Congressional Hearings Leading up to the 2023 Farm Bill

rThis article is one part of a series of articles tracking Congressional hearings leading up to the 2023 Farm Bill. To view all of the hearing tracking articles, click here. To see all of EESI's resources on the 2023 Farm Bill, click here.

 

A 2022 Review of Farm Bill Conservation Programs

The House Agriculture Committee Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry held this hearing on February 2, 2022 to examine conservation programs under the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and Farm Service Agency (FSA) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This was the first House hearing on the 2023 Farm Bill.

NRCS Chief Terry Cosby stated that the NRCS’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provided $10 million for climate-smart agriculture and helped farmers plant 2.3 million acres of cover crops in fiscal year 2021. EQIP is a voluntary conservation program that offers farmers and ranchers financial and technical assistance to implement conservation practices.

FSA Administrator Zach Ducheneaux stated that last year, FSA’s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)—which pays farmers to remove environmentally sensitive land such as ecologically significant grasslands from agricultural production and implement sustainable practices instead—enrolled 5.3 million acres, significantly more than USDA’s 4 million-acre goal.

Policy highlights from the hearing:

• Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) touted the bipartisan, bicameral Growing Climate Solutions Act  (S.1251/H.R.2820), which would reward agricultural producers for sequestering carbon through climate-friendly practices.
• NRCS programs “remain oversubscribed, with demand for climate-smart agriculture practices and programs well exceeding available funding,” Cosby stated. For reference, only 31 percent of EQIP applicants and 42 percent of Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) applicants are awarded contracts. But Cosby pointed out that the House-passed Build Back Better Act (H.R. 5376) would make historic investments to expand the impact of conservation programs such as EQIP and CSP.
• Programs can be improved to better address the climate crisis. Cosby said, “[USDA] identified 81 enhancements in CSP that we think have the best chance to help us with the climate crisis.”

 

A 2022 Review of the Farm Bill: A Commodity Group Perspective on Title 1

On March 1, 2022, the House Agriculture Committee held this hearing on the Commodity Title of the Farm Bill, known as Title 1, which includes provisions on price and income support for farmers and disaster assistance.

Policy highlights from this hearing:

• The importance of crop insurance was a theme raised by many of the witnesses. According to the President of the National Corn Growers Association, Chris Edgington, crop insurance is an important safety net for farmers, especially to protect against extreme weather.

• There are many alternatives to synthetic fertilizers, including manure and compost. Additionally, sustainable practices like cover crops can help reduce the need for fertilizers by returning nutrients to the soil.

  Witnesses also brought up rising input costs, such as fertilizers. Jaclyn Ford of the National Cotton Council stated that “most producers are expecting a 25 to 40 percent increase in input costs in 2022, largely due to higher fertilizer and pesticide costs. As compared to a year ago, fertilizer prices have increased by 55 to 120 percent.”  To improve the U.S. supply chain resilience for fertilizers, Clark Coleman from the National Sunflower Association said Congress should promote domestic fertilizer manufacturing.

 

A 2022 Review of the Farm Bill: Rural Development

The House Agriculture Committee Subcommittee on Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit held this hearing on March 8, 2022 to explore USDA’s Rural Development program. The sole hearing witness, Under Secretary for Rural Development Xochitl Torres Small, largely focused on Rural Development programs that improve food supply chain systems, rural broadband access, and climate resilience.

Policy highlights from this hearing:

• To learn more about the connection between broadband access and climate, check out EESI’s issue brief, Closing the Digital Divide: How Rural Broadband Benefits Communities and the Climate.

