Farm Bill
Paul Neiffer reviews the important updates to the new Farm Bill proposals from the House Ag Committee.
The farm bill finally saw some movement in Washington last month, but the Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor found most economists don’t think it will be passed this year, with some even saying it could be as late as 2026.
The House Ag Committee on Thursday will mark up the House farm bill. House Ag Chair GT Thompson told AgriTalk the panel will have the votes to clear the panel, but he has yet to receive any firm Democratic support.
APHIS bolsters animal health protections with more than $22 million in farm bill funding for research projects and vaccine bank.
An extension of the current farm bill is now a reality. House and Senate Agriculture Committee leaders were able to extend the current legislation as a possible government shutdown looms.
Political unrest, a healthy ag economy and the start of an election year. These are all reasons economists in the October Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor think it could 2025 before Congress passes a new farm bill.
Work by the House or Senate Agriculture Committee on a new farm bill is essentially stalled, Randy Russell tells AgriTalk’s Chip Flory. Russell says that could be the case until government funding issues are resolved.
With the government funding in place for now, work on a new farm bill can continue, with the same questions (timing, funding, Title 1 reform, etc.) still being unanswered.
Farm Bill discussions and debates don’t pack as much drama for producers. According to JohnPhipps, there’s an unspoken realization that the Farm Bill doesn’t have the same influence on the farm economy it once did.
Big moves in Washington in 2023 could impact your farm.
House Ag Committee Chairman G.T. Thompson, along with other members, is seeking additional funding sources for the bill, but that will likely be the biggest farm bill hurdle that may trip up lawmakers.
The majority of ag economists don’t expect a farm bill to be written by the upcoming deadline, but a few think it could happen by the end of the year, according to the most recent Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor.
Dr. Carl Zulauf of Ohio State University, via a FarmDoc Daily article, proposes merging General CRP and Continuous CRP into a Site Specific CRP.
Erik Lichtenberg, University of Maryland professor, says Congress could reorient farm bill conservation funds for climate change, but it could cut into their support.
While Sen. McConnell says the budget has little give, Sen. Boozeman has consistently said he will not support a farm bill that doesn’t provide an increase in the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) program’s reference prices.
The anti-farmer movement now underway by fringe extremist groups is not pro-animal. It is extremism promoting regressive policies that will chip away at America’s historically stable -- and affordable -- food supply.
It’s not as simple as you might think. House Ag Chair G.T. Thompson shares a rundown of the funding and extension processes. He says the ag committees need to find new dollars to expand the farm bill budget.
National enrollment in ag and related science majors at two-year institutions grew 41% in Fall 2021. The Community College Ag Advancement Act aims to give these students more industry opportunities.
Senate Ag Chair Debbie Stabenow, (D-Mich.) says there will be no new funding for the 2023 farm bill. However, Stabenow stressed she will not allow a cut in conservation funding.
The Senate and House Ag committees are facing delays in drafting the next farm bill, and it is expected to be the most expensive farm bill to date, clocking in at around $1.5 trillion.
“We don’t need to rewrite the entire farm bill,” Rep. Thompson (R-Pa.) says. “We’re comfortable with many parts of the 2018 bill and there aren’t many tweaks, instead things we need to protect and invest in.”
Rep. Thompson signaled he wants to hear “commitment from everyone, including the president, that we will get this done and in the manner I’ve been speaking about. Bipartisan, bicameral, on time and highly effective.’”
More than 75% of the farm bill is reserved for nutrition and SNAP. Congressmembers are looking to tighten the reins on SNAP benefits that “cost taxpayers billions and contribute to the nation’s obesity,” says Sen. Rubio.
Lenders In the hearing seemed to agree on a boost to lending limits in USDA guaranteed loans as lawmakers ready for the next farm bill.
Congress’s ag committees on Monday received a letter, urging them to prioritize ag research infrastructure in the farm bill. According to a report, universities need a $50 billion ag research infrastructure overhaul.
“A commitment to additional financial resources for the farm bill will help to transition our farm and food supplies away from ad hoc support,” the Committee members said in a letter.
A study released by Farm Bureau finds 86% of Americans are concerned about food insecurity, but their trust in farmers remains high at 89%.
We need to know the final funding level in the debt limit debate before there are can be any attempt to mix and match farm bill titles and funds.
“The prioritization of resource concerns must be left to the local level where producers decide how they can best address their unique and varied landscapes and needs,” said Sen. John Boozman.
SNAP, which historically receives the greatest amount of farm bill funding, will see an 82% increase of a quarter-trillion-dollars.