Washington, D.C. (April 18, 2018) Today, the House Committee on Agriculture marked-up its version of the 2018 Farm Bill, or H.R. 2 Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018. In response, NAWG President Jimmie Musick made the following statement:

“NAWG commends the House Agriculture Committee on continuing to move the Farm Bill forward and urges a bipartisan process to enable a bill to pass out of the House. In order for the bill to be completed and reauthorized this year, Republicans and Democrats must work together on legislation that works for both sides and all of agriculture.

“There are several provisions in H.R. 2 that will be good for wheat growers, and NAWG will continue to work with Congress to make improvements. Absolutely our top priority throughout this process is to maintain a strong crop insurance program. NAWG also envisions a well-rounded Farm Bill to have a strong safety net program which allows producers to choose between revenue-based (Agriculture Risk Coverage) and price-based (Price Loss Coverage) coverage, and improvements to both programs to enable them to serve as a better safety net for wheat growers.

“We applaud the Committee for including funding for the Market Access Program and Foreign Market Development Program and will continue working to increase resources for both. Additionally, NAWG supports provisions that provide financial incentives for farmers to adopt conservation practices into their operations. The bill also rightly reauthorizes the Wheat and Barley Scab Initiative and other important research programs that will help wheat growers continue to produce the highest quality crop.

“Again, we are pleased that the House has started the Farm Bill reauthorization process and encourage the Senate Committee on Agriculture to do the same.”

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About NAWG
NAWG is the primary representative in Washington D.C. for wheat growers, working to ensure a better future for America’s growers, the industry and the general public. NAWG works with a team of 21 state wheat grower organizations to benefit the wheat industry at state and national levels. From their offices in the Wheat Growers Building on Capitol Hill, NAWG’s staff members are in constant contact with state association representatives, NAWG grower leaders, Members of Congress, Congressional staff members and the public