What Farmers Want Lawmakers to Understand About Agriculture

Lawmakers are surrounded by agriculture every day, but how much do they understand about it? Legislators’ districts and regions can shape how much they know about agriculture, depending on their constituents and the industries within their districts.

Sometimes lawmakers from urban areas can have misconceptions about farming and the agricultural industry due to a lack of firsthand experience. As an organization at IL Corn, we want to give all legislators the opportunity to see a farm operation.

Here are some common misconceptions that farmers want all policymakers to understand about farming and agriculture.

1.  Inputs are costly and heavily regulated

• Farmers want to grow a bountiful and healthy crop; to do so, they use inputs like pesticides, fertilizer, and herbicides. Farms are generational family businesses, thus farmers are motivated to make decisions that protect their land and water. These inputs are also very costly, so farmers are careful only to use what is needed. In addition, inputs are heavily regulated and need up-to-date application certifications.

2.  Changing farming practices can be costly and time-consuming

• With new technologies rolling out every year, it can seem easy to adopt new practices that help protect the soil and land of the farm. Unfortunately, these technologies are expensive investments and may take years to yield a return. In addition, each acre can have its own needs and specifications, requiring time to determine what is reliable and profitable. Many new practices take years to implement fully – far from an easy overnight change.



3.  Making the most out of every kernel

• Some people claim that ethanol is taking away food from the table, but in reality, technology has advanced over the years. Ethanol plants take the corn kernel and separate the starch, protein, and fiber. The starch is turned into a simple sugar to produce ethanol. The leftover protein and fiber are used to create distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) to feed animals like beef and hogs. One bushel of corn creates approximately 2.8 to 2.9 gallons of ethanol and 15 to 18 pounds of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS).

4. Decisions on the farm are made far in advance

• A crop planted in the spring was likely budgeted for in the previous fall, based on input costs, land rent, and the market that can shift long before the harvest. Farmers are making bets on weather, trade, and policy all at once for an entire year’s worth of profit for their livelihood. One decision can affect the future of the operation.

5.  Markets matter

• Farmers do not want government payments; they want reliable markets to sell their grain. No amount of support payments can fully replace the loss of a reliable customer, like an export market or ethanol plant. The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) is a vital market for corn farmers. Mexico is the number one market for corn, accounting for almost one-third of all exports.  Canada is the number one market for ethanol, accounting for almost one-third of all exports. Many U.S. agriculture exports have Mexico and Canada as their top market.

IL Corn continues to invite lawmakers to farms, as well as provide information on our top priorities. Want to bring your legislator to your farm or have a conversation about farming? Talk to your lawmaker today about your family farm and how certain policies pertain to you by contacting us to connect you with your legislators.

Contact us to connect with your legislator.