Hinds Today

U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) has raised concerns about the future of specialty crop producers if Congress does not act on a new Farm Bill. During a Senate Agriculture Committee hearing, Hyde-Smith heard testimony from various producers, including Anna Rhinewalt of Sandy Ridge Farms, Inc. in Senatobia, Mississippi.

"Our witnesses, who came from across the country, all expressed the same stark message, namely that having to rely on an outdated Farm Bill is putting their livelihoods and American agriculture at risk," Hyde-Smith stated. She highlighted Rhinewalt's testimony about the critical need for congressional action on issues such as farm safety nets, labor supply, high input costs, and regulatory burdens.

Rhinewalt warned that without changes to the current trajectory, many specialty crop producers could face financial ruin sooner than expected. "If we don’t make changes, I don’t think it will take five years for us to get the answer. It will be far less," she testified.

The hearing also addressed concerns over federally-mandated labor rates and bureaucratic challenges with the H-2A Visa Program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor. This program is crucial for specialty crop producers relying on temporary or seasonal migrant labor.

Hyde-Smith further explored the impact of federal estate taxes on farming operations. She has recently cosponsored legislation aimed at permanently repealing this tax. "The death tax is a massive burden on so many cattle producers and other farm operations," she said.

The senator emphasized that while tax legislation falls outside the committee's jurisdiction, awareness needs to increase regarding its impact on agricultural production.