Most Recent Talking Points as of 4/12/23

Note: For IFB’s full comprehensive talking points, please contact your local county Farm Bureau or visit the Leaders’ Portal.

Veto of WOTUS Congressional Review Act Joint Resolution

Source: American Farm Bureau Federation, Illinois Farm Bureau

Background: On April 6, 2023, President Biden vetoed a bipartisan vote of disapproval of WOTUS under the Congressional Review Act (CRA).

Main Messages

Illinois Farm Bureau is extremely disappointed in President Biden for vetoing the CRA joint resolution.
The president’s veto flies in the face of his promise to support farmers and ranchers.
In a rare display of bipartisanship, Congress agreed that EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers’ WOTUS rule was an overreach and will lead to more uncertainty for farmers and ranchers.
With a stroke of a pen, President Biden rejected the will of Congress and the needs of the farming community.

Supporting Messages

Farmers and ranchers are committed to protecting the land and water they rely on to grow food for America’s families. Unfortunately, the 2023 WOTUS threatens the progress made to responsibly manage natural resources.
Farmers deserve rules that don’t require a team of attorneys and consultants to identify “navigable waters” on their land.
Mistakes in interpreting WOTUS regulations could lead to large civil fines for farmers as well as criminal charges.
The new rule doubles down on the old significant nexus test, creating more complicated regulations that will cause uncertainty on large areas of private farmland miles from the nearest navigable water.
We are waiting for the Supreme Court to issue a decision on the scope of the Clean Water Act. A ruling in the Sackett case could send WOTUS back to the drawing board, so it made no sense for EPA to issue a rule that will only cause more disruption and uncertainty.

E15 Summertime Sales

Source: FarmWeekNow.com, Illinois Farm Bureau, American Farm Bureau Federation, National Corn Growers Association

Background: National farm and biofuel groups are calling on the Biden administration to lift a federal ban on summertime sales of E15. A letter sent April 5 noted current conditions are analogous to those in place last year when the ban was temporarily lifted.

NOTE: These talking points include additional background for the various arguments surrounding the recent announcement regarding year-round use of E15. Arguments include, but are not limited to, Food vs Fuel, GHG emissions and infrastructure. Illinois Farm Bureau continues to utilize a variety of media relationships to counter the negative publicity by media and work in collaboration with Illinois Corn on messaging.

Headline Messages:

The war in Ukraine continues to reverberate across global energy markets and domestically causes fuel supply disruptions, high gasoline prices, and ongoing uncertainty for millions of Americans.
Oil output cuts recently announced by OPEC+ could further increase demand for U.S. exports, putting additional pressure on domestic fuel supplies heading into summer.
A temporary emergency waiver for the 2023 summer driving season could save consumers an average of 23 cents per gallon.
Continued access to E15 would also enhance U.S. energy securing while supporting America’s farmers.
E15 is one of the most tested fuel blends in history and is available at more than 2,300 sites across the U.S.
Allowing summertime sale of E15 would provide environmental benefits through lower greenhouse gas emissions, reduced evaporative emissions and fewer harmful pollutants linked to poor air quality.

Supporting Messages:

The blending of homegrown, renewable fuels will allow the U.S. to extend its oil reserves and potentially drive down the cost of fuel.
Higher ethanol blends not only lower the price of fuel but are also better for the environment.
When compared to gasoline, ethanol reduces GHG emissions by about 50%.
Homegrown fuel increases the United States’ energy independence.

Food vs. Fuel (courtesy of AFBF, NCGA, and ILCorn):

Main Messages

- In the long run this is not a “one or the other” issue. We have the resources to do both.
- U.S. farmers grow more than enough corn for all uses.
- Energy prices and supply chain issues have a greater impact on food inflation than fuel does.
- When making ethanol, one-third of every bushel is processed is returned as livestock feed.
- Russia is a major supplier of energy as well as fertilizer. The current situation is complicated by the loss of access to fuel and food supplies at the same time.
- Russia and Ukraine account for 12% of the total calories in world food trade.
- Farmers are rising to the challenge of meeting the needs of food and fuel before and they stand ready to do the same again.

Supporting Messages

- Agriculture is critical to economic, social and political stability. That’s why we say it’s part of national security.
- The blending of homegrown, renewable fuels will allow the U.S. to extend its oil reserves and potentially drive down the cost of fuel.
- Farmers are doing more with less. Technology and innovation in agriculture have allowed farmers to grow more crops on less land to help meet growing demand.
- It would have required 100 million more acres in 1990 to grow the amount the U.S. produces today.
- Thanks to advancements in technology and productivity, average corn yields have increased by 26%, or 35 bushels per acre, since 2000.
- For every one input resource that goes into farming, U.S. farmers produce 2.75 times more.

