WSA Advocates for Farmers' Future in D.C.

By Blake Jackson

Farm advocates face numerous pressing issues, from trade wars and biofuel concerns to the extension of tax cuts and defending scientific integrity. The Wisconsin Soybean Association (WSA) recently traveled to Washington, D.C., to tackle these challenges head-on, prioritizing policies that impact Wisconsin agriculture.

Don Lutz, a member of the American Soybean Association (ASA), emphasized the importance of defending seed oils amid concerns raised by the recently formed Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission. While Congress was in recess, WSA representatives met with congressional staffers to make their case, highlighting the critical issues faced by farmers in the state.

“Every issue we discussed is very important to Wisconsin agriculture,” said Lutz, who farms in Scandinavia, “but I felt it was necessary to push back on junk science about seed oils.” He was joined by key figures from the WSA, including ASA Executive Committee member Tanner Johnson and WSA President Doug Rebout.

The WSA visit also featured special guests like Jacob and Joyce Kaderly, who won ASA’s 2024 Conservation Legacy Awards, and Wisconsin farmer Andy Bensend, a past award winner. Bensend’s expertise, especially in shipping and transportation, proved valuable during meetings with legislative staff.

Wisconsin produces about $1.3 billion in soybeans annually, most of which are exported to China, Canada, and Mexico. However, trade wars, such as the 2018-19 trade dispute, have left long-lasting impacts on the agricultural economy, with soybeans taking the hardest hit.

“The longer this goes on, the more uncertainty it creates and the greater the damage we’ll see to the farm economy,” said Rebout.

In March, a new roadblock emerged in U.S. trade policy, proposing that U.S. exporters use a fleet of U.S.-built and U.S.-flagged vessels, which could increase costs for farmers. Lutz hopes these issues, along with the overdue Farm Bill, will be addressed during future visits to Capitol Hill.

“Some of these issues are going to end up being resolved fairly quickly when they finally hit the table, but at this point, nobody knows where the tariffs and everything else are going to end up,” said Lutz. “We just always need to be there and make sure if something’s not going our way, to see if we can’t convince them otherwise.”

Photo Credit: istock-ds70.