Rep. Schrier Named Chair of Farm Bill Task Force

WASHINGTON, DC – Today Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) announced that she has been named the Chair of the New Democrat Coalition’s Farm Bill Task Force. As Chair, Rep. Schrier will be shaping Farm Bill policy and priorities for the almost 100 members of the Coalition.

“I am honored to be named the Chair of this Task Force and look forward to getting right to work on the Farm Bill,” said Rep. Schrier. “I have already been working on several priorities for our region including pushing for funding for specialty crop research and research facilities, improving nutrition programs, and supporting fire suppression and prevention programs. Washington farmers and the agriculture community are facing many challenges right now, including rising costs, supply chain issues, and unpredictable and extreme weather. As the Task Force Chair, I will work to make sure our priorities make it into this year’s Farm Bill.”

The Farm Bill Task Force is one of nine New Democrat Coalition Task Forces this Congress and will convene frequent meetings and roundtables with experts and administration officials, endorse legislation and recommendations for executive actions, and work across the aisle to find bipartisan legislative solutions. The Farm Bill Task Force will have Vice Chairs Jim Costa (CA-21) and Don Davis (NC-01).

Last year, Rep. Schrier held a Farm Bill Listening Session with the House Agriculture Committee in Carnation that was well attended by farmers, producers, nutrition advocates, and firefighters. Next week Rep. Schrier will make an announcement about additional listening sessions to be held in the coming weeks.

Last passed in 2018, the Farm Bill is a package of legislation that authorizes and funds a number of important agricultural, food, and forestry programs over several years. The current Farm Bill is set to expire in September 2023, meaning Congress must take on the reauthorization of existing programs, and update and revise current policy and spending decisions to address new challenges this year. Without the passage of the Farm Bill, programs vital to the agricultural community of Washington would expire, including agricultural research, trade and foreign market access, crop insurance, forestry and conservation programs, and nutrition programs.

Rep. Schrier served on the House Agriculture Committee for the last four years.