Ethanol Facts (The following talking points are courtesy of Illinois Corn):

Why E15?
- Lower cost of fuel - Ethanol has been priced an average of 80 cents less per gallon than unblended gasoline at wholesale through March, and drivers currently save up to 20 cents or more per gallon where E15 is available.
- Better for the environment - Compared to gasoline, ethanol reduces GHG emissions by about 50 percent.
- Energy Independence – corn grown here, ethanol produced here, fuel source would not be dependent on global conflicts or supply.
- Builds Local Communities – over 4000 jobs and around $37 million in state and local revenue.
Ethanol & Livestock
- Ethanol byproducts make valuable livestock feed.
- The sugars and starches from corn used to make ethanol are a great source of energy in livestock diets.
- One bushel of corn produces 2.9 gallons of denatured fuel ethanol and 15.1 pounds of distillers grain for animal feeds.
- Distillers feed is used in beef cattle, dairy cattle, swine, and poultry diets.
Rural Economy
- Ethanol supports local jobs and helps the U.S. economy.
- In 2021, the U.S. ethanol industry helped support more than 407,000 jobs across rural America.
- Ethanol contributes nearly $52 billion to the Gross Domestic Product and added nearly $28.7 billion to household income.
- This generated nearly $10.4 billion in tax revenue for federal, state, and local governments.

2023 Farm Bill Talking Points

Why Does the Farm Bill Matter for Everyone?

Food security: America’s public investment in agriculture through farm bill programs helps secure our domestic food supply and keep our country strong while consumers get the benefits of high-quality, affordable food.

Jobs: The food and agriculture industry supports nearly 21.5 million U.S. jobs (that’s more than 14% of U.S. employment) and contributes more than $1 trillion to U.S. gross domestic product.

The food and agriculture sector is critical to our economy, making up roughly one-fifth of U.S. economic activity, directly supporting nearly 23 million jobs—15% of total U.S. employment. When looking across the entire food and agriculture supply chain, agriculture’s impact is even more striking, supporting more than 46 million jobs.
The vibrancy of our rural communities relies on farm bill programs that support rural infrastructure and other investments, including broadband, a “must have” to ensure career opportunities as well as access to quality education and health care.

Conservation: The farm bill’s investment in ag research and conservation programs are critical to ensuring the productivity and sustainability in our farms and domestic food supply.

Farm bill conservation programs recognize farmers as partners in sustainability and provide resources to help them care for environmentally sensitive land and employ climate-smart practices in their fields to help preserve wildlife habitat, soil and water.
Through the farm bill, farmers have voluntarily enrolled 140 million acres in conservation programs—that’s equal to the size of California and New York combined.
The farm bill’s investment in agricultural research and conservation programs is critical to reaching sustainability goals as we work to feed a growing population using fewer resources.
Thanks to advances in climate-smart farming, farmers are producing more with fewer resources. To put this in perspective, it would have taken 100 million more acres 40 years ago to produce the same amount of food, feed, fiber and fuel we are growing today.

Risk Management: We all depend on the success of American agriculture so it’s important for America’s farmers and ranchers to be supported by strong farm programs as they face down weather disasters, high supply costs and inflationary pressures. Managing risk is critical to keep food on our tables.

Farmers and ranchers are proud to grow and raise the safe, sustainable food, fiber and fuel we all rely on, and the farm bill gives them the tools they need to keep our farms and food supply secure in all seasons.
We buy insurance to prepare for tough times, and similarly, crop insurance through the farm bill provides an important tool to help farmers and ranchers weather storms beyond their control.
In light of global events, supply chain challenges and inflation, it is critical that the U.S. make it a top priority to protect our food supply for the well-being and security of our nation.

Addressing Hunger: The farm bill includes nutrition programs intended to ensure the most vulnerable among us have access to healthy, affordable food.

This is more accurately a food and farm bill, as funding provides a comprehensive package of programs for farmers, as well as access to safe and nutritious food for families in need.
America’s farmers and ranchers are proud to grow the food that helps supply more than 4 billion meals annually through the farm bill’s nutrition programs, which ensure the most vulnerable among us have access to healthy, affordable food.

Cover Crop Expansion

Source: FarmWeek “Research shows cover crop adoption up to 7.2% in Midwest” (article from Feb. 2023, but references 2021 numbers).

Headline Messages:

Cover crops are being seeded across more Midwestern acres than ever, according to the University of Illinois.
Research shows cover crop adoption reached 7.2% in 2021, up from 1.8% a decade earlier.
Satellite-based remote-sensing efforts detected cover crops across 140 million cropland acres and tracked the expansion over 20 years.
The uptick coincides with increased state and federal incentive programs.
Cover crop adoption doubled across Midwest between 2017 and 2021.
Illinois and Iowa are leading the way thanks to a discount in crop insurance premiums for adopting cover crops.

Soil Conservation Efforts

Background: Although nutrient loss is a complex environmental issue that will require many solutions, farmers are committed to discovering what will work for each farmer, in each region of Illinois. Farmers are leading through investment. Since 2013, Illinois farmers and agricultural retailers have invested more than $30 million dollars into nutrient research through IL NREC.

Headline Messages:

Farmers are at the forefront of climate-smart farming, putting scientific solutions, technology, and innovation to work to protect our land, air and water.
Every year is a learning experience where you’re constantly building better knowledge and considering new strategies or adjusting current ones.
This is a long-haul effort, not a sprint. Farmers will continue to evaluate research, find the best fit for their fields, and make steady progress in this space.
U.S. agriculture contributes around 10% to overall greenhouse gas emissions by economic sector, far less than other major industries.
Thanks to farmers’ dedication to conserve natural resources, that share drops to negative 2% when additional carbon absorbing practices are factored in.
Farmers are promoting healthy soil by planting cover crops and adopting sustainable practices that trap carbon.
Farm Bureau is leading the way in policies that reduce emissions, enrich the soil and protect our water and air, all while producing more food, fiber and renewable fuel than ever before.