Agricultural News
ICYMI: Lucas Joins House Ag Republican Leader Introducing Farm Input Costs & Barriers to Domestic Production Act
Tue, 28 Jun 2022 11:15:45 CDT
Recently, Congressman Frank Lucas (OK-03) joined Congressman Glenn "GT" Thompson, Republican Leader of the House Committee on Agriculture, in introducing H.R. 8069, the Reducing Farm Input Costs and Barriers to Domestic Production Act. The bill requires the Biden Administration to reverse its regulatory barriers to domestic agriculture production and provide immediate relief to families across the country.
"Across the U.S. and the globe, the agriculture industry is facing continuing supply shortages, burdensome regulations enacted by the Biden Administration, and increasing costs that are hampering the financial strength of countless family farms and rural communities," said Congressman Lucas. "As a lifelong farmer and former Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, I know, given the regulatory confidence and certainty, Oklahoma's- and America's- agriculture producers can ease rising costs for consumers at the grocery store and alleviate global food instability, which is why I'm proud to cosponsor and introduce with House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member GT Thompson the Reducing Farm Input Costs and Barriers to Domestic Production Act. In a moment of economic crisis and global disruptions, Congress and the Biden Administration should be enacting policies that support America's farmers and ranchers- not hinder them."
"The U.S. and the world face a disrupted global food system resulting in increased energy prices, fertilizer cost spikes and shortages, and worsening food scarcities in developing countries. We're in a crisis moment, and we need concrete, immediate policy actions to help mitigate impacts both at home and abroad. American agriculture, if given the right tools and regulatory confidence, can serve a vital role in alleviating global food instability and mitigating costs for consumers, said House Agriculture Committee Republican Leader GT Thompson.
"Despite these circumstances, the Biden Administration has neglected to take serious action to increase American production. In fact, since the war in Ukraine began, the Administration has continued to take nonsensical regulatory and policy actions that have created needless uncertainty for farmers, ranchers, and working families, and has further limited our ability to meet the food demands of our nation and the world.
"This bill will reverse many of the more harmful regulatory burdens spearheaded by this administration, address escalating input costs, and provide certainty to farmers, ranchers, agribusinesses, and other entities across our food and ag supply chains."
The Reducing Farm Input Costs and Barriers to Domestic Production Act would:
• Provides relief from EPA's unprecedented actions related to crop protection tools
• Offers clarity related to WOTUS regulations
• Rescinds the SEC's harmful proposed rule on climate-related disclosures
• Reinstates the 2020 NEPA streamlining
• Requires an economic analysis on the costs and benefits of GIPSA rules
Lucas spoke on the House Floor in opposition to House Democrats' Lower Food and Fuel Costs Act stating, "During the past five years American farmers and ranchers have weathered volatile world markets, devastating natural disasters, prolonged droughts, supply chain disruptions, ever-increasing input costs and soaring inflation. Yet the only thing the Biden Administration and House Democrats seem interested in doing is increasing regulatory burdens, limiting access to fuel, and passing spending packages that fuel inflation."
Lucas also recently sent a letter to President Biden urging his Administration to reduce the regulatory barriers impacting American agriculture production, including addressing farm input costs, halting changes to WOTUS, ensuring the EPA refocuses on sound science, and ending onerous climate rules.
To read the Reducing Farm Input Costs and Barriers to Domestic Production Act, click here.
For a summary of the bill, click here.
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