Veteran agriculture leaders concerned about the future of the nation and its food producers have launched Restore American Agriculture, a new effort formed to press Congress and the Administration for a serious response to the farm crisis.
Jon Doggett, former CEO of the National Corn Growers Association, said they are urging members of Congress to listen to the voices of American farmers and ranchers. “What we’ve done is we’ve put together a website for farmers to speak up…we’re trying to make sure that we provide opportunities for the grassroots out in the countryside that are raising the food that we eat an opportunity to speak up,” said Doggett during a Thursday morning call with reporters.
Doggett had teamed up with other like-minded former ag industry leaders earlier this year to send a letter to members of Congress and the administration sounding the alarm about the current state of the farm economy. After getting no response, they sent another letter in July, which also received no response.
Iowa farmer Pam Johnson, past NCGA president, says they are asking Congress to engage directly with producers to assess the real-world impacts of federal policy decisions. “Let’s look at the consequences of the war. Let’s figure out a way to make sure that farmers’ voices are heard, but also that there are short-term and long-term plans for how we’re going to get through this,” said Johnson. “It’s projected that farmers aren’t going to make any money for the next two years. This is a serious crisis out here.”
Bob Dinneen, past President and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association, says Congress has abdicated its responsibilities to the American public. “Probably the poster child for Congress’s inability to get anything meaningful done has been on ethanol, on E15. When they failed this year to move an E15 package that EPA says is necessary, it really demonstrated just how inept Congress has become. And they need to get back to it,” said Dinneen.
The group is asking Congress to hold immediate, comprehensive hearings on the current farm economy, something former USDA appointee and Congressional staffer Dawn Riley pointed out is just not being done. “Our representatives are no longer willing to go out and hear people, which makes what we’re doing very, very important for people to be able to tell their stories. I believe Axios reported a week or maybe two weeks ago about how only 11 town halls were scheduled for the entire August recess,” she said.
Asked if they thought agricultural organizations were afraid to speak up for fear of retaliation, Doggett said yes. “Had you posed that question to me 15 years ago, I would have thought you were wearing a tin hat.”
Johnson added that she sometimes wonders, “Is this America? Where you have to fear for using your voice to have honest discourse. And to be able to agree to disagree, to sit around and negotiate around the table for the best outcome.”
Dinneen noted that it is a problem on many levels. “It’s not just trade associations, everybody seems to be afraid to speak up these days,including members of Congress.”
Listen to the press call below and check out the website here.
Restore American Agriculture press call 37:21