American Farm Bureau Federation

• One Inc , the leading digital payments network for the insurance industry, announced today that the Farm Bureau Insurance of Michigan (FBIM), whose mission is to protect the people of Michigan from the risks of everyday life, has selected One Inc’s ClaimsPay® to help process claims payments and synchronize the company’s workflow.
• Headquartered in Lansing, Michigan, FBIM provides protection through quality insurance products and risk management solutions to Michigan residents and businesses through more than 660,000 policies.
• “Our partnership with One Inc emphasizes our longstanding commitment to innovation and the significant value we place on our customer relationships,” said Roger Graff, VP, P&C Claims, of Farm Bureau Insurance of Michigan.
• “We were cognizant that our Farm Bureau policyholders requested digital payments and we wanted to optimize our customer experience by offering speed of payments.

• These measures are large, complex and expensive: The next farm bill is projected to cost taxpayers US$1.5 trillion over 10 years.
• Modern farm bills address many things besides food, from rural broadband access to biofuels and even help for small towns to buy police cars.
• Umbrella organizations like the American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Farmers Union typically focus on farm subsidies and crop insurance.
• Here are four key issues shaping the next farm bill, and through it, the future of the U.S. food system.

The price tag

• In the past two years, Congress has enacted major bills to provide economic relief from the COVID-19 pandemic, counter inflation, invest in infrastructure and boost domestic manufacturing.
• Agriculture Committee leaders and farm groups argue that more money is necessary to strengthen the food and farm sector.
• If they have their way, the price tag for the next farm bill would increase significantly from current projections.

Food aid is the key fight

• Back in the 1970s, Congress began including nutrition assistance in the farm bill to secure votes from an increasingly urban nation.
• Today, over 42 million Americans depend on SNAP, including nearly 1 in every 4 children.
• Anti-hunger advocates are lobbying to make the increased pandemic benefits permanent and defend the revised Thrifty Food Plan.

Debating climate solutions

• The 2022 Inflation Reduction Act provided $19.5 billion to the Department of Agriculture for programs that address climate change.
• This big pot of money has become a prime target for members of Congress who are looking for more farm bill funding.
• On the other side, conservation advocates, sustainable farmers and progressive businesses oppose diverting climate funds for other purposes.

A complex bill and inexperienced legislators

• Nearly one-third of current members of Congress were first elected after the 2018 farm bill was enacted, so this is their first farm bill cycle.
• I expect that, as often occurs in Congress, new members will follow more senior legislators’ cues and go along with traditional decision making.
• These programs are complex, cost billions of dollars and go mainly to large-scale operations.
• Congress’ response will show whether it supports business as usual in agriculture, or a more diverse and sustainable U.S. farm system.

• Providing data on jobs, wages, and economic output, this increased granularity offers more specific insights into the food and agriculture sector’s impact on local economic activity and output.
• This year’s report shows the U.S. food and agriculture sector directly supports nearly 23 million jobs, provides $927 billion in wages, and is particularly vital to rural communities across America.
• Notably, the 2023 report reveals that the manufacturing of agricultural products accounts for nearly one-fifth of total manufacturing jobs in the U.S.
• All 50 states displayed increased economic output in the 2023 report compared to the 2022 report, largely reflecting a rebound in national economic activity.

• Washington, D.C. (April 19, 2023) — As the organic sector faces both historic opportunities and challenges, the Organic Trade Association (OTA) is gearing up to host its 2023 Organic Week in the nation’s capital.
• “Organic Week is coming at an opportune time for organic stakeholders to gather, learn, share ideas, hear from the experts and join forces to keep organic advancing.”
  Over the 72 hours of Organic Week, organic farmers, processors, shippers, certifiers, retailers, organic specialists and policy officials will work on solutions for the complex issues surrounding organic food and farming.
• The Organic Trade Association is partnering with The Organic Center to present the 2023 Organic Confluences: Reducing Plastics Along the Entire Organic Supply Chain.
• Organic Trade Association members will work in small teams to attend meetings across Capitol Hill advocating for the trade association’s 2023 organic policy priorities to ensure responsive organic standards, thriving American farmers, and resilient supply chains.