Washington, D.C. – Representative Rick Crawford (AR-01) joined 47 of his colleagues in introducing legislation that will provide immediate support to farmers as Congress continues debating a long-term Farm Bill. The Farm Assistance and Revenue Mitigation Act (FARM Act) provides emergency assistance to producers of eligible commodities for which the expected revenue in crop year 2024 is below the projected per-acre cost of production. Current Farm Bill safety net provisions utilize cost of production data from 2012. As a result, the aid provided by these programs has not kept up with inflation.

“As lending season approaches, farmers must work to secure credit for the upcoming year. Unfortunately, credit is drying up as producers face climbing farm input costs and a decline in net farm income. Congressional Democrats have been unwilling to compromise on a new Farm Bill that provides long-term certainty for farm country, and so House Republicans are stepping up once again for our ag producers with this critical economic assistance,” said Rep. Crawford.

“Farmers have been hit with circumstances outside of their control, such as natural disasters, inflation pressures, and drought, which have crippled their ability to obtain financing from credit and banking institutions. The FARM Act will bridge the gap, providing relief so that our farmers can continue to do their best—feed the nation,” said Congressman Trent Kelly (MS-01).

Original co-sponsors include: Representatives Sanford Bishop (GA), Julia Letlow (LA), Rick Allen (GA), Michael Guest (MS), Mike Rogers (AL), Barry Moore (AL), Austin Scott (GA), Don Bacon (NE), Rick Crawford (AR), Jerry Carl (AL), John Rose (TN), Vicente Gonzalez (TX), Greg Murphy (NC), Jake Ellzey (TX), Troy Nehls (TX), Dale Strong (AL), Brad Finstad (MN), David Rouzer (NC), Robert Aderholt (AL), Chuck Fleischmann (TN), Michelle Fischbach (MN), Mike Ezell (MS), Troy Balderson (OH), Tony Gonzales (TX), Henry Cuellar (TX), Michael McCaul (TX), Monica De La Cruz (TX), Clay Higgins (LA), Mike Collins (GA), Pat Fallon (TX), Pete Sessions (TX), Ronny Jackson (TX), David Kustoff (TN), Randy Feenstra (IA), John Carter (TX), Frank Lucas (OK), August Pfluger (TX), Gary Palmer (AL), Juan Ciscomani (AZ), Buddy Carter (GA), Brian Babin (TX), Jim Baird (IN), Randy Weber (TX), Lance Gooden (TX), Marjorie Taylor Greene (GA), Marc Veasey (TX), Nathaniel Moran (TX), and Michael Rulli (OH).

The FARM Act is endorsed by:

American Farm Bureau Federation, American Soybean Association, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Barley Growers Association, National Cotton Council, National Sorghum Producers, National Sunflower Association, U.S. Canola Association, U.S. Peanut Federation, USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council, USA Rice, Western Peanut Growers Association and National Corn Growers Association.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) applauded the assistance of federal regional commissions to communities in Arkansas and across the country, particularly in the wake of natural disasters and other economic challenges, in a hearing before the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee.

Boozman, a senior EPW Committee member, went on to urge witnesses from five federal-state partnership entities to help simplify federal grant applications in order to help state and local governments more readily access funds Congress intended for their use.

“Your budgets aren’t very great, but those dollars you have, being able to intervene and really knowing the communities you’re serving makes a huge difference,”Boozman said. “In recent years Arkansas has been devastated by natural disasters from tornadoes and wind to historic flooding along the Arkansas River. The impacts of which are still being dealt with. Once the dust has settled and the rubble has been cleared, communities struggle to continue growth and retain residents.”

Boozman also cited the difficulty small, rural localities like Mountainburg, Arkansas face in applying for federal grants to help fund projects like expanding water infrastructure to deliver safe, reliable drinking water to residents.

“It shouldn’t be that, if you have a good education, you have to hire a $30,000 grant writer in a very, very small community,” Boozman said. “I hope we can all work together on this. There’s no excuse for making things so very difficult.”