5 Key Points to take to the Hill

Wondering what our young ag leaders will be taking to the hill tomorrow?  Here’s their message:

The messages that are presented represent the efforts of a growing set of voices that are committed to America having agriculture policy that enhances our food supply.  We seek to have available and safe food and fiber systems that are sustainable over the years.  The messages represent the combined voices of individuals currently or in pursuit of or in the early stages of their agricultural career.  These statements represent our message concerning what must be components of agricultural policy designed to enhance the success of the next generation of agriculture.

Key Points:

1)      Protect Funding for Agricultural Education, land grant universities & cooperative extensions

• Educational programs have been cut in their funding.  Education is critical to learning so we can be viable producers.  We want to maximize our efficiencies.  Land grant universities provide research that serves as an economic engine.  Likewise, we assist young people throughout our states as they grow in their pursuit of agriculture.

2)      Preserving farmland through estate planning and farm ownership transition

• The importance of this issue to the next generation is seen in the fact that the next generation must have the capital and/or the resource base to enter the field. Estate tax and the concerns facing the increasing amount of tax to pay for the transferring of land from generation to generation.

3)      Ag literacy combining agricultural communications leadership development and lifelong education for everyone

• Fund educational programs designed to help consumers and individuals outside of the normal agriculture occupations to understand the source of the nation’s food and fiber.  Funding for programs such as extension and career-tech education.  Have Congressional leaders become greater advocates for the agricultural industry.

4)      Ensuring environmental standards are attainable and realistic

• Support methods of developing standards designed to environmental stewardship that are realistically applicable and enhance the producers’ ability to maintain a successful operation.  Have ground-experts with real world experience drafting and providing input into the regulations.   Science and research-based ideas should be the basis of policy.  Apply local and state level of data to environmental policy implementation at the most local level possible.

5)      Affordable resources (like credit and capital access) and product marketing programs are available to assist the next generation in both start-up and maintenance of the agricultural business.  Available access to a ready supply of credit for new and young farmers is needed.

• Maintain programmatic activity designed to assist the entry level producer in attaining capital for start-up and expansion.  Keep the financial tools current so that the programs apply to the generations that are entering agriculture today.