  According to Torres Small, Rural Development’s Reconnect Loan and Grant Program has provided more than $1.5 billion to 181 projects to increase broadband access, serving nearly 300,000 households. Torres Small added that Rural Development is trying to reduce barriers to access the program by allowing Tribes and socially vulnerable communities to apply for grant funds without matching requirements.
• Torres Small stated that Rural Development has invested $687 million in the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) since January 2021, which is projected to save 1.4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. REAP helps agriculture producers and small rural businesses invest in energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements.
• Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) mentioned the bipartisan, bicameral Rural Energy for America Program Improvement Act of 2021 (S.2243/H.R.4162) which would expand REAP’s eligibility to include agricultural producer cooperatives and rural electric cooperatives and make reducing greenhouse gases a focus of the program.
• Rep. Stacey Plaskett (D-N.Y.) brought up the Renewable Energy for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands Act (H.R.2360). The bill would create a grant program for renewable energy, energy efficiency, and energy storage in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

 

A 2022 Review of the Farm Bill: The Role of USDA Programs in Addressing Climate Change

This hearing was held by the House Agriculture Committee on March 16, 2022 to review and explore opportunities to improve USDA programs that support climate mitigation and adaptation. “The next Farm Bill provides the opportunity for this committee to climatize existing programs [and] to generate revenue for farmers while mitigating climate risk,” according to witness Charles Conner, president and CEO of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives.

Policy highlights from this hearing:

• To learn more about the Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP), check out EESI’s briefing, Financing Inclusive Clean Energy Investments in Rural America, and EESI’s Access Clean Energy Savings program, which helps rural electric cooperatives develop programs to access RESP loans.

  In his written testimony, Conner stated that the Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP) “is an oversubscribed program and in critical need of additional funding to meet demand.” Conner recommended USDA extend the program to farmer co-ops to help them adopt renewable energy.
• On the topic of carbon markets, the Growing Climate Solutions Act (S.1251/H.R.2820) “would serve as a foundation for setting standards and certification criteria to help foster the growth of private-sector carbon markets,” according to Conner’s written testimony.
• USDA could help small-scale farmers adopt climate friendly-practices by enhancing technical assistance and outreach, streamlining applications, and providing access to capital for initial costs, according to Shakera Raygoza, owner of Terra Preta Farm.
• The Agricultural Resilience Act of 2021 (S.1337/H.R.2803) “should be used to reimagine conservation in the Farm Bill and how these programs can support young and [Black, Indigenous, and People of Color] farmers to act on climate,” according to Raygoza’s written testimony. The bill sets out a path to achieve net-zero emissions from agriculture by 2040.
• Multiple witnesses agreed that increased funding for agriculture research is needed. Raygoza called for increased funding for programs like Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) grants which provide funding for farmer-led research.
• Glenda Humiston, vice president of agriculture and natural resources for the University of California system, called for an expansion of USDA Climate Hubs to regularly engage with stakeholders and prioritize research amongst partners. 
• More funding for USDA conservation programs is needed. In her written testimony, Heidi Heitkamp, a former senator from North Dakota and the co-chair of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Farm and Forest Carbon Solutions Task Force, recommended “Congress substantially increase USDA funding for key conservation cost-share and incentive programs under Title 2 of the Farm Bill.” These programs include, but are not limited to EQIP, the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) and the Landscape Scale Restoration (LSR) program.

 

A 2022 Review of the Farm Bill: Horticulture and Urban Agriculture

On March 29, 2022 the House Agriculture Committee Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research held this hearing to learn how the 2023 Farm Bill can better meet the needs of specialty, organic, and urban agricultural producers.

Policy highlights from this hearing:

• To learn more about the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovation Production, check out EESI’s article, “Historic Urban Agriculture Funding Put to Use in Communities Nationwide.”

  The 2018 Farm Bill established an Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovation Production (UAIP) within NRCS. According to NRCS Chief Terry Cosby, 90 percent of the Office’s appropriated funding went directly to the public last year through the UAIP competitive grants or Composting and Food Waste Reduction cooperative agreements.
• Laura Batcha, chief executive officer of the Organic Trade Association, stated that the bipartisan Continuous Improvement and Accountability in Organic Standards Act (H.R.2918) would help improve federal oversight of organic foods.
• According to Brie Rieter Smith, vice president of produce leadership at Driscoll, programs like USDA’s Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) “provide critical assistance to upgrade irrigation systems and improve the efficiency of on-farm water usage.”
• Also on the topic of EQIP, Nate Olive, owner of Ridge to Reed Farm, recommended suggestions to improve EQIP, including raising the expected costs of EQIP conservation practices so cost share percentages are on par with the rest of the country and removing the reimbursement process to reduce barriers for program participation.
• Marc Oshima, co-founder of AeroFarms, recommended that the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP) and Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) within the Horticulture Title of the Farm Bill should be expanded to include urban, controlled environment agriculture, and indoor vertical farming practices to help level the playing field between traditional and urban agriculture.

