Lawmakers Consider Farm Aid as Farm Bill Remains Stalled

By Ryan Hanrahan

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 and the Agricultural Business Council of Kansas City, said he spoke to Senate Ag Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., about the possibility of a year-end aid package last week,” Brasher reported. “‘She’s looking for a path forward that would deliver agricultural aid assistance to farmers in a more timely fashion than just altering the current provisions of Title One. So, I think there’s hope on the horizon,’ Moran said.”

“Moran told reporters the temporary support would take the form of direct assistance to producers being affected by the downturn in commodity markets,” Brasher reported. “The aid package wouldn’t modify commodity program provisions such as reference prices.”

Progressive Farmer’s Chris Clayton reported that “Moran told more than 250 people at the forum that he has been a critic of Senate Agriculture Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and her handling of the farm bill this year. But Moran said he had a ‘moment of optimism’ when he spoke to Stabenow last week on the Senate floor. Moran said Stabenow is recognizing the financial situation for farmers is ‘dire,’ and farmers can’t wait for Congress to reach an agreement on a five-year farm bill. ‘We cannot afford to wait past the end of the year,’ Moran said.”

“Along with potentially boosting commodity programs, Moran said Stabenow is looking for a way to accelerate payments. Right now, payments for the Title I Agricultural Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs are always a year after harvest. Any ARC or PLC payments in October, for instance, will be based on last year’s harvested crop,” Clayton reported.

“Beyond his conversations with Stabenow, Moran said his agricultural staff also suggest ‘this sentiment is also developing on the House side,'” Clayton reported. “Moran said House members he has spoken to are either looking at a full farm-bill extension or a shorter-term extension along with added assistance for commodity producers. …The senator also credited the various farm groups who came to Washington last week and lobbied lawmakers on the farm bill. The National Farmers Union, National Pork Producer Council and supporters of biofuel groups were among the farm groups in Washington, D.C., last week lobbying Congress. NPPC, for instance, had 130 members in D.C.”

Two Year Farm Bill Extension In Play?

The Hagstrom Report’s Jerry Hagstrom reported Monday that “in a memo to fellow Democrats on the House Agriculture Committee this week, Rep. David Scott, D-Ga., the ranking member on the committee, said he is trying to work with House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., the ranking member on the Senate Agriculture Committee, to pass a five-year farm bill this year.”

“But Scott also said some of the farmers he met with this week ‘want us to consider doing a two-year ad hoc package that would bolster the safety net for 2024 and 2025 crop years,'” Hagstrom reported. “He did not say which farmers proposed the two-year extension.”