By RACHEL LANE

D.C. Correspondent

WASHINGTON, D.C. — More cuts to farm programs might occur in the 2018 Farm Bill, but some people are trying to prevent it, including Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, who filed an amendment to the 2018 Senate Budget Resolution.

“The 2014 Farm Bill streamlined over 100 programs and is already saving taxpayers $100 billion, while still investing in our farmers and ranchers,” Stabenow said. “As we write the next farm bill, we need to send a clear message to our farmers, families and rural communities that they are not on the chopping block for cuts. This budget amendment will protect the farm bill from harmful reductions in funding, and ensure that we continue to protect our land and water and invest in our farmers and small towns.”

In February, 500 organizations joined together to request Congress reject any additional cuts to policies within the jurisdiction of the Senate Committee and the House Committee on Agriculture. Some of those organizations have asked again that the farm bill funding be protected.

Marni Karlin, principal of Karlin Strategic Consulting, worked as a policy advocate in D.C. before starting her own company to focus on sustainable and organic agricultural policy. She said the 2014 Farm Bill cut about $23 billion annually to conservation, nutrition and farming programs.

The cuts impact farmers, the rural economy, food companies, consumers and the national economy. While it is important to pay attention to the return each investment provides, agricultural, specifically organics and agricultural research, have a high return on the government investment. Those investments help create jobs across the supply chain, from the farm workers to the truck drivers.

“It ripples out through the supply chain until it gets to the consumer,” she said. “Times are tough, and it the federal government pulled back on its commitment to our farmers and to a secure food system and to our rural economies, I think that’s gonna be a real challenge.”

Stabenow’s amendment shows she is an advocate for food and agricultural programs, but the move is also largely symbolic, Karlin said. It’s a stake in the ground to indicate that Stabenow is going to protect farmers and rural economies, and the food system.

“I think it’s critical that we fight against them and that we demonstrate a coalition of folks who support continued funding for food and ag programs,” she said. Everyone interested in the food industry - which should be everyone – needs to join together to show Congress that the farm bill is not a niche issue.

A coalition of 66 trade associations, university extension scientists and other organizations sent a letter to Congress last week to ask Congress to improve the USDA’s research and development efforts. The letter requested a $6 billion annual goal for USDA research between 2019 and 2023. An additional nine policies were suggested to support agriculture research.

The letter states the United States is falling behind other countries in research and development spending. In 2013, China’s spending became nearly double the U.S. investment.

“While research, education, and extension funding has been cut, the threats to our production system are mounting. (Weather and disease) costing producers and consumers millions of dollars,” the letter read. “At stake is our national security, economy, health, and environment. The next farm bill represents a crucial opportunity to reverse these trends and reassert our nation’s leadership in agricultural research and extension.”

Danielle Nierenberg, founder of Food Tank, said the farm bill is not just about farmers. It is a food safety issue – the number of inspectors at slaughterhouses would decrease. People depending on SNAP benefits would also be impacted.

“I think because we call it a farm bill, we think it only affects farmers, but it affects all of us … we all have to eat, and we want our farmers to be supported,” she said.

Nierenberg was thrilled with the last farm bill because it offered additional support to farmers of specialty crops. “Farmers voted for President Trump and I hope he lives up to the promises he made to them. I strongly encourage him to follow through on what he promised those folks. They’re counting on him to meet their needs,” she added.

The 2014 Farm Bill was suppose to be the 2012 Farm Bill, but it took two years to approve. For the last nine months, congressional agricultural committees have been meeting with representatives of each area of the farm bill to discuss the programs offered. Members of the committees have traveled throughout the country to speak with farmers and others in the industry.

Independently, Karlin said farmers should call and speak to someone at their representatives’ offices. An email or other form of communication will work, but phone calls are generally most effective. The information is collected and passed on to the congressperson and most do listen to constituents.

A bill to approve the budget has passed in both the House and Senate by narrow margins, four votes in the House and two in the Senate. Only Republicans voted in favor of the budget and projected budget for the 2019-2020 budget year. Democrats and Republics voted against the bill in both houses. The members of the House and Senate are working to resolve differences in the bills that passed.

Once the budget is approved, the appropriations committees will divide discretionary spending. The subcommittees will vote out a bill. The House and Senate will vote again and the final report is presented to the President for his signature or veto.