Top ag legislators hear concerns of Kansas farmers, ranchers about farm bill

Kansas farmers and ranchers mired in a tough agricultural economy shared their concerns about the farm bill with two top ag legislators Thursday in Manhattan. Concerns centered on crop insurance, international trade and the mechanics of farm programs that don’t always work as intended at the first field hearing for reauthorization of the farm bill.  Farmers and ranchers testifying in the hearing mentioned trade, but their in-depth testimony tended to focus on how the farm bill provided for crop insurance and issues with using key farm safety-net programs, such as the Dairy Margin Protection Program and Agricultural Risk Coverage. Others addressed trade issues; potential disease outbreaks, referring specifically to hoof and mouth disease, and the need for research; and protection of nutrition programs in the bill.