WASHINGTON, D.C. – Farm Credit Council President and CEO Todd Van Hoose made the following statement ahead of the House Agriculture Committee’s markup of the Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2024.

“Farm Credit appreciates the hard work by Chairman Thompson and others to produce a Farm Bill draft that will benefit farmers, ranchers and rural communities. The Chairman’s effort is an important step toward getting a bipartisan Farm Bill adopted this year.

“Chairman Thompson’s draft bill includes bipartisan credit provisions that would make it simpler and less expensive for beginning farmers to get the financing they need, and for rural small businesses to attract equity capital to expand. The bill includes another bipartisan proposal to help rural communities build and improve critical community healthcare and other facilities by encouraging private sector financing partnerships between community banks and Farm Credit.

“We look forward to working with Democrats and Republicans in the House and the Senate as the process continues. Economic conditions in agriculture are tightening, and America’s farmers and ranchers need the certainty of a full, five-year Farm Bill. We encourage all sides to find a bipartisan path toward final passage of a Farm Bill this year.”