AFBF makes MAHA recommendations for crop protection tools

The American Farm Bureau Federation has sent a series of recommendations to the Make America Healthy Again Commission that will benefit health outcomes and ensure farmers can continue growing safe, healthy and affordable food for America’s families.

“Farmers and ranchers share the goal of advancing health in America,” said Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall. “Healthy meals start with healthy farms, which is a responsibility farmers take seriously. Investing in research, rewarding innovation and alleviating overregulation helps them reach that goal. We appreciate the opportunity to share these policy recommendations that can directly and positively improve farmers’ ability to meet the needs of a healthy America.”

Farm Bureau’s letter highlights four areas of recommendations to the MAHA Commission, including:

Advancing American Innovation and Sustainability

• Promote the adoption of precision application technologies
• Dedicate funding to improve mechanization and automation
• Support plant biostimulants and biologicals as promising tools
• Support a thoughtful and iterative public comment process on shared understandings of regenerative agriculture

Smart regulatory reform and program enhancements to support farmers and ranchers

• Modernize current agriculture labor workforce programs
  Protect domestic markets from being flooded by foreign foods
• Reintroduce whole milk into school meal programs
• Enable schools/food banks to directly purchase food from farms
• Make it easier for small- and medium-size farms to serve local market

Public Investment in agricultural research

• Invest in USDA agencies focused on research and innovation
• Invest in projects which would help fruit, vegetable and nut crop growers

Pesticide tools

• Process improvements in the regulatory system to support the innovation pipeline for new discoveries
• Increased resources for pesticide regulatory offices and programs

Farm Bureau is also a founding member of the Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance, which sent a report earlier this week to the MAHA Commission. FACA’s recommendations focused on three key pillars to help agricultural producers and forest owners keep soil healthy and air and water clean.

To read FACA’s report, click here.