Bucshon: Policies should uphold values, traditions of rural America 

By U.S. Rep. Larry Bucshon 
Republican Party, Indiana District 8 

Growing up in a rural town of 1,400 people in the Midwest, I witnessed first-hand the importance of agriculture to the local community. My small-town upbringing has guided me to pursue policies that not only support and strengthen America’s agricultural industry but also uphold the values and traditions of rural America. 

Hoosier farmers are critical to Indiana and our nation’s economy, supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs and billions in food and agricultural economic output. In Congress, I am proud to stand strong with our farmers, ranchers and rural communities across the state and will continue to advocate for legislation that provides support and certainty. 

As you know, legislation known as the “farm bill” authorizes and governs several major food and agricultural programs. The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, the most recent farm bill, contained 12 titles with provisions relating to crop insurance, nutrition programs, authorizations of U.S. Department of Agriculture programs, and numerous other issues. 

The Agriculture Improvement Act provisions were enacted for five years, meaning another farm bill must be passed to continue these important programs. 

This summer, I joined the entire Indiana House Delegation in sending a letter to the Chair and Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee outlining important priorities for Hoosier farmers in the upcoming farm bill reauthorization. 

These include funding for crop insurance and commodity programs as part of a strong farm safety net, as well as keeping programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) together with farm programs in a unified farm bill. We also advocated for keeping federal conservation programs voluntary and funding Foreign Animal Disease (FAD) prevention, the Market Access Program and Foreign Market Development. 

A strong farm bill is critical in allowing Indiana’s farmers to continue to produce safe and affordable agricultural products for the United States and the rest of the world. 

My priority is to listen to the needs of Hoosiers, focusing on ways to champion common-sense legislation that promotes rural development while mitigating foreign influence by our adversaries as well as bureaucratic red tape. Agriculture is truly the backbone of Indiana, and it’s an honor to represent Hoosier agriculture priorities in our nation’s capital.