Manifolds, Manolos, and Manure From Farm Fields to the Hill
In September, Cook County Farm Bureau leaders traveled to the nation’s capital. Not to sight-see. Not for a vacation. Not for a couple of days away with friends. But to broaden leaders’ understanding of agricultural issues and how the federal government intersects with those issues. Leaders spent their time advocating for issues impacting Cook County Farm Bureau members and their farms.
Farm Bureau leaders met with representatives from the International Fresh Produce Association and the International Dairy Foods Association. An aspect of both of these conversations was the first and second reports issued by the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission. The first report was deeply troubling and sowed seeds of doubt and fear about the food system and farming practices. Farm Bureau leaders conveyed the importance of access to tools that protect crops, promote sustainability, are science-backed, and help farmers produce crops. A takeaway from the visit is that access to fresh produce was cool even before MAHA.
Leaders visited the American Bankers’ Association and the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. These conversations centered around overlapping issues, including the need for a farm bill. Speaking of a farm bill, 246 members of the U.S. House of Representatives and 21 members of the U.S. Senate have never voted on a Farm Bill despite being in Congress for less than 6 years.
During the fly-in, leaders met with the Animal Agriculture Alliance. The Alliance safeguards the future of animal agriculture and its value to society by bridging the communication gap between the farm and food communities. The visit was timely for Cook CFB leaders as they continue to advocate for the expansion of Wagner Farm’s dairy operations.
Leaders visited AmericanHort to discuss labor and the need for a farm bill. Research is often key to resolving challenges that have regulatory or other implications, and support for ample research funding is an integral component of our advocacy efforts. Beyond the Horticultural Research Institute’s own direct research funding, AmericanHort supports funding for federal research programs and activities, including those included in the farm bill. The horticultural industry accounts for 2.32 million full and part-time jobs while also generating $426 billion in federal, state, and local tax revenues.
In addition to policy visits, Farm Bureau leaders met with Congressional staff from Congressman Jonathan Jackson, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, Congressman Sean Casten, and Congressman Brad Schneider’s offices. While these leaders are not among the 72 new members of the 119th US Congress, they are integral to the future of Illinois and Cook County agriculture. As constituents, Farm Bureau leaders advocated for access to farm loans and young and new farmer support through the farm bill. Earlier in September, Congressman Brad Schneider hosted his Agriculture Working Group and heard a similar message. Members of the working group expressed concerns about the farm economy and the need for long-term solutions that benefit all regions and sectors of agriculture.
The fly-in broadened participants’ understanding of the federal government while also expanding their knowledge of issues in agriculture and how the federal government intersects and impacts those issues.