Congress approved an $867 billion farm bill Wednesday that U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and David Perdue (R-GA) say will strengthen Georgia’s agricultural economy. The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, H.R.2, known as the Farm Bill, is now headed to President Donald Trump’s desk.
The U.S. Senate passed the legislation in an 87-to-13 vote on Tuesday. Congress approved the measure by a 369-to-47 margin Wednesday.
The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 also provides assistance to rural communities through expansion of broadband, opioid addiction treatment programs, and support for agriculture programs for veterans.
“As the senior senator from the state of Georgia where agriculture is our leading industry, I am proud to support the 2018 Farm Bill to help our farmers today and in the long term,” said Isakson. “Our nation’s farmers face near-constant uncertainty in their day-to-day operations as they work to feed the world. This bill anticipates future challenges and helps ensure that our policies reflect the needs of our farmers.
“I also appreciate each member of the House and Senate negotiating teams who hammered out the details in the final legislation, including Georgia’s U.S. Representatives Rick Allen, R-Ga.-12, Austin Scott, R-Ga.-08, and David Scott, D-Ga.-13.”
Agriculture remains the leading industry in the state, contributing an annual $73 billion to Georgia’s economy. Georgia is also home to a larger variety of agricultural industries than almost any other state. Georgia is the second largest cotton-growing state in the United States, and cotton, which is the largest crop by acreage in Georgia, contributes an estimated economic value of more than $1.6 billion to Georgia’s economy.
“The passage of the 2018 Farm Bill is good news because it provides a strong safety net for farmers and ranchers, who need the dependability and certainty this legislation affords,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. “This Farm Bill will help producers make decisions about the future, while also investing in important agricultural research and supporting trade programs to bolster exports. While I feel there were missed opportunities in forest management and in improving work requirements for certain SNAP recipients, this bill does include several helpful provisions and we will continue to build upon these through our authorities. I commend Congress for bringing the Farm Bill across the finish line and am encouraging President Trump to sign it.”
Both Isakson and Perdue were able to secure provisions relevant to Georgia in the final negotiations of the 2018 Farm Bill.
Georgia is consistently ranked as the top forestry state in the nation, and it tops every other state in the nation in terms of pure volume of timber harvested. The 2018 Farm Bill also includes key provisions
from the Timber Innovation Act, which Isakson cosponsored, providing funds for research and development of wood-building construction as well as wood innovation grants. Additionally in Georgia, the legislation included the Chattahoochee Oconee Land Adjustment Act, which was cosponsored by Isakson and gives U.S. Forest Service the tools they need to better steward North Georgia’s only national forest, improve recreational opportunities and save taxpayer dollars.
Some of the provisions secured by Perdue include:
• Protection for peanut and cotton farmers by preserving existing safety nets;
• Support for all members of farming operations by eliminating a provision that “limited certain family members from being considered actively engaged in the farm operation based on management;”
• Prolonged support and funding for American textile mills;
• Assessment of imported pecans to ensure foreign producers pay the same assessment fee as U.S. pecan growers to help pecan growers compete.
In a statement released prior to the bill’s passage in the House, Perdue said he was encouraged by its potential to maintain the agricultural industry.
“Getting a good farm bill across the finish line is critical for rural communities in Georgia and around the country,” Perdue said. “This bill ensures America’s agriculture industry will continue to be a strategic industry for years to come. It preserves programs that have helped Georgia farmers deal with low commodity prices without increasing spending levels.
“Growing up working on my family’s farm, I learned at an early age that agriculture is not just a business — it’s a way of life for many people across our country. This farm bill is an important investment in our farmers, ranchers, rural communities and agribusinesses, as well as our national security.”
