The first Senate Agriculture Committee hearing on the 2023 farm bill will be held in Michigan on April 29, announced committee leaders on Wednesday. Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow has said field hearings in Michigan and Arkansas would begin the process of gathering ideas for the bill, the panoramic legislation that covers crop subsidies, land stewardship, public nutrition, rural development, food aid, agricultural research, agricultural exports, and forests.
“Michigan is second in the nation for our diversity of crops and home to our Great Lakes, forests, and diverse communities of all sizes,” said Stabenow while announcing the field hearing at Michigan State University. The committee will hear from Michigan producers during a half-day session.
“I look forward to joining chairwoman Stabenow in Michigan to get this process underway, and to building off that with a field hearing in Arkansas in the coming months,” said Arkansas Sen. John Boozman, the senior Republican on the committee. “Crafting a farm bill that can become law is a delicate balance. The needs of each region and each commodity must be balanced, which is why it is crucial that we hear directly from agricultural stakeholders from across the country.”