• To learn about how hemp can be used in the construction industry, check out EESI’s article, “Hempcrete Offers Path to Greener Construction Industry.”

  To mitigate and prevent invasive species from impacting farmers and ranchers, Director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture Bruce Kettler recommended increasing the baseline funding for USDA’s Plant Pest and Disease Management & Disaster Prevention Program and National Clean Plant Networks. 
• Kettler also recommended adding hemp to the list of eligible crops within the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.

 

A 2022 Review of the Farm Bill: Renewable Energy Opportunities in Rural America

On April 5, 2022, the House Agriculture Committee held this hearing to focus on spurring renewable energy and energy efficiency in rural areas.

Policy highlights from this hearing:

• USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development Xochitl Torres Small highlighted a plethora of programs helping to expand renewable energy and energy efficiency in rural areas:
  • The USDA Electric Infrastructure Loan & Loan Guarantee Program finances investments, including renewable energy systems and energy conservation programs, that help utilities ensure system reliability and security.

  • To learn more about sustainable aviation fuels, check out EESI's four-part article series.

    The government-wide, USDA-led Sustainable Aviation Fuel Grand Challenge aims to produce 3 billion gallons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) per year to reduce aviation emissions.
  • The Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP) and the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) help increase energy efficiency in rural areas.
• Andy Olsen, senior policy advocate at the Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC), dug into the benefits of REAP, explaining how it has been used to bolster renewable energy and energy efficiency on farms and ranches and that the “USDA identifies REAP as a top program for confronting climate change.” To strengthen REAP, Olsen outlined a set of recommendations ELPC calls “REAP 3.0,” which includes increasing funding for the program from $50 million to $500 million per year.
• Bill Cherrier, executive vice president and CEO of the Central Iowa Power Cooperative, stated the importance of Rural Utilities Service (RUS) Loans for electric cooperatives. However, many of these loans cannot be refinanced to take advantage of lower interest rates without incurring a penalty. Cherrier stated that the bipartisan, bicameral Flexible Financing for Rural America Act (H.R.2244/S.978) would allow for refinancing and “could return billions in interest savings back to rural communities.”
• Cherrier voiced support for the continued growth of RESP and stated the program could be improved by allowing a small portion of RESP loans to be used for administrative costs.
• On the topic of SAF, Patrick Gruber, CEO of Gevo, a company that produces hydrocarbons and renewable chemicals, stated that “to drive SAF to a net-zero carbon footprint we need two things: sustainably produced renewable carbon and renewable energy for the production process.”

 

A 2022 Review of the Farm Bill: International Trade and Food Assistance Programs

The House Agriculture Committee held this hearing on April 6 to focus on international food assistance programs administered by USDA and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

Policy highlights from this hearing:

• Bill O’Keefe, executive vice president of mission and mobilization at Catholic Relief Services, stated, “The interconnected and compounding drivers of hunger that are a consequence of what we refer to as the “three Cs”—climate change, conflict, and now COVID-19—are exacerbating chronic and severe food insecurity for people living in highly vulnerable and fragile contexts.”
• According to O'Keefe, there is a “need for continued integration of climate adaptation into Title II” of the USAID Food for Peace program, including activities that restore degraded landscapes, better manage water, plant drought-resistant crops, repair soil health, and preserve biodiversity.

 

A 2022 Review of the Farm Bill: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

The House Agriculture Committee held this hearing on April 28 to discuss the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) which helps low-income individuals buy food. There were no environmental, energy, or climate issues specifically mentioned during this hearing.

