AFBF: Everyone Must Work Together For Rural America

Dale Moore, Executive Vice President for the American Farm Bureau Federation said he’s not taking sides when it comes to the newly elected Congress. But he went on to say the AFBF will continue to fight policies that harm agriculture. He added it’s too early to get dragged into fights over energy, taxes, trade, and regulatory issues, despite a likely divided and maybe more polarized Congress in January.

“We know there will be challenges, but I guarantee you that the quickest way to lose out on making advances on the priorities that farmers and ranchers have set for us to work on is to throw our hands up and say, ‘you know what, this is going to be nearly impossible.’ That is not the way we operate.” 

When it comes to the lame duck session, Moore said he is still confident about two priorities: keeping the government funded after December 11^th, when temporary funding expires;  and passing a COVID-19 relief package, which could mean billions of additional dollars for the farm community.

“My confidence is we will get a new COVID bill. I don’t know how much is going to be in there for agriculture, but I feel confident there will be some critical benefits in there, some assistance in there, for agriculture.” 

Moore noted any COVID bill in the coming weeks, or even the new Congress could be bigger than Senate Republicans who hold a narrower majority want; and less than Speaker Pelosi and a slimmer House Democratic majority would like to see.

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