger branch.

Farm Bureau members receive deep discounts on products in the following categories:

If you have questions or need assistance, please call Matthew Ingram at 502-495-7706.

*FREE standard shipping* on all orders shipped ground transportation. Other freight charges will be incurred for services such as expedited delivery, special handling by the carrier, sourcing orders and shipments outside the continental United States.

For more information regarding how you can take advantage of this discount program, visit my.kyfb.com.

SAVE UP TO $2,750 ON CAT EXCAVATORS, SKID STEERS, WHEEL LOADERS AND MORE

Eligible Kentucky Farm Bureau members* can save up to $2,750 on the purchase or lease of eligible Cat® compact track loaders, compact and small wheel loaders, skid steer loaders, small dozers, backhoe loaders, mini hydraulic excavators and telehandlers. Also, receive an additional $250 credit on select work tool attachments purchased with new Cat machines (Promotion excludes Buckets, Forks, Thumbs, and Coupler attachments). These discounts can be combined with any current retail discount, promotion, rebates or offers available through Caterpillar or its dealers, with the exception of the Cat NCBA membership incentive.

For a complete list of eligible Cat equipment discounts, click HERE!

*Must be a valid member of a participating state Farm Bureau for at least 30 days to be eligible for discount. Members must present a discount certificate at time of purchase or lease quote to receive the discount. No limit on discount certificates available to members, but one certificate must be presented for each machine purchase or lease.

For more information regarding how you can take advantage of this discount program, visit my.kyfb.com.

Learn more at Cat.com/FarmBureau and get your discount certificate today!

SAVE UP TO $500 ON ELIGIBLE CASE IH EQUIPMENT

Kentucky Farm Bureau members can save up to $500 on select Case IH Equipment.

Click here to find out more about the Farm Bureau Offer.

Click here to create a certificate as a Kentucky Farm Bureau Member to present to your Case IH dealer.

By definition, a trade deficit is the amount by which the cost of a country's imports exceeds the value of its exports, according to the Oxford Dictionary.

The nation’s agriculture industry has found itself in a growing trade deficit, something that has only happened four other times in the last six decades and never at the amount at which it currently stands.

In an exclusive interview with Kentucky Farm Bureau News, the Republican Chief Economist for the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry John Newton said the USDA’s May Agricultural Trade Outlook showed another increase in the deficit from the February report.

“The most recent (USDA) forecast updated their projection for imports and increased it by about a billion dollars reducing the trade deficit to a negative $32 billion, which is the largest trade deficit that U.S. agriculture has ever had in history," he said. "We've only had four negative trade balances going back close to 60 years. So, it opens some eyes to where exactly trade is for U.S. agriculture. We know trade's so important for the farm economy and to see a negative trade balance is certainly concerning."

The same USDA report noted agricultural exports in fiscal year (FY) 2024 are projected at $170.5 billion, unchanged from the February forecast.

Newton said U.S. imports so many horticultural products, whether it's fruits and vegetables, wines and spirits and that's really the factor that's driving this negative trade balance along with lower commodity prices for grains and oil seeds.

“I think with a farm bill in front of us and (something) all of our stakeholders have been asking for years, we need to double MAP (Market Access Program) and FMD (Foreign Market Development) funding, so that we can go out and find and develop new markets,” he said. “Our producers have the highest quality and best food available. There's no reason why we can't send food around the world and have a positive trade balance.”

Newton said there have been some efforts to assist in trade promotion, but the current House version of the farm bill could help in those efforts forward.

“I know Chairman Thompson (House Ag Committee Chair Glenn "GT" Thompson) has had several visits around the country,” Newton said. “He’s been listening to farmers and producers in the agribusinesses, and they said, 'Look, inflation's hitting us, too and we need our MAP and FMD dollars. We need those increased so that we have a long-term investment in our trade promotion and market development resources.'"

Making these investments can certainly help to reduce this current trade deficit but American farm families are facing increased competition from other countries, as well. Newton said making investments could help to mitigate this trend in the long run, but it has to be in coordination with enhanced access in markets around the world.

Much of the increased competition is coming from South America. Newton pointed out it’s not only that these countries are planting more acres of crops like corn, cotton, sugar, or soybeans, but they're also putting a lot of money into their infrastructures.

“When they harvest a crop, they can get it to the export market quickly, but one of the things that I think, when you talk to our farm groups here in this country, not only do we have the highest quality products in the world, but we also do it in such a sustainable way,” he said. “And that's not something a lot of our competitors can say. That'll make us competitive long term.”

