Op-Ed
The “Fabulous Farm Babe" warns of a crisis if U.S. Farm Policy reverts to 1940s regulations and talks ag technology with Matenaer on Air
By Teri BarrThe “Fabulous Farm Babe” warns of a crisis if U.S. Farm Policy reverts to 1940s regulations and talks ag technology with Matenaer on Air
Pam Jahnke, affectionately known as the “Fabulous Farm Babe,” shares why urgent action is needed on the delayed farm bill with Jane Matenaer and Greg Bach on the Matenaer on Air show. She also reveals some of the most discussed farm-related issues during a whirlwind week at the World Dairy Expo in Madison. One of the hottest current topics is how the industry can best use technology.
“Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to transform dairy farming, even measuring every cow’s footsteps,” Jahnke explains. “Technology can now help farmers track health, behavior, and even guide animals around the barn. It fascinates me, and it gets more impressive every year.”
The (Farm) Bill’s provisions extend beyond agriculture, impacting social programs like school lunches and SNAP benefits.
Pam Jahnke
Jahnke tells Matenaer and Bach there’s also growing concern about a delay in passing the Farm Bill. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack came to the expo in part to discuss what could happen if it remains stalled.
LISTEN to the complete interview here:
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“If the bill isn’t passed by January, U.S. farm policy will revert to outdated regulations from the 1940s,” Jahnke says. “That would be catastrophic and not just for farmers. But for all of us. The bill’s provisions extend beyond agriculture, impacting social programs like school lunches and SNAP benefits.”
Jahnke urges listeners to contact their representatives and push for bipartisan action to pass the Farm Bill.
“The future of agriculture and food security depends on it,” Jahnke says.