By Andi Anderson
Indiana lawmakers are outlining their priorities for the potential 2023 Farm Bill legislation, which is expected to pass by the end of December. The Farm Bill is a landmark piece of legislation that sets agriculture and nutrition policy over the next five years.
Indiana lawmakers are prioritizing the following areas in the 2023 Farm Bill:
Farm Safety Net: Lawmakers are focused on prioritizing risk management tools and funding for federal crop insurance and commodity programs.
Conservation: Lawmakers want to ensure that all federal conservation programs remain voluntary and incentive-based.
Nutrition: Lawmakers want to keep benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in the Farm Bill and ensure that the legislation is a "unified" bill that does not separate nutrition and farm programs.
Foreign Animal Disease (FAD) prevention: Lawmakers want to adequately fund early detection, prevention, and rapid response tools to address any potential animal disease outbreak.
Market Access Program and Foreign Market Development: Lawmakers want to continue to fund these programs to help build commercial export markets for U.S. agricultural products.
Indiana lawmakers are also focused on the rural development portion of the Farm Bill, including the development of broadband access for rural areas.
Overall, Indiana lawmakers are working to ensure that the 2023 Farm Bill is a strong bill that protects Hoosier farmers and supports the agriculture industry.
Categories: Indiana, Government & Policy