In this week's episode we hear directly from New York farmers on why the Farm Bill matters. Judi Whittaker, Barb Hanselman, and David Fisher share how key programs in the legislation like crop insurance, conservation funding, and nutrition assistance support agriculture and food security across America.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
This week an important milestone came and went. The existing farm bill expired.
(00:09):
And today you will hear from three farmers as to why this farm bill matters.
Hi, I'm Steve Ammerman, Director of Communications for New York Farm Bureau.
Today on News Bites, we'll take a deeper dive on the farm bill, hearing from three people who relied on its programs.
But first, a little background. The farm bill is the most significant piece of legislation that affects our food system, and it's renewed every five years.
(00:33):
Although it technically expired at the start of October, there are no immediate negative ramifications until the end of this year.
That's when funding for essential programs will begin to run out, and Congress must take action.
In years past, it has authorized extenders until a full farm bill can be passed.
New York Farm Bureau remains committed to securing a strong farm bill that supports critical needs of our state's diverse agricultural system.
(00:56):
From risk management and disaster assistance to conservation and research funding, farms depend on a farm bill to provide food security for our country.
The agricultural programs make up about 20% of the overall legislation.
The other 80% provides for critical nutrition programs like SNAP benefits for people in every community across this country.
In a previous News Bites podcast that you can listen to, we spoke with New York Farm Bureau's National Affairs Director, Lauren Williams, about the farm bill policies and priorities for New York Farm Bureau.
(01:26):
But today we're hearing from three farmers who've used the programs.
Each one spoke at a Congressional Farm Bill Listening Session earlier this summer in Beamton about the importance of having a strong farm bill.
So we'll begin with Judy Whitaker. She's a dairy farmer outside of Beamton in Broome County.
She begins by explaining simply why the farm bill is critical to her.
It's critical to our future. What is being required of us as far as having programs available to fit between the CAFO needs and the environmental stewardship needs that we need to continue having programs like EQUIP or our Lifeline to keep continuing farming.
(02:01):
So we work very closely with our local NRCS staff and they provide us the guidance if we're looking to put in, you know, some kind of system on our farm of what we need to do to have it fit.
The guidelines and the rules under how people farm.
We're CAFO, so there's guidelines that we have to fall under for that.
We use them for the guidance of what we need to do.
(02:24):
And also we use them to help us find some funding.
As everybody knows, we're a dairy farm, so we're price takers, not price setters.
There's only so much money to go around for us to be able to implement these programs.
So finding funding is critical.
Conservation programs are an important part of the farm, including what is called EQUIP or the Environmental Quality Incentives Program.
(02:45):
Judy, why is this valuable to your farm?
We've done a lot over the years with the EQUIP, like I've said, between the grass waterways, the fencing out of streamlines so that the cattle can't get in the streams.
All these different things, small programs as we've gone through, but they've all added up to make us much more sustainable.
The worser, the water leaving our farm is leaner than when it started.
(03:08):
Our farm is located at the headwaters for the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
So what we do impacts everybody down to the Delaware River.
So we take great pride in what we're able to do on our farm and implement on our farm so that we feel that confidence of the waters flowing through our farm are clean.
Judy, why is it important for farmers and people who value a strong food system in this country to speak out in favor of the farm bill?
(03:34):
So supporting the farm bill, it's extremely important to farmers of New York State as the programs that are provided there are available.
And we need to make sure people are supporting and asking for these projects and programs to be continually funded so that there is something that will keep our farms strong and sustainable here in New York State, providing fresh, clean, clear food, fuel and fiber for the citizens of not just our state, but across USA.
(04:04):
After we spoke with Judy, we chatted with Barb Hantelman for a few minutes.
She too has a dairy farm. Her family lives in Delaware County in the Catskill region.
And she's also passionate about wanting to have a farm bill that provides for her farm, but also for our larger food system.
So it's bigger than just your farm, Barb. Why does this matter for rural America as a whole?
The farm bill is really important because first off, what helps us all going forward, whether you're a farmer or an American consumer, is food.
(04:33):
We all need food. And so the farm bill is what supports farmers so that American farmers can do what they need to do and do it well and be productive and have businesses that are sustainable, as well as that we produce food that's good for the American public and also ensures security because people that is hungry is not a happy, you know, a group of people.
