Advocating For You
November 15, 2024
Written By Jon Ihler
This summer, MFA Oil Company participated in the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives’ Washington Conference. Chairman Glen Cope, Member Relations Manager Adam Buckallew, and I visited Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., where we met with Midwest House and Senate members and their staff. Our visits had three primary objectives.
First, we were advocating for farmer-owned cooperatives. Co-ops like ours play a crucial role in providing America with abundant, safe, and affordable food, feed, fiber, and fuel. MFA Oil, with its 95-year history, is proud of its deep-rooted heritage. Sharing the story of our history and our role in supplying our farming communities with energy is one of the most gratifying parts of the job.
Second, we sought to support the continuation of the Section 199A tax provision introduced by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Although MFA Oil is not directly affected by Section 199A, it is vital for our member-owners. This provision ensures that small businesses and cooperatives receive benefits similar to those of large multinational companies, which saw their corporate tax rates reduced permanently in 2017. Given the unique risks farmers face, extending these tax provisions is smart economic policy that will reduce uncertainty for producers planning future investments.
The third objective was to advocate for the renewal of the Farm Bill. This bill addresses various aspects of agricultural policy, including commodity programs, conservation, trade, nutrition, and rural development. Typically renewed every five to six years, the Farm Bill significantly impacts farming livelihoods, food production, and rural communities. Farmers and ranchers need the certainty of a new five-year bill to address the current farm economy. With the complexities and political climate affecting the bill’s future, timely updates and critical funding for farms and ranches are essential.
As MFA Oil representatives, we highlighted specific concerns related to the farm economy and their implications for producers in our region. We urged congressional members to address the deteriorating financial conditions among agricultural producers. We are proud to be advocating for you, the tens of thousands of MFA Oil member-owners we represent, and the rural communities we support.