Op-Ed: Rep. Dan Newhouse: How important is a strong Farm Bill? Ask a farmer

For the last two years, farmers and ranchers have been operating under an outdated Farm Bill that doesn’t meet the current needs of the industry.

As a third-generation farmer in Washington’s Yakima Valley, I have always believed farmers are the best stewards of our lands. For the last two years, farmers and ranchers have been operating under an outdated Farm Bill that doesn’t meet the current needs of the industry. A strong Farm Bill protects growers from turbulent market conditions, supports incentive-based conservation programs, and expands market opportunities for our crops. Reauthorizing the Farm Bill before it expires at the end of September remains one of my top priorities.

I am excited to return to the House Agriculture Committee for the 119th Congress and to have a strong hand in crafting the upcoming Farm Bill. I will also remain on the Agriculture Subcommittee on Appropriations, where I can help ensure the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s programs receive the funding they need to deliver critical assistance. I am the only Republican in the House of Representatives to serve on the two committees with a direct impact on agriculture, and I am proud to be a strong advocate for a robust agricultural industry.

Farmers across the country, and especially in my district in Central Washington, have faced more than their fair share of challenges since the last Farm Bill was signed into law in 2018. Input costs have skyrocketed, new trading opportunities have been limited, and inflation has squeezed farm operations of all sizes. The situation is dire in farm country, and Congress must act before the damage becomes irreversible.

Food security is national security, and I am excited to work alongside House Agriculture Chairman GT Thompson to expand trade opportunities for our agricultural products. My legislation, the Agriculture Export Promotion Act, was included in last year’s Farm Bill and I look forward to its inclusion this Congress. This effort would double the authorized levels for the Market Access Program (MAP) and Foreign Market Development (FMD) to ensure farmers and ranchers have more market opportunities. In 2023, the state of Washington exported nearly $7.5 billion in agricultural products, demonstrating how important foreign markets are to our state.

Conservation programs are critical to farmers because they provide incentives to ensure the lands we rely on stay ecologically balanced. Instead of mandating untailored, top-down conservation programs, locally-led programs are a more successful approach to allow growers the means to sustainability manage their land. Farmers are the original stewards of the lands, and robust conservation programs are critical for the long-term success of our industry.

Unfortunately, the Farm Bill that passed out of the House Agriculture Committee last year did not make it through the legislative process to deliver the solutions the agriculture industry needs. I am confident that this during Congress, with a unified Republican government, we will utilize all tools available to combat inflation and deliver a new Farm Bill that farmers and ranchers desperately need. I’m honored to be back on the Agriculture Committee and will continue to be an advocate for America’s farmers and ranchers.

Rep. Dan Newhouse represents Washington’s 4th District in Congress.