Republicans will hold the majority share of Washington come next year, leaving some to believe the Farm Bill could be on the road to a faster passage.
However, as Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley points out, there are still several roadblocks.
“I would expect it’ll be easier to get a farm bill, but we’ll still have a terrible fight with Democrats giving up any money on food stamps.”
The Nutrition Title has been a major partisan sticking point for some time, but most lawmakers agree the Farm Bill likely will not see any action until the next Congress. Even then, the Farm Bureau says that is just the first step in getting farmers the support they need.
“A new and updated farm bill needs to be a priority, but it’s not likely enough to help farmers who’ve been experiencing multiple years of losses at this point, unless Congress gets creative. Economic disaster relief and a catch-up in natural disaster relief also need to be on the table,” said Betty Resnick.
Resnick says farmers need help now, citing natural disasters going back two years. Cotton growers know that struggle well, and they are pleading with Congress to take action during the lame duck session.
“So if you look at kind of what’s at play here, if they don’t get a farm bill done by the end of this year when this congress expires, then that will get punted into a new year. Any protections that or, say plussed up in that farm bill would not be realized until well into 2026, and so it is time to get the work done,” said Kevin Brinkley.
If the Farm Bill does have to wait until next year, the Farm Act could bridge that gap. The newly filed legislation would give farmers payments based off losses on eligible acres. Sponsors say the $20 billion legislation could give farmers some much-needed support, but others say the price tag makes it unlikely to pass.
