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FEDERALhearing transcript

Hearing on the Future of Small Family Farms

Original title: THE FUTURE OF AMERICA'S SMALL FAMILY FARMS

January 1, 2017

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The Frame

What this does

This hearing serves as a formal record of the economic conditions and policy challenges facing small family farms, which account for 93% of U.S. farms and contribute to a $45 billion agricultural .

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Small family farmers

The economic viability and policy environment for these businesses are the primary subjects of the subcommittee's review.

Agricultural trade organizations

Groups like the National Cattlemen's Beef Association and the Iowa Farm Bureau provided testimony regarding industry conditions.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2017.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

The House on Agriculture, Energy, and Trade held a hearing on March 23, 2017, to discuss the economic status and challenges facing small family farms in the United States. The session featured testimony from agricultural experts and farm owners regarding the role of small farms in the national economy and food supply.

Key Facts

  • 93% of all farms in the United States are classified as small family farms.
  • 41% of all land in the United States is utilized for farming.
  • The U.S. agricultural sector maintains a $45 billion trade surplus.
  • Small family farms account for nearly 60% of direct-to-consumer sales, such as farm stands and farmers' markets.
  • The hearing was held on March 23, 2017, in the Rayburn House Office Building.
  • The subcommittee identified historically low food prices as a factor impacting the financial viability of small family farms.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of this hearing?
The hearing was convened to examine the economic role, current challenges, and future outlook for small family farms in the United States.
Who testified at the hearing?
Witnesses included Dr. John D. Lawrence (Iowa State University), Tim White (TA White Farm LLC), Sarah Rickelman (Degener-Juhl Farms), and Chuck Conner (National Council of Farmer Cooperatives).

Why It Matters

This hearing serves as a formal record of the economic conditions and policy challenges facing small family farms, which account for 93% of U.S. farms and contribute to a $45 billion agricultural .

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Lobbying Activity

AARP

$4,110,000

2026

HEALTH ISSUESMEDICARE/MEDICAIDLAW ENFORCEMENT/CRIME/CRIMINAL JUSTICEPHARMACY

P.L. 119-21, One Big Beautiful Bill Act H.R. 8867, Planning for Long-term Aging Needs (PLAN) Act H.R. 5861, Legacy Act of 2025 H.R. 9393, the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act. H.R. 9396, the Prior Authorization Accountability Act. S. 4916, the Aging with Artificial Intelligence Act. H.R. 8100, Safe Staffing Saves Lives Act. S. 3886, Nurses Belong in Nursing Homes Act. H.R. 6766/S. 3492, the Essential Caregivers Act of 2025. H.R. 7966/S. 4118, Hospice Care Accountability, Reform, and Enforcement (Hospice CARE) Act. S. 2120, the Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2025 H.R. 5575, the Firefighters Assisting Seniors to Emergency Response (FASTER) Act of 2025. H.R. 3954/S. 4641, Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act. H.R.5554/S.2831, Stand Strong for Medicare Act. S. 3439/H.R. 6735, Connecting Caregivers to Medicare Act and efforts related to the bill S. 1227/H.R. 2491, Alleviating Barriers for Caregivers Act S. 668/H.R. 3183, Supporting Access to Falls Education and Prevention and Strengthening Training Efforts and Promoting Safety Initiatives (SAFE STEPS) for Veterans Act of 2025 CMS-1851-P, Hospice Proposed rule. CMS-1843-P, Skilled Nursing Facility Proposed rule. CMS-1844-P, Home Health Proposed rule. No bill number. Health care transparency. No bill number. Discussed use of artificial intelligence and health data technology. No bill number. Discussed health-related policies and activities around the fall respiratory virus season. No bill number. Discussed health insurance affordability proposals. No bill number. Discussed Nursing Home staffing standards, safety, and quality. No bill number. Discussed Nursing home transparency and ownership requirements. No bill number. Discussed home health, hospice, and long-term care. No bill number. Discussed falls prevention. No bill number. Discussed social isolation. No bill number. Discussed HUD Assisted Living Requirements No bill number. Discussed family caregiving. No bill number. Discussed AARP paper on Medicare Caregiver Training Services. No bill number. Discussed Medicaid community engagement interim final rule, including the family caregiver exemption. No bill number. Discussed the paid direct care workforce in long-term care. No bill number. Discussed the unaffordability of long-term care. No bill number. Discussed Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration Program and Medicaid HCBS spousal impoverishment protections. No bill number. Discussed Medicaid fraud and family caregivers, Medicaid self-direction programs. No bill number. Discussed sandwich generation family caregiver hearing and submitted a statement for the record discussing family caregivers and sandwich generation caregivers, programs that support them, AARP caregiving resources, and federal policies to support sandwich generation caregivers and caregivers more broadly. No bill number. Discussed long-term care. No bill number. CMS-2453-NC; Medicaid Program; 2028 Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Quality Measure Set Submitted comments No bill number. Discussed expanding access to home care. No bill number. Discussed the increasing cost of home care No bill number. Discussed HSA use for telehealth chronic care management services/subscriptions. No bill number. Discussed artificial intelligence and technology

Sponsors

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Focus on Direct-to-Consumer Sales

The hearing highlights a shift in focus toward the economic impact of direct-to-consumer sales, which now account for 60% of small farm revenue.

Connected Entities

personChuck ConnerPresident & CEO of National Council of Farmer CooperativesMap →
personSarah RickelmanManager of Degener-Juhl Farms, representing Iowa Farm BureauMap →
organizationCommittee on Small BusinessHouse of Representatives committee overseeing the hearingMap →
personJohn D. LawrenceAssociate Dean and Director for Extension and Outreach, Iowa State UniversityMap →
personRod BlumChairman of the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Energy, and TradeMap →
personTim WhiteOwner of TA White Farm LLC, representing National Cattlemen's Beef AssociationMap →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance40
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy10
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz5
    Current news / social attention level

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