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WASHINGTON, DC — Last Wednesday, Feb. 5, Arkansas rice farmer and USA Rice Board member Jennifer James testified before the U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee hearing on the state of the farm economy alongside representatives from other major commodity and general farm organizations.
James shared the plight of the farm economy, highlighting how rice farmers have faced significant financial challenges the past four years. She expressed appreciation for Congress providing funding for the 2022 Rice Production Program and the recently passed economic assistance for the 2024 crop year.
She went on to underscore, however, that while ad hoc assistance was necessary and will provide some temporary relief from negative financial margins for many, rice farmers particularly need the long-term certainty of a new five-year Farm Bill with an increased Price Loss Coverage program reference price effective beginning with the 2025 crop year.
