Poster in May 25, 2023 15:09:41

Millers Advocate For Farm Bill Priorities During NAMA Washington Policy Conference

Millers Advocate For Farm Bill Priorities During NAMA Washington Policy Conference

May 24, 2023 - North American Millers’ Association (NAMA) members advocated for the milling industry’s farm bill priorities on Capitol Hill during the organization’s
Washington Policy Conference,
which ended today in Washington, D.C.

“NAMA’s Washington Policy Conference is an important opportunity for policymakers to hear firsthand from millers in their districts and states,” NAMA Senior Director of Government Affairs Kim Cooper said. “This outreach is absolutely crucial to advancing milling priorities like investing in grain research and improving U.S. international food aid programs through the farm bill process."

Yesterday, representatives from 11 NAMA member companies participated in 56 total meetings with congressional offices, including key members of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees. Given that the farm bill is currently due for reauthorization by September 30, 2023, conversations with lawmakers and their staffs focused on farm bill priorities, including:

“Putting the food back in food aid” by restoring farm bill-authorized programs to their roots as pure in-kind commodity donation programs. Increasing the farm bill’s authorization for wheat and barley research from $15 million to $20 million to support the U.S. Wheat & Barley Scab Initiative. Ensuring that farm bill conservation programs do not further skew planting decisions away from food grains such as wheat, oats, barley, and rye.

The Washington Policy Conference was also timely considering that several supply chain-related bills supported by NAMA were voted on Tuesday, May 23 in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Specifically, the committee advanced top NAMA priorities around trucking, including a pilot program for increased trucking weights and an increase in axle tolerance to allow for dry-bulk shifts.

Comment Now

Latest Publication