Texas farmers, ranchers help set national farm policy for 2023

(SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico)—Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) voting delegates at the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) annual meeting in Puerto Rico successfully supported nearly 20 policy resolutions from the Lone Star State into new AFBF national policy.

The 28 TFB voting delegates were among the 341 voting delegates from 50 Farm Bureaus and the Puerto Rico Farm Bureau at the annual meeting’s Jan. 10 business session.

“We had a really good day on our resolutions. It was good discussion,” TFB President Russell Boening said. “The ideas that passed today go into our national policy book, and it gives us leaders and staff of American Farm Bureau a roadmap to work on the next farm bill, to work on policies that affect us on the regulatory issues.”

TFB policy resolutions adopted by AFBF voting delegates included support for a limited irrigation category in the RMA crop insurance program, support for a stock tank/farm pond clean out program and support for efforts to allow livestock market owners to invest in ownership of small, very small and regional meat packing and processing facilities.

Other TFB policy resolutions adopted at the meeting included support for increased funding for feral hog control programs and pilot projects in the farm bill; opposition to any foreign entity or persons receiving tax credits, abatements, incentives or any other in-kind contribution that affects the taking of agricultural land in the U.S.; and opposition to any form of a Securities and Exchange Commission ruling that would require emissions reporting that could directly or indirectly impact farmers and ranchers.

AFBF voting delegates also approved a TFB policy resolution regarding taxation that supports deferring recognition of income for one year for all or a percentage of crop insurance or indemnity payments.

“I think the mood of the delegate body was good. There is excitement about the new farm bill. At the same time, there is cautious optimism, because there is a lot of talk of climate change, climate-smart practices, sustainability, different terms like that, that get thrown around. And folks are just a little bit concerned about how those issues are going to play into the farm bill, but I think our policy is ready to address those issues,” Boening said.

In other business, Boening, who farms and ranches in South Texas, was re-elected by AFBF voting delegates to the AFBF board of directors.