Minnesota Farm Bureau members told lawmakers they need certainty while on their annual Farmers to Washington D.C. lobbying trip last week. Promotion and Education Committee chair and Rock County President Pete Bakken says they met with USDA and trade officials, plus their members of Congress. They shared with them how the trade war is impacting their farms and the urgency to get it resolved quickly before they go out of business.
USDA has released details on how they accessed damage from trade disruptions to provide aid under the Market Facilitation Program. Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue also stated they’re prepared to offer an additional payment in December if the trade war continues that long. Bakken says farmers want to get their income from the market, not the government.
Bakken says part of the certainty also includes getting a farm bill completed before the current legislation expires on September 30.
Bakken says members also asked lawmakers to protect the Renewable Fuels Standard and for a year-round guest worker program to help with the labor shortage. Twenty-two Minnesota Farm Bureau members participated in the trip.
