Common Ground Summit Seeks to Preserve America's Food Security

 

Agriculture is not optional. America’s food chain is only as strong as our family farms and ranches. Our livestock industry is better together and must unify with one voice.

 

As dedicated stakeholders in the livestock industry, we call upon our fellow livestock producers and all of agriculture to join us and stand united. The time has come to prove that our industry can and will align to drive meaningful and lasting change, safeguarding the future of America’s agricultural sector, rural communities and our nation’s food independence. 

 

We need your help in giving America’s livestock industry a common voice. Join us as we seek to:

 

Achieve and Maintain Ag-Friendly Tax Policy

• Extend the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act provisions that help agriculture beyond 2025, including:

  • Preservation of federal transfer tax lifetime exemption amounts, indexed for inflation, and

  • Retention of step-up in basis under § 1014, and

  • Return to 100% bonus depreciation under § 168, and

  • Continued expanded application of § 179, and

  • Maintenance of the § 199A qualified business income deduction.

  • Increase the aggregate limit allowed under § 2032A to $30 million, indexed for inflation.

 

Make Risk Management Tools More Effective

• Increase the Livestock Risk Protection subsidy level, and

• Allow Livestock Risk Protection coverage to start the day price risk is assumed, and

• Create or improve mechanisms for industry input and oversight of risk management tools that will make them more attractive to producers.

 

Improve Access to Labor

• Remove the seasonality component from H-2 programs, and

• Create an optimized and efficient process for workers in good standing to return to the same employer year after year, and

• Redefine “agricultural employer” to expand its scope for purposes of H-2A programs to include more employers essential to agricultural production in the United States.

 

Increase Flexibility for Livestock Haulers

• Exempt livestock haulers from Hours-of-Service rules, and

• Permanently exempt livestock haulers from the Electronic Logging Device mandate, and

• Support the state and federal adoption of increased load capacity limits.

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Create Support for Young and Emerging Livestock Producers

• Reform USDA programs to raise limits on guaranteed loan programs, streamline the lending process, and expand eligibility criteria.

• Create tax credits or incentives for leasing or selling land to, and providing capital to, younger or emerging livestock producers, including elimination of capital gains, reduced financing costs, and access to loans.

• Create front-loaded tax relief for buyers purchasing land for use in livestock production.

• Establish programs and educational programming to cultivate interest in young people to pursue careers in livestock production. Incentivize livestock producers and others, including those in academia, business, and government, to mentor young or emerging livestock producers and support new entrants into the industry. Develop technologies targeted at increasing efficiency in livestock production.​

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Committed,