F A R 1\1 E R S
JIMMY PARNELL
PRESIDENT
May 21, 2024
The Honorable Glenn ''G.T.'' Thompson The Honorable David
Chairman Scott Ranking Member
House Committee on Agriculture House Committee on Agriculture
1301 Longworth House Office Building 1010 Longworth House Office
Washington, D.C. 20515 Building Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Chairman Thompson and Ranl<lng Member
Scott:
The Alabama Farmers Federation commends the Members and staff of the House Committee on Agriculture
for putting more "farm in the farm bill." We strongly support the Chairman's mark of the Farm, Food, and
National Security Act o/2024. To that end, we encourage all Members of the committee to advance the bill
with bipartisan support.
As you are aware, farmers in Alabama and across the country depend on a strong safety net to support their
efforts to feed, clothe, and fuel our nation and others around the world. This bill takes great strides in
modernizing the strengthening that safety net. However, time is of the essence, and we implore you to act
swiftly in not only advancing the bill out of committee but securing time to bring the bi11 to the floor of the
U.S. House of Representatives.
In particular, we want to lend our support to the following provisions included in the Chairman's mark:
• The meaningful increases in reference prices for all commodities;
• Increases to Marketing Loan Rates;
• The opportunity for producers to have new base acres allocated;
• The modernization of the Conservation Reserve Program;
• Increased funding for trade promotion activities; and
• Ensures producers a federal right to raise and market their covered livestock in interstate commerce.
The Alabama Farmers Federation especially wants to offer our appreciation for including several
provisions championed by U.S. Representative Barry Moore including:
• Continuation of the Feral Swine Eradication and Control Program with 60% of funding directed to
USDA APHIS WS and 40% directed to USDA NRCS based on H.R. 3985;
• Establishment of a commission to improve the efficiency and quality of data collection and
reporting by the National Agriculture Statistics Service based on H.R. 6351; and
• Modernization and standardization of Forest Inventory Analysis data based on H.R. 3990.
Thank you for your unwa • support of our farmers and rural America. We stand ready to assist in
advancing a farm bill that will b• g certain and security to our nation's farmers, consumers, and rural
America.
Sincere}
cc: The Honorable Barry Moore
ALABAMA FARMERS FEDERATION• A MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FEDERATION
P.O. BOX 11000 •MONTGOMERY.ALABAMA 36191-0001 • 334-288-3900 • FAX 334-284-3957
WWW.ALFAFARMERS.ORG
