By Ryan Hanrahan
Progressive Farmer’s Chris Clayton reported Monday that “Congress returns this week facing a Dec. 20 deadline to approve a new funding resolution to keep the government operating, as well as potentially pass a disaster package and a farm-bill extension before wrapping up the year.”
“Lawmakers will be negotiating the funding and provisions of a disaster aid package after the White House earlier proposed nearly $100 billion in disaster relief. At least some lawmakers want to include specific provisions to help commodity farmers who may not have been hit by a natural disaster but have experienced price collapses this year,” Clayton reported. “As far as fully funding the federal government, Congress also is mainly looking at another short-term extension, known as a Continuing Resolution, that would avoid a shutdown. But the extension would shift most of the major funding decisions for FY 2025 to the new Congress and President-elect Donald Trump early next year.”
Farm Bill Extension Likely to be Attached to Continuing Resolution
Punchbowl News reported that “the House Republican leadership plans to attach a one-year farm bill extension to the (Continuing Resolution) CR. There’s a chance that the leadership will add the farm bill to the annual defense authorization bill — also a must-pass package this December — but GOP aides and lawmakers seem to be leaning toward coupling it with the CR.”
“The straight one-year extension is a suboptimal result for the House and Senate, given that both chambers have their own agriculture policy proposals,” Punchbowl News reported. “But clearing the legislation will give Trump and the Republicans the opportunity — and challenge — of crafting a farm bill when they have the Washington trifecta next year.”
While a farm bill extension is likely to be attached to a Continuing Resolution, the Republican Governors Association wrote to leadership of both the House and Senate on Monday expressing their concern that a one year extension remains a less desirable option than an updated five-year Bill.
“An outdated Farm Bill—last reauthorized in 2018—has left America’s farmers and ranchers operating under a framework that is no longer viable,” the governors wrote. “Since the expiration of the latest Farm Bill, conditions have dramatically changed; another year-long extension will leave farmers working under an outdated plan as they continue to face evolving challenges in today’s agricultural landscape.”
“Our nation’s agriculture industry is in trouble and if meaningful support is not provided soon, the well-being of the nation is at risk. Reauthorization of a Farm Bill and immediate assistance in the interim will allow farmers and ranchers to do what they do best—provide for America and feed the world,” the governors wrote. “We collectively request that Congress fulfills its obligation to protect and revitalize the agriculture industry before it’s too late. Any delay would directly impact every community in America.”
Passing Farm Bill Likely Won’t be Easier Next Year
The New York Times’ Maya C. Miller reported that “the agriculture and nutrition measure was last updated in 2018 and originally expired two years ago. Farmers fear the Trump administration’s priorities will eclipse theirs next year.”
Representative Glenn Thompson, Republican of Pennsylvania and the chairman of the House Agriculture Committee even “conceded that failing to overhaul farm policy in the waning days of the current Congress could have harmful consequences for farmers, given that they would have to compete for time and resources next year with all the legislative priorities of the Trump administration.”
“‘There’s going to be a lot of competition,’ Mr. Thompson said, adding that it would be ‘a service for President Trump’ to get a ‘good, conservative farm bill done now,'” Miller reported.
Source : illinois.edu