Most Recent Talking Points as of 9/28/23

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

Final WOTUS Rule (September 2023)

Headline Messages:

EPA had an opportunity to write a Waters of the U.S. Rule that’s fair to farmers and stands the test of time, but instead chose to continue government overreach and revise only a small slice of the rule that was rejected by the Supreme Court.
We’re pleased the vague and confusing “significant nexus” test has been eliminated as the Supreme Court dictated, but EPA ignored other concerns raised by the Justices, 27 states, and farmers across the country about the rule’s failure to respect private property rights and the Clean Water Act.
EPA continues to attempt to expand its jurisdictional reach, particularly through the “relatively permanent” standard, which the agency has intentionally kept vague.
Farmers and ranchers share the goal of protecting the nation’s waterways. They deserve rules that don’t require a team of attorneys and consultants to identify “navigable waters” on their land.

Supporting Messages

The back and forth over water regulations threatens the progress made to responsibly manage natural resources.
Mistakes in interpreting WOTUS regulations could lead to large civil fines for farmers as well as criminal charges.
Farmers have a strong track record of caring for the resources they’ve been entrusted with.
140 million acres are enrolled in voluntary conservation programs. That’s more than California and New York combined.
More than half of corn, cotton, soybean and wheat planted acres in the U.S. are either no-till or low-till, which helps trap carbon in the ground. That’s more than 200 million acres.
The use of cover crops increased by 50% between 2012 and 2017, for a total of 15.4 million acres.
Farmers use a number of tools to protect waterways and reduce runoff.
Buffer strips – protective zones of permanent vegetation between a farm field and waterway.
Strip cropping – planting and growing alternating strips of erosion-resistant crops.
Terraces – structures that intercept runoff on slopes, which filters water and reduces erosion.

Update on Farm Bill:

Congress is currently working to pass the federal budget but work on the Farm Bill has not slowed down behind the scenes.
Rep. GT Thompson, House Ag Committee Chairman, wanted to circulate Farm Bill text by early September but it appears that might be delayed. Chairman Thompson wants GOP leaders to schedule a week for the farm bill on the floor, which will likely happen in November or later.
Sen. Ag. Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow said senators aren’t seeking a farm bill extension at this time. However, not all programs will expire at the end of the month. Crop insurance, conservation programs, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are continuous through 2031.
Congress is hot off August recess where IFB leadership and members spent numerous opportunities meeting with their congressional members presenting our farm bill priorities. IFB leadership has met with Chairman Thompson and all Illinois House Ag Committee members this past month.
Consumers will not see the immediate impact of the farm bill expiration date and extensions to current programs are not a long-term solution. We are hopeful to see passage of the next farm bill this year thanks to our history of bipartisan support.
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.
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.
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.
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.

Headline Messages:

Managing risk on the farm is critical to keeping food on our tables. We all depend on the success of American agriculture, so it’s important for America’s farmers to be supported by strong farm programs as they face weather disasters, high supply costs and inflationary pressures.
America’s public investment in agriculture through farm bill programs helps secure our food supply and keep our country strong with sustainable food, fiber and renewable fuel.
The farm bill impact extends beyond the farm by protecting our nation’s food supply, providing access to nutrition for families facing hunger, advancing conservation efforts and spurring innovation through agricultural research.

IFB Priorities:

Illinois Farm Bureau members believe the farm bill must be WTO-compliant, provide price and revenue protection for farmers, and link nutrition and commodity programs.
Maintaining the current crop insurance program remains IFB’s top priority in the upcoming farm bill debate.
Farm Bureau supports maintaining both SNAP and TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program) in the farm bill in their current form.
In 2013, USDA calculated that roughly eight cents of every dollar spent on food purchases (including purchases made by SNAP recipients) returns to the farmgate.

Illinois Ag Retail Survey

Headline Messages:

The IL Ag Retail Survey was designed to collect accurate, science-driven data and establish a baseline of information on key indicators of nutrient loss reduction progress within Illinois agriculture.
Its design provides the agriculture industry with the ability to track nutrient management practice adoption and quantify nutrient loss reduction achieved across the state.
This system allows Illinois agriculture to showcase progress and fortify why a voluntary agricultural framework is vital.
The 2022 IL Ag Retail Survey data is robust and representative of the state. The survey represents data from randomly selected ag retail locations and individual fields, which is reported as a statewide aggregate.
Of the 535 ag retail locations across Illinois, 150 were selected to participate in the survey. Of the randomly selected field records, only 13 customers opted out, leading to a total of 917 fields surveyed (500 were needed to proceed with the survey).
High participation rates show that farmers and ag retailers were aware and engaged in the effort. It is clear they took their role of providing the best-available data necessary very seriously and were willing to provide data needed to showcase efforts. This unique data set will allow the industry to evaluate conditions on the ground across the state as we progress toward the Illinois Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy goals of improved nutrient management and reduced nutrient loss.

Supporting Messages

Farmers continuously work to find innovative solutions for preserving our soil and to protect water quality.
Farmers are working with ag retail locations to implement practices that integrate scientific solutions, technology, and innovation to meet nutrient reduction goals.
Illinois nutrient loss reductions goals for 2025 are quickly approaching, and pressure from Illinois legislature, regulatory agencies and stakeholders to document progress made within the state is mounting.
Acquiring anonymous data straight from grower records from ag retailers will provide the agriculture industry the ability to track practice adoption levels and quantify nutrient loss reductions achieved.
The survey’s design will provide the agriculture industry with the tools needed to track nutrient management practice adoption and quantify nutrient loss reduction achieved across the state for years to come.

This is a long-haul effort, not a sprint. Illinois Ag Retail Survey leaders are continuing to dig into the data provided by the survey. This baseline of data will provide them with opportunities to develop new programs and initiatives to tackle key areas identified by the survey.

This survey was supported by the Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association, Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Corn Growers Association, Illinois Soybean Association, Illinois Pork Producers Association, Illinois Beef Association, the Illinois Council on Best Management Practices (ICBMP) and the Illinois Certified Crop Adviser Program.