BY TIMOTHY EGGERT
Influencing the debate over the 2023 farm bill, advocating for trade deals that expand ag markets and working to keep inputs affordable are among Illinois Farm Bureau’s 2022 national legislative priorities.
IFB this year also plans to support policies that build demand for biofuels and target federal infrastructure investment in rural Illinois.
On the environmental front, IFB aims to create incentives for farmers to adopt soil health practices, oppose climate efforts that impose unnecessary costs and oppose the Biden administration’s proposed rule to revise the definition of “waters of the United States.”
Adam Nielsen, IFB director of national legislation and policy development, detailed the list of priority issues during a presentation at the Governmental Affairs Leadership Conference in Springfield.
Key to making progress on the priorities, Nielsen said, is avoiding the traps of political polarization and maintaining bipartisan relationships.
“We’re best when we can work with everybody, when we are not demonizing elected officials, when we are giving them a chance to and asking them to help us,” Nielsen said. “Our bread and butter is our ability to work with everybody, no matter who is in the White House, who controls Congress — and they know that.”
A prime example of that philosophy is the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill signed into law last year, which is set to pump $17 billion into the Prairie State over the next five years to upgrade Illinois’ aging infrastructure.
The bill had opposition from some U.S. House Republicans from Illinois, but IFB voiced support for the legislation because improvements to roads, bridges and inland waterways will ultimately make it easier for farmers to get their goods to market.
“If it’s infrastructure, we are always going to support it,” Nielsen said. “It does not matter who is in the White House, does not matter who controls Congress, we support our policy.”
IFB President Richard Guebert Jr. echoed that approach at the start of the conference, encouraging members to have conversations with all local, state and federal legislators, regardless of their political party.
Guebert added that discussions will be especially vital as state and federal lawmakers tour their revised districts, which have become larger and more homogenous.
“We really need each and every one of you to be engaged,” Guebert said. “It’s important that you express your thoughts and your ideas and your perspectives to those folks who are influencers.”
This story was provided by FarmWeekNow.com.