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U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., says he took several actions this week in support of Southern commodities, especially cotton and peanuts, in this year’s Farm Bill reauthorization.
Warnock introduced the Southern CROPS Act, a package of legislation designed to provide Georgia row crop farmers additional financial security, and pushed for higher reference prices for Southeastern commodities than proposed in the Senate's bill.
The Georgia senator is the only Southeastern Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee.
“As we continue to negotiate the Farm Bill, I’ll keep the needs of commodity farmers front and center, including pushing to raise reference prices along with making USDA programs work better and become more accessible," Warnock said.
His proposed Southern Commodities, Rates, Opportunities, Production, and Support (Southern CROPS) Act, includes provisions that Warnock said supports farmers’ profit margins. The legislation would increase farmers’ access to base acres, improve the marketing assistance loan program, and give relief to cotton mills and Georgia cotton farmers.
Warnock also sent a letter to his committee chair calling the Senate Democrats’ proposed 5% reference price increase in the Farm Bill “not enough to ensure Georgia farmers can stay on their land, provide good-paying jobs for our state, and continue to harvest nutritious food for Georgia families.”
“As the only Southeastern Democrat on the Agriculture Committee, I’ve prioritized fighting for Georgia row crop farmers in this year’s Farm Bill,” Warnock said.
Row crops are a major economic driver in Georgia. According to the University of Georgia, row and forage crops contributed $14.9 billion and 60,700 jobs to Georgia in 2022. Additionally, more than half of the country’s peanuts come from Georgia, and Georgia produces the second-most cotton nationally.
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