The Farm Bill: Protecting America’s Food Supply
By Governor-elect Kristi Noem
Between a drought, poor prices, hail, and diminished net farm incomes, South Dakota’s agriculture economy has taken a significant hit in recent years. Without the proper safety nets in place for unexpected circumstances like these, farmers aren’t able to do what they do best: feed the world
While you can’t change the weather, you can change policy. And that’s exactly what I did. Earlier this month, I was proud to help lead the U.S. House of Representatives in passing the 2018 Farm Bill. This is a significant step toward securing a safety net, not only for South Dakota producers, but for America’s food supply.
This critical legislation maintains strong crop insurance and livestock disaster programs and makes improvements to the commodity title. Additionally, we expand support for rural broadband and increase investments in farm country.
It was a true privilege to represent South Dakota during Farm Bill discussions, and now I’m bringing that experience home. There’s a lot of work to do here, too.
With increasing trade, both foreign and domestic, risk of foot-and-mouth, avian influenza, and many other diseases has greatly increased in recent years. But South Dakota – backed by SDSU’s world-class animal disease research program, including the new laboratory that is currently under construction – is uniquely positioned to improve livestock disease management practices. Working with the university, the Animal Industry Board, the State Veterinarian, and our growing biotech industry, we can mitigate economic and environmental impacts while improving overall herd and flock health.
Furthermore, I’ll seek to enhance infrastructure to support farmers and grow the economy. As governor, I will work to improve the state’s infrastructure to lower the basis for grain products, putting more money in the hands of hardworking farmers and growing our economy.
And while we bolster the existing industry, we must also equip young farmers with the skills they need to succeed in agriculture. I’ll work to expand education and increase investments in production-boosting research, such as biotechnology and precision ag. I’ll also encourage the life-changing, inspirational work of programs like 4-H and FFA, complete SDSU’s precision ag building, which the state legislature recently approved, and enhance the Governor’s Ag Summit to increase access and educational offerings.
I’m proud of the Farm Bill and the way it ensures people all across our country have access to the safest, most plentiful food supply in the world grown right here in our South Dakota fields. Our ag industry is special – it’s our legacy, our way of life. I’m committed to protecting that legacy and advancing it so it’s sustainable for generations to come.