SE Kansas News

U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Ben Ray Luján, both members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, have reintroduced a bill aimed at enhancing farmer coordination and education through peer-to-peer networks. This legislation seeks to address the challenges farmers face due to unpredictable weather conditions such as droughts and floods by filling a gap in federal support for these networks.

The proposed Farmer to Farmer Education Act intends to use existing technical assistance resources by supporting farmer-led education networks and establishing new ones. The bill would allow the National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to enter into cooperative agreements with community-based organizations across states to bolster these networks.

"Limited access to technical assistance is one of the many conservation challenges farmers and ranchers across the country face every day," stated an official, emphasizing that this legislation aims to enable farmer-to-farmer groups to share conservation concepts and practices through cooperative agreements with USDA.

The act also focuses on improving coordination between local farmer-to-farmer networks and agencies like USDA and NRCS. It promises timely, specialized information crucial for protecting crops and livestock amid environmental challenges.

Advocates highlight that farmers prefer guidance from their peers when adopting conservation practices. They commend Senators Luján and Moran for introducing this bipartisan initiative, which would enhance practical assistance among farmers while supplementing support from NRCS, nonprofit organizations, and districts.

This legislation recognizes the value of knowledge-sharing among farmers as they adapt to climate change impacts. It encourages collaboration for long-term conservation practice adoption.

The proposal underscores that supporting local producer-led networks is a common-sense approach to helping farmers manage shared challenges like droughts and floods. Proponents express gratitude towards Senators Luján and Moran for their efforts in proposing this supportive measure for agricultural communities.