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Congressman Kind unveils 2018 Farm Bill Priorities Report
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RON KIND MAKES A POINT about the 2018 Farm Bill at a press con-ference held at the Servais Farm in rural Stoddard on Monday, June 11. The U.S. Congressman from La-Crosse made several points about not having the Farm Bill serve as the basis for subsidies and payments to wealthy in-vestors, who truly are not farming the land in a literal sense, while making sure to provide a safety net for the people who actually are doing the farming.

DRIFTLESS - On Monday, U.S. Representative Ron Kind unveiled his 2018 Farm Bill Priorities report, which outline his proposed changes to the current Farm Bill, and areas for improvement in the 2018 Farm Bill.

“As a lifelong Wisconsinite, I know that one of the most important bills for growing our local economy and supporting small and family farms is the Farm Bill. I also know the crisis that our farmers are facing every day. Farms are closing, families are out of work, and people feel betrayed,” said Representative Ron Kind. “We need a Farm Bill that levels the playing field, and supports our hardworking farmers and our local economy. It’s time that we work together to fix what isn’t working in our current Farm Bill, and create new programs to usher us into the next generation of farming practices.”

After visiting farms across Wisconsin, meeting with small and family farmers, and talking to agriculture experts, Representaive Kind created a long-form report outlining his priorities for the Farm Bill, which include:

• Supporting America’s Dairyland

• Protecting Conservation Programs

• Crop Insurance Reform

• Opening New Markets

• Supporting Organic Farming

• Encouraging the Next Generation of Farming

Representative Ron Kind is one of only three Democrats to offer amendments to the 2018 Farm Bill, all of which were blocked by the Committee on Rules or failed on the House Floor. The amendments Representative Kind brought forward included proposals to create more transparency in the crop insurance program, protect the Conservation Stewardship Program, and avoid sending U.S. taxpayer money to Brazilian cotton farmers.

The 2018 Farm Bill was brought to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives for a vote on May 17, and failed. Another vote on the Farm Bill is expected by Friday, June 22.

A digital copy of Representaive Ron Kind’s Farm Bill Priorities book is available by visiting his website: www.kind.house.gov.