Ag industry leaders and important government figures are saying changes in the OBBBA should help farmers economic situation, but they’re beginning to acknowledge that they may not be enough — or may not come soon enough — to make enough of an impact for farmers. At events this past week, both Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, addressed the potential need for additional federal assistance for farmers.
Farm Bill
Lawmakers ‘in the very early stage’ of Skinny Farm Bill Discussions
A farm bill battle is brewing for the fall when a set of key agriculture programs that GOP leaders neglected in their massive reconciliation package will expire. Rep. Angie Craig, ranking member on the House Agriculture Committee, says lawmakers are “in the very early stage” of talks on the bill’s contents.
Ag Legislators Look Ahead to “Skinny” Farm Bill this Fall
After clearing their agriculture megabill hurdle, Republicans are looking to pass a smaller farm bill that includes some key policies that haven’t been updated since the last farm bill was passed in 2018.
Congress Passes Megabill with Significant Farm Program Funding
House GOP leaders overcame Republican objections to Senate provisions on SNAP, rural hospitals and other issues to clear President Donald Trump’s massive spending and tax package, including a historic infusion of new farm program funding.
House Ag Budget Plan Tightens SNAP, Expands Farm Safety Net
Agri-Pulse’s Philip Brasher and Rebekah Alvey reported that “House Republicans are proposing to cut $290 billion from nutrition assistance spending over the next 10 years and use some of the savings to increase spending on commodity programs, crop insurance and other farm bill programs.” “The draft text released Monday evening for the House Agriculture Committee’s […]
Lawmakers Send More Signals Farm Bill Uncertain This Year
Politico’s Grace Yarrow and Marcia Brown reported Wednesday that Republican “lawmakers are currently weighing whether to put Biden-era conservation programs into their party-line megabill that might have otherwise been included in their separate reauthorization of federal farm programs, according to three people granted anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.” Yarrow and Brown reported that the possibility […]
Thompson Says House Ag Budget Cuts Probably Less Than $230 Billion
E&E News’ Marc Heller reported Tuesday that “House Agriculture Chair Glenn Thompson said Tuesday that the spending cuts his panel is expected to make toward a budget reconciliation deal next week will probably be less than predicted.” “Speaking to an annual gathering of agriculture reporters at the Capitol, Thompson, a Pennsylvania Republican, said he thinks […]
House Ag Republicans Eyeing Early May For Spending Cuts
Politico’s Meredith Lee Hill reported that “House Republicans are eyeing May 8 for the Agriculture Committee to advance its portion of the mega bill to enact President Donald Trump’s vast domestic agenda, according to two people granted anonymity to share private scheduling details.” “This target date, while weeks away, is still an ambitious timeline as […]
New Farm Bill Top of Mind as 119th Congress Begins
American Ag Network’s Jesse Allen reported Thursday that Sam Kieffer, Vice President of Public Policy for the American Farm Bureau Federation, said that “once the new Congress is sworn in (today) on January 3, they’ve got to get to work right away. ‘They need to get back to the business of doing a Farm Bill.’” […]
Ag Market Aid Talks Reach Stalemate in Congress
Agri-Pulse’s Philip Brasher reported over the weekend that “negotiations over a package of market relief assistance for farmers reached an impasse Saturday after Democratic leaders rejected the latest GOP proposal, and several major farm groups called on lawmakers to oppose a stopgap spending bill if the economic aid is omitted.” “The Republican proposal failed to […]
Market Aid in Jeopardy During Farm Bill Extension Talks
Progressive Farmer’s Chris Clayton reported that “nearly $10 billion in immediate economic aid to farmers could be lost because House Republican leaders oppose how Democrats came up with the money for the aid.“ “Staff for Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., the retiring chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, found a way to move the conservation dollars […]
Farm Bill Extension Likely as GOP Rejects Stabenow’s Bill
Politico’s Meredith Lee Hill and Olivia Beavers reported Tuesday that “House Republicans confirmed during their closed-door conference meeting Tuesday morning that GOP lawmakers are rejecting Senate Ag Chair Debbie Stabenow’s last minute farm bill push and will instead plan to pass a one-year extension of the massive bill by Dec. 31.” “During the Tuesday meeting, House […]
Stabenow Releases Lame-Duck Farm Bill Text
Agri-Pulse’s Philip Brasher reported Monday morning that “Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., released the text of her draft farm bill on Monday with just weeks remaining in this Congress and more than five months after releasing a detailed summary of the proposal.” “The 1,397-page bill would limit President-elect Donald Trump’s use of the […]
Lame Duck Farm Bill Passage Won’t Be Easy, Analysts Say
Successful Farming’s Chuck Abbott reported recently that “the lame-duck session of Congress offers a last chance to enact the new farm bill this year, but it would require compromise on a number of nettlesome policy disputes and an agreement among House and Senate leaders on how much to spend, said farm policy experts. The bill […]
2018 Farm Bill Extension Expires — What Does That Mean?
“The Farm Bill is kaput,” reported Food Safety News’ Dan Flynn. “Congress has failed to extend or replace the 2018 Farm Bill by the Sept. 30 deadline, meaning it has expired,” Flynn reported. “Officially known as the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, the 2018 farm bill is the most recent omnibus farm bill. It contained […]
Lawmakers Push for Post-Election Farm Bill
FERN’s Ag Insider reported this past week that “six of every 10 House Republicans signed a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson asking for a floor vote on the new farm bill during the lame-duck session of Congress, arguing that the legislation is a ‘must-pass item.’ The letter was released on Thursday, a day after House Democratic […]
Farm Bill Discussions Continue, Though Same Issues Remain
Agri-Pulse’s Philip Brasher and Rebekah Alvey reported Sunday that “top staff from the House and Senate Ag committees continue their private talks this week on a possible new farm bill, while lawmakers prepare to approve a stopgap spending deal announced Sunday to keep the government funded until Dec. 20.” “The continuing resolution includes an extension […]
Lawmakers Consider Farm Aid as Farm Bill Remains Stalled
Agri-Pulse’s Philip Brasher reported Monday that “a senior Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee said Monday lawmakers are considering attaching a package of farm income support to a farm bill extension that could be enacted at the end of the year.” “Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran, speaking at the annual Ag Outlook Forum presented by Agri-Pulse […]
Final 2024 Farm Bill Push Underway on Capitol Hill
Agri-Pulse’s Philip Brasher reported this past weekend that “farmers who grow the crops being hammered the hardest by commodity market declines are hitting Capitol Hill this week, accompanied by ag bankers and Farm Credit lenders, to make a last-ditch push for a new farm bill.” “In an unusual lobbying move, teams of farmers representing the […]
Cost Estimate Says House Farm Bill Will Raise Deficit
Agri-Pulse’s Philip Brasher reported this past week that “the House Agriculture Committee’s farm bill would boost the federal budget deficit by $33 billion over 10 years, according to an official cost estimate released Friday by the Congressional Budget Office, which refused to change its stance on a budget offset intended to fund changes to commodity […]