Groundwork

It's budget season on Capitol Hill, and when it comes to the federal budget, there is no better investment than farm policy. That's because only a fraction of a percent of federal spending is directed towards the farm safety net. Yet, that small budget supports family farmers, protects our national food security, and drives economic growth. Dr. Bart Fischer, a Farm Bill veteran and co-director of the Agricultural and Food Policy Center at Texas A&M University, joins Farm Policy Fact's Groundwork podcast to put the farm safety net into perspective.

Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson, Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, knows there's a sense of urgency to pass a Farm Bill before the current legislation expires on October 1. “Rural America needs it,” he explained on the most recent episode of Farm Policy Fact's Groundwork podcast. “Our farmers, ranchers, and foresters, our processors – key stakeholders in rural America – demand it. And we need to do our job.” Listen to the full episode to hear Chairman Thompson's insights on the 2023 Farm Bill and learn more at FarmPolicyFacts.org. 

It's a rallying cry pushed by special-interest groups and farm policy critics: dismantle the U.S. food system! But a fundamental misunderstanding of how our food is grown leads to bad ideas and even worse policy. Ray Starling, a former White House and U.S. Department of Agriculture official, explores this debate in his new book "Farmers versus Foodies."

As Thanksgiving approaches, food prices might be a topic of conversation around your dinner table. Dr. Rob Johansson, Director of Economics and Policy Analysis at the American Sugar Alliance (ASA) and the former Chief Economist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), joined Farm Policy Facts on our Groundwork podcast to talk about the importance of an affordable and accessible supply of American-made sugar.

When you look at farms across the American southwest, you're struck by the incredible diversity of agriculture. Rice, poultry, timber, peanuts, pecans, cotton, corn and “all the vegetables you can imagine” help fuel our national food and fiber supply. Jim Sugarek, president of the Southwest Council of Agribusiness, told the Groundwork podcast that each of the half a million farms across the southwest have one thing in common: “They are fathers and daughters, they're husbands and wives. They are families that are all trying to produce a great product for our nation.” Listen in as Jim talks about the incredible importance of family farmers to rural economies and our national food supply and the need for a strong farm safety net. Learn more at FarmPolicyFacts.org. 

With a Farm Bill on the horizon, Congress is already hearing from policy wonks, think tank experts, and DC insiders about what they think legislation should say. But the most important voice in this conversation is the American farmer. So, we asked fourth-generation rice farmer Jennifer James to join us on the Groundwork podcast and provide her perspective on the challenges facing agriculture, especially the unique set of circumstances facing rice growers. Learn more at FarmPolicyFacts.org.

When August Pfluger decided to join the Air Force, he drew upon a deeply ingrained desire to put service before self. Now, as the congressman representing Texas' 11th district, Pfluger recognizes that same motivation in the small number of hardworking men and women who farm and ranch to provide all Americans with food, fuel, and fiber. “It's very difficult what that one percent of the population does to farm and ranch and provide food for every single American, because every American eats,” he recently said on the Groundwork podcast. Pfluger joined Farm Policy Facts to discuss how farming contributes to the security of our nation, and the critical role that farm policy plays in ensuring that this security remains uncompromised. Learn more at FarmPolicyFacts.org. 

Jocelyn Schlichting is a fourth-generation farmer who recently joined Farm Policy Facts on our Groundwork podcast to talk about the future of agriculture. Jocelyn returned to the farm five years ago after working as an accountant in corporate America, finding new purpose in growing the food that helps feed America, and the world. Jocelyn is much more likely to be found in front of a computer than driving a combine. She uses her accounting and analytical skills to help her family make data-driven decisions on their farm. Learn more at FarmPolicyFacts.org.  

In America, approximately 220,000 farming and ranching families raise 80 percent of the crops and livestock that feed and clothe our nation. All 330 million of us. “That is a very big task for a very small group of people,” crop insurance agent Joanie Grimes recently told Farm Policy Facts on our Groundwork podcast It's a task that comes with big risks, too. Joanie, an agent with the Auburn Agency in Ohio and a board member of the Crop Insurance Professionals Association (CIPA), joined Groundwork to talk about the challenges facing farmers today – and how crop insurance is a vital component of the farm safety net that protects them.

Benjamin Franklin once famously said, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes. So, we invited Paul Neiffer, Principal at CliftonLarsonAllen and author of the blog Farm CPA Today, to join us on the Groundwork podcast to discuss how current – and proposed – tax provisions affect our farmers.  

