Among the many things at the forefront of 1st District Congressman James Comer’s mind right now: the 2023 Farm Bill.
And it was the main reason he and his entourage paid visit to Hopkinsville Wednesday morning, first stopping in to talk with Commonwealth Agri Energy and its board before having lunch with local and regional farmers.
Comer called this upcoming legislation “some of the most important for Trigg and Christian County” coming out of Washington D.C. over the next 12 or so months.
The Monroe County High School and Western Kentucky University graduate said he’d be playing a “big role” in the Farm Bill’s passage because “there aren’t many farmers in Congress,” and he was a lowly freshman on the conference committee when the 2018 Farm Bill ran through the House and Senate.
He believes this bill will also be “pretty bi-partisan,” and once against expects to be on the conference committee once it’s sharpened by Republicans and Democrats.
Food shortages, supply chains and general farmer pessimism are key national concerns as lawmakers continue the drafting of this Farm Bill — which of all things must address a number of surprises that occurred in the last five years, including the COVID-19 pandemic, unchecked inflation and a surge of avian flu that created an egg deficiency in the country.
Comer noted he’d like to see Kentucky farmers take a chance and jump into the egg business.
Comer added that local farmers have a better grasp than some professionals and policymakers do when it comes to gauging the commodities market and the fluctuation of grocery prices.
However, he reiterated that the federal crop insurance program remains “a must-have” in this draft, with other needs he hopes to address.
Created in 1980, the American Farmland Trust recently outlined three points needed in the 2023 Farm Bill:
— The protection of threatened agricultural land bases.
— The increased adoption of conservation practices.
— And the support for a diverse new generation in accessing lands, and launching successful businesses.
