WASHINGTON — House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson (PA-15) delivered the following opening statement at today's full committee hearing, “Increasing Demand and Opportunities for Homegrown Products Here and Abroad."
Remarks as prepared:
Good morning, everyone. Thank you for joining us today as we discuss some of the agricultural programs, policies, and tools we have at our disposal for enhancing demand of homegrown agricultural products, both here and across the world.
Thank you especially to the expert witnesses joining us today. We look forward to hearing your experiences and perspectives on this vital matter.
Everything we do on this committee is tied to the principle of supporting American producers. I am extremely proud of the work this committee has done over the last few years, and I am grateful for those Members on both sides of the aisle who stepped up on behalf of the American producer.
We passed the largest investment in American agriculture in a generation last summer. We passed a farm bill from the House of Representatives in April, and I look forward to the Senate upholding its end of the bargain soon. We also got the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act signed into law, and the House passed legislation to approve year-round E15 sales.
We have stepped up to the plate when economic assistance is needed, and—most importantly—we have put thoughtful policies in place to build a stronger foundation for the farm economy over the long term. Just next month, producers will begin seeing the modernized commodity payments made possible by last summer’s Working Families Tax Cuts.
Outside of the agriculture title, this legislation also included historic tax savings for producers. Provisions such as estate tax relief, immediate expensing, and capital gains deferral on land transfers are all designed to keep farms in the family and support the next generation of producers.
The House Committee on Agriculture has done its job in the 119th Congress, and I look forward to continuing this work through the end of the year and beyond.
Supporting American producers is inherently linked to the idea of increasing demand — largely because American producers are so good at what they do.
Over the last hundred years, we have seen total farm output in the U.S. triple.
Thanks to innovation, investment, and the hard work of American producers, our country yields far more agricultural products than we could ever consume at home, even in years of lower harvests.
This dramatic increase in supply leaves both producers and lawmakers with different challenges and opportunities that must be addressed.
From a national security perspective, American agricultural abundance is one of the greatest assets we have as a nation. Food security is national security, and the simple fact that our farmers and ranchers more than provide for our citizens is a strength, not a disadvantage. We should all remember that.
Even still, American producers need demand to match this exceptional supply. Our policy tools must advance alongside the innovations that have enabled our producers to create this stunning rise in productivity.
This has been a guiding principle of this committee, and I am proud to see this take shape in the policy we have championed over the last several years.
Last summer, through the passage of the Working Families Tax Cuts, Congress doubled the funding allocated for trade export promotion programs. These are programs that work hard to get American agricultural products on shelves around the world. This was a stated priority of nearly every single Member of this committee, on both sides of the aisle.
This legislation also included increased funding for the Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops program, which helps producers navigate non-tariff trade barriers that threaten the export of U.S. specialty crops.
The bipartisan spirit of funding these programs was carried into the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, which included over 100 bipartisan pieces of legislation within it — many of which are focused on increasing demand for homegrown ag products.
One of these is the Wood Innovation Grants program, which invests in projects producing new and innovative forest products, such as wood pellets and mass timber. When foresters have more flexibility in what products can bring to market, their potential for sustainable revenue growth increases dramatically, both at home and abroad.
Another program we strengthen in the new farm bill is the BioPreferred Program, which works to increase the development, purchase, and use of biobased products, which include everything from biofuels to construction materials to fertilizer. This plays a significant role in expanding markets and creating new revenue streams for American producers.
There are also important policy levers available that fall outside of this committee’s jurisdiction, such as the Grown in America Act and the Buying American Cotton Act, which would use tax incentives to encourage greater use of U.S.-grown grains and cotton in finished products sold to American consumers. While this falls under the jurisdiction of the Ways and Means Committee, I look forward to hearing our witnesses today speak on the potential impact these proposed pieces of legislation would have on American producers.
I am well aware that times are tough in the farm economy today. It is a situation that has been years in the making and farmers are feeling the pain.
While Congress and the Administration have provided some short-term relief, it is important that we do not lose sight of the policies that can provide for a durable long-term recovery.
Again, thank you to each of our witness for taking the time out of your busy schedules to join us and share your perspectives on the critical topic of increasing long-term demand for American producers.
With that, I now yield to Ranking Member Craig for her opening remarks.
