WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) highlighted the victories she secured for Wisconsinites in the Senate Farm Bill to support Wisconsin's farmers, families, and rural communities. She called for Congress to pass the bill before the end of the year.
The Farm Bill, or Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act, championed by Agriculture Committee Chair Stabenow includes several bipartisan bills and initiatives led by Senator Baldwin that help dairy operations grow their business, deliver mental health support to farmers, protect Wisconsin agricultural land from foreign investments, and improve the quality of life for families in rural communities.
The Farm Bill is renewed every five years and includes modernizations to traditional risk management programs as well as new programs to address the evolving needs of farmers and rural communities. The 2018 Farm Bill was most recently reauthorized in September 2023 and was extended through December 20, 2024. While members of Congress consider another extension of the 2018 legislation, Baldwin is calling for the passage of the new Senate Farm Bill which includes over 100 bipartisan bills that build on our commitment to rural communities, provide certainty to farmers, and ensure that nutrition aid for hungry families keeps up with the realities of American life.
The Senate Farm Bill also includes several Baldwin-led initiatives:
- Supporting Wisconsin's Dairy Industry: The bill includes Senator Baldwin's bipartisan Dairy Business Innovation Act of 2023 to reauthorize and increase the authorization level from $20 million to $36 million annually for the Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives program. It also builds on the successful Dairy Margin Coverage safety net to help dairy farmers protect against milk price drops or high feed costs.
- Upgrading Critical Water Infrastructure: The bill includes Baldwin's Healthy H2O Act to improve rural testing for drinking water contaminants. It authorizes $10 million through 2029 for rural water testing and treatment.
- Connecting Wisconsin Farmers with Mental Health Resources: The bill includes Baldwin's Farmers First Act of 2023 to extend the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network through 2029 and increases funding from $10 million to $15 million annually.
- Advancing Agriculture Research and Innovation: The bill includes components of Senator Baldwin's Seeds and Breeds for the Future Act which promotes development of ready-to-use, regionally adapted, publicly available seed varieties and animal breeds giving farmers more tools to confront droughts and varying growing conditions.