The Montana Farm Bureau is pleased that farm bill negotiators have reached an agreement in principle regarding the new farm bill.

“We applaud the work done on this agreement and are anxiously awaiting the report from the Congressional Budget Office so that this bill can continue to move along,” noted MFBF President Hans McPherson. “We encourage both houses of Congress to approve this bill once it is finalized by House and Senate Ag leaders”

The farm bill is essential in providing farmers and ranchers with continued access to risk management tools, assistance in foreign market development, and conservation and environmental stewardship programs. These programs help provide certainty to rural America at a time when it is much needed given the financial challenges so many family farms now face. 

“Many people don’t realize it but approximately 80 percent of farm bill spending is used for supplemental nutrition programs to help low-income children, families, seniors and military veterans access the high-quality foods produced by farm families,” McPherson said. “Let’s keep the future of food in our country secure because the farm bill is critical to all Americans. Congress needs to give farmers, ranchers and the Americans who depends on its nutrition programs a real Christmas present by passing the farm bill.”