A dry bean farmer from Michigan testified at the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry this week. Vassar, Michigan farmer, Greg Ackerman serves as a current delegate on the U.S. Dry Bean Council talked about the importance of having a strong farm safety net. “The sole farm safety net program for dry bean producers is the federal crop insurance program. The fact that dry beans are not part of the Farm Programs authorized under Title I of the Farm Bill makes the federal crop insurance program even more vital for us.” Ackerman also took the opportunity to urge the committee to expand and maintain trade agreements. “The U.S. has not signed a new trade agreement for many years. With the competitive environment changing, the U.S. dry bean industry needs competitive trade advantages around the world. We continue to suffer from lost market share in the European Union and the United Kingdom as a result of years of retaliatory tariffs.” You can view the full testimony here.
