In This Issue:

• NBGA Conducts Summer Meeting in Minnesota
• Boozman Shares Farm Bill Proposal Framework
• Appropriations Bills Sees Action in House Committee

NBGA Conducts Summer Meeting in Minnesota

The National Barley Growers Association held its summer meeting in Minnesota in June. The meeting focused on organizational issues while also hearing from speakers on timely topics and visiting sites representing different parts of our value chain. The group heard from representatives of Scoular on the barley protein market and plans to expand on barley yield contests started in Idaho. We also received a presentation on tax issues impacting farm operations and businesses and the outlook for federal tax policy changes in 2025 as well as an overview and assessment of the current farm economy and farm credit.  The group visited the Rahr Malting Company facility in Shakopee, MN and ended that day at Dual Citizen, a small craft brewery in St. Paul. During the meeting, current NBGA President Chris Engelstad of Minnesota and Vice President Mitch Konen of Montana were re-elected to serve another one-year term in their leadership positions. 

Boozman Share Farm Bill Proposal Framework

Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member John Boozman (R-AR) released a framework/summary of his Farm Bill proposal on June 11^th. While specific details were not provided, the Boozman proposal provides increases/expansions for Title I Farm Programs similar to House Ag Chairman Thompson’s proposal. The Boozman proposal includes crop insurance improvements that go beyond the proposals by House Chairman Thompson and Senate Chairwoman Stabenow. Senator Boozman indicated his hope that this proposed framework will spur negotiations with Chairwoman Stabenow that will lead to Senate action on the Farm Bill this year.

Highlights of Ranking Member Boozman’s proposal include:

·        Increases Reference Prices for all Title I commodities by an average of 15% (specific levels for each commodity not provided)

·        Enhances Effective Reference Price (ERP) escalator by increasing calculation factor from 85 to 88% of the 5-year Olympic Average market year average price and increasing cap from 115 to 120%

·        Increases the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) program coverage level

·        Improves/expands payment limits

·        Increases Marketing Assistance Loan rates

·        Provides for base acre increases for “those with minimal or no base”

·        Improves affordability of crop insurance individual revenue and yield protection policies at higher coverage levels by increasing premium subsidies to 77% at 80% & 68% at the 85% coverage level.

·        Increases the Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) to 90% coverage with 80% premium subsidy

·        Doubles funding for the Market Access Program (MAP) & Foreign Market Development (FMD)

Appropriations Bills Sees Action in House Committee

The House Appropriations Subcommittees have started to move, including action on the Fiscal year 2025 Agriculture Appropriations bill. The Ag appropriations measure provides $22.027 billion for the Department of Agriculture, which is $308 million below the FY24 enacted level. While details on specific projects was not provided, the bill provides $1.794 billion for the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), which is $5.8 million above the FY24 enacted program level.  The barley industry appropriations priorities, such as the Wheat & barley Scab Initiative and Barley pest Initiative, are funded through ARS. 

Also of note, the EPA-Interior Appropriations bill released by the committee would reduce the overall EPA budget by $1.82 billion, or 20%. While specific funding numbers for EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs is not yet available, but there is concern among agriculture groups that resources will be cut for this office that processes vital pesticide registrations. On a positive note, the bill includes language on uniform labeling of pesticides, which the NBGA supports to prevent states and localities in California and elsewhere from issuing pesticide labels or restrictions that contradict federal labels. The bill stipulates that no funding may be used to issue or adopt any guidance or any policy, take any regulatory action, or approve any labeling or change to such labeling that is inconsistent with or in any respect different from the conclusion of a human health assessment performed pursuant to the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) or a carcinogenicity classification for a pesticide.