Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Chairman John Boozman welcomed Arkansas farmer and National Cotton Council Chairman Nathan Reed to discuss ways to expand domestic demand for agricultural products, according to a March 11 announcement.
The discussion is part of a series of hearings aimed at gathering recommendations from agriculture industry leaders on how policy can help boost consumption of American-grown products. The issue is important as American producers face challenges from foreign markets and fluctuating international demand.
“Expanding market access and developing new trading partners is crucial to the success of American producers and our rural communities. However, our recent experiences have made me think about how we can build more robust domestic markets that will not subject our producers to the whims of foreign governments,” Boozman said in his opening remarks.
Reed, who grows cotton, corn, soybeans, and rice in Marianna, described financial difficulties facing cotton farmers due to high input costs and low market prices. He called on Congress to pass the Buying American Cotton Act (BACA) as a way to increase demand for U.S. cotton. “Our industry will not survive without stronger demand, and BACA would help position U.S. cotton to compete more effectively against synthetic fibers and against foreign cotton producers, including Brazil,” Reed told committee members. “We believe the demand created through the passage of BACA will bring cotton markets back to a more profitable level for producers while keeping our domestic industry and supply chains thriving in the years to come.” Reed also praised Boozman’s leadership in delivering agricultural investments through the Working Families Tax Cuts.
The Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee was proposed by Pennsylvania Republican senator William Findlay to elevate agriculture’s status according to the official website. The committee operates as a standing committee affiliated with the U.S. Senate according to its official website and includes 23 members—12 Republicans and 11 Democrats according to its official website. It manages legislation on topics such as agriculture, nutrition, forestry, food security, hunger, rural issues both domestically and internationally according to its official website. The committee compares agriculture, commerce, and manufacturing as three legs of a stool needing balanced governmental support according to its official website. Historically it has influenced policies like price supports for farmers in the 1930s and addressed international trade issues during the 1990s according to its official website. It also oversees farming legislation as well as nutrition programs while advancing research and education in agriculture according to its official website.
As hearings continue, lawmakers are expected to consider further steps that could strengthen domestic markets for American agricultural products.
