Press Release

The South Dakota Soybean Association (SDSA) applauds this morning’s passage of the Agriculture Act of 2014 by the U.S. House of Representatives.

SDSA has actively supported the passage of a new farm bill, which provides for multiple soybean farmer priorities, most notably a flexible farm safety net that includes a choice between price-based and revenue-based risk management tools and maintains the decoupling of payments from current planted acreage under both programs.

“We are very pleased the House of Representatives passed a farm bill. We have been without a working farm bill since September, which means we’ve had no certainty when it comes to risk management, export market promotion and other programs. This farm bill provides effective, multi-year farm legislation and establishes practical risk management programs for soybean farmers. We thank the House Ag Committee, specifically Congresswoman Kristi Noem, for their support and work on the legislation. We hope the Senate will pass the bill as soon as possible, so we can finally shift our focus back to our farms and planning for the future,” said John Horter, farmer from Andover and SDSA president.

SDSA supports the bill’s risk management framework; its strengthening of crop insurance; streamlining and optimization of conservation programs; investment in critical trade development and renewables like biodiesel and biobased products; support for beginning farmers and ranchers and acknowledgment of the role of agricultural research.

The U.S. Senate is likely to take up the farm bill later this week. SDSA urges farmers to contact their senators to voice their support for this legislation.