Growers and Grocers

Elections are right around the corner in the United States, and candidates in agricultural regions have used their Farm Bill plans to woo voters. This set of legislators will be the ones who make or break next year’s new Farm Bill, and rural communities want to know what to expect from their representatives. While the Iraq War may get more coverage, next year’s Farm Bill will shape farmers’ livelihoods for the next five years.

Jon Tester hopes to win one of Montana’s Senate seats by telling voters that he’ll push for safety nets for family agriculture operations and financial support for farmers who diversify their crops, among other changes. His campaign promises have won him the support of the National Farmers Union’s political action committee.

Meanwhile, Wisconsin Congressman Ron Kind hopes voters will keep him in office in the upcoming elections, and his amendment to the Farm Bill focuses on conservation efforts. It’s not expected to pass, but he believes that the amendment will force some discussion around the topic. If it garners him some favorable pre-election press, so much the better.

Asa Hutchinson might not be Arkansas’s governor yet, but he’s acting as if the job were already his as he chats up federal authorities and urges support for Arkansas farmers. He hopes to get more funding for biofuels, which would in turn help his state’s farmers earn more money from their subsidy-heavy and low-value crops.

Finally, Bush isn’t up for re-election, alas, but Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns told the press this week that the President will present his Farm Bill strategy some time in January. Johanns kept the talk vague, suggesting that “who knows” the Oval Office might propose sweeping changes. Or not. The move helps convince farmers that there might be good changes without committing to anything in particular.

Where does your Congressional candidate stand on this important topic. Make sure you know before you punch their name on November 7.