Thursday, March 28, 2024

Soybean farmers applaud farm bill

Illinois soybean farmers applaud the quick action the full U.S. Senate took this week in passing the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry’s “Agricultural Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2013.”  

The farm bill legislation has been long in coming, and Illinois Soybean Growers (ISG) hope the U.S. House also will act swiftly.

“The Senate’s version of the legislation provides continued planting flexibility, reinforces crop insurance, protects natural resources, authorizes and funds vital trade, research and education programs and feeds our nation’s hungry,” Bill Wykes, soybean farmer from Yorkville, Ill., and ISG chairman said in a press statement Monday. “It also addresses budget needs by reducing spending by $23 billion, including elimination of direct payments and duplication of conservation programs.”

Among the key provisions for Illinois soybean farmers is the structure of the bill’s commodity programs in Title I.  In addition to the Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) program to protect against revenue losses, the committee approved a price-based Adverse Market Program which sets reference (target) prices at a percentage of recent average prices and provides that support levels be updated annually.

The Senate bill reauthorizes and funds numerous ISG priorities, including the Biodiesel Education Program, the Biobased Market Program, agricultural research initiatives and the Foreign Market Development and Market Access Programs.

The Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) represents more than 45,000 soybean farmers in Illinois through the state soybean checkoff and membership efforts.  The checkoff funds market development, soybean production and profitability research, promotion, issues, management and analysis, communications and education. Membership and advocacy efforts support Illinois soybean farmer interests in local areas, Springfield and Washington, D.C.

Illinois Soybean Association programs are designed to ensure Illinois soy is the highest quality, most dependable, sustainable and competitive in the global marketplace.  For more information, visit the website www.ilsoy.org.