FARM POLICY

Farm policy should allow producers to receive income from the marketplace while, when necessary, providing an economic safety net to maintain rural economic stability. It should allow cropping flexibility, discourage the buildup of grain stocks, and provide de‐coupled economic assistance. MGGA’s farm policy committee will continue to review and develop options for long‐term ag policy. 

1. MGGA supports Title I programs in concept and principle and also the option to choose which program to be enrolled in. (New 2016)
2. MGGA opposes diversion of commodity title funding to alternate programs.
3. MGGA supports the direct payment in concept and principle. (Renewed 2015)
4. MGGA opposes a farm program pricing mechanism that is market distorting. (New 2011)
5. MGGA supports a reference price for wheat and barley in Title I programs that is equal to or higher than the USDA Economic ResearchService cost of production and equitable among other commodities. (Revised 2023)
6. MGGA supports ARC‐IC in concept and principle. (New 2016)
7. MGGA supports increasing ARC‐IC to an 85% base acre payment rate. (New 2017)
8. MGGA encourages transparency in the barley price discovery for the purposes of Title I programs. (New 2017)
9. MGGA supports the expansion of historic wheat and barley base acres in future Farm Bills. (Revised 2020)
10. MGGA supports including summer fallow in base acre calculations. (New 2017)
11. MGGA supports “actively engaged” definitions that facilitate farm transfer. (New 2009)
12. MGGA supports continued separate person determination regardless of spousal or corporate affiliation.
13. MGGA supports the USDA Beginning Farmer Programs at or above current funding levels. (New 2014)
14. MGGA opposes a farmer‐owned grain reserve.
15. MGGA supports the development of individual risk management accounts. (Retained 2009)
16. MGGA opposes further linking conservation compliance to crop insurance program participation. (Revised 2017)
17. MGGA supports the stated goal of paperwork reduction by NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service). (New 2009) 
18. MGGA supports maintaining the current six classes of wheat. (New 2019)
19. MGGA supports a guest worker program that secures the borders of the US and provides a legal, affordable and stable workforce foragriculture. (New 2013)
20. MGGA encourages the streamlining and development of guest worker and immigration programs. (Revised 2018)
21. MGGA opposes government agencies competing in sales of private agricultural properties. (New 2012)
22. MGGA supports the concept of Department of Natural Resources and Conservation adopting cash leases for all agricultural cropland. (Revised 2019)
23. MGGA recommends Montana’s current livestock “open range” laws be reviewed and updated to fully recognize private property rightsand property ownership responsibility to reflect current times. (New 2015)
24. MGGA endorses creation of a producer certificate of origin valid for a marketing year. (New 2019)
25. MGGA supports legislation that protects agricultural producers against nuisance lawsuits. (New 2018)
26. MGGA supports ‘Right to Farm and Ranch’ legislation. (Revised 2018)
27. MGGA shall enter agricultural private property rights discussions at the discretion of a majority vote of the board of directors. (New 2012)
28. MGGA supports maintaining the worker’s compensation fund as a state program.
29. MGGA opposes congressional designations of Montana National Heritage Areas and any other designations limiting private propertyrights. (New 2020)
30. MGGA opposes increases in commodity loan rates. (New 2020)
31. MGGA supports reinstatement of a 5acre annual allowance for native sod breaking, including a 1-year uninsurable federal crop insurance and record retention period. (New 2020)
32. MGGA supports that in states with average annual precipitation of 20 inches or less, no‐till winter wheat and all fall seeded no‐ till cropsthat are harvested for grain, be considered as cover crops. (New 2021)
33. MGGA supports the inclusion of wheat in all production systems including when used as a cover crop. Wheat plays an integral role incropping systems by providing diversity, carbon capture, durable residue, weed control, soil moisture retention, and water quality benefits. MGGA encourages active management of volunteer wheat as it may carry disease which threatens surrounding wheat acres. (New 2021)
34. MGGA supports the Growing Climate Solutions Act as a means to provide credible information to growers about voluntary ecosystemservice markets and increase farmer engagement in USDA oversight. (New 2021)

35. MGGA supports that USDA should be involved in collaborative efforts to develop a standardized carbon measurement model and/or toolthat includes geographic variability with engagement from Land Grant Universities in the effort. Agriculture Extension programs couldprovide valuable, local information through testing and verification on the carbon measurement approach. (New 2021)
36. MGGA supports a role for Cooperative Extension in assisting farmers in making educated decisions on carbon markets, including but notlimited to contract review and related information. (New 2021)
37. MGGA opposes all environmental social governance mandates. (New 2022)
38. MGGA to support maintaining the farmer elected farm service agency county committee system. (New 2022)
39. MGGA supports the retention of state laws which give priority liens to the parties in grain, seed, fertilizer and pesticide transactions. (New 2022)
40. MGGA supports a rational immigration policy which enables immigrants to become permanent agricultural workers. (New 2023)
41. MGGA supports a standardized flat rate wage in the H-2A program for all farm duties within the U.S. Department of Labor wage scales. (New 2023)
42. MGGA supports the limitation of the business ownership interest reporting to situations in which a non-U.S. citizen holds an ownershipinterest in a registered business entity. (New 2023)
43. MGGA opposes the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) as written in December 2024. (New 2024)
44. MGGA supports all ad-hoc disaster payments being paid on actual planted acres. (New 2024)
45. MGGA supports current irrigation election laws (MCA 85-7-1710) that provide votes for all landowners within the irrigation district. (New 2025)
46. MGGA supports the producer’s one time voluntary expansion of base acres. (New 2025)
47. MGGA supports re‐establishment of lost crop base acres on Conservation Reserve Program acres providing the land goes back intoagricultural production. (Revised 2014) (Moved from Environmental 2025)
48. MGGA supports inserting language in Title I to match language in Title II in regards to undesirable plants imposing penalties within Title I. (New 2025)
49. MGGA supports legislation, rules and procedures that provide for consistency and reliability in government which will allow for long term planning and investment ultimately leading to increased productivity and economic growth within the agricultural sector and rural economies. (New 2025)