Another factor that the ag industry here may not be able to counter is some countries are producing their products with very low labor costs making it harder for U.S. producers to compete at the grocery store, with labor costs being as low as they are in some of these foreign markets.

“I'm an optimist and you can never count U.S. agriculture out,” Newton said. “Farmers and ranchers are innovators and I think we're definitely going to get this thing turned around.”

Getting the farm bill across the finish line will be a key component in making this happen. In addition to investments in MAP and FMD, Newton said a strong domestic market is also important, something American agriculture has and can bolster, especially when it comes to biofuels.

“We need to get this sustainable aviation fuel and the (biofuels) tax credit issue figured out to create more opportunities here, but we have to get out there, find and develop those new markets,” Newton said. “I know our trade partners want our products and to buy U.S. agricultural products. So, I think we'll meet the moment, and we'll reverse this trend.”

U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, a senior member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry, told KFB News, “Kentucky’s farmers rely on selling their goods abroad for their livelihoods, exporting over $3 billion in products each year, but our nation’s agricultural trade deficit has become a huge problem.”

McConnell added, “Years of trade surplus under previous administrations have vanished thanks in part to President Biden’s failure to outline a clear trade agenda and his refusal to ink a single trade agreement while in office. As Congress continues its work on the Farm Bill, Senate Republicans stand ready to support the Foreign Markets Development and Market Access Programs, and we continue to urge the Biden Administration to hold our trading partners accountable for breaking the rules.”

Candid Conversation presents a discussion about the topical issues related to Kentucky Farm Bureau (KFB) priorities, the agricultural industry, and rural communities, in a question-and-answer format. In this edition, David Knopf, Regional Director of the USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service, Eastern Mountain Regional Field Office discusses the importance of data collection for the agriculture industry.

KFB: For our readers who may not know what the USDA NASS Kentucky Field Office does, could you gives us a description of some of the things your office does?

DK: NASS is USDA’s primary statistical agency and publishes reports about crops and livestock. Within Kentucky, the primary job is to collect data from farms and agribusinesses and turn that information into useful reports. Data are collected in a series of surveys throughout the year from a representative sample of farms and agribusinesses. Every 5 years NASS conducts the Census of Agriculture which gathers agricultural information from all farms and about people that operate them.

KFB: Why is collecting the data your office does so important to farmers?

DK: In this data driven world,.. statistics are needed to make informed decisions. Perhaps the two most important reasons are for marketing and farm policy. Markets rely on supply and demand numbers to function, and the statistics NASS publishes help with the supply piece. A somewhat less direct value is the development of farm policy at the federal, state and even local level.

KFB: How does the general public benefit from the information collected by your office?

DK: Benefits resulting from statistics are often indirect. I think this is true for how the general public benefits from USDA agricultural statistics. Two concerns that many people have are an adequate food supply and a strong economy. Data provides information to understand the food supply and helps to maintain a more stable market. Similarly, a strong farm economy contributes to a better overall economy, especially for rural communities. Understanding the farm economy through statistics contributes to better farm policy and can improve the profitability of farm businesses.

KFB: In looking at the 2024 growing season, we seem to have been behind in the planting process. How unusual is it to see a season like we are seeing?

DK: Each year is a unique set of circumstances, making it difficult to say what is normal. Of course weather is the primary factor influencing crop progress and condition. Fortunately there hasn’t been widespread adverse weather making this an average year in terms of planting and crop development. One of the favorable outcomes is the winter wheat crop. It has had some of the highest condition ratings on record and the yield forecast is 83 bushels per acre, which would make it the third highest yield on record.

KFB: The office publishes a crop progress report every week during the growing/harvest season. How do you collect that info and what is the biggest benefit from doing that?

DK: It starts with reports from University of Kentucky Extension staff, and some USDA staff. They report crop progress, crop and livestock condition and other pertinent information for their county. That information is then summarized and prepared into a report. The report also contains a weather summary from the University of Kentucky Ag Weather Center.

It’s probably the most popular NASS report because it provides a state-wide view of crops and livestock. It allows agribusinesses, university staff, commodity organizations, government and others, to make informed decisions based on real-time data.

KFB: There is a world of information one can see from your webpage. Tell us a little about that. It seems like that would be a monumental task to gather all that information.

