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April 19, 2026 @ 2:14 am
Hi, I had three comments.
Regarding the implications of aid to farms mainly going to larger commodity farms, I noticed a similar trend in the tax code where the operating expenses for farms only apply after the farm’s crops become profitable for a certain amount of years. Farmers who are not yet profitable are considered hobby farmers, and their expenses are not tax deductible. Newer farmers, as a consequence, have great difficulty accessing the tax benefits associated with farms. Is there an intention by the government to support farming insofar that it is an economic activity and not as a lifestyle?
One of the speakers mentioned that a disproportionate number of servicemen come from rural communities. There are a number of tax and other public incentives for individuals to sign up for the armed forces, many of which involve participation in urban communities: VA home loans, the GI Bill, the CalVet Tuition Fee Waiver for veterans with a disability rating and their dependents. What types of programs would or could incentivize veterans to return to their rural communities after retiring from the military?
What, in your opinion, makes it difficult for lawmakers to tailor their bills to the needs of rural communities? There hasn’t been a new “Farm Bill” since the 2018 Farm Bill that was extended to 2025. The SNAP and Medicaid cuts of the current administration look like they’re aimed more toward urban constituencies with rural farmers as unintended but acceptable collateral damage. The benefits to commodity farms seem like they were bargained for by financial interests rather than rural residents. Is there a way for small, rural landowners to organize for their interests to be heard in the federal government, or would it be better for rural communities to attach themselves to a larger interest group?