Farm Bill

Floor Speech

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Mr. MANN. Mr. Speaker, in preparation for reauthorizing the farm bill in 2023, I rise today to deliver the fifth installment of my farm bill impact series where I am highlighting various aspects of the farm bill that deserve Congress' awareness and support.

If America is going to thrive, the people who feed, fuel, and clothe America must thrive.

The farm bill strengthens our country's national security because it strengthens our food security by supporting the tireless efforts of farmers, ranchers, and our agricultural producers.

Agriculture is a risky business, and Mother Nature can be a tough business partner. Almost no other American industry faces such volatility from forces like pests, disease, wind, drought, and fires like the ones in Reno County, Kansas, and Paradise, Kansas, over the last few months.

Natural disasters are make-or-break situations for the people who ensure that America remains the most food secure country in the world. That is why emergency programs within the farm bill are so critical.

The Livestock Indemnity Program and the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish provide benefits to producers for livestock deaths caused by disease and adverse weather.

A veterinarian from Ashland, Kansas, told me that during the Starbuck fire back in 2017, to which he was an emergency responder, Clark County, Kansas, alone lost 6,000 to 9,000 head of cattle right at the beginning of calving season.

One producer suffered $1.8 million in cattle losses during this disaster. The Livestock Indemnity Program helped producers who lost cattle in this disaster put their livelihoods back together.

However, LIP only covered cattle mortality at the time, not severely injured cattle. Rather than watch badly injured cattle get euthanized just to trigger LIP program payments, this veterinarian helped make changes to the program that are still in place today which provide better protection for producers and their livestock.

These programs, and many more, are investments in the future of our country, and they must remain strong in the 2023 farm bill if America is going to remain food secure and self-determining as a Nation.

Natural disasters, diseases, and weather emergencies, unfortunately, do happen, and America cannot afford to have these factors cripple the businesses of the men and women who keep us fed, fueled, and clothed.

That is why we need to think carefully and critically about the degrees to which we support emergency programs within the 2023 farm bill.

I will be back on the floor soon to deliver another installment of my farm bill impact series and highlight more programs and titles within the bill that Congress must understand and support to ensure that agriculture thrives in America.

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