Community Provides Input to Senator Donnelly at Ancilla Farm Bill Listening Session

Posted on November 11, 2017
Author Jacque Ryan, WKVI

On Friday, Senator Joe Donnelly visited the Ancilla College campus to hold a listening session over the farm bill that is currently being written. Before Donnelly talked with group gathered in Cana Hall about business, he got comfortable by removing his tie and greeting individuals in the crowd.

Ancilla President Kenneth Zirkle began the event by briefly discussing the agriculture program at the college, stating that when they started two and half years ago they only had three individuals involved, now that number is up to nearly 50 agriculture students.

Agriculture director Tim McLochlin introduced the senator, but first he acknowledged all the community members who help make Ancilla’s agriculture program so immersive and impactful.

During the session, various individuals voiced their concerns about the needs of the agriculture community. One individual spoke about how the current farm bill does little to help the dairy industry and suggested that more needs to be done with supply and control management. Many people spoke about the importance of family-run farms and asked Senator Donnelly to build the bill with generational farms in mind.

Crop insurance was an issue that Donnelly said is a cornerstone of the farm bill. He also specified that there are rules and regulations in place to avoid cases of fraud. The insurance is there to help farmers when nature plays a role in crop failure when things like floods and droughts inevitably take place.

He also talked about the role that bio-fuel plays in the agriculture industry and said that its up to farmers whether or not they wish use their supply for food or fuel. He added that conservation and environmental efforts will continue to play a major role in the future farm bill.

He thanked everyone in attendance for sharing their input and reiterated the importance of community involvement. Donnelly said the bill is anticipated to be completed sometime next year.

To hear more from Friday’s session, tune into WKVI’s Weekend Program,  Kankakee Valley Viewpoints this Sunday at noon.

11/10/2017 Farm Bill Listening Session With Senator Donnelly

Senator Donnelly will hold a Farm Bill Listening Session beginning at 2:30 on Friday, November 10. This listening session will be on the campus of Ancilla College, in Cana Hall. Senator Donnelly is a member of the US Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. The current farm bill is scheduled to expire next year and, while these listening sessions are open to ideas on any agricultural issue, Senator Donnelly is looking especially for comments on farm policy issues that are important to consider in the writing of the new farm bill. We are very excited about this listening session at Ancilla and hope some of the young people there, who are looking for future in agriculture, are willing to share their thoughts.

For anyone who is not familiar with the farm bill, below are the titles included in the current legislation and a very brief summary of the various titles.

• Title I, Commodity Programs: Provides support for major commodity crops, including wheat, corn, soybeans, peanuts, rice, dairy, and sugar, as well as disaster assistance. 
• Title II, Conservation: Encourages environmental stewardship of farmlands and improved management through land retirement and/or working lands programs.
• Title III, Trade: Provides support for U.S. agricultural export programs and international food assistance programs. 
• Title IV, Nutrition: Provides nutrition assistance for low income households through programs including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). 
• Title V, Credit: Offers direct government loans to farmers and ranchers and guarantees on private lenders’ loans. 
• Title VI, Rural Development: Supports rural business and community development programs. 
• Title VII, Research, Extension, and Related Matters: Offers various agricultural research and extension programs.
• Title VIII, Forestry: Supports forestry management programs run by USDA’s Forest Service. 
• Title IX, Energy: Encourages the development of farm and community renewable energy systems through various programs, including grants and loan guarantees. 
• Title X, Horticulture: Supports the production of specialty crops—fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, and floriculture and ornamental products—through a range of initiatives.
• Title XI, Crop Insurance: Enhances coverage of the permanently authorized federal crop insurance program. 
• Title XII, Miscellaneous: Covers other types of programs and assistance, including livestock and poultry