Today, Keeff Felty, President of the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG), provided the following statement in response to the release of the Further Continuing Appropriations and Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2025:
“On behalf of NAWG and wheat growers throughout the country, I would like to thank our leaders in the House and Senate for listening to farmers and coming together to secure much-needed economic assistance and disaster relief for producers across the country. We urge Congress to pass this legislative package, which includes economic assistance and another one-year extension, and to remain committed in the 119th Congress to pass a farm bill that strengthens the farm safety net and provides long-term certainty for farmers and rural America.”
“As president, I have traveled to state producer annual meetings in Texas, Montana, and Minnesota in recent weeks. At every conference, I talked to experienced producers facing the realities of this downturn in the ag economy, and they feared they would not be able to secure operating credit in 2025 without some form of economic assistance. This legislation provides farmers with a bridge heading into next year. However, it is imperative that when lawmakers return for a busy 2025, enacting a robust, long-term farm bill remains a top priority.”
Since the farm bill debate began, wheat growers have told the story about the economic headwinds facing American agriculture. In September, farmers and lenders met with over 100 offices, including Congressional leadership, in a united effort to get a meaningful farm bill passed. In those conversations, our members talked about the severe downturn in the agriculture economy and underscored the need for additional investment. While it became apparent an extension was again the reality, we remain resolute in working with lawmakers to get the right farm bill passed that provides long-term certainty for growers. NAWG is also running an advocacy campaign urging Congress to pass economic assistance for farmers as part of a year-end legislative package.
