Trade Remains Top Concern for Farmers & Ranchers
(WASHINGTON, DC) Implementing the new 2018 Farm Bill is a top priority for USDA. That’s the word from Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, testifying Wednesday morning in front of the House Agriculture Committee. Perdue told the lawmakers that the dairy industry is in bad shape and if producers can hold on, “help’s on the way thanks to the farm bill”. With farm income down over 50% over the past five years, few businesses could survive that outside of agriculture. Working capital has fallen by 70 percent since 2012, and debt is up 30 percent since 2013. In talking with farmers and ranchers, Perdue said trade is the top issue affecting agriculture, followed closely by labor (a workable guest-worker program), regulatory reform and disaster programs.