DK: The NASS webpage has evolved into the primary means of disseminating data to the public. All published data, from about 400 reports annually, can be accessed from the site. It is an everyday task to gather data from farms and agribusinesses, and turn that data into useful statistics. It takes a full-time staff of about 30, and another 25 part-time individuals to accomplish the tasks for Kentucky.

KFB: The NASS website can be useful to farmers but what can the non-farming public learn from this information?

DK: I occasionally receive requests for statistics from students doing research reports or science projects, so I know it can be used by non-farming individuals. More often, I think individuals with farming experience will take the information and package it in a way that is easier for the non-farming public to use. A great example of this is the Kentucky Agriculture and Environment in the Classroom, #TeachKyAg.

Get to know the people and policies that make up Kentucky Farm Bureau and Kentucky's agriculture community through engaging discussions, colorful stories, and informative interviews. Subscribe and get access to all four Kentucky Farm Life series!

Between the Rows
    A weekly series focused on sharing stories from the Kentucky farming community. Hosts Renee Carrico and Matt Hilton of Kentucky Farm Bureau chat with farmers to learn how and why they do the work they love.

Farm to Frankfort
    Each month, Kentucky Farm Bureau President Eddie Melton and KFB Public Affairs Director Kyle Kelly host Farm to Frankfort, a discussion-based program focused on agriculture issues faced by Kentucky farmers.

Down the Backroads
    The Down the Backroads podcast is based on a monthly column by KFB News Editor Tim Thornberry, in which he shares his personal stories, thoughts, and memories about rural life in Kentucky and beyond.

Kentucky Farm Bureau News: the podcast
    A collection of insightful interviews from Kentucky Farm Bureau News magazine. Each month, Editor Tim Thornberry talks with farmers and others about issues facing the agriculture industry.

Listen and subscribe at kyfb.com/podcasts.

The old saying, "If you don't like the weather, just wait five minutes and it will change,” can probably be associated with any place at any time. But for farm families who rely on the weather information, getting the data on and off the farm is essential when adjusting their daily activities.

As director of the state’s comprehensive weather data collection system, the Kentucky Mesonet, Dr. Jerry Brotzge, wears many meteorological hats including that of a professor in meteorology at WKU, the state climatologist, and director of the Kentucky Climate Center.

He said having such a broad network of weather data collecting stations, such as the Mesonet, helps to see and understand more about our weather patterns across the state.

“You get a lot of spatial variability in the summer months and it's very easy for a thunderstorm to precipitate an inch on one farm, but miss another adjacent farm entirely,” he said. “So, having a dense weather network is important for capturing that variability.”

Brotzge pointed out that in the historical record, data was recorded once per day, providing a limited amount of data such as a typical daily average of rainfall.

“But we didn't know what the average was for an hour of rainfall, or the average for a five-minute period,” he said. “If you're an engineer trying to design your town's water system or a flood control system, those numbers are very important. Having what we call higher fidelity data is very important for a lot of purposes including farming.”

Monitoring weather conditions is as high-tech as it gets today, but it hasn’t always been that way. Brotzge said that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) weather observation program was started in 1895 through the Cooperative Observer Program.

“And since 1895, we've had volunteers across the state, go out every morning at 7:00 AM and write down the daily high and low and precipitation for those 24 hours," he said. "We still have volunteers that do that."

While that may sound a bit archaic to some, Brotzge said it’s important to get those numbers because every county is so unique. It’s especially while in a convective pattern, during the summertime. It’s very common for one area to miss out altogether during a rainfall event. A convective pattern allows warm air from the earth’s surface to rise into the atmosphere causing cloud formations and precipitation. Collecting that data forms the basis of Kentucky’s weather history.

“The number of (human) stations has varied over the years, depending on the volunteers but the unfortunate thing is, because it's volunteers, it's difficult to get a long-term record in the same spot over an extended period,” Brotzge said. “What's more common is, you'll have a volunteer maybe for 10 years or as many as 40 years in one spot, and after they retire, it's difficult to find a replacement at that location. So, the addition of an automated network like a Mesonet is just incredibly valuable for filling in those gaps.”

With the inception of the Mesonet in 2007, and going forward, for the first time there is a consistent dense network that's able to fill in those gaps across the state, in every county, as it develops comprehensive climate data for Kentucky, something that is exciting, Brotzge emphasized.

An expanding Mesonet system will help to ensure that the collection of information is being recorded, in real-time, across the state.