When we think of farming, the food on our plates and clothes on our backs likely comes to mind. But what about the fuel in our cars? Ethanol is a low-carbon, high-performance biofuel made from American-grown crops such as corn and sorghum. Emily Skor, CEO of Growth Energy, the nation's largest ethanol trade association, joined us on Groundwork to talk more about how farmers help fuel America. 

Kevin Van Trump has built a successful career translating the economics of agriculture as president and founder of Farm Direction and author of the Van Trump Report.   So, when USDA released its updated report on America's Diverse Family Farms – a critical report on American farm production, but one that is easily open to misinterpretation and misuse by farm policy critics – we knew we had to get Kevin's insights.

Challenges in the cattle markets are not new, but the pandemic has herded these problems to the forefront with historic packer profits – a function of spreads between the prices ranchers are paid for their cattle and the prices people pay at the grocery store or other retail markets for beef. In the wake of these unprecedented conditions, Congress commissioned a new report from the Agricultural and Food Policy Center (AFPC) to examine fed cattle pricing, packing capacity, and related issues.

More than ten years ago, Michelle Miller gave up gluten and swore off GMOs after believing the pervasive misinformation often peddled online about modern-day farming. Then, she fell in love with a real-life farmer – and with farming itself. Now, Miller is arming everyday Americans with the real facts about agriculture. It's all part of her mission as the Farm Babe.

“I'm very proud of the fact that we've sustained a sugar policy that has operated at zero cost to taxpayers,” Jack Roney, the veteran sugar economist, said on a recent episode of Groundwork while reflecting on his storied career at the American Sugar Alliance (ASA). “I'm particularly proud of that because I think our sugar farmers are among some of the best in the world at what they do.” Roney would know. After 25 years of working at ASA, and nearly 50 years total working in agriculture, there might be no one else in America that understands the ins and outs of the sugar industry as well as Roney does. Luckily, Farm Policy Facts had the opportunity to speak with Roney prior to his retirement in August. 

For decades, West Texas cotton growers have had a fearless champion on their side: Steve Verett. As the recently retired CEO of Plains Cotton Growers, Verett advocated for both cotton growers and all of agriculture with passion and authenticity.  Verett joined Farm Policy Fact's Groundwork podcast to reflect on his career and talk about what lies ahead for the next generation of farm leaders.

A small group of radical environmentalists have declared war on America's cattle producers and sworn off burgers, all with the dubious claim of fighting climate change. We wanted to dig into the real story behind this beef with beef. So, we called up Dr. Tryon Wickersham, an Associate Professor of Animal Nutrition at Texas A&M University, to give Groundwork listeners the facts about cattle production in America.

While it can be easy to get caught up in buzzwords or trending policy ideas when it comes to climate change, America's farmers and ranchers are already doing the hard work to increase resiliency and efficiency. They're the original conservationists. Rather than build a policy that works on Capitol Hill but not on the farm, Arkansas rice farmer Mark Isbell instead recommends that we look to rural America to identify existing opportunities to support farmers and ranchers through smart policy.

Kevin Brinkley, President and CEO of the Plains Cotton Cooperative Association (PCCA), joined Farm Policy Fact’s Groundwork podcast to discuss the importance of infrastructure to efficient global trade. Brinkley also addressed the need for Congress to examine the problems facing agricultural exports at America’s ports.

Collin Peterson, former Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, recently retired from Congress after thirty years of service to America’s farmers and ranchers. His retirement was short-lived. Collin Peterson is utilizing his decades of expertise to once again tackle the challenges facing rural America and joined Groundwork to discuss what's on the horizon for farm policy.

We must not weaken the farm safety net. That was one of the messages esteemed ag economist Dr. Rob Johansson shared on this month’s episode of Groundwork. Dr. Johansson is the Associate Director of Economics and Policy Analysis at the American Sugar Alliance (ASA), a position he recently assumed after previously serving as Chief Economist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“If I had to describe [Secretary Tom Vilsack] in one word: driven.” That’s how Brandon Willis, former Administrator of the Risk Management Agency and a previous Senior Advisor to Secretary Vilsack, described the Secretary of Agriculture nominee to Groundwork listeners on our most recent episode. Willis joined the podcast to share some insights about his time working with Secretary Vilsack, as well as forecast where Secretary Vilsack might lead the agency.

