Make Your Vote Count for Agriculture

On the farm, we make decisions every day that shape our families’ futures—what to plant, when to invest in equipment and how to make the most of the natural resources entrusted to us. We weigh those decisions carefully because we know what is at stake. But decisions made well outside our fencerows—from Washington, D.C., to our state capitals—have a real impact on our businesses and communities as well. Voting gives us a say in who makes those decisions.

Some of the most competitive races in the nation are in farm country, so rural voters will have a major influence on the outcome of the midterm election. I farm and I vote because I want agriculture’s voice to be heard. I hope you will join me.

iFarmiVote Makes it Easy to Vote

Harvest makes for a busy fall. Between bringing in crops, caring for livestock and keeping equipment running, there is plenty competing for our attention. But making a plan to vote deserves a place on our to-do lists.

Farm Bureau’s iFarmiVote resources can help you check your voter registration, find your polling location, learn about absentee voting, and get to know the candidates. Take a few minutes now to decide how you will cast your ballot and encourage your family and neighbors to do the same.

Every election matters. The people we elect at every level of government make decisions that affect our businesses, our schools and the communities we call home. We need leaders who understand agriculture and are willing to listen to the people who grow our nation’s food, fiber and fuel.

As you learn about the candidates, ask how they will support farmers and ranchers. Tell them what you are experiencing on your farm. You can explain what it means to make another planting decision when the numbers are not working, or what happens when a job on the farm goes unfilled at the busiest time of year. Those conversations help connect policy debates to the families affected by them. They also lay the groundwork for relationships that need to continue long after the ballots are counted.

Congress Must Act on the Issues Facing Agriculture

While we prepare to vote, the lawmakers serving today still have important business to finish. The challenges facing agriculture cannot wait until a new Congress takes office.

That starts with getting a strong, bipartisan farm bill across the finish line before the end of the year. After three extensions, the farm bill expired again in September, disrupting access to critical programs like the Conservation Reserve Program. The House has passed its farm bill, and the Senate Agriculture Committee has advanced its version. Congress must act and get a final bill to the president’s desk. Farmers and ranchers need certainty and a farm bill that reflects today’s economy.

Reliable markets are an important part of that picture. Delivering permanent, year-round E15 would strengthen demand for American-grown crops while giving consumers another choice at the pump. The House has passed a bill to allow year-round E15, and it is included in the Senate Agriculture Committee’s farm bill. Congress needs to finish the job by the end of the year and provide lasting certainty for farmers.

Farmers also need to know they will have enough workers to get the job done. Crops cannot wait to be harvested, and animals need care every day. The Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act gives Congress an opportunity to make the H-2A program more workable and move toward a solution that works for all of agriculture.

These improvements would help farmers plan for the future. Getting to that future, however, means navigating the financial pressures we face today. With high production costs, persistently high inflation, and low commodity prices continuing to squeeze farm families, Congress must also deliver timely economic assistance this year to help farmers keep operating and prepare for another season.

Farm Bureau will keep pressing these priorities, and your voice strengthens that work. I encourage you to reach out to your lawmakers and explain why action matters to your farm and rural community.

Our responsibility does not end when we cast a ballot. Make your plan to vote, stay involved and keep telling your story. Together, we can help ensure the people making decisions that impact agriculture understand what is needed to keep our nation’s food supply safe and secure.