Ranking Member Bishop Statement at the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request Hearing for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s FPAC Mission Area

Congressman Sanford Bishop (D-GA-2), Ranking Member of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, delivered the following remarks at the Subcommittee's fiscal year 2025 budget request hearing for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s FPAC Mission Area:

Good afternoon and I want to thank each of the witnesses for being with us today and thank you for your public service.

Under Secretary Bonnie has almost as much time at USDA as Secretary Vilsack.

Chief Cosby started his career as an intern at NRCS and has served there for more than 40 years.

FSA Administrator Ducheneaux has been administrator since the beginning of the administration, on top of his work at the Intertribal Agriculture Council.

And RMA Administrator Bunger, you have 25 years of experience with FSA, which means you know, first-hand, the importance of crop insurance to producers.

So, I am thrilled to see you all here and I want to make sure my colleagues are aware of some of the very impressive achievements in your mission area in 2023.

You’ve had some tremendous successes:

You cut the FSA loan application from 10 loan-related forms totaling 29 pages to a single form totaling 13 pages, dramatically reducing the time it takes to apply for a loan.

NRCS has a new expedited application process called ACT NOW, used by the agency to immediately approve and obligate funds for the major conservation programs, such as CSP and EQIP.You have overseen tremendous growth in livestock insurance participation.

To date, you have provided assistance to 42,000 producers who were behind on their FSA loans from the 22006 program that last year’s House bill would have slashed.

You administered a record $207 billion in crop insurance in 2023.

This is extraordinary. I congratulate you for a job well done.

So, thank you for being here today.

I look forward to your testimony, and – Mr. Chairman – I yield back.