House Passes CR with Key Farming Supports

Dec 26, 2024
By Farms.com

Aid for Farmers Approved, Urges Senate Action

The American Farm Bureau Federation has expressed gratitude toward the House's recent approval of a Continuing Resolution (CR) that provides essential support to the agricultural sector.

The resolution, strongly backed by key figures on the House Agriculture Committee and President-elect Trump, allocates $20.78 billion in disaster aid covering adversities such as hurricanes, wildfires, and droughts for 2023 and 2024.

Additionally, it provides $10 billion in economic aid to help farmers manage the steep decline in farm income amid rising supply costs and falling commodity prices.

Despite the broad support, the Federation voiced disappointment over the exclusion of authorization for year-round E-15 sales, which they had hoped would benefit both farmers and consumers.

The Farm Bureau now urges the Senate to act swiftly in passing the CR to prevent a costly government shutdown. The timely passage of this resolution is crucial for the stability and future of farming in America.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.