Klobuchar is a member of the Farm Bill conference committee, which was responsible for crafting final Farm Bill conference report that will now go to the full Senate and House of Representatives for final approval 

Farm Bill report would reduce the deficit, strengthen the crop insurance program, eliminate direct payments, boost conservation, maintain the sugar program, and keep nutrition programs strong for Minnesota families

Klobuchar successfully fought to provide additional support to rural development projects, conservation programs, agricultural research, and the Rural Energy for America (REAP) program and pushed for a strong energy title in the report

Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar said that today’s Farm Bill conference report is a critical step towards passing a long-term Farm Bill that will provide much-needed support and certainty for Minnesota farmers and producers. Klobuchar is a member of the Farm Bill conference committee, which was responsible for crafting the final Farm Bill conference report that will now go to the full Senate and House of Representatives for final approval. The Farm Bill report would reduce the deficit, strengthen the crop insurance program, eliminate direct payments, maintain the sugar program, and keep nutrition programs strong for Minnesota families. Klobuchar also successfully fought to provide additional support to rural development projects, conservation programs, agricultural research, and the Rural Energy for America (REAP) program and pushed for a strong energy title in the report.

“Today’s report from the Farm Bill conference committee is a long time coming for the farmers, ranchers, and rural communities in Minnesota and across the country,” Klobuchar said. “As a member of the conference committee I worked with my colleagues in both the Senate and the House to craft bipartisan legislation that strengthens the crop insurance program, boosts our energy and conservation programs, reduces the deficit, and gives our farmers and ranchers the certainty they need to grow and thrive.”

Klobuchar successfully included a number of provisions in the bill to support Minnesota’s farmers and ranchers:

Supporting Beginning Farmers and Ranchers

The Farm Bill includes Klobuchar’s provisions that would help beginning farmers and ranchers access crop insurance by reducing the cost of insurance by 10 percent and for these producers in their first five years. The provision also helps beginning farmers get more coverage from the crop insurance program by changing the formula used to determine a producer’s expected production yield when they don’t have a complete established production history for a crop. Crop insurance premiums are based on a farmer or rancher’s previous production history, putting beginning producers at a disadvantage and discouraging them from participating in the program altogether, leaving them more vulnerable to disasters.

Klobuchar’s second provision would allow beginning producers to graze cattle on Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres without a reduction in payments for the CRP landowner. Managed grazing can be beneficial for wildlife, encourage biodiversity, and help control invasive nonnative species and quality of vegetative cover. Waiving the penalty for allowing beginning farmers and ranchers to graze on CRP acres will help beginning producers get a start while providing valuable ecological benefits on CRP land.

Helping Pork and Poultry Producers Reduce Catastrophic Losses

Pork and poultry producers are exposed to trade and food safety disruptions to their export markets, which contributes to the importance of addressing the issue of catastrophic losses. Klobuchar included a provision in the Senate-passed Farm Bill that would require a feasibility study for insuring swine producers against catastrophic losses, and she also cosponsored a provision that would require a feasibility study for insuring turkey and chicken producers against catastrophic losses.

Boosting Conservation, Research, Rural Development and Homegrown Energy

The Senate-passed Farm Bill includes an amendment led by Klobuchar and Senator John Hoeven to provide an additional $300 million for three critical areas including: agricultural research, address the backlog of Rural Development waste water loans, and support the Rural Energy for America (REAP) program. Senator Klobuchar fought to secure the full $880 million dollars for the energy title of the Farm Bill.

Improving Rural Transportation and Addressing Captive Shipping Issues

Captive shipping has been a concern in rural communities in Minnesota, where agricultural producers only have access to one rail company to ship their goods to market. Klobuchar’s provision would authorize a joint study by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Transportation to examine rural transportation issues, including captive shipping issues, to help farmers and ranchers move their products more quickly and efficiently. The provision directs the Secretary of Agriculture to report his recommendations for improvements in rural transportation policy to the Senate and House Agriculture Committees. 

Conservation Compliance and Sodsaver Provsion

Klobuchar supported efforts to create a compromise on conservation compliance that would extend conservation protections to the crop insurance program. The compromise agreement includes a number of provisions to ensure that farmers will be held harmless if they come out of compliance because of a flood or other disaster. In addition, Klobuchar worked with Senator John Thune (R-SD) to include the sodsaver provision, which would work to protect native prairie by making small changes to the crop insurance program to reduce the incentive to grow crops for the first time on native prairie.

Maintains the Strong Sugar Program

In the Senate Farm Bill debate, Klobuchar fought to defeat amendments that would have eliminated or dismantled the sugar program, which supports sugar beet growers across the Red River Valley. The Farm Bill conference report includes a strong sugar program.

Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) Program

The Farm Bill Conference Report extends the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program for one year. The PILT program provides Federal payments to local governments that help offset losses in property taxes due to non-taxable Federal lands within their boundaries. PILT payments help local governments carry out services such as firefighting and police protection and construction of public schools and roads.

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