WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD-TV) — Lawmakers are looking to advance the farm bill before the congressional session ends, with agricultural groups urging Congress to address key priorities before time runs out.
Year-round E15 sales are included in the Senate farm bill text, but the legislation remains under debate. The American Coalition for Ethanol has written to Senate leadership, urging lawmakers to secure the provision’s passage.
American Coalition for Ethanol CEO Brian Jennings says consumers continue to face high fuel costs and points to E15 as a proven solution. Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters this week that he would like to find a way to get the farm bill passed, but acknowledged that time is limited.
The National Farmers Union is also calling on Congress to address other agricultural concerns before the end of the year.
The group says lawmakers need to act on issues farmers raised during the midterm elections. President Rob Larew pointed to high fuel, fertilizer and seed costs, along with tight profit margins.
Larew says farmers have waited too long for a new farm bill and wants Congress to strengthen the farm safety net. He says those priorities will carry into the next Congress.
The National Association of Wheat Growers is urging Congress to approve additional economic and disaster payments and take steps to lower input costs before the end of the year.
The group says high production costs and inflation continue to threaten family farms, emphasizing the need for greater certainty, access to open markets and long-term solutions.
The National Corn Growers Association is raising similar concerns, calling on lawmakers to focus on agricultural policy during the lame-duck session rather than political distractions.
The group says passing a farm bill and securing year-round E15 sales are critical priorities, warning that farmers cannot afford further delays.
Former House Agriculture Committee Chair Collin Peterson sees the recent election as an opportunity to restore bipartisan cooperation on farm policy.
Peterson served 15 terms in Congress and twice chaired the committee under three different presidents.
He told Agri-Pulse that agricultural policy cannot work effectively under the control of just one party, noting farmers’ frustration with political division and uncertainty.