During this season of gratitude, we are giving thanks to America’s farmers and ranchers. Not only do America’s strong federal farm policies ensure that we all have reliable access to affordable food, they also share our generous bounty with our neighbors. Nicole Berg, a fourth-generation farmer from Washington State and Vice President of the National Association of Wheat Growers, joined Groundwork to talk about how rural America gives back all year round through food aid.

An August storm in Iowa flattened millions of acres of corn with more than 100 mile-per-hour winds, wildfires in the West continue to do untold damage to fruit and vegetable crops, and hurricane season in the Atlantic has already generated a historic number of storms. Farmers are sure to face even more challenges as extreme storms and other destructive weather events threaten to upend harvest. Groundwork spoke to crop insurance agents Casey Clipson and Jack Tank about the unique challenges of this year and the indispensable role that crop insurance plays in the farm safety net. 

During the COVID-19 crisis, it has been more important than ever that we come together to support one another. America’s sugar farmers are doing their part, keeping sugar moving from farm to table while also helping sustain rural communities and support workers during this tough time. On this episode of Groundwork, Farm Policy Facts talked to two guests from the sugar industry about how they’ve adapted their work to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This episode of Groundwork airs just in time for the 4th of July holiday and features recordings of presidents discussing how American farm policy has kept our nation strong. Jeff Harrison, our farm policy expert this episode, notes that American farm policy traces its roots all the way back to President George Washington and the first Congress.

America’s farmers and ranchers will likely need more assistance from the federal government to recover from the downturn in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Agriculture. Rep. Mike Conaway of Texas is the former chairman of the Committee on Agriculture and has been in close contact with Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue throughout the government’s response to the pandemic. This episode was recorded earlier this month. For the most up-to-date information from Ranking Member Conaway, please visit republicans-agriculture.house.gov.

With all of the information out there on Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs, we called up Dr. Joe Outlaw, a renowned agricultural economist at Texas A&M and Co-Director of Texas A&M’s Agricultural & Food Policy Center, for his take on all things farm policy.

This month, Groundwork spoke to Dr. John Newton, Chief Economist at the American Farm Bureau Federation, and one of the foremost experts on farm economics to discuss rural America’s hopes for a prosperous new year.

Groundwork spoke with Roger Johnson, president of the National Farmers Union (NFU), to talk about Thanksgiving dinner. More specifically, to discuss NFU’s annual study examining the farmer’s share of the Thanksgiving food dollar.

Just last week, the Federal Reserve reported in their October “Beige Book” the dismal news that agricultural conditions have “deteriorated further due to the ongoing impacts of adverse weather, weak commodity prices, and trade disruptions.” Brian Thalmann, farmer and chairman of the Minnesota Corn Growers Association, recently spoke with Groundwork about these persistent challenges and others facing farmers as they head into the harvest season.  

America’s farmers have found themselves on the front lines of an ongoing trade war, but recent news on three major trade fronts has farmers across the heartland cautiously optimistic. Trade attorney John Gilliland joins Groundwork to discuss what this means for agriculture and the status of several other ongoing trade negotiations. Listen to this episode to learn more about how American agriculture stands to benefit from these trade negotiations.

To take a deeper dive into the issue of foreign farm subsidies, #Groundwork reached out to one of the foremost experts in the field, Dr. Darren Hudson. Hudson is the Director of the International Center for Agricultural Competitiveness at Texas Tech University, where they maintain a database of international subsidies and examine how they affect the competitiveness of American farmers on the global stage. Thanks for listening! Stay tuned for future episodes that unpack the policy issues impacting America’s farmers.

Historic rains this spring brought devastation to farming communities across the Midwest. As floodwaters rose, farmers had just hours to evacuate their families. Equipment was destroyed, grain was ruined and livestock was lost. We caught up with Ruth Gerdes, President of Auburn Agency Crop Insurance, in late June while she was on Capitol Hill to testify before the House Agriculture Committee about what she calls the “the jewel in the crown of U.S. farm policy.” Make sure to subscribe to Groundwork for more interviews from farmers and industry experts about the issues driving rural America today.

Steve Hoffman joined Farm Policy Facts from his dairy farm in New Ulm, Minnesota to share with Groundwork listeners how momentum is building both across the heartland and within the halls of Congress to move immediately on the ratification of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

Hear from farmers John Snyder and Travis Medine on the first installment of Groundwork. This monthly podcast will focus on a range of policy issues that are important to American farmers in upcoming episodes.