“For our farmers, I think the exciting news is that we're expanding, and our goal is to have a station in every county,” Brotzge said.

There are currently 82 stations across the Commonwealth, each equipped with a variety of monitoring devices that can measure conditions such as air temperature, wind speed, wind direction, precipitation, and soil temperatures.

While the Mesonet is known to commercial weather agencies and media weather outlets, that may not be the case for the general public. Brotzge said getting the word out about all the capabilities the system has is important.

“We work hard at getting the word out about the Mesonet and the value of the weather information we have, and every day that goes by, we have a longer archive,” he said. “That makes it even more valuable because we understand that the longer weather archive you have, the more you understand both the weather of Kentucky, the climatology, and also, the variability across the state.”

The Mesonet does enjoy a partnership with the National Weather Service, such that all the data collected goes to the National Weather Service in real-time.

“All of our data goes into a national database that is then used and feeds their National Weather Service operational weather forecast models,” Brotzge said. “It's those weather forecasts that provide the basis for all the commercial weather firms, all the commercial weather forecasts, as well as the forecasts that you see on your evening news.”

He added that the data from the Kentucky Mesonet helps to improve the forecasts across all of Kentucky, whether it's coming directly from the National Weather Service, from the TV media, or commercial weather firms.

Weather conditions this year

For many farmers, it was a challenging planting season with extended periods of rain. Ironically, the data showed slightly above normal rainfall for January, slightly below normal for February, with a fairly dry March with about 60 percent of average rainfall for the state, and then a slightly below normal April.

But things changed greatly in May when so many producers are normally hitting the planting season hard.

 “Officially, we were somewhere around 156 percent above normal, the sixth wettest May on record,” Brotzge said. “We're in what we would call a transition pattern between El Nino to a developing La Nina system, but right now, that's not really playing a role in our summertime weather.”

He added that the seasonal forecast by NOAA is calling for slightly above normal chances for above normal precipitation through August, and in looking at previous years, has experienced a pattern of wet springs, or at least, generally above normal precipitation not only for the spring but even into summer.

Kentucky has also seen an unusual number of tornadoes this year, many of which did not touch down but when they did, they caused extensive damage in many areas of the state.

Brotzge said more modern equipment can help in seeing where these types of storms are occurring before they reach certain areas.

“It can be very scary to some people, but it's always good to hear that information ahead of time, so you can make plans to get to a safe spot,” he said.

To get a first-hand look at the information the Mesonet provides, go to https://www.kymesonet.org. 

As storm systems have moved through the Commonwealth in unusually high numbers this year, many families have endured destruction for a second time.

During a rare December 2021 tornado event, Clara Rice and the Baldwin family of Hopkins County lost their homes only to have fate strike again last May when an EF-3 tornado blasted through an area that still has scars from the 2021 event.

“After church that Sunday, I came home, and went about my busy day,” Rice said. “I knew the storms were coming, but I had no idea a tornado would be in the midst of it.”

A much milder storm system had moved through the area around noon that day but as nightfall approached, the warning signs of something much stronger became more evident. Rice, along with some of her neighbors, took cover in a nearby storm shelter where they waited out the passing tornado.

“You could hear debris hitting the shelter door and it was scary for a while,” she said. “But, I continued to pray saying, ‘Lord, I trust you. If my home is there, I'm going to praise you. If my home is not there, I'm still going to praise you. You've supplied the first time and I know you'll supply again.’”

Rice’s prayers brought her through the storm, but her house was completely destroyed for a second time. After having that happen twice within the span of less than three years, one’s faith would be greatly tested but Rice never failed to recognize what truly matters in the face of tragedy.  

“God is going to supply,” she said. “He doesn't want me to worry. He doesn't want me to lose my faith. He doesn't want me to lose my joy.”

Kentucky Farm Bureau Insurance Claims Adjuster Caleb Kirby was assigned Rice’s claim this time and said it’s sad to see someone go through this, especially having done it once before.

“Ms. Clara is extremely inspirational but it’s heartbreaking to see her go through this again,” he said. “Her resilience to want to be there and be home and call that place home is much the same for most of these people in this area. No matter what happens, they're going to rebuild because this is home to them.”

Kirby added that this community unfortunately has been through this less than three years ago, and he is seeing a lot of the same people going through it now, who went through it then.

“These people are just now getting back to some sense of normalcy, and then to go through this again, it's tough on them and it’s hard to see, too,” he said.

