Why a Farm Bill Should Matter to You

Are you interested in Congress getting a Farm Bill passed? You may think that it isn’t important to you if you are not a farmer but the farm bill affects every citizen of the United States.

There are many misconceptions about this important piece of legislation. While it is called a Farm Bill, it really encompasses much more than just the farm. A large part of funding in the bill goes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to help needy citizens get the nutrition they need. SNAP is important to people all over the United States, especially during these difficult economic times.

There are environmental provisions to help protect our natural resources which is something that is important to everyone. One of the environmental programs we participate in on our farm is the Conservation Reserve Program(CRP). Some of the most fragile land we farm was planted to native grasses in order to control wind erosion. A healthy stand of native grasses keeps the soil in place during times when the Southwest Kansas wind begins to blow. Practices like these help keep our country from experiencing the Dust Bowl Days all over again.

As a farmer, I see the value of having a bill that makes sure that we have the resources we need to produce the food that feeds Americans as well as hungry people around the world. One in twelve jobs in America is tied to agriculture, that amounts to 23 million jobs. You can see that it is economically important for our county to have a healthy agriculture sector.

Healthy families, a healthy economy, healthy foods; if these things are important to you, I would ask you to consider contacting your member of congress and ask them to support passage of the Farm Bill.