AFBF Calls for House Agriculture Committee Passage of Farm Bill

May 22, 2024

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented today on the House Agriculture Committee’s Farm, Food, and National Security Act.

“AFBF appreciates Chairman G.T. Thompson for his work in drafting a modernized farm bill, which we support. The Farm, Food, and National Security Act recognizes the challenges and opportunities facing America’s farmers and ranchers.

“Included in the House’s farm bill is a much-needed investment in the farm safety net, including making crop insurance more affordable, which will help farmers withstand inflation and supply costs that have outpaced current programs. New investments in specialty crop programs and research, along with preserving interstate commerce of agricultural products, will enable farmers to remain competitive in an ever-changing marketplace. Improvements to dairy programs will provide transparency, and more conservation resources will help farmers protect the resources they’ve been entrusted with. The farm bill also consists of important nutrition programs that help families facing hunger.

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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.