The meeting was held as an agricultural listening session, a chance for local producers to weigh in on the new Farm Bill and many other challenges currently facing the agricultural backbone of Montana’s economy.
Baucus chairs the Senate Finance Committee and helped author the new Farm Bill. He told local farmers he thinks the bill is a working success for the Montana agricultural community.
Baucus said the biggest hurdle was protecting the state’s Farm Service Agency offices.
“We worked long and hard to make sure that no FSA office can be closed within 20 miles of another FSA office for two years,” Baucus said. “I’m a senior member in the agricultural committee and only a few of the senators who are from Western states know how important these offices are.”
Hans McPherson, of the Montana Farm Bureau Federation and a Stevensville farmer, addressed the growing costs in agricultural production.
“What I’m concerned about is the growing input cost of production,” McPherson said. “I’m further behind than I was a year ago. Input costs are really hitting me hard, coupled with the new program that doesn’t fund parcels of land less than 10 acres for agricultural lands federally declared as drought areas. It’s just not looking good.
“Here in the valley, particularly in western Montana, people farm several small parcels of land in order to make a living, and if they’re not being funded because of natural disaster, it’s a bad situation,” McPherson said.
Baucus said input costs for many in agriculture have nearly doubled.
“Clearly, this is something we’ve got to keep our eyes on and we’re going to be watching it very closely,” Baucus said. “We’re going to have to work with this as we go along.”
Larry Trexlar, a Montana Livestock Loss Reduction and Mitigation program board member, commended Baucus on securing funds to help pay producers who lose livestock to wolves.
“There’s no easy answer in providing a specific figure in compensation for losses to wolves,” Trexlar said. “The wolves are here and we’re stuck with them. The program helps out in terms of replacing lost funds, but the bigger problem is that the ranchers and farmers are having a really hard time.”
Baucus said he plans to keep supporting the federally-funded reimbursement for the livestock losses to predators.
“I’m aware the situation may get worse and that’s another aspect in the agricultural realm we’re keeping a close eye on,” the senator said.
“This is why this type of discussion is important,” Baucus said. “It’s a joy when we get to have this two-way dialogue, so you guys can keep letting us know what’s going on.”
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