Proposed Gov’t Funding Bills Don’t Include Farm Aid, E15

Progressive Farmer’s Jerry Hagstrom reported that “a package of funding bills assembled by House and Senate appropriators that needs to pass before the end of January does not contain any more aid for farmers despite a push by some lawmakers.”

“That appropriators agreed on the package of bills released Monday is something of a surprise, but Congress seems poised to pass it by Jan. 30, the date the current continuing resolution funding the government expires,” Hagstrom reported. “A vote is expected in the House this week, with a vote in the Senate next week. There had been an expectation Congress would need to pass a continuing resolution for some agencies, which would have provided a way to add farm aid.”

“Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman, R-Ark., and Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman John Hoeven, R-N.D., said last week the $12 billion Farmer Bridge Assistance Program (FBA) the Trump administration announced in December was not enough and Congress should provide more aid in a continuing resolution,” Hagstrom reported. “The lawmakers had talked about adding as much as $15 billion in aid to a legislative package.”

“Hoeven told DTN in an email lawmakers will have to find another way to push for aid,” Hagstrom reported. “‘At this point, it looks like we will pass the appropriations bills without a continuing resolution, so there isn’t a vehicle at this time to include the additional ag disaster assistance,’ Hoeven said. ‘We will continue looking for opportunities to advance this assistance, such as a potential supplemental appropriations bill.'”

“The lack of new funding comes as the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) on Wednesday released an analysis ‘indicating the economic crisis in farm country is likely to continue this year,'” Hagstrom reported. “The analysis shows farmers will enter the 2026-27 crop year facing accumulated losses exceeding $50 billion over the past three crop years. The report also noted USDA’s Economic Research Service projects 2026-27 input costs will increase anywhere from 2.2% to 3.3% across main principal crops.”

Funding Bills Don’t Include Year-Round E15 Sales Either

E&E News’ Andres Picon reported that “House leaders want to vote Thursday on four fiscal 2026 spending bills — without a provision authorizing year-round E15 biofuel sales despite a last-minute push from farm-district Republicans.”

“The likely omission of the biofuel language — a perennial priority for lawmakers from Midwest and Plains states — bodes well for the bipartisan spending bills and Congress’ effort to avoid a shutdown at the end of next week,” Picon reported. “But it represents yet another setback for the biofuel backers and the agriculture lobby, who worked all day Wednesday to try to get the provision into the ‘must-pass’ spending deal.”

🚨NEWS — HOUSE REPULBICAN LEADERSHIP has a deal with the midwestern holdouts who were demanding year-round sale of E15 in funding bill.

The House Republicans will set up a rural energy council — chaired by @RepFeenstra and @RepBice — to dig into E15 issue and negotiate…

— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) January 22, 2026

“‘E15 is one of the most important things for folks back home in Iowa, and we’re gonna make sure it gets done,’ said Republican Rep. Zach Nunn, who introduced the biofuel amendment to the spending package,” Picon reported.

“The House Rules Committee called it quits Wednesday night before deciding what amendments to make in order for floor debate. Conservatives were also demanding votes on some of their priorities. The panel plans to reconvene Thursday morning,” Picon reported. “Even if leaders agree to some amendment votes, the ethanol language is unlikely to be added. It could instead ride on a supplemental funding package the Senate may try to pass later this year, POLITICO reported.”

Where do the Funding Bills Stand?

NBC News’ Sahil Kapur, Kyle Stewart and Scott Wong reported that “so far, the House has passed eight of the 12 required full-year funding bills. Finishing this package would complete the appropriations work for the chamber, four months after the new fiscal year began.”

“The Senate, which returns to Washington next week, just days before the deadline, has passed half of the 12 funding bills,” Kapur, Stewart and Wong reported. “It will require 60 votes to avoid a partial government shutdown affecting the remaining agencies beginning Jan. 31. Republicans have 53 senators.”

“The bipartisan deal released Tuesday also includes a package of health care changes that are largely backed by both parties, including more oversight of pharmacy benefit managers, the middlemen overseeing prescription drug benefits,” Kapur, Stewart and Wong reported. “Unlike the House, where the Republican majority could plausibly carry the contentious DHS bill on its own, the Senate will need Democratic support, requiring 60 votes to pass it.”