(05:02):
And with that, then there's a lot of chaos. So it's really important.
And I think it does bridge that gap that has become bigger over years.
There were a lot more people that were involved in agriculture that had some sort of production agriculture as a part of their life and past generations.
And today's there isn't. And so I think that the farm bill is the opportunity to hopefully bring us all together, you know, to have an understanding of why we need each other.
(05:31):
Barbi, you spoke at the listing session about some changes you'd also like to see, including expanding the dairy margin coverage program. That's a risk management program that dairy farms use. What are some of the other changes you want to see in the next farm bill?
Well, I will say that I do think that it is so very important that our members of Congress are always thoughtful about rural prosperity.
(05:55):
And it is a challenge. It's continuing to be a bigger and bigger challenge. And it doesn't make any difference if you're in the Midwest, small towns in the Midwest or small towns in upstate New York.
There's challenges with prosperity. And the key to that, so that our rural America can still prosper and be homes to many Americans is agriculture.
(06:22):
And so that was one thing that I kind of rolled off with in the beginning because I just think that it's important to be thoughtful about that as we're putting this together, you know.
I also am a dairy farmer. So a couple of farm bills back, we made some changes. It wasn't the best fix, did some tweaks, have DMC. I think it's working very well.
(06:45):
There's a few more things that need. Would like to see that the base that they use for DMC is updated because it's over 10 years ago that a producer's base is used.
And that needs to be. There's also, there were conversation by others today about changing the 950 to increasing it say to like 12.
Also, the number of pounds that can be covered by DMC. Those are all conversations that need to be mulled over and thought about and see if it fits.
(07:15):
You know, there's also there. The federal milk marketing order that governs how dairy is, you know, how we are paid for milk.
It's it was done in the 30s. So, you know, we're in a place where it's really, really old and there hasn't been much of any change.
And so this is an opportunity, I hope, I think, because COVID also brought to light some some big holes and some of the things that are there.
(07:41):
And so that hopefully is something that they can, you know, make some tweaks on.
But then last I talked about, I felt that Congress really, really fell on their face when they had the opportunity to give every school child.
Free breakfast and lunch as a taxpayer who is not really, I'm not a person that is all about giving away free things.
(08:05):
But if there was something that I can easily jump on, the idea of every school child having free breakfast and free lunch, you know, and it's not just for it's it's for farmers, but it's for for kids, for for education, for it.
It's it's it's just such a wide thing. It would be such a positive thing that could be done.
(08:27):
And so I hope that maybe in this in this farm bill, maybe they'll address that.
And then lastly, which is my own kind of thing, I'm a dairy farmer.
I can't stand that the FDA allows that our plant based beverages to use milk as a label and their label. It's actually it's they're violating the laws of labeling and yet has not been enforced.
(08:53):
And so that was another thing I brought up. Yeah, you have to get it when you can.
Finally, New York Farm Bureau President David Fisher and dairy farmer in the North Country addressed the four congressmen who were at the listing session in Binghamton that included House Ag chair G.T. Thompson, as well as just representatives from New York, Mark Molinaro and Nick Langworthy, who both also serve on the House Ag Committee.
(09:16):
Although he's a dairyman, David spoke about some of the programs that can help fruit and vegetable producers in New York, including what's called the Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program or NAP.
It's a program that offers crop insurance during natural disasters for a lot of diverse crops that we have in New York that may not otherwise be eligible for some of the more traditional crop insurance programs.
Here's David explaining how the farm bill helps those New York farmers.
(09:39):
We need a strong farm bill in this country because it supports everything that we all need three or more times a day when we eat.
It's a nourishment. So it's a great safety net for the farm community and those producing. And then on the other end, those in need get the support of the SNAP program and those things.
So it ties everything together. So it's a great way to have a good bipartisan effort.
(10:04):
David, as Judy mentioned, conservation and equip funding are also important. So how does the farm bill improve environment stewardship?
Things that will help our members in this farm bill are one of them is because of the diversity of the production we have in specialty crops, but more specifically a lot of our fruits and vegetables,
(10:25):
to keep the whole farm plan as a pilot and to increase the NAP for those folks.
Because a lot of that, unless it's a pilot, doesn't work very well for our small growers in New York.
