On May 6, I was honored to speak on behalf of the Michigan Corn Growers Assoc. at a U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee field hearing to help kick off the upcoming farm bill discussions. Together with my family, we farm 1,200 acres of corn, soybeans and edible dry beans in Michigan’s Thumb. The hearing was led by Chairman Sen. Pat Roberts from Kansas and Michigan’s own Sen. Debbie Stabenow. Both the diversity of Michigan’s farm production and its economic importance were evident from the testimony. At the hearing, I shared that corn farmers have seen a drastic drop in corn prices during the past several years with prices at or below the cost of production. Low prices mean lower revenues for farmers, and increasing stress for farm operations, their employees and rural communities. In this environment, a strong farm safety net is critical for Michigan’s farmers. Fortunately, the safety net in the 2014 Farm Bill led by then-Chairwoman Stabenow has worked well for farmers like me. I also stressed the importance of strong market development efforts, including the Foreign Market Development program and the Market Access Program for helping increase demand for corn and corn products. It’s hard to overstate the importance of the farm bill to Michigan’s farm families, and this hearing was a great opportunity to provide suggestions for improvement early in the process. Janna Fritz Bad Axe, Mich. Secretary/Treasurer Michigan Corn Growers Assoc. Rural America deserves a champion The Center for Rural Affairs has fought on behalf of rural communities for nearly 45 years. We are heartened by USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue’s expressions of support for rural communities during his early days in office. However, we are concerned about his current path. On May 11, Perdue proposed eliminating the position of Undersecretary for Rural Development and moving oversight of Rural Development agencies to the Deputy Secretary, USDA’s second-in-command. If this change is made, we lose the most significant rural advocate within USDA. Rural America stands to suffer as a result. Although USDA has a broad mission to support food and agriculture, Rural Development is the only body with the explicit directive to support rural communities. Rural Development’s broad and complex responsibilities include: •Providing loans for treating wastewater and constructing homes •Facilitating innovation and encouraging success in entrepreneurship and small business •Supporting rural broadband access and more This announcement follows President Trump’s proposal to cut USDA’s budget by more than 20 percent. If Perdue truly wishes to support rural America, he should not eliminate the position of Undersecretary for Rural Development nor support deep cuts to the budget. Instead, he should appoint a strong advocate for rural communities to the position, and support a budget that allows Rural Development to carry out its mission. Rural America deserves a champion who is not distracted by the demands of managing the diverse responsibilities of USDA. By retaining the Undersecretary position, USDA will be better positioned to work with rural people and achieve a vision for America that includes thriving rural communities and economic opportunity for all. Anna Johnson Center for Rural Affairs |