Bryan and Jessie Baldwin faced the same situation having lost their home in the 2021 storm and suffering extensive damage to their new home last May.

“As the first storm came through earlier in the day, I thought we were going to have some damage from it but that didn't happen,” Bryan said. “When we started getting texts later, we knew the next storm was stronger and coming our way. We never dreamed that we'd get hit again and even though we knew it was headed our way, we still never thought it would happen again.” 

As the storm approached, Jessie said she began to hear similar sounds as the family experienced in 2021, something you don’t forget.

“You start getting the anxiety and we knew the conditions were exactly the same, the way that it looked, the way that it smelled, and your body just remembered every part of it,” she said. “When you hear that sound and you've learned what it means, you don't forget it.”

While the Baldwins prepared for the tornado to strike, it was their faith that got them through the ordeal.

“That faith of a mustard seed will move a mountain and all you got to have is just a draw of it, just a little bit and God will take care of you,” Jessie said. “And he took care of our family once again.”

Most important for Rice and the Baldwins was the fact that their family members were all safe. Both families were also grateful for the quick response of KFB.

“I love Farm Bureau, I absolutely love them,” Rice said. “They have been there for me through thick and thin and no matter what kind of questions I have, they will sit there and talk to me and answer me.”

Bryan Baldwin said it has been a great relief to know KFB was taking care of their claims

“As soon as it happened, some of their team, who may have had their own damage, were in the office just cranking it out, taking care of people,” he said. “They gave me the grace when I came in and was unsure of exactly what I needed but they said ‘It's okay. We've got you. We've got you.’"

The quote, “Nothing is certain but death and taxes,” is often attributed to Benjamin Franklin. However, it can be applied to everyone, in one way or another.  

Having the proper arrangements in place that will ensure assets, be they places or personal property, will be distributed according to the will of the owner, can help with the decision-making processes at a difficult time. One sure way to make that happen is with the help of estate planners.

Kentucky Farm Bureau offers estate planning as a member benefit but often members are surprised to learn about that, according to Josh Wilson, one of the two KFB estate planners who serve the state.

“There have been estate planners with Farm Bureau dating back to the early ‘70’s, but I think some people are still surprised about that,” he said. “However, most clients we sit down with and talk to one-on-one come from the local agent as a referral. We are not attorneys nor are we CPA’s but we do work closely with these other advisors with the goal of doing all we can to put each client in a better position.”

Once that referral happens, Wilson, along with his counterpart Brent Hall, can speak with a member about their wishes and the tools that are available to ensure their requests are secure.

“A person works their whole life to gain the assets they have and will want to build a plan that is their own,” Wilson said. “And everybody's plan is going to be an individual and is not going to be the same thing as someone else. But if you don't make a decision to make a plan of your own when the time comes, the state has got one for us, and typically, that's not the best outcome.”

Basically, estate planning involves the management of distribution for a person’s assets to ensure they that go where that person wants when they pass away, Hall noted.

“Many people may have a will but there are also other things involved with estate planning; a trust would be one of them,” he said. “A trust is a legal document that arranges for a trustee to these assets on behalf of the beneficiary. It can be used for different purposes such as supporting probate, minimizing estate taxes, or providing the needs of beneficiaries.”

 Many people also have a power of attorney document which grants someone the authority to make financial or healthcare decisions on their behalf, in the event that person is unable to do so.

Hall added that estate taxes are a big part of what the estate planners help with, as well.

“Estate planning can help minimize those taxes that may be imposed on somebody when they pass away, ensuring that more of your assets go to your chosen beneficiaries,” he said.

From an agricultural perspective, and in making sure the family farm remains a farm and in the hands of the right people, having the details within one’s estate plan is a way to keep these operations in business for generations to come.

KFB is moving forward with its Kentucky Farmland Transition Initiative which helps farm owners find available resources that help to keep their farms as farms. Estate planning is one resource that could be utilized to ensure that happens.

“The best thing, in my opinion for a farm family to do, especially to protect that farmland, is trust-based planning as opposed to a will,” Wilson said. “It does a couple of things. It gives the family, or the next generation, asset protection. So, if they're sued on a personal level, the farm's still going to be protected, and they're still going to be able to use that farm for an income source. But it also makes it harder to sell based on what kind of stipulations or guidelines you put into that trust. Setting up a trust really gives you control of those assets even after you're gone. It's a great way to protect that family farm for the next generations.”

