MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Rep. Thomas Jackson, D-Thomasville, has filed a bill to establish the Alabama Agricultural Enhancement Program.
House Bill 523 sets up a cost-sharing program between farmers and the state to provide grants for certain sectors of farming, including equipment, structures, herd health and fences.
Jackson said at a press conference Thursday that he filed the bill in response to rising costs for farming equipment and the “devastating” impact of President Donald Trump’s international economic policy.
“The president’s tariffs on steel and aluminum and other materials have increased prices for farming equipment, chemicals and fertilizers,” Jackson said.
Funding for the program would come from a state treasury account funded by appropriations from the Legislature and any other gifts or grants, but there is no dollar amount listed in the bill. Because the bill has not been put on a committee agenda, there is not yet a fiscal note estimating the annual cost of the program.
Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Rick Pate said he’s seen similar programs succeed in Tennessee and Kentucky but questioned how Alabama would fund its program.
“This could tie in nice to some of the things we’re doing, but yeah, the questions will be how it will be funded,” Pate said. “Will they take it out of the General Fund? I just don’t know the answer to that. And I’m not sure they do or if they do, they hadn’t shared it with me.”
When asked about funding the program, House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels, D-Hunstville, said at the press conference that the state has found money for other programs, listing the $250 million proposed for the Choose Act and the $1 billion spent to build a new prison in Elmore County.
“There’s money. We’re flush with cash, and so I think that we have to prioritize where we make the investments,” Daniels said. “And right now, our farming, the backbone of our country, is falling down right in front of us, and we’re doing nothing.”
The bill also sets up a board to manage the program grants. The state’s ag commissioner would serve as chair, and representatives from Alabama’s three land grant schools – Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University, Auburn University and Tuskegee University – and the chair of the State Soil and Water Conservation Committee would serve as members.
Brian Hardin, external affairs department director for the Alabama Farmers Federation, told ADN that ALFA appreciates Jackson bringing the bill.
“The Alabama Agricultural Enhancement Program would create a framework for future investment to support the profitability and sustainability of our farms,” Hardin said in a written statement. “With farmers facing the worst financial crisis since the 1980s, it’s important to explore every opportunity that would help these families stay on their land and equip the next generation for success. HB 523 helps start that conversation by creating a mechanism for targeted cost-share assistance.”
The bill now heads to committee for consideration.