 

Growing Jobs and Economic Opportunity: 2023 Farm Bill Perspectives from Michigan

The Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee held this hearing on April 29 to hear about challenges and opportunities for agriculture in Michigan. According to Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), “Michigan farmers are already stepping up to address the climate crisis, and we need to help them do more.” This was the first Senate hearing on the 2023 Farm Bill.

Policy highlights from this hearing:

• Several witnesses brought up the environmental and climate benefits achieved through conservation programs such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), but they also discussed the inadequate funding of these programs. For example, Michigan Soybean Association representative and Stewardship Farms owner Jake Isley said, “We need to adequately fund these programs and ensure they are flexible enough to accommodate this country’s wide range of crops, soil types, farming practices, and weather systems.”
• Similarly, the executive director of the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy, Glen Chown, highlighted the conservation benefits provided through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) and the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), but pointed out, “Congress should authorize additional funds so that farmer demand can be met.” Chown also recommended additional funding for Natural Resources Conservation Service staffing, creating a new easement program for forested lands that is separate from ACEP, and reducing barriers for conservation programs for historically underserved landowners.
• To bolster organic agriculture, the 2023 Farm Bill could “encourage research on organically permitted insecticides and fungicides to cope with the influx of climate-related disease and insect pressure,” according to Stephen Ewald, owner and operator of Ewald Farms.
• Juliette King McAvoy, vice president of sales and marketing at King Orchards, explained that the 2023 Farm Bill could support climate change adaptation and mitigation through strengthened crop insurance, research, environmental protections, and clean energy infrastructure.
• Rachel Lyons, tribal manager of Bay Mills Indian Community, underscored the importance of collaboration between USDA and the Department of the Interior to reduce wildfire risk through forest management programs.

 

A 2022 Review of the Farm Bill: Stakeholder Perspectives on SNAP

The House Agriculture Committee held this hearing on June 8 to discuss the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Policy highlights from this hearing:

• According to Vice President of Food Assistance at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities Ty Jones Cox, SNAP “acts as a first responder in the wake of emergencies and natural disasters.” This can include compensating SNAP participants for food lost during the disaster and adjusting SNAP requirements to make it as easy as possible for people to access food. There is also a Disaster SNAP program, called D-SNAP, which provides benefits to people not enrolled in SNAP who have been significantly impacted by a disaster.

 

A 2022 Review of the Farm Bill: Economic Perspectives on Title I Commodities and Title XI Crop Insurance

The House Agriculture Committee held this hearing on June 9 to discuss the status and effectiveness of USDA crop insurance programs and the Commodities title of the Farm Bill, which provides price and income support for farmers producing certain commodities.

Policy highlights from this hearing:

• To learn more about crop insurance, check out EESI’s briefing, Pathways to Regenerative Agriculture.

  Many witnesses remarked that rising costs for inputs like fertilizer and fuel, supply chain issues, and extreme weather are growing challenges for agricultural producers. Crop insurance serves as a safety net for many of these challenges, but there are many gaps in coverage, according to Dr. Ronald Rainey of the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Dr. Rainey pointed out a few key gaps, including that specialty crop producers have limited crop insurance options and that 95 to 97 percent of crop insurance subsidies have gone to agricultural producers who are white.

 

A 2022 Review of the Farm Bill: Stakeholder Perspectives on Non-SNAP USDA Nutrition Programs

The House Agriculture Committee held this hearing on June 14 to discuss USDA nutrition programs, excluding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Policy highlights from this hearing:

• For more on food waste, check out EESI’s briefing, Reducing Emissions by Reducing Food Waste.

  President and Chief Executive Office of Wawona Frozen Foods William Smittcamp stated that “frozen foods are critical to fighting food waste due to their extended shelf-life and pre-portioned servings that help consumers prepare just the amount of food they plan to eat.”

 

2023 Farm Bill: Perspectives from the Natural State [Arkansas]

The Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee held this hearing on June 17 to hear about agricultural, environmental, and energy challenges and opportunities in Arkansas.