It's not like we plant a thousand acres of lettuce on any given day. More likely that we plant a very small patch that would be harvested and then a week later another small patch.
(10:50):
And then those things in the current program are really inflexible and hard for our small growers to use.
As far as conservation on our farms, farmers are very self-conscious of and want to do a better job.
So probably one of the best things is the equip money in that we get guidance on decreasing erosion or doing buffer strips or grass waterways and other practices around farmsteads that keep dirty water dirty and clean water clean on farms
(11:22):
so that it doesn't end up in the streams and where it shouldn't end up. And when we do that through equip, it's a cost share.
So the government helps with engineering and designing and the farmer pays part of it and the government helps pay part of it.
So everybody wins. And then a great example, that was the New York City watershed years ago.
A lot of those practices came through some of those things and some other monies, but it really worked.
(11:47):
And in New York City, when they were looking at having to put in a multimillion or billion dollar water treatment system 25 years ago,
they learned that working with farmers, they solved the problem. They don't have to do that. They never had to spend that money.
And so it's a great story to tell.
Finally, food security is something that's come up a lot that we've heard during that listing session.
(12:10):
And it's important for people to think about the big picture because we need to keep farms in business during the tough times of low prices and natural disasters in order for the country to produce the food that we need.
Food security is really national security in that if we can't take care of ourselves, we saw with the pandemic, supply disruptions and changes and things like that.
(12:32):
So if it has to come on a boat, that boat could be intercepted.
And so then what do you do when you can't feed people and not only the implications of poverty and starvation,
but in communities where there's no food, it's pretty obvious to see how quick the chaos erupts.
And so we just need to be certain that we can take care of ourselves and our country and help feed the world at the same time.
(13:02):
So a lot of our food and products go to other countries and help them.
Thanks to David, Judy and Barb for sharing their thoughts about the next foreign bill.
There are many needs for sure that must be met in that legislation.
And it's something New York Farm Bureau will be following closely.
We encourage our members and the greater public to reach out to their senators and congressional representatives as well to remind them that we need a strong farm bill to support local agriculture all across New York State.
(13:30):
So stay tuned.
Well, thanks for listening to today's edition of News Bites.
Seth Moser Katz is responsible for the recording and editing of this edition.
Until next time, make sure to thank a farmer for all that they do.
This week an important milestone came and went. The existing farm bill expired.
(00:09):
And today you will hear from three farmers as to why this farm bill matters.
Hi, I'm Steve Ammerman, Director of Communications for New York Farm Bureau.
Today on News Bites, we'll take a deeper dive on the farm bill, hearing from three people who relied on its programs.
But first, a little background. The farm bill is the most significant piece of legislation that affects our food system, and it's renewed every five years.
(00:33):
Although it technically expired at the start of October, there are no immediate negative ramifications until the end of this year.
That's when funding for essential programs will begin to run out, and Congress must take action.
In years past, it has authorized extenders until a full farm bill can be passed.
New York Farm Bureau remains committed to securing a strong farm bill that supports critical needs of our state's diverse agricultural system.
(00:56):
From risk management and disaster assistance to conservation and research funding, farms depend on a farm bill to provide food security for our country.
The agricultural programs make up about 20% of the overall legislation.
The other 80% provides for critical nutrition programs like SNAP benefits for people in every community across this country.
In a previous News Bites podcast that you can listen to, we spoke with New York Farm Bureau's National Affairs Director, Lauren Williams, about the farm bill policies and priorities for New York Farm Bureau.
(01:26):
But today we're hearing from three farmers who've used the programs.
Each one spoke at a Congressional Farm Bill Listening Session earlier this summer in Beamton about the importance of having a strong farm bill.
So we'll begin with Judy Whitaker. She's a dairy farmer outside of Beamton in Broome County.
She begins by explaining simply why the farm bill is critical to her.
It's critical to our future. What is being required of us as far as having programs available to fit between the CAFO needs and the environmental stewardship needs that we need to continue having programs like EQUIP or our Lifeline to keep continuing farming.
(02:01):
So we work very closely with our local NRCS staff and they provide us the guidance if we're looking to put in, you know, some kind of system on our farm of what we need to do to have it fit.
The guidelines and the rules under how people farm.
We're CAFO, so there's guidelines that we have to fall under for that.
We use them for the guidance of what we need to do.