Another advantage is when a farm is put into a trust the step-up basis is still retained at death. Current step-up basis law allows heirs to step up their cost basis on inherited property to match the value on the date of the previous owner’s death, meaning that only capital gains above that point could ever be subject to income taxes.

If the beneficiary has to sell for some reason, they're not having to pay quite the same amount in capital gains taxes, Wilson emphasized.

“Our job is to figure out how to transition this over to the next generation when looking at farms that have been in the family for years,” he said.

Hall pointed out how much more valuable land is today making estate planning all the more important.

“Land now is worth a lot more than it was two generations ago and planning to protect those assets from creditors, taxes, and possibly potential family members who want to try to disrupt the farm is important,” he said. “If somebody such as a parent passes away, and they have two other children who just want the financial value of the farm. It puts a burden on a child who wants to continue that farm. So, we work with our clients to ensure things like that don’t happen.”

Looking at transferring a farm after someone passes away, especially from a tax perspective, having a plan in place can help to avoid many issues associated with that transition.

“A lot of times these farms are worth so much money nowadays, and many times they have an estate tax problem,” Hall said. “It could come to the point where you may have a generation that's going to have to borrow money or sell a portion of the farm just to cover the estate taxes. There are many ways around that and a lot of things that we do as an estate planner that will protect them.”

To begin the process of estate planning, both Wilson and Hall recommend members reach out to their local KFB agent to get the process started.

I am so fortunate to be involved in so many different aspects of the agriculture industry. From being a farm owner and businessperson, to working with students at the University of Kentucky’s Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, as a lecturer, to being name the Kentucky Farm Bureau Farm Women of the year, my plate often seems full.

Add to that plate my most important jobs as a wife and mother, then that plate often runs over. But I really wouldn’t have it any other way. I have seen these worlds come together to create something impactful and that makes the long days and nights worth it all.

On our farm, we predominantly raise beef cattle and have a direct-to-consumer beef operation. We also raise sheep for meat and fiber production. And then this past year our girls dragged us into the goat industry because they love raising and showing their own goats through 4-H. Our girls also have their own side businesses and are budding entrepreneurs with their pimento cheese and Benedictine spreads that they sell at local restaurants and our farmer’s market.

This year, like many others, has been a one of adjusting and focusing on the opportunities right in front of us. We have a relatively smaller farm and like other farmers rely heavily on beneficial weather, consumer preferences, market prices, and so many other things. I have learned, through my years on the farm, there are a lot of factors I can’t control. But for those I can, we try to take advantage of these opportunities.

For instance, we're undergoing some projects with state cost-share right now to ensure we are even better stewards of the natural resources entrusted to us. Like many of you, we are consistently looking at ways to make our farm better and more sustainable.

So often we look to the future on the farm with big expectations of growing and expanding. But I have also learned just how much opportunity is available despite the messages that say you must be really big to make it within this industry.

I truly believe that it’s one small step at a time towards a greater goal and not an overnight thing. In doing so, we won’t miss out on all the opportunities that may come to us as our agriculture industry continues to shift and change.

Being named Farm Woman of the Year was such an honor, and I didn’t realize the impact we were able to have, showing the ag community it is doable. I know what I do is important, and I know the work that I do is important, and I know it's God's work, but I didn't think that other people would be as inspired by it. And so that was something really special to experience throughout the last few months.

I know a lot of people who want to be a part of this industry but lack the access and opportunity to do it. I am passionate about advocating to provide those people who have a passion, a want, and a drive to be able to produce the food we eat. And I truly believe that is how we will sustain our dependence on American agriculture.

I appreciate Farm Bureau and the community that is Farm Bureau for acknowledging the work that our farmers do every day and being an advocate for our farms and farm families.

As 2024 passes its halfway point, the hopes of early passage of a farm bill have passed by, as well. But movement on both sides of the aisle has recently taken place, initially offering a glimmer of hope that a final bill would make it across the 2024 finish line.

House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson (PA-15) released the "The Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024,” while U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) unveiled the framework for the Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act. Both versions were released in May.

Since then, there has been active movement from House and Senate Republicans while a markup from Democrats has yet to come.

The House Ag Committee markup came on May 23 with bipartisan support and passage out of the committee. On June 11, U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR), ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, unveiled the Senate Republican-drafted framework for the bill calling it a “farmer-focused farm bill.”

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented on Boozman’s release of a farm bill outline.