Policy highlights from this hearing:

• Multiple witnesses touted the benefits of USDA conservation programs but stated that they are underfunded. For example, Arkansas Game and Fish Commissioner Anne Marie Doramus explained how key Farm Bill conservation programs—including the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), and Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP)—have helped achieve cross-cutting conservation goals such as improving wildlife habitat in Arkansas and across the country.
• On the topic of forests, President of Kingwood Forestry Services John McAlpine echoed that USDA conservation programs like EQIP and the Conservation Stewardship Program require more funding to better protect forests. Other important programs and initiatives for protecting forests include the Healthy Forests Reserve Program (HFRP), the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program (CFLRP), and the Good Neighbor Authority, according to McAlpine.
• McAlpine stated that the bipartisan Forest Recovery Act (S.1687), introduced in the 116th Congress, would help forest landowners more quickly recover from natural disasters.
• President of the American Soybean Association Brad Doyle recommended that the bicameral, bipartisan Growing Climate Solutions Act (S.1251/H.R.2820) be included in the 2023 Farm Bill.
• Doyle stated that USDA’s BioPreferred Program has helped to grow the bio-based economy but is underfunded.

• For more on RESP, check out EESI’s Access Clean Energy Savings program.

  President and Chief Executive Officer of the Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation Buddy Hasten stated that grid reliability concerns should be taken seriously by policymakers and that electric cooperatives are keeping energy costs down for rural communities despite higher inflation. Hasten explained the numerous benefits provided by USDA’s Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP) but recommended Congress consider adding a grant component to the program to ease administrative burdens for electric cooperatives.

 

A 2022 Review of the Farm Bill: Dairy Provisions

The House Agriculture Committee held this hearing on June 22 to focus on USDA dairy programs such as the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) Program and the Dairy Indemnity Payment Program (DIPP).

Policy highlights from this hearing:

• Deputy Administrator for Farm Programs at USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) Scott Marlow said that FSA updated DIPP regulations to better address perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination of milk.

• For more on food waste, check out EESI’s briefing, Reducing Emissions by Reducing Food Waste.

  Deputy Administrator for USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service’s Dairy Program Dana Coale pointed out that the Milk Donation Reimbursement Program was created as a result of the 2018 Farm Bill to help reduce food waste and provide nutrition assistance to low-income individuals.
• Way-Har Farms Owner Lolly Lesher, speaking on behalf of the National Milk Producers Federation and Dairy Farmers of America, stated that dairy producers have been using less water and land and producing fewer greenhouse gas emissions and manure over the last few decades. Lesher added that USDA conservation programs such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) are helping to achieve these benefits but that conservation programs are oversubscribed.
• Also on the topic of conservation programs, Vice President of Membership at Organic Valley Travis Forgues stated that the Farm Bill includes funding for working lands conservation, including through EQIP and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), but Congress can enhance these programs, for instance by restoring funding for CSP that was cut in the 2018 Farm Bill.

• For more on crop insurance, check out EESI’s briefing, Pathways to Regenerative Agriculture.

  Forgues added that regenerative agricultural practices, such as cover crops and agroforestry, can be scaled up through existing pathways in the Farm Bill. For enhanced technical assistance for these practices, Forgues recommended maintaining the Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) and the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) in the 2023 Farm Bill.
• To increase resilience on dairy farms, Forgues called for a number of improvements to the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), such as increasing annual funding to $300 million and increasing federal cost-share to 50 percent.
• Organic dairy farming could benefit from the bipartisan Continuous Improvement and Accountability in Organic Standards Act (H.R.2918), according to Forgues. The bill aims to improve federal oversight of organic food standards.

Last updated: July 27, 2022

By: Savannah Bertrand

Contributions from S. Grace Parker, Nathan Lee, and Molly Brind’Amour

---

Want more climate solutions? Sign up for our newsletter! We'll deliver a dose of the latest in environmental policy and climate change solutions straight to your inbox every 2 weeks! Sign up for our newsletter, Climate Change Solutions, here.