Farm Bill Goes To Senate; Donnelly Touts Efforts Made To Help Hoosier Farmers

The annual Farm Bill – now on the U.S. Senate floor – adds additional funding to help farmers in response to the Trump administration's international trade wars.

U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) says the bipartisan effort in the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry will help Hoosier farmers combat lower profits.

“We have included additional funding, for the export programs,” Donnelly says.

The extra money will go to the Market Assistance Program and the Foreign Market Development Program to help farmers market their products to possible buyers. The decision to add more financial support comes at a time where corn and soybean prices are taking a hit due to tariff disputes.

“This is a really concerning time for farmers because they still have their mortgage payments; they still have payments for seed, and for fertilizer, and for all of these things,” Donnelly says.

Donnelly says he hopes for debate on the bill to wrap up on the floor later this week.