Ag Retailers Frustrated With Farm Bill Delays

With each farm bill delay, agricultural retailers are voicing frustration over the uncertainty it creates. Agricultural Retailers Association Vice President Richard Gupton said agriculture needs lawmakers to act. “Kicking it down one more year is really not an option for the industry. It’s created too much uncertainty and for financial planning and making sure they have a proper safety net, they need to get it done this year.”  Gupton also called for regulatory stability, especially around pesticide policy. He said the association wants decision-making to remain with EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs and state lead agencies. “We’ve also tried to get other measures in there related to regulatory relief, common-sense things related to pesticide policy, making sure the decision-making stays at EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs and the state lead agency, making sure that the labels are uniform. If you saw what happened in California with the glyphosate issue and all the litigation, they tried to use science inconsistent with the EPA’s determinations. We want to make sure that doesn’t take place.”