Congressman David P. Joyce Listens To Concerns From Local Farmers
By John Parker Congressman David P. Joyce listened attentively last week as a group met with him to discuss agricultural issues of interest and concern…
By John Parker
Congressman David P. Joyce listened attentively last week as a group met with him to discuss agricultural issues of interest and concern to local farmers. Dorset dairy farmer Jim Comp had made the arrangements to meet with Joyce at Lakeland Community College where a Small Business Association seminar was being held.
Among the several agricultural issues that the group talked about were changes needed in immigration laws, several aspects of the proposed Farm Bill, the importance of larger family farms in the local area and the need for more federal support for agricultural research and education.
Since Jim uses hired help to get his dairy cows milked three times a day, he requires dependable labor that he knows will be there every day and on time. He has not been able to find local help that is willing to work in the confining job in his milking parlor on a 24-hour schedule. So, he has had to hire Hispanics who are willing to work at the regular and important job of milking.
Jim talked with Congressman Joyce about the need for an immigration bill that would provide a regular supply of legal immigrants that he could depend on for his milking operation. In turn, Joyce shared the proposed legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives called The Agricultural Guestworker Act (The Ag Act) of 2013.
He asked Jim to review this proposed legislation and get back to him. Similar legislation has been proposed in the Senate, but there was not an opportunity to compare them.
The dairy section of a new farm bill was also a point of discussion. Jim, along with other dairy farmers, are interested in legislation that would help reduce the extreme “up and downs” in milk prices that dairy farmers experience. There was discussion about a Dairy Security Act that would provide for a voluntary production control program that would reduce surplus milk production and strengthen prices.
While this is an area of small family farms, and the country is one of small family farms, the importance of family farms of all sizes were discussed. More than 85 percent of U.S. farms produce less than $250,000 in agricultural sales, according to a recent USDA study. While these smaller family farms are important to the economy of the nation, these farms produce just over 15 percent of the food in the United States.
On the other hand, the larger family farms, or those producing over $250,000 in sales, make up just over 10 percent of U.S. farms. However, they produce over 70 percent of the food in the country. The group pointed out to Congressman Joyce the importance of these larger, efficient family farms in providing an abundant food supply for the country.
At the same time, the group stressed the importance of maintaining the smaller farms because they do contribute to the food supply and economy. The group pointed out was that “big was not bad.” Just because U.S. farms have been getting bigger since the country was established does not mean that there is not a place for farms of all sizes.
If farmers are going to continue to feed an expanding population, a strong program of agricultural research and education needs continue. Federal dollars going into research and extension have been declining and more federal support is needed to increase the agricultural production in the United States.
Congressman Joyce listened and wants to follow through with a visit to local farms in the near future, as well as have a continued dialogue with area farmers. He mentioned that Geauga dairy farmer Charles Lausin and fruit grower Jim Patterson have also been doing a good job of talking farming with him.
Parker is retired from The Ohio State University and is an independent agricultural writer.
