Congresswoman McDonald Rivet Statement on the Farm Bill

WASHINGTON— Today, Congresswoman Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08) released the following statement after helping pass the Farm Bill through the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture. 

“Family farmers have reached a breaking point. Tariffs have eroded growers’ bottom lines, and the aid packages offered by this Administration have come up significantly short. Congress has not passed an updated Farm Bill since 2018, and the outdated rules and regulations don’t match today’s agriculture economy. 

“Our farmers desperately need solutions and certainty, which is why I voted in favor of the Farm Bill. This bill takes important steps to improve disaster relief, crop insurance, and ensure farmers get access to the loans and financing they need. It includes several Michigan priorities I fought for – like protecting American farmland from foreign adversaries, allowing Head Start programs to run in rural communities, and updates that prioritize farmers who grow specialty crops like potatoes, dry beans, cherries, and pickles. All of this together will help give Michigan farmers the kind of breathing room they’ve been hoping for. 

“Still, both working families and farmers need us to do more. We need to reverse the devastating cuts to SNAP for hungry children and families. I proposed amendments that would have addressed those cuts in this Farm Bill, and it is shameful that we could not get them included in today’s bill. Making sure no child has to go to bed hungry will continue to be my top priority as a member of this committee.” 

Following the Farm Bill’s passage, Michigan Farm Bureau President Ben LaCross issued the following statement: “Michigan Farm Bureau thanks House Ag Committee member Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet for her crucial support of this landmark bill and for her vote to pass it to the full House. We look forward to working with her and other members of Congress to pass this new farm bill and help farmers continue to provide the food, fiber, and renewable fuel our country and world depend on.”

Congresswoman McDonald Rivet secured many key provisions in the final text of the Farm Bill, including…

• The FARMLAND Act which protects American farmland from foreign adversaries by authorizing the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to review all purchases or leases of American farmland by foreign entities that exceed $5,000,000 or 320 acres.
• The Biomanufacturing and Jobs Act which strengthens markets for American farmers to sell their goods, and solidifies the United States’ role as a global leader in biomanufacturing.
• The Investing in Rural America Act which improves the Community Facilities Loan and Grant Program to strengthen access to capital in rural communities.
• The Crop Insurance for Future Farmers Act which strengthens and extends access to crop and livestock insurance programs for beginning farmers.
• A provision which ensures Head Start providers can continue serving rural families under the Expanding Rural Child Care Initiative.