South Dakota Senator John Thune held a farm bill listening session with various farm groups in Sioux Falls on Friday to get input as they craft the 2023 legislation.  South Dakota Corn Growers Association President Scott Stahl says the general theme involved the future of domestic food policy and risk management, including the preservation of crop insurance.  He says South Dakota Corn is advocating for a modernization of the farm safety net to better reflect the current market environment and volatility.

He says that type of change will add to the cost of the farm bill, which may be a difficult lift with the possibility of flat baseline funding.

Stahl says there’s been speculation that conservation programs will be a bigger part of the new program and they support those climate smart ag programs as long as they are voluntary and incentivized.

Thune is a member of the Senate Ag Committee and will use the input to help shape the direction of their policy writing.