American farmers are facing one of the most challenging periods in recent memory – input costs at record highs, margins thinning, and uncertain and evolving trade markets all playing a role in a precarious ag landscape. Especially now, they need Congress to be on their side. Farmers need them to act – on their behalf, and on behalf of millions of Americans who need a reliable, affordable food supply. This week, Congress didn’t.
The removal of a critical product labeling provision from the Farm Bill is more than a procedural action. It is a signal – to farmers, to innovators, and to the companies investing billions in the next generation of agricultural tools that the regulatory ground beneath them is unstable. Without that stability, innovation stalls, and American Farmers lose ground and miss out on innovative tools in an increasingly competitive global landscape.
The science is not in question. Crop protection tools are safe. The politics, however, are questionable.
A Harris Poll recently found that 86% of Americans believe misinformation about science and health has gotten worse over the past five years. Nearly as many feel angry and worried about the consequences for their families. And in a rare moment of bipartisan agreement, Americans across the political spectrum said the U.S. should be leading the world in scientific research.
Many in congress chose to ignore science. The loudest voices were not farmers, scientists, or regulators. They were the voices of misinformation – and on this vote, fear won over facts.
What’s at stake is not just one provision.
The pipeline of agricultural innovation – drought-resistant crops, next-generation protection tools, precision agriculture technologies - depends on companies’ ability to commit years and billions of dollars to research, development and regulatory review. That commitment requires confidence that science-based rules will hold.
Despite the support of some members of congress, this week’s action puts current and future innovations for farmers at risk. It tells the innovators who are working on the solutions American farmers will need over the next 50 years to remain competitive that the rules of the game can be changed at any time, regardless of what science says.
The public wants science-based decision-making. They want to reliably put food on their tables without busting their budget. They want the U.S. to lead.
There is still time to act. Congress needs to know that Americans still overwhelmingly support sound science. Let your voice be heard by telling your congressperson why science should win over fear and misinformation.
That’s what farmers deserve. And that’s what all Americans need.