On Wednesday, the U.S. House Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry held a hearing to kick off early discussions around the 2023 Farm Bill. The hearing served as a review of current Farm Bill programs and to debate whether those programs need to be changed as lawmakers begin the upcoming reauthorization process. In opening statements, Representative Glenn Thompson (R-Pennsylvania), ranking member on the full House Agriculture Committee stated that the conservation title must remain and not be “repurposed” as a climate title. Representative Abigail Spanberger (D-Virginia), chairwoman of the House Agriculture Conservation and Forestry Subcommittee, agreed. The two witnesses, Farm Service Agency Administrator, Zach Ducheneaux, and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Chief, Terry Cosby, emphasized the innovations and flexibility their agencies have employed in recent years. Cosby said NRCS programs are oversubscribed and that provisions in the yet-to-be-passed Build Back Better bill would help. Several Republicans, including RCRC delegation and subcommittee ranking member Representative Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) emphasized that farmers have complained they could not get service from these agencies due to COVID-closed offices.
