Chairman Boozman Stresses Need to Boost Domestic Demand for Farm Products

Mar 11, 2026

U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Chairman John Boozman (R-AR) launched the first in a series of hearings to gather recommendations from agriculture industry leaders on policy improvements to help boost consumption of American-grown agricultural products.

The following is the Chairman’s opening statement as prepared for delivery:

“Good afternoon. It is my privilege to call this hearing to order. I thank my colleagues for joining us.

I also would like to thank our witnesses for being here. Many of you farm and we all know that this is an important time of year on the farm as you prepare to plant your next crop.

Today’s hearing comes at a time of great financial stress for America’s farmers. If you are putting something in the ground, you are losing money. It doesn’t matter what you are planting or where you are planting it, no row crop is currently profitable. In my home state of Arkansas, the last three years have been absolutely punishing.

Arkansas now holds the unfortunate distinction of leading the nation in Chapter 12 farm bankruptcies—a sobering statistic.

I remain committed, with my colleague Senator Hoeven from North Dakota, to pursuing additional financial assistance for our farmers to lengthen and widen the Farmer Bridge Assistance program that President Trump announced in December.

The recent history of high input costs, high labor costs, and high interest rates coupled with low prices and significant trade headwinds for certain commodities should give us all good reason to think about what the future of agriculture in the United States should look like.

Source : senate.gov

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.