Federal Ag Policy Update: Spring D.C. fly-in goes virtual
By Amanda Bilek, senior public policy director for the Minnesota Corn Growers Association
Usually in March, a group of Minnesota Corn Growers Association (MCGA) farmer-leaders would travel to Washington D.C. for our spring fly-in to meet with members of the Minnesota delegation, and other key lawmakers and agency staff to advocate for federal policy priorities. As with many things in the last year, we conducted virtual meetings to discuss federal ag policy priorities for Minnesota corn farmers. While we all miss in-person conversations, virtual meetings allowed more state directors to participate in virtual D.C. visits. With several new state directors elected to the board the past few years, virtual meetings are a great way to ease into federal advocacy efforts.
Ag Policy Meetings – Who Was There?
Over the course of two days, MCGA farmer-leaders had meetings with Senators Klobuchar and Smith and their staff, plus Congressmen Hagedorn, Emmer, Stauber, Congresswoman Fischbach and staff along with staff from the offices of Congressman Phillips and Congresswoman Omar and McCollum. In addition to members of the Minnesota delegation, MCGA farmer-leaders also connected with House Agriculture committee ranking member Glenn Thompson, professional staff from the House and Senate Agriculture committees, USDA Farm Production and Conservation Deputy Under Secretary Gloria Montaño Greene, Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Zach Ducheneaux and other career staff from FSA, Risk Management Agency and the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
There was no shortage of topics to discuss during the virtual visits.
Main federal ag policy priorities discussed:
Renewable Fuels
- Next Generation Fuels Act, Adopt GREET Act, Renewable Fuel Infrastructure and Investment Market Expansion Act, Renewable Fuel Standard Integrity Act and the House Biofuels Caucus.
Farm Bill and USDA Programs
- Coronavirus Food Assistance Program – urging FSA to complete review and get relief out to farmers as quickly as possible.
- Protect safety net in the 2018 Farm Bill and Federal Crop Insurance.
- WHIP Plus and disaster programs to promote Federal Crop Insurance rather than harm the program.
Paycheck Protection Program
- Ensure PPP calculation based on gross income and available to all farmers who report self-employment income, including partnerships, as intended by Congress.
Climate Change and Agriculture
- Ensure that any carbon sequestration program for agriculture is developed with real farmer input, rewards farmers that already use practices to reduce carbon, is voluntary and incentive based and provides a net positive income stream to farmers after direct and indirect costs are incurred.
Estate, Capital Gains, Stepped Up Basis
- Oppose efforts to increase capital gains taxes or eliminate stepped up basis.
MCGA would like to thank all Congressional members and agency staff for taking the time to meet with us virtually and discuss federal policy priorities. It was great to reconnect with members of the Minnesota delegation and also connect with new members. We look forward to working with all of you to advance federal policy priorities that are important to Minnesota corn farmers.
Be sure to follow the MCGA blog and its social channels (Facebook, Twitter) for updates. You can also follow me on Twitter (@AjBilek).
