The NAMA Fall Conference featured a policy panel moderated by Sara “Legs” Wyant of Agri-Pulse, and featuring Mike Deering with the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association, Garrett Hawkins with Missouri Farm Bureau, and Steve Censky with the American Soybean Association.
The need for a new farm bill was the major topic of discussion. “We’re all kind of waiting to see what happens with this,” said Deering. “It’s like the cartoon ‘Peanuts’ where Lucy’s holding that football and Charlie Brown’s running as hard as he can to kick it and ends up falling flat on his butt and that’s the same thing we’re dealing with right now as an industry, working together and trying to kick that ball over the finish line but it keeps getting pulled back.”
Deering says they have been busy on the state level fighting against the Humane Society of the United States with the Missouri Right to Farm amendment that passed the state legislature this year and will go to the voters next fall. “It just gives farmers and ranchers in the state the right to farm,” he said. “It’s absolutely vital that we have some protection in our state to keep these wackos out of here.”
Listen to Chuck’s interview with Mike here: Interview with Mike Deering, Missouri Cattlemen's Association