Nebraska Farm Bureau Leadership Academy Advocates for Action on the Farm Bill, Tax Code Reauthorization, and Labor in D.C.

LINCOLN, NEB. - Advocating on behalf of Nebraska Farm Bureau (NEFB) members across the state, NEFB Leadership Academy Cadets explained the vitality of a working Farm Bill to the Congressional Delegation during their national affairs trip to Washington, D.C. this week.

The visit capped off a yearlong leadership training program to help farmers and ranchers from across Nebraska with personal growth and development, public speaking skills, and training on how to advocate for Nebraska's farm and ranch families.

"When Leadership Academy Cadets experience our government first-hand and interact with our elected officials, they can see the role they can play in making sure their right to farm and ranch stays protected," said Jordan Dux, NEFB senior director of national affairs, who facilitated the Leadership Academy visit.

While discussion surrounding the Farm Bill continues, it remains one of the few opportunities legislators have to address the issues facing the agri-food value chain. Leadership Academy Cadets met with Nebraska's Congressional Delegation and urged them to pass a bill that protects federal crop insurance and provides a needed update to many programs farmers and ranchers rely upon.

"The Farm Bill needs to at least continue to be extended which only provides a temporary solution to an ongoing problem. Knowing that I have a strong safety net to fall back on if my crop fails allows me to take a calculated risk when planning my crop for the year," said Christopher Kuehn, row crop farmer and Leadership Academy Cadet from Kearney County.

In addition to advocating for federal crop insurance, Cadets recommended a legislative fix to combat the consequences of California's Proposition 12 and Massachusetts's Question 3. It is imperative that one state's voters are not able to dictate food production practices for the entire country.

"As a livestock producer, ensuring the health and well-being of my livestock is my number one priority," said Katie Nolles, cattle rancher and Leadership Academy Cadet from Holt County. "Having to change my safe production practices to meet the stipulations imposed by those removed from agriculture only hinders my ability to produce a safe, quality product for consumers to enjoy."

Domestic workforce availability continues to be a concern for agriculturalists, making the H-2A program essential to carry out the everyday tasks in agriculture. In FY2023 alone, just under 4,000 H-2A positions were used in Nebraska. Though there has been growth in the program's usage, it is still needlessly complicated and expensive to utilize this resource. After six straight years of exponential wage growth, agency overreach, and persistent congressional inaction, many agricultural operations, specifically small-to-medium-sized operations, are struggling to operate through this program.

"Passing the legislation that pauses the Adverse Effect Wage Rate for the H-2A at 2023 levels is crucial for the success of many agricultural operations," said Dan Kristensen, row crop farmer and Leadership Academy Cadet from Kearney County. "Supporting H.R. 7046 and S. 874 will allow H-2A users to fairly pay their employees and ensure the long-term viability of their operation."

Along with the Farm Bill and H-2A action, Cadets voiced their concerns about not extending the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA). The law that allows for reduced tax rates for farm and ranch businesses is set to expire in 2025.

"My operation would look very different without TCJA," said Sam Gifford, Leadership Academy Cadet from Buffalo County. "Having tax code that provides certainty in an industry that is inherently uncertain allows me to continue to operate and grow my business."

Last on their list of issues was the EPA's proposed changes to federal pesticide regulations. These changes stem from a 2011 court settlement where EPA promised to make regulatory changes in order to better manage the regulatory relationship between crop protection products and endangered species. Unfortunately, the new proposed regulations could make it much more difficult for farmers to utilize many of the crop protection products they have come to rely upon.

"Farmers need as many tools as they can get in their toolbox when it comes to weed management. The changes EPA is proposing will make it much more difficult for me to use the products I need to kill weeds and help boost yields. This isn't just about my producers' bottom lines, this is about making sure we can continue to produce food, fiber, and fuel for our nation as well as the rest of the world," Clade Anderson, a sales agronomist and Leadership Academy Cadet from Sherman County.

Besides visiting with Nebraska's Congressional Delegation, the Nebraska Farm Bureau Leadership Academy met with officials from the New Zealand Embassy, House Agriculture Committee, Syngenta, and staff from American Farm Bureau.

Leadership Academy members that participated in the visit to Washington, D.C. included:

• James McArtor (Perkins County Farm Bureau)
• Clade Anderson (Sherman/Valley County Farm Bureau)
• Christopher Kuehn (Kearney/Franklin County Farm Bureau)
• Katie Nolles (Holt County Farm Bureau)
• Sam Gifford (Buffalo County Farm Bureau)
• Dan Kristensen (Kearney/Franklin County Farm Bureau)

The Nebraska Farm Bureau is a grassroots, state-wide organization dedicated to supporting farm and ranch families and working for the benefit of all Nebraskans through a wide variety of educational, service, and advocacy efforts. More than 55,000 families across Nebraska are Farm Bureau members, working together to achieve rural and urban prosperity as agriculture is a key fuel to Nebraska's economy. For more information about Nebraska Farm Bureau and agriculture, visit www.nefb.org.