(02:24):
And also we use them to help us find some funding.
As everybody knows, we're a dairy farm, so we're price takers, not price setters.
There's only so much money to go around for us to be able to implement these programs.
So finding funding is critical.
Conservation programs are an important part of the farm, including what is called EQUIP or the Environmental Quality Incentives Program.
(02:45):
Judy, why is this valuable to your farm?
We've done a lot over the years with the EQUIP, like I've said, between the grass waterways, the fencing out of streamlines so that the cattle can't get in the streams.
All these different things, small programs as we've gone through, but they've all added up to make us much more sustainable.
The worser, the water leaving our farm is leaner than when it started.
(03:08):
Our farm is located at the headwaters for the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
So what we do impacts everybody down to the Delaware River.
So we take great pride in what we're able to do on our farm and implement on our farm so that we feel that confidence of the waters flowing through our farm are clean.
Judy, why is it important for farmers and people who value a strong food system in this country to speak out in favor of the farm bill?
(03:34):
So supporting the farm bill, it's extremely important to farmers of New York State as the programs that are provided there are available.
And we need to make sure people are supporting and asking for these projects and programs to be continually funded so that there is something that will keep our farms strong and sustainable here in New York State, providing fresh, clean, clear food, fuel and fiber for the citizens of not just our state, but across USA.
(04:04):
After we spoke with Judy, we chatted with Barb Hantelman for a few minutes.
She too has a dairy farm. Her family lives in Delaware County in the Catskill region.
And she's also passionate about wanting to have a farm bill that provides for her farm, but also for our larger food system.
So it's bigger than just your farm, Barb. Why does this matter for rural America as a whole?
The farm bill is really important because first off, what helps us all going forward, whether you're a farmer or an American consumer, is food.
(04:33):
We all need food. And so the farm bill is what supports farmers so that American farmers can do what they need to do and do it well and be productive and have businesses that are sustainable, as well as that we produce food that's good for the American public and also ensures security because people that is hungry is not a happy, you know, a group of people.
(05:02):
And with that, then there's a lot of chaos. So it's really important.
And I think it does bridge that gap that has become bigger over years.
There were a lot more people that were involved in agriculture that had some sort of production agriculture as a part of their life and past generations.
And today's there isn't. And so I think that the farm bill is the opportunity to hopefully bring us all together, you know, to have an understanding of why we need each other.
(05:31):
Barbi, you spoke at the listing session about some changes you'd also like to see, including expanding the dairy margin coverage program. That's a risk management program that dairy farms use. What are some of the other changes you want to see in the next farm bill?
Well, I will say that I do think that it is so very important that our members of Congress are always thoughtful about rural prosperity.
(05:55):
And it is a challenge. It's continuing to be a bigger and bigger challenge. And it doesn't make any difference if you're in the Midwest, small towns in the Midwest or small towns in upstate New York.
There's challenges with prosperity. And the key to that, so that our rural America can still prosper and be homes to many Americans is agriculture.
(06:22):
And so that was one thing that I kind of rolled off with in the beginning because I just think that it's important to be thoughtful about that as we're putting this together, you know.
I also am a dairy farmer. So a couple of farm bills back, we made some changes. It wasn't the best fix, did some tweaks, have DMC. I think it's working very well.
(06:45):
There's a few more things that need. Would like to see that the base that they use for DMC is updated because it's over 10 years ago that a producer's base is used.
And that needs to be. There's also, there were conversation by others today about changing the 950 to increasing it say to like 12.
Also, the number of pounds that can be covered by DMC. Those are all conversations that need to be mulled over and thought about and see if it fits.
(07:15):
You know, there's also there. The federal milk marketing order that governs how dairy is, you know, how we are paid for milk.
It's it was done in the 30s. So, you know, we're in a place where it's really, really old and there hasn't been much of any change.
And so this is an opportunity, I hope, I think, because COVID also brought to light some some big holes and some of the things that are there.
(07:41):
And so that hopefully is something that they can, you know, make some tweaks on.
But then last I talked about, I felt that Congress really, really fell on their face when they had the opportunity to give every school child.
Free breakfast and lunch as a taxpayer who is not really, I'm not a person that is all about giving away free things.
