Congress Hears from Constituents on Farm Bill
In August, while Congress was on a month-long recess, we didn’t give members of the Senate and House Agriculture Committee much of a break. We mounted an effort to encourage their constituents to turn out to their elected officials’ public events.
When they returned to Washington, D.C. on September 1, we didn’t give them a break either. Mike Korth and Kevin Raun, farmers from Nebraska, joined us for meetings on the Hill to talk about the farm bill.
Mike Korth, who some know as “Payment Limit Mike,” has been a steadfast supporter and advocate for effective payment limitations on farm program payments. Mike will tell you (all you have to do is ask) what unlimited payments are doing to rural communities, small and mid-size family farms, and in particular, beginning farmers.
Mike noted, “Payment limits are the right thing to do because we shouldn’t be giving money to wealthy, well-capitalized individuals that enable them to outbid small and mid-size family farmers. Basically, they are taking these unlimited payments and bidding them directly into land values and cash rents – making it impossible for the beginning farmer to get access to land in order to start their farming operation.”
Kevin Raun is also a big supporter of effective payment limitations for all the same reasons. He is also concerned about conservation, and went to Washington, D.C. to talk to staff members about his experience with the Conservation Security Program during the 2006 signup.
In 2006, Kevin qualified for the program but didn’t get a contract because the money ran out before it reached his ranking. Kevin met with two of Senator Tom Harkin’s (D-IA) staff members to discuss the new Comprehensive Stewardship Incentives Program to determine if the changes they are proposing would make needed improvements.
Bottom line on these issues for Mike and Kevin (and other small and mid-size family farms) is that this farm bill must include effective payment limitations on the commodity program, as well as proper funding for the Comprehensive Stewardship Incentives Program. Mike and Kevin think that no farm bill would be better than one that doesn’t make these improvements.
Contact: Traci Bruckner, 402.687.2103 x 1016 or tracib@cfra.org for more information.
When they returned to Washington, D.C. on September 1, we didn’t give them a break either. Mike Korth and Kevin Raun, farmers from Nebraska, joined us for meetings on the Hill to talk about the farm bill.
Mike Korth, who some know as “Payment Limit Mike,” has been a steadfast supporter and advocate for effective payment limitations on farm program payments. Mike will tell you (all you have to do is ask) what unlimited payments are doing to rural communities, small and mid-size family farms, and in particular, beginning farmers.
Mike noted, “Payment limits are the right thing to do because we shouldn’t be giving money to wealthy, well-capitalized individuals that enable them to outbid small and mid-size family farmers. Basically, they are taking these unlimited payments and bidding them directly into land values and cash rents – making it impossible for the beginning farmer to get access to land in order to start their farming operation.”
Kevin Raun is also a big supporter of effective payment limitations for all the same reasons. He is also concerned about conservation, and went to Washington, D.C. to talk to staff members about his experience with the Conservation Security Program during the 2006 signup.
In 2006, Kevin qualified for the program but didn’t get a contract because the money ran out before it reached his ranking. Kevin met with two of Senator Tom Harkin’s (D-IA) staff members to discuss the new Comprehensive Stewardship Incentives Program to determine if the changes they are proposing would make needed improvements.
Bottom line on these issues for Mike and Kevin (and other small and mid-size family farms) is that this farm bill must include effective payment limitations on the commodity program, as well as proper funding for the Comprehensive Stewardship Incentives Program. Mike and Kevin think that no farm bill would be better than one that doesn’t make these improvements.
Contact: Traci Bruckner, 402.687.2103 x 1016 or tracib@cfra.org for more information.
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