Farm income ‘real concern’

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Farm income concerns along with state and federal issues continue to be a focus of Illinois Farm Bureau.

Brian Duncan, a grain and livestock farmer near Polo in Ogle County and IFB president, discussed the many issues facing agriculture during an interview at the Illinois State Fair’s Ag Day.

What are the top concerns IFB is focusing on?

Duncan: I think the thing we talk about that’s kind of overarches everything right now is farm income. We’re very concerned as we continue to read the economic reports coming out of the University of Illinois.

Every farm’s got a little bit of a different economic story but, in general, this year, last year, next year, an awful lot of our members are going to be upside down.

We know the cattle industry is on a roll, and good for them, they deserve it because they had a rough ride before this.

The hog industry, which I’m a part of, is seeing some daylight, but has a big hole to backfill, and row crops, I’m hoping we can find a bottom pretty soon. But farm income is a real concern.

We are grateful for the passage of the ag provisions, that were contained in the budget bill. Those have the potential to be beneficial. We’re grateful of the tax provisions. Those are beneficial.

Is trade an ongoing concern?

Duncan: We are hoping for some significant wins here as trade has become cloudy. Our trade relationships are cloudy. We’re seeing a lot of frameworks announced and that’s good.

That provides a discussion for further deals, but I keep looking to read specific amounts of Illinois commodities or ethanol that are going to be moving into some of these countries, and it just appears we need to get some meat on the bones on some of these deals.

I try to look at things as challenges and opportunities, and a lot of challenges you can turn into an opportunity with the right work, the right connections and the right communication, and that’s what we’re trying to do as an organization.

There are also some trade wins. I met with the Office of Public Liaison at the White House. I talked about easy wins, low-hanging fruit, such as year-round E15, whole milk back in public schools. There are things here.

The “Make America Healthy Again” report creates some interesting challenges and opportunities. Challenges to our science that we rely on, that we want to make sure we’re using sound science, but maybe opportunities for good farm-raised protein to once again be talked about in a positive light.

Our pork or beef, our poultry products, our dairy products, planning their place in schools and in people’s diets. So, again, rising up and meeting the significant needs of farm income.

On the state level, we’re still working hard with stakeholders on getting estate tax relief. That is a battle we are not going to give up on.

We know property taxes have become an increasing concern for our members, and we are not taking that issue lightly either.

Then it’s always watching on both the state and the federal side burdensome regulations that directly impact farm income. It is a full plate.

Fortunately we’ve got a great team at Illinois Farm Bureau, and fortunately we’ve got great members that we rely on to help carry the message to the representatives, to their congressmen.

What are some of the things you’d like to see in the mini farm bill?

Duncan: Security for an interstate commerce. It goes beyond Proposition 12. If that is a not fixed it is a precedent that is dangerous for all of agriculture to allow one state to regulate how Illinois farmers grow their products. It’s a bad precedent.

I hope there’s an opportunity to perhaps discuss some of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program dollars. Some of that funding that was maybe not appropriated that we had farmers counting on.

Again, anything that we can do to talk about incentivizing biofuels, the trade title, there’s a ton yet to discuss. Those are a few of the biggies.

Year after year, there’s talk on Capitol Hill about year-round E15, sustainable aviation fuel and other renewable fuel issues, but no concrete action is taken by Congress. So, what can be done?

Duncan: We went the tax credits to be right, and we think the extension of the 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit is a good step.

And the next-generation biofuels, I think, has a positive story to tell. It takes time to build out infrastructure and we want to make sure the demand is there.

I had U.K. Consul General Richard Hyde at my farm and asked him about the opportunities for sustainable aviation fuel for planes coming from Europe and from the U.K. He says, “We’re all in.”

So, they have to refuel somewhere, right? And we know there’s biofuel producers in this state that are making commitments to produce both renewable fuels from both corn and soybeans and that’s a positive.

We want to make sure that the tax credits and the infrastructure remains something that we can rely on, because something that’s here today and gone tomorrow makes people very hesitant to invest the kind of dollars that are needed.