The American Soybean Association says legislators need to address the trade title of the farm bill and provide additional funding. Virginia Houston is their government affairs director. She tells Brownfield, “The trade promotion programs in the farm bill have really helped us over the last forty years become that top export crop through the Market Access Program and the Foreign Market Development Program. Unfortunately, the programs are underfunded and over-subscribed and haven’t received an increase in funding in over 20 years.”
Houston says the next farm bill must also protect the soybean checkoff program, which along with research, education, and promotion investments, helps expand trade.
