Agriculture

School is back in full swing, and in a few short weeks, summer will turn to fall. It sure went fast, but as I reflect on the month of August I think of the good-hearted, God-fearing, freedom-loving people I had the opportunity to visit with. During the district work period, I traveled throughout our region to discuss our growing economy and how we can ensure a strong and prosperous future… Read more »

Facing an approaching deadline and a major sticking point he 2018 farm bill conference committee had its first public meeting in Washington D.C. on Wednesday. Congressman Jodey Arrington spoke about some of his concerns surrounding farm income, which is expected to fall again this year. "So the safety net to me is the heart of it. We spent 0.26 of 1% of the entire federal budget to get… Read more »

Remarks as delivered: “I think this is as critical a time as ever to get a Farm Bill and get it on time, get it right and make sure the safety net is reliable and effective for our agriculture producers around the country. This is not just about the over 10 million jobs that agriculture creates – it is about national security, it is about food and fiber independence.… Read more »

he 2018 Farm Bill is in conference committee. Nine senators, including majority leader Mitch McConnell and 47 representatives, will hammer out the differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill. Namely whether to include work requirements for SNAP benefits. Lubbock Congressman and Conferee Jodey Arrington said seven million surplus jobs means there's… Read more »

The House-Senate Conference Committee began its efforts to hash out a compromise on the farm bill. Lawmakers from both parties are not optimistic they can work out their differences before the current farm bill expires at the end of the month. North Dakota Democratic Senator Heidi Heitkamp says America's farmers are in crisis "We hear all the time about good economy, guess where it… Read more »

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell pressed farm bill negotiators to finalize an agreement as quickly as possible, but House Republicans used the conference committee’s first formal meeting to continue to press senators to accept tighter work requirements for food stamp recipients. McConnell, who appointed himself to the conference committee, said at Wednesday's meeting that he… Read more »

Now that the House and Senate have passed their respective versions of the Farm Bill, a bipartisan “conference committee” made up of both House and Senate members has been established to work out the differences between the two and send a final version to the president’s desk. I am honored to have been appointed by the Speaker to serve on the Committee and thrilled to work alongside my… Read more »

LUBBOCK – On Wednesday, Congressman Jodey Arrington (TX-19) hosted a “West Texas Rural Summit” with over 70 community leaders from across the region to discuss issues including the opioid epidemic, rural healthcare, and economic development. The summit featured Anne Hazlett, the Assistant to the Secretary for Rural Development at the United States Department of… Read more »

Today, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan appointed Congressman Jodey Arrington (TX-19) to serve on the bicameral, bipartisan conference committee established to resolve the differences between the House and Senate versions of the 2018 Farm Bill. “I am honored Speaker Ryan asked me to serve on such a critical committee for agriculture and rural America. As a representative for the… Read more »

Since the 2014 Farm Bill, historically low prices, high input costs, and unfair trade practices have resulted in an over 50-percent decline in farm income, the steepest drop since the Great Depression. These tough economic conditions have had a devastating effect on producers throughout our region, putting many in jeopardy of going out of business and unable to pass down their family… Read more »