BY TAMMIE SLOUP
While some participants of Illinois Farm Bureau’s recent Leaders to Washington trip met their district’s U.S. representative for the first time, others took the opportunity to reinforce established relationships with congressional members.
Henry County hog farmer Heather Poppy was excited to reconnect with U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Dunlap, after he visited her farm in August. LaHood toured her family’s hog barns and discussed the farm’s challenges at her kitchen table.
They connected first at a legislative breakfast, where she brought up the potential harmful impact of tariffs.
“The tariffs during the first Trump administration really hurt us as hog farmers,” she said. “(USDA) Market Facilitation Program funds helped us offset the economic disruption, but they didn’t make us whole. We were thankful for those, but what we really want is free trade.”
While on Capitol Hill, Poppy reiterated her concerns with LaHood and his staff.
“It was a warm welcome. It was good to have that established relationship,” she said. “Ag has a great story to tell, and it’s important that we tell it to anyone who will listen, especially those people who aren’t familiar with agriculture, who haven’t set foot on a farm, who don’t know what we deal with on a day-to-day basis and the challenges that we face — why it’s important that we repeal the death tax, why it’s important that we repeal Prop 12, why blanket tariffs are such a bad thing for us, it’s important that we tell those stories.
“Facts and figures are great and they’re important, but it’s the stories that we bring to the table that make a greater impact.”
DeKalb County hog farmer Berk Boehne had a similar experience with U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Naperville, whom he’s met several times. During his meeting, he explained that while many Illinois farmers recorded strong corn and soybean yields last season, many are seeing their returns near or below break-even amounts.
“We can stomach some pain, and that’s what we’re doing right now. But I don’t know if we can do it for a couple years, so we need a plan. We’re borrowing a max amount of money with some of the highest interest rates we’ve had in years, so it’s stressful,” Boehne said.
The congressional meetings are an integral piece of the Leaders to Washington trip, which was March 25-26. During a jam-packed two days, 16 IFB members met with many of Illinois’ congressional delegation, and also had meetings with staff from American Farm Bureau Federation, Farm Service Agency, Foreign Ag Service, Risk Management Agency, the Mexican Embassy, House Ag Committee, White House office of Public Liaison and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Members also were excited to meet new Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins who participated in a Q&A session with several Farm Bureaus.
While in D.C., IFB members carried three topline messages: Farmers need a new farm bill that protects crop insurance and reflects the current ag economy, expand ag markets and extend or make permanent the expiring 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA).
“We need a modern-day farm bill that represents today’s market prices. We’re in tight margins. (Underwood) understands that,” Boehne said, adding he and Underwood also touched on the need for a Proposition 12 fix.
“We need to not let another state tell us how to raise our livestock. And I was very firm with that,” he said.
Boehne, who participated in his fourth Leaders to Washington trip, previously met Underwood when she visited a cattle farm in his district.
“I think she understands that with Illinois livestock producers, we know how to take care of our animals, so we don’t need Proposition 12,” Boehne said. “She is very open to listening and understands rural America. She understands the need for stability for agriculture. It’s been a good relationship ... she’s been a friend to Illinois Farm Bureau and we have to keep that door open.”
Underwood pointed out she’s had two meetings with Illinois Farm Bureau this month, including a previous visit from IFB President Brian Duncan.
Given the enormous uncertainty that has been injected into this growing season, Underwood said it’s been important to “have close dialog and discussion” with IFB.
“I’ve always maintained that for our economy in the 14th district to be strong, our rural economy has to be strong,” she told FarmWeek. “We covered a number of legislative items that really serve as both threats and opportunities, and so that kind of partnership has been really important as we move forward.”
IFB members also are concerned about the expiring TCJA, which provided important relief for farm families.
Were the TCJA to expire, USDA’s Economic Research Service estimates the average farmer would owe an additional $2,300 a year in taxes. These expirations alone increase farm taxes paid by $4.5 billion.
“The tax provisions that are to expire at the end of this year are going to be a huge impact financially for farmers,” Tazewell County farmer Kyle Diekhoff said. “We’re talking about additional costs that go to your overall operation.”
IFB Director of National Legislation Ryan Whitehouse stressed the importance of the Leaders to Washington program and connecting members with lawmakers.
“Before our farmers get into the field work, we needed to do some Hill work,” Whitehouse said. “It’s important that elected and administrative officials hear directly from our members to better understand what’s happening in the ag industry. Our members’ stories really make a difference, and our members delivered the message.”
IFB members met with lawmakers and/or staff including: U.S. Sens Dick Durbin, D-Springfield, and Tammy Duckworth, D-Hoffman Estates; and U.S. Reps Darin LaHood, R-Dunlap; Eric Sorensen, D-Moline; Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro; Lauren Underwood, D-Naperville; Mary Miller, R-Oakland; and Brad Schneider, D-Deerfield.
Content for this story was provided by FarmWeekNow.com.