House Ag Committee Chair GT Thompson is not giving up his fight for re-purposing money from the Inflation Reduction Act to help pay for the next Farm Bill.
He says the money can be used for a variety of priorities on both sides.
“These ideas have been applauded and demonized, but I will not relent, and I will not fail our rural communities, many of whom have suffered insurmountable loss due to variables beyond their control. These funding opportunities would not only fine tune the farm safety net, but increase the farm bill’s baseline, through the reinvestment in bipartisan priorities across other titles, including conservation, research, and nutrition.”
But Democrats are also standing firm as they want to keep IRA funds in place and are not budging on their priorities, like SNAP.
“We also must build on the success of the conservation programs funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, empowering farmers to adopt practices that are good for the environment and their bottom lines. The farm bill must fight food insecurity by ensuring every household in America, our children, our grandparents, and our disabled and veterans have access to food,” said Don Davis.
Democrats on the Committee say there is strong demand for programs, like PACE, New ERA, and SNAP.
Lawmakers have until next September to finish the Farm Bill and get it passed.
