Thune Bill Would Connect Producers with Effective Conservation Practices

Press Release

U.S. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), members of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today reintroduced the bipartisan Agriculture Innovation Act, legislation that would strengthen agricultural data collection and research to connect farmers and ranchers with the most effective conservative practices. The legislation would also improve the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) secure and confidential data collection procedures for assessing how various conservation and production practices increase crop yield, bolster soil health, and otherwise boost productivity. USDA currently manages and stores valuable producer data, but the data can be better utilized to bolster producers' understanding of which conservation practices help reduce risk and increase profitability.

"South Dakota farmers and ranchers are familiar with the many challenges that accompany their way of life," said Thune. "Among them is measuring the economic value that conservation practices have on production, especially as the agriculture community tries to reduce risk and increase productivity amid global food security concerns. That's why Congress must help producers and trusted researchers -- like land-grant universities -- better utilize USDA's data to more effectively identify the conservation practices that would best improve productivity on farm and ranch operations."

"We need to update the way USDA gathers and analyzes data to make sure this investment is being used effectively," said Keith Alverson, farmer and owner of K2 Farms Inc., Chester, South Dakota. "The Agriculture Innovation Act is an important step in ensuring farmers are equipped with the right tools to feed America, conserve the land, and strengthen our bottom line."

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