Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack appeared before the Senate Agriculture Committee to discuss the Waters of the United States and safety net programs that support farmer profitability.
Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack appeared before the Senate Agriculture Committee to discuss the Waters of the United States and safety net programs that support farmer profitability.
Transcript
This week, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack appeared before the Senate Agriculture Committee about a variety of issues, including the Waters of the United States and safety net programs that support farmer profitability.
Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R - AL: “As we look to the next farm bill, what assurances can you give us that USDA will act according to the intent of Congress when administering farm safety net programs?”
Sec. Tom Vilsack, USDA: “When we talk about the 90% of the farms that didn't make money or a majority of their money came from off farm income, we're talking about farms that sold less than $1,000,000. The farms you're talking about are large, commercial sized farms. So more than $1,000,000. I don't think it's an either or circumstance. But if you're also genuinely concerned, as I am, about the erosion of rural America, you're going to want to keep people on the farm.
Sec. Tom Vilsack, USDA: “And every 100 acres or a thousand acres, I want to keep people on the farm.”
Sen Charles Grassley, R - IA: “Is it philosophically possible for you and or the administration to work with us to try to find some payment limitation so that we're helping the medium and small sized farmers?”
Sec. Tom Vilsack, USDA: “The key here, I think, Senator, is to figure out ways in which we can help those small and mid-sized producers in a meaningful way. I think not only is it safety net, but it's also market development. I think we have to create more income opportunities for those producers.”
Sen Mike Braun, R - IN: “WOTUS is this is the thing I hear the most in bailiwick of agriculture. Are you actually tracking comments from farmers? Do we do that to see how much complaints you're getting compared to what I'm hearing back in Indiana?”
Sec. Tom Vilsack, USDA: “Certainly sensitive to this. But let's remember two things about WOTUS. One, Congress has established the Clean Water Act, which is what gives rise to WOTUS and courts have directed the EPA to actually implement the law. All right. So it's not like they have a choice. They have to implement the law. The question is, how do they implement it?”
Sen Mike Braun, R - IN: “But do you track comments coming back?”
Sec. Tom Vilsack, USDA: “We totally understand.”
Sen Mike Braun, R - IN: “Is that something you'd share with the committee here in terms of what you're hearing from farmers about WOTUS?”
Sec. Tom Vilsack, USDA: “What you're hearing is uncertainty. What you're hearing is uncertainty. Is this in or is this out? And I think basically what we need to have is certainty in in the program. We we need at some point in time to get get it out of the courts and have certainty.”
For Market to Market, I’m Peter Tubbs.
Watch More
The White House adds detail to the new trade deal, while China dodges the details. The drought continues to hammer the south and west. We’ll look at the ticking clock facing the dairy industry. And, commodity market analysis with Sue Martin.
The White House announced this week that President Trump has secured “historic trade deals with China” after his visit last week with President Xi.
This week, the East Coast received an early blast of summer, with highs in Philadelphia reaching into the 90’s with the heatwave expected to continue through the weekend.
Sue Martin talks interest rates, oil, corn, soybeans, hogs, cattle and packing plants in our Market Plus.
Sue Martin discusses the latest trade deal with China along with corn, soybeans, cattle and hogs in our Market Analysis.
Agriculture gets sorted to the side during high-stakes negotiations with China. The yeas have it - E15 is approved in the House but not without some pushback. Revving up fans, drivers, and rural communities on the dirt track. And, commodity market analysis with Naomi Blohm.