Compiled by Ann Hess
President Donald J. Trump’s signing of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 was met with applause today from agriculture and livestock industry members from coast to coast. The $867 billion farm bill extends, expands or modifies federal agriculture and nutrition programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, farm income support, crop insurance, conservation, credit assistance, agriculture trade assistance, research, international food aid, rural development and other programs through fiscal year 2023.

“We have been working every day to deliver for America’s farmers just as they work every single day to deliver for us,” says President Trump.

It’s the first time since 1990 that a farm bill has been enacted the same year it was introduced.

“This is a great day for our farmers, ranchers, foresters and producers, as President Trump’s signature on this bill is a Christmas present to American agriculture. Farmers take financial risks every year as a matter of doing business, so having a farm bill in place gives them peace of mind to make their decisions for the future. Since early talks on this farm bill began back in 2017, I’ve always believed it would be more evolutionary, rather than revolutionary, and that has borne out to be true,” says USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue.

“The bill bolsters farm safety net programs, protects federal crop insurance, and maintains strong rural development and research initiatives. The legislation reinvents the Margin Protection Program for dairy producers, providing a boost to coverage levels and a reduction in premiums after the program fell short in the 2014 farm bill. The bill also includes a new Animal Disease Prevention and Management program, providing annual funding for three animal health programs. This includes a new vaccine bank focused on foot-and-mouth disease and extended funding of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network to protect our borders and improve food safety.

“While we would have liked more progress on forest management reforms and work requirements for certain Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients, we look forward to using our authorities to make improvements in those areas. All told, this is a farm bill that should be welcomed by producers, and at USDA we will eagerly implement its provisions. At USDA, we were pleased to provide a tremendous amount of technical assistance to Congress as legislators wrote the bill. I thank the president for his leadership on this legislation, and commend the Senate and House Agriculture Committees for their many months of hard work.”

“USMEF thanks President Trump for approving the new farm bill and the senators and representatives who supported this legislation,” says Dan Halstrom, president and chief executive officer of the U.S. Meat Export Federation. “The farm bill contains many provisions that are critical to the success and competitiveness of American agriculture. One important aspect of the bill is its continued support for international promotion of U.S. agricultural products, as the bill maintains funding for the USDA Market Access Program and the USDA Foreign Market Development Program. Support from these programs is an important tool for expanding global demand for U.S. pork, beef and lamb, as well as many other U.S. products.”