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Farm Bill poses challenges for beginning farmers  

A leader with the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association says the House Republican draft farm bill would pose problems for beginning farmers and ranchers.

Amalie Lipstreu says the bill, if it went into law, would keep the current limit of $300,000 on direct farm ownership loans.

“For beginning farmers who are trying to access farmland and a homestead that’s really difficult to do on that loan limit,” she says. “We were hoping to see that raised to at least $500,000. ”

She tells Brownfield the draft would also eliminate the Risk Management Education Partnership program.

“Many beginning farmers don’t know about these risk management options and really benefit from getting that information from folks within their own community,” she says.

The bill changes the definition of a beginning farmer so that someone who has been farming for up to 10 years can qualify for whole farm revenue protection program. The limit is currently five years. Lipstreu says consistency is needed across all USDA agencies on the definition of a beginning farmer.

Audio: Amalie Lipstreu, Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association