(08:05):
But if there was something that I can easily jump on, the idea of every school child having free breakfast and free lunch, you know, and it's not just for it's it's for farmers, but it's for for kids, for for education, for it.
It's it's it's just such a wide thing. It would be such a positive thing that could be done.
(08:27):
And so I hope that maybe in this in this farm bill, maybe they'll address that.
And then lastly, which is my own kind of thing, I'm a dairy farmer.
I can't stand that the FDA allows that our plant based beverages to use milk as a label and their label. It's actually it's they're violating the laws of labeling and yet has not been enforced.
(08:53):
And so that was another thing I brought up. Yeah, you have to get it when you can.
Finally, New York Farm Bureau President David Fisher and dairy farmer in the North Country addressed the four congressmen who were at the listing session in Binghamton that included House Ag chair G.T. Thompson, as well as just representatives from New York, Mark Molinaro and Nick Langworthy, who both also serve on the House Ag Committee.
(09:16):
Although he's a dairyman, David spoke about some of the programs that can help fruit and vegetable producers in New York, including what's called the Non-Insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program or NAP.
It's a program that offers crop insurance during natural disasters for a lot of diverse crops that we have in New York that may not otherwise be eligible for some of the more traditional crop insurance programs.
Here's David explaining how the farm bill helps those New York farmers.
(09:39):
We need a strong farm bill in this country because it supports everything that we all need three or more times a day when we eat.
It's a nourishment. So it's a great safety net for the farm community and those producing. And then on the other end, those in need get the support of the SNAP program and those things.
So it ties everything together. So it's a great way to have a good bipartisan effort.
(10:04):
David, as Judy mentioned, conservation and equip funding are also important. So how does the farm bill improve environment stewardship?
Things that will help our members in this farm bill are one of them is because of the diversity of the production we have in specialty crops, but more specifically a lot of our fruits and vegetables,
(10:25):
to keep the whole farm plan as a pilot and to increase the NAP for those folks.
Because a lot of that, unless it's a pilot, doesn't work very well for our small growers in New York.
It's not like we plant a thousand acres of lettuce on any given day. More likely that we plant a very small patch that would be harvested and then a week later another small patch.
(10:50):
And then those things in the current program are really inflexible and hard for our small growers to use.
As far as conservation on our farms, farmers are very self-conscious of and want to do a better job.
So probably one of the best things is the equip money in that we get guidance on decreasing erosion or doing buffer strips or grass waterways and other practices around farmsteads that keep dirty water dirty and clean water clean on farms
(11:22):
so that it doesn't end up in the streams and where it shouldn't end up. And when we do that through equip, it's a cost share.
So the government helps with engineering and designing and the farmer pays part of it and the government helps pay part of it.
So everybody wins. And then a great example, that was the New York City watershed years ago.
A lot of those practices came through some of those things and some other monies, but it really worked.
(11:47):
And in New York City, when they were looking at having to put in a multimillion or billion dollar water treatment system 25 years ago,
they learned that working with farmers, they solved the problem. They don't have to do that. They never had to spend that money.
And so it's a great story to tell.
Finally, food security is something that's come up a lot that we've heard during that listing session.
(12:10):
And it's important for people to think about the big picture because we need to keep farms in business during the tough times of low prices and natural disasters in order for the country to produce the food that we need.
Food security is really national security in that if we can't take care of ourselves, we saw with the pandemic, supply disruptions and changes and things like that.
(12:32):
So if it has to come on a boat, that boat could be intercepted.
And so then what do you do when you can't feed people and not only the implications of poverty and starvation,
but in communities where there's no food, it's pretty obvious to see how quick the chaos erupts.
And so we just need to be certain that we can take care of ourselves and our country and help feed the world at the same time.
(13:02):
So a lot of our food and products go to other countries and help them.
Thanks to David, Judy and Barb for sharing their thoughts about the next foreign bill.
There are many needs for sure that must be met in that legislation.
And it's something New York Farm Bureau will be following closely.
We encourage our members and the greater public to reach out to their senators and congressional representatives as well to remind them that we need a strong farm bill to support local agriculture all across New York State.
(13:30):
So stay tuned.
Well, thanks for listening to today's edition of News Bites.
Seth Moser Katz is responsible for the recording and editing of this edition.
Until next time, make sure to thank a farmer for all that they do.
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