Tennessee Representative David Kustoff (R-TN-08) joined a group of his Republican colleagues Wednesday in introducing H.R. 8069, the Reducing Farm Input Costs and Barriers to Domestic Production Act.
As outlined in a press release by Kustoff’s office, the legislation “requires the Biden Administration to stop using regulatory barriers to limit agriculture production and to provide immediate relief to farmers.”
Ag is the backbone of W TN's economy. It's time @JoeBiden allow our farmers to produce food, fuel, & fiber w/out unnecessary regulations. I joined @HouseAgGOP @CongressmanGT to introduce H.R. 8069. This bill would provide much-needed certainty to farmers.https://t.co/65kJew9DqP
— Rep. David Kustoff (@RepDavidKustoff) June 15, 2022
“Since President Biden took office, West Tennessee farmers have voiced their concerns to me about the regulatory hurdles and increased operating costs caused by this administration’s destructive policies,” Kustoff said in a statement. “Under President Biden, the price of the most common fertilizers are up 142 percent, and diesel fuel is up 115 percent. On top of skyrocketing costs, this administration is currently using the EPA and the SEC to create regulatory burdens family farms cannot overcome. The agriculture community is the backbone of West Tennessee’s economy. It is time for this administration to allow our farmers to produce food, fuel, and fiber without unnecessary costs and regulations.”
The Reducing Farm Input Costs and Barriers to Domestic Production Act “provides immediate solutions to address rising input costs and strengthen the role American agriculture plays in global food stability” according to House Agriculture Committee Republicans.
Specifically, the bill:
- Provides relief from EPA’s unprecedented actions related to crop protection tools
- Offers clarity related to WOTUS regulations
- Rescinds the SEC’s harmful proposed rule on climate-related disclosures
- Reinstates the 2020 NEPA streamlining
- Requires an economic analysis on the costs and benefits of GIPSA rules
The admin's nonsensical regulatory & policy actions have created needless uncertainty for farmers, ranchers, & working families.@CongressmanGT's Reducing Farm Input Costs & Barriers to Domestic Production Act provides commonsense solutions to @POTUS' self-inflicted crises. pic.twitter.com/plthC7gutR
— House Ag GOP (@HouseAgGOP) June 15, 2022
The legislation was introduced by House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Glenn Thompson and has more than 20 original co-sponsors. H.R. 8069 follows a letter sent by Representative Thompson and 95 other Republicans to President Biden, writing that he “has neglected to take serious action to increase American production,” and by doing so, has limited “American farmers’ ability to meet global food demand.”
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
