Jeff Helms
(334) 613-4212

Alabama Farmers Federation praised a farm bill framework released today by Republican members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. 

Federation President Jimmy Parnell said the proposal by Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., is responsive to the needs of Alabama farmers. 

“We appreciate Ranking Member Boozman capturing many of the priorities he and his staff heard directly from Alabama farmers,” Parnell said. “We also appreciate the inclusion of priorities carried forward by Alabama Sens. Tommy Tuberville and Katie Britt. Although the farm bill still has a long way to go, we are pleased this framework improves the safety net for farmers while making our nation more food secure.”

Boozman visited with Federation members during their biennial Washington Legislative Conference in 2022 and hosted members of the Federation’s Agriculture Leaders For Alabama class the same year. Parnell said Boozman and his staff have remained engaged with the organization on issues ranging from commodity reference prices to feral swine control.

Boozman said his party’s proposal answers stakeholders’ call to “put more farm in the farm bill.”

“Our framework released today meets that call by modernizing the farm safety net, facilitating the expansion of access to overseas markets, fostering breakthroughs in agricultural research and growing the rural communities our farmers, ranchers and foresters call home – all while making a historic investment in conservation and protecting nutrition programs that help Americans in need,” Boozman said. “I am eager to follow the House’s lead and draft a bill that will garner support on both sides of the aisle.”

Last month, the House Committee on Agriculture advanced its version of the farm bill — the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024 — with bipartisan support. The Federation also supports the House version. 

The farm bill governs U.S. agriculture, nutrition and conservation policy. Congress generally approves a farm bill every five years. The current statute expired last year but was extended by Congress. More than three-quarters of farm bill spending goes to nutrition programs, and that share is expected to increase over the next five years.