Jahana Hayes

I appreciated the way that he used his time in today's hearing.

This hearing of the Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations entitled, A 2022 Review of the Farm Bill: Title XII--Department Operations and Outreach, will come to order.

Ensuring that Congress properly funds, supports, and oversees USDA operations so that the Department operates effectively... is critical to maintaining the American food supply.

Today's testimony will be critical as we craft the 2023 Farm Bill.

I appreciate you both taking the time to be here and offer your expertise.

Our producers use ecofriendly practices like cover crops to run their small, diversified farms.

I truly appreciate your interest pertaining to the barriers to entry for young, beginning, and small (YBS) farmers.

How can Congress reduce barriers for underrepresented farmers--for young, BIPOC, minorities farmers.

The best way to achieve greater participation of small farmers in Federal conservation incentive programs, is to make more resources available across the board to farmers of all size for environmental protection and climate-smart…

Thank you for asking how USDA programs, particularly those providing climate and environmental stewardship incentives, can be scaled appropriately so that smaller sized and underserved farmers can participate freely.

Oklahoma is a good example of a state that operated a mandatory E&T program.

Several states provide E&T services through their community college networks.

I am happy to give you more information on that.

The positive impacts of SNAP have been particularly felt during the pandemic and are continuing to grow.

This hearing is one in a series of hearings to review the 2018 Farm Bill and prepare for the 2023 Farm Bill.

I want to shift my line of questioning because like you, I was in the classroom when Sandy Hook happened.

I am concerned that removing intermediaries from the equation could create an opening for fraud and abuse.

As a legislator, I realize that we cannot put our head in the sand and not evolve as markets are evolving.

Thank you, Chairman Behnam, for being here today. My questions for you today are going to focus on the Commodity Futures Trading Commission's Whistleblower Programs.

OIG's findings show that, under the Trump Administration, USDA regressed in terms of the timeliness of its civil rights complaint processing.

However, as we know, USDA has a long history of race- and gender-based discrimination.

I appreciate you taking time out of your schedules to provide us with your expertise.

We have lost our farms and ranchers forever. They will not ever get an opportunity to come back.

Connecticut's Fifth District is a hotbed of sustainable livestock farming.

We need an equal playing field so that those of us that are using grazing practices can be rewarded by the consumers.