“Farm Bureau appreciates Senator Boozman’s release of an outline for a new, modernized farm bill that increases investments in the farm safety net and advances voluntary conservation efforts,” he said. “His plan, combined with Senator Stabenow’s previously released outline, brings into better focus each party’s vision for this important legislation.”

However, Duvall added that while this is encouraging progress in the Senate, there is much work to be done.

“There are stark differences between the two outlines and we urge Chairwoman Stabenow and Ranking Member Boozman to find common ground on the important issues that farmers and ranchers face,” he said.

Kentucky Senator and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell also commented on the Boozman outline saying the Ranking Member’s plan reflects the actual reality of owning and operating a farm today and it addresses the biggest bone of contention among American producers: Less fluff, and more farm in the Farm Bill. 

“I’ve served on the Agriculture Committee my entire time in the Senate – I know drafting this legislation is never easy,” he said. “And I’m grateful to the Ranking Member for his work on this important issue. I hope that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will look to this framework for guidance as we work to deliver certainty and stability to America’s farmers.”

Kentucky Farm Bureau (KFB) Federation’s Director of National Affairs and Government Relations Ericka King said the hope is for bipartisan support as these bills come out of their respective committees and move forward.

“We certainly want to see bipartisan bills come out of both committees and if we don't, then the farm bill's future is a bit murkier than what we would like it to be,” she said. “You've got to have that bipartisan support, that buy-in from both sides to get it on the floor because there are such slim margins in both the Senate and House of Representatives right now.”

The current farm bill passed in 2018 and expired last September. An extension was passed by Congress in November 2023, something that isn’t unusual for this particular piece of legislation.

“If you look back over, I would say the past 20 years, there have been more extensions to the farm bill than there have been ones passed on time,” King said. “The 2018 version did pass in the same year it expired but that is almost the exception as opposed to the rule.”

• Some of the key takeaways from the Senate Republican framework include:
• Improved crop insurance coverage and affordability
• Increases in reference prices by an average of 15 percent for all covered commodities
• Doubles the funding for MAP (Market Access Program) and FMD (Foreign Market Development)
• Makes investments in small business development, broadband, and energy and water infrastructure
• Doubles farm bill research funding
• Makes additional investments in existing conservation programs
• Ensures SNAP beneficiaries will not have benefits cut

Would help in the farm transition process by making crop insurance more affordable for beginning farmers and allowing farmers without base acres a chance to participate in safety net programs.

“We know more week by week, but things are changing quickly,” she said. “However, the biggest area of some common ground between House Republicans and Senate Democrats is trying to strengthen the nutrition title and some mutual agreement within the commodity title as far as trying to help those support programs. But both sides just have very differing views of how to help those programs.”

Another similarity, at least on the surface, is the use of some of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 dollars.

“Based on what I've read from the section-by-section of the Senate bill released by Chairwoman Stabenow, some of that Inflation Reduction Act money would go to permanent programs, which means in the long-term, more money would have to be allocated in addition to typical standard farm bill conservation programs,” King said. “The House plan differs from that. It looks at those unexpended IRA dollars and puts it to use to help pay for the current pending farm bill, taking care of the conservation programs within that."

One of the most important parts of any farm bill has to do with safety net programs such as crop insurance. The two versions of the bill take different standpoints on what is necessary for these programs.

“In the House bill, they are making different expansions to crop insurance that would increase security within the program and allow for more coverage for beginning and veteran farmers,” King said. “We don’t yet see quite as much of that in  Chairwoman Stabenow’s Senate version with money being moved around without a lot of additional opportunities for what we see as necessary within crop insurance and commodities protection.”

Another key topic for the agriculture industry related to this farm bill is international trade. According to specific language contained in the House Bill summary, “By expanding the reach and impact of the MAP and FMD program, the 2024 farm bill will mitigate global food insecurity while providing U.S. producers new markets, improving local economies.”

King said this bill, as well as the framework released by Ranking Member Boozman, expand opportunities within the trade title of the farm bill.

“That's something that is definitely needed given this past year being the first year in probably five decades, that the US has been a net importer of agricultural goods,” she said. “We hear it from our members all the time that we need more trade opportunities. And that's one thing that's addressed in the House bill and Senate Republican’s framework.”

King added that there could well be a path forward for a 2024 farm bill coming to fruition but it will take extensive work on both sides in both chambers to make it happen. However, as an August Congressional recess approaches, along with a stretch run for the upcoming presidential race after that, a second extension could not be ruled out.