Tennessee Home & Farm Radio TN Home and Farm Radio

Greene County's Reese Ottinger is on a mission to build a barn at her South Greene High School to help her ag program and achieve a Gold Award in Girl Scouts.

Some folks might not think of turfgrass or sod as part of agriculture, but it’s a really big program at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

Those devastating storms that crossed the state on Wednesday have had dramatic impacts to many Tennesseans with the loss of life and property.  And for our farms in the path, its now a matter of assessing the damage and trying to build back.

With the Strawberry Festival coming up in Portland children's author, Shannon Anderson, came to an elementary school and read her book called "I Like Strawberries." The book is a fun way to introduce kids to agriculture.

Ag groups in Carter County recently held a dinner for farmers to discuss safety and mental health on the farm. Organizers wanted farmers to leave the night feeling appreciated and for them to know they are not alone.

Movement on the farm bill process took place in Washington, D.C. this week. Chad Smith has more on the progress farmers and ranchers have been waiting for.

Smith: House Agriculture Committee Chair G.T. Thompson and Senate Ag Chair Debbie Stabenow released overviews of each committee’s version of the new farm bill this week. Joe Gilson, director of government affairs for the American Farm Bureau Federation, talked about each release.
Gilson: Chairman Thompson released a five-page outline of his 2024 farm bill, and he also announced a House Agriculture Committee markup date of May 23. Moving to the Senate, Chairwoman Stabenow released a section by section of her farm bill, very substantial, clocking in at 94 pages. She has not indicated a date for a markup, but we're looking over both overviews that were sent out and trying to read through them and what it means for the farm bill.
Smith: He says both documents provide valuable insight into what the next farm bill may include.
Gilson: Both overviews make large investments in Title I. We also see from Chairman Thompson's bill will include provisions to prevent states from regulating animal welfare outside of their borders. In Chairwoman Stabenow’s bill, it does make conservation programs permanent. One thing she also wants to do is impose a $700,000 adjusted gross income limit for commodity program payments.
Smith: Gilson says this month will be critical in determining what’s next in the process.
Gilson: The May 23 markup from the House Ag Committee, depending on how that goes, will determine what happens in this Congress in terms of the Farm Bill. If we get a solid bipartisan vote out of that committee, I think, it can move to the House floor and really put pressure on the Senate.
Smith: Learn more at fb.org/farmbill. Chad Smith, Washington.