Natasha Rankin, MBA, CAE, CEO of the Irrigation Association, Fairfax, Virginia, highlighted the importance of investing in conservation programs and technical assistance for producers at the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture Farm Bill Listening Session at World Ag Expo in Tulare, California, Feb. 14-16.
“Besides boosting farm productivity and profitability, irrigation is critical infrastructure that helps improve global food security, ensure national security, reduce producer risk, promote the economic vitality of rural America and generate value for many related industries,” she says.
Rankin’s remarks were among several from representatives from agriculture, conservation and nutrition organizations at the two-hour listening session, where comments were shared with 10 members of Congress in attendance. Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pennsylvania, chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, hosted the session. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-California, also sat on the listening panel.
Irrigation is critical infrastructure that improves global food security, ensures national security, reduces producer risk, promotes the economic vitality of rural America and generates value for related industries, says Rankin.
“Voluntary, incentive-based conservation programs such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program are integral to promoting producer adoption of efficient irrigation,” she says. “We support increased investments in these critical programs, as well as programmatic changes that would help increase the number of farmers who could use these programs for vital irrigation projects.”
She also showed support for investments in education, research and technical assistance programs to improve adoption among producers of best practices involving water use. Some of those smart irrigation options require the availability of dependable, high-speed internet.
“Closing the digital divide is vital to food and water security and will ensure that farmers can use the tools they need to improve efficiency,” says Rankin.
The current farm bill is set to expire in September 2023.
Read more about the farm bill.
