National Council of Farmer Cooperatives

We're thrilled to welcome Haley Bryand to NCFC as our summer intern!

Haley is pursuing a B.S. in Animal Science with a minor in Legal Foundations at Texas A&M University, where she serves as a Student Ambassador for the Department of Animal Science and as a representative on the Texas A&M University - College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Student Council.

She brings real-world policy experience to the role, including a Government Relations internship with the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, where she developed policy summaries, coordinated legislative engagement, and supported political action committee activities. Haley is also a member of TSCRA and the American Bar Association, and holds both a Texas Property & Casualty Insurance License and Beef and Pork Quality Assurance Certification.

We're looking forward to a great summer with Haley’s help telling the story of America's farmer cooperatives on the Hill and beyond!

Please join us in welcoming Haley to the team! 🌾

Congratulations to Beth Ford, President & CEO of our member Land O'Lakes, Inc., on being named No. 13 on Fortune 's 2025 Most Powerful Women in Business list, recognizing her leadership in elevating the economic challenges facing American agriculture to a national business and policy priority.

The recognition comes alongside a new Wall Street Journal profile exploring Ford's urgent push to sound the alarm on the state of American farming.

Congratulations, Beth! We're proud to call Land O'Lakes a fellow member of NCFC.

View the Wall Street Journal here:

Beth Ford Wants You to Know That American Farmers Are in Crisis From food insecurity to severe labor shortages, the agricultural sector is reeling. Land O’Lakes CEO Beth Ford says it’s time for America to wake up and take action.

This past week, we celebrated Justin Darisse, Vice President of Strategy and External Affairs, for 25 years of service to NCFC and the cooperative community through leadership in advocacy, communications, and public policy.

Over the past 25 years, Justin has contributed to many major milestones at NCFC, including work across five farm bill cycles, the “Farmer Co-ops: Providing for America” public relations campaign during the DOJ-USDA Competition Hearings, and NCFC’s efforts to preserve Section 199A.

Throughout his tenure, Justin has traveled to 33 states on behalf of NCFC, worked under four NCFC CEOs, collaborated with 15 NCFC chairmen, and occupied five different offices at NCFC headquarters.

Justin’s dedication to America’s farmer cooperatives and rural communities has left a lasting impact on our organization and industry. Please join us in celebrating this remarkable milestone!

🌱 Big news! NCFC welcomes Danielle Griffin as our new Communications Manager, starting today. Danielle brings seven years of experience in strategic communications — including at the Veterans Health Administration and the Georgia Symphony Orchestra — and holds graduate and undergraduate degrees in communications from Kennesaw State University. We're thrilled to have her on board as we launch our new strategic plan and work to amplify the voice of America's farmer cooperatives. Welcome, Danielle! 👋

America’s farmer cooperatives help millions of producers market their crops, access supplies, and compete in today’s global agricultural economy.

Last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act included several tax provisions that support farmer co-ops and the producers who own them.

Among the key provisions:

🌾 Permanent Section 199A Small Business Deduction – Special provisions under Section 199A give farmer co-ops the ability to take advantage of the Section 199A(g) deduction. In a recent survey of NCFC members, we found that they are generating $2 billion in deductions each year, of which 95% are passed on to their farmer-owners.

🚜 100% Bonus Depreciation – Allows farms and cooperatives to immediately deduct the cost of qualifying equipment and investments.

🔧 Expanded Section 179 Deduction – Increases the amount farms and small businesses can expense when purchasing equipment.

These policies help ensure farmer cooperatives can continue investing in their operations, returning value to their members, and strengthening rural communities across the country.

NCFC Statement on House Farm Bill Markup
“Completion of the House Agriculture Committee’s farm bill markup is an important step toward delivering the certainty and stability America’s farmers and their co-ops need. With producers facing a challenging farm economy and continued market volatility, a new farm bill is long overdue." Read the full statement at

Statement from NCFC President & CEO Duane Simpson on House Agriculture Committee Farm Bill Markup - NCFC Washington, D.C. (March 4, 2026)–“Completion of the House Agriculture Committee’s farm bill markup is an important step toward delivering the certainty and stability America’s farmers and their co-ops need. With producers facing a challenging farm economy and continued market volatility, a n...

The House Agriculture Committee has begun markup of a new farm bill.

In a time of tight margins, rising input costs, and global uncertainty, farmers and their cooperatives need predictability. The farm bill plays a central role in ensuring producers have access to effective safety net programs, risk management tools, and rural infrastructure investments.

NCFC looks forward to working with members of Congress to strengthen provisions important to farmer cooperatives as the bill advances.

Watch along with NCFC at

Full Committee Markup: Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 | House Agriculture Committee

The House Agriculture Committee is expected to begin marking up a new farm bill tomorrow at 5PM ET.

This legislation provides the foundation for America’s farm and food policy—from risk management tools and conservation programs to rural development and nutrition programs. For farmer cooperatives, a strong farm bill means greater certainty in a challenging farm economy and a more stable environment for the producers they serve.

We’ll be following the markup closely and engaging with lawmakers throughout the process. View the markup on the House Ag Committee web site:

Full Committee Markup: Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026 | House Agriculture Committee

America’s farmers and cooperatives are facing another tough year. USDA projects record-high input costs in 2026 for major crops including corn, soybeans, wheat, sorghum, cotton, rice, and peanuts — continuing the financial squeeze producers have felt for years.

Following the Supreme Court’s ruling striking down the IEEPA tariffs, NCFC President & CEO Duane Simpson is urging the Administration to exempt key agricultural inputs from the newly announced temporary 10% tariffs imposed under other authorities.

Recent relief on certain fertilizer tariffs showed that targeted action can make a difference. Now is the time to build on that progress — lower input costs, restore certainty in supply chains, and strengthen the global competitiveness of U.S. agriculture.

Read the full statement:

Statement from NCFC President & CEO Duane Simpson on Supreme Court Ruling on IEEPA Tariffs - NCFC Washington, D.C. (February 20, 2026)—”America’s farmers and cooperatives are operating in one of the most challenging farm economies in years, and USDA forecasts point to another difficult season ahead for row crop producers. According to USDA’s Economic Research Service, input costs are exp...