In early August at Farmfest in Redwood Falls, eight members of the U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture Committee, including five from Minnesota, fielded questions – some sharper than others – about the next federal Farm Bill.
The current $867 billion Farm Bill, passed in 2018, expires at month’s end, and a new bill is a top congressional priority amid other pressing issues, including passing a federal budget. At the forum, House members heard from corn farmers and biofuel supporters, dairy farmers, and nutrition-program advocates. All have stakes in a new Farm Bill that funds their pet programs. But few questions revolved around farmland conservation and the voluntary conservation programs that are important to hunters, anglers, and conservationists.
