Page 120 - Farm Bill Series_The 7 Things You Should Know

animal diseases. Research has made us more productive on fewer acres and has decreased our
environmental footprint.”

It's statements like this that Grumbly points to when he talks about farmers’ evolving priorities
and the elevation of science on their priority lists.
Farmers and farm groups continue to say “that Title I programs in the farm bill are still
the most important thing to us,” Grumbly conceded. “I understand that. But they’re
beginning to say that science and research are part of their priority lists – not way down,
but up a lot.”

Farmers may need science more than they know, but as the farm bill debate begins to rage and
lawmakers are putting together the pieces of the 2018 legislation – not to mention the 2018
appropriations bill, scientists also need the farmers.

It’s why Grumbly and his team at SoAR have been reaching out to the farm groups to get new
allies.

“I think that’s critical because I don’t think that the appropriations committees of Congress or the
authorizing committees for the farm bill will respond positively if it’s only what seems to be the
self-interest of the scientific community, urging them for more money,” Grumbly explained. “It
has to be the people whose lives actually depend on the results of research to make that case.
“We’re bringing together a coalition that includes a significant number of organizations that are
traditional commodity organizations. And we think only by doing that will we be able to create
the support that members of Congress will (need) to be able to look in the mirror … and say.
‘I’m going to support that.’”

Randy Russell, president of the influential lobbying firm
The Russell Group, said that the efforts are already
working.

“You look at the previous farm bills and research has
been at the top of the ‘B’ list for a lot of organizations,”
Russell said in an interview. “I think that’s starting to
change. When you go up and talk to the chair and the
ranking members (of the Senate and House Agriculture
Committees), research is now a much higher priority
for them.”

Part of Russell’s job is meeting with senators,
representatives and their staff, but he also spends time with the farm groups and he says he’s
seeing a real shift in priority there too.

“There is really a renewed interest in ag research – making it a priority in the upcoming farm
bill,” he said.

One of those farm groups that is making research a priority is the National Pork Producers
Council.

118 www.Agri-Pulse.com