WASHINGTON – Rep. Brad Finstad, R-1st District, slammed Rep. Angie Craig, D-2nd District, during a marathon meeting of the House Agriculture Committee this week, saying the Democrat was playing politics with farm policy because she is running for a U.S. Senate seat.
“The fact is we have a ranking member who is running for higher office who is ignoring the fact that her fingerprints are on a lot of things in (the legislation,)” Finstad said. “Now she is running away from that. This is political theater and it’s unfortunate it’s crept into a committee hearing where we have a really good product.”
The purpose of the House Agriculture Committee meeting was to consider amendments to a new GOP-crafted farm bill and vote the legislation out of committee so it could be considered by the full House.
But Craig, the top Democrat on the Agriculture Committee, panned the bill for failing to reverse some of the “big, beautiful” bill’s restrictions on the food stamp program and because of her opposition to other provisions.
“This was not a bipartisan effort,” she said.
Craig, who is running for retiring Sen. Tina Smith’s seat, also condemned Republicans on panel who backed President Donald Trump’s tariff policy, which she said has been ruinous for the nation’s farmers.
Despite Craig’s misgivings, the farm bill was voted out of committee. It focuses largely on policy issues because last year’s “big, beautiful” reconciliation bill funded the farm subsidies, crop insurance and other programs that are normally found in a 5-year farm bill.
Craig criticized that process. saying what was left for Democrats to consider was a “skinny farm bill” that was grossly flawed.
“This bill does not lower input costs or stabilize our export markets. It does not help make food more affordable,” Craig said. “And it is going to have challenges getting broad bipartisan support on the floor.”
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Craig said the bill was improved with the adoption of several Democratic amendments, but still “did not meet the moment.” She said she hoped he Senate would produce a better bill and that negotiations over a final bill would result in a farm bill she could support.
Finstad, meanwhile, followed up his comments during the hearing with a post on X.
“Our job is to govern, to be the adults in the room and figure out ways to come together to deliver meaningful ag policy for Minnesotans,” Finstad said. “It’s unfortunate that Ranking Member Craig is more concerned with political theatrics than supporting what’s good for farmers, families, and the American people.”
The GOP farm bill would bar states or localities from requiring pesticide labels to carry health warnings and limit their use if those restrictions go beyond those of the federal government.
Republicans on the panel argued that farmers in their state need to use the weed killer glyphosate – which has been tied to cancer – to keep crop yields high and enable those farmers to meet the nation’s food demands.
The bill would also prevent states like California from continuing to ban the import of pork and poultry from animals that are not raised under humane conditions. The farm bill says states can establish regulations within their own borders but cannot impose conditions on farmers from other states.
Minnesota Farm Bureau President Dan Glessing said that “80 percent of (farm bill) spending was pretty much done” in last summer’s reconciliation bill. But he also said the new farm bill would fund important rural development and conservation programs that were not included in last year’s bill.
“It would address a lot of concerns,” Glessing said of the “skinny” farm bill. “It’s time to get it done.”
The last five-year farm bill was approved by Congress in 2018 and has been extended several times since lawmakers have been unable to agree on farm policy.
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