Farmers, Ranchers Eager for Senate Vote on Farm Bill

Jun 15, 2018

The Senate Agriculture Committee’s approval of its farm bill, the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (S. 3042), provides light on the horizon for struggling farmers and ranchers, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation.

“Low commodity prices, rising interest rates and an uncertain future for exports hang heavy over America’s farm and ranch land,” AFBF President Zippy Duvall said in a statement. “We know that Congress is determined to see us continue to provide food security, fuel and fiber for all Americans.”

Noting how Democrats and Republicans on the committee came together in support of the bill, Duvall said he hoped that spirit of cooperation would prevail when the legislation is considered on the Senate floor in the coming weeks. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said he plans to hold a vote before the chamber goes into its July 4 recess.

“The American Farm Bureau Federation thanks Chairman Roberts and Ranking Member Stabenow for bringing this important legislation forward,” Duvall said.

The House failed last month in its first attempt to pass its farm bill, the Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (H.R. 2), but House Agriculture Chairman Mike Conaway (R-Texas) recently said he expects a second vote by next Thursday or Friday. Once each chamber passes its farm bill, House and Senate negotiators can craft a final bill to send to President Trump.

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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.