No Rest for the Weary: Ag advisors warn to put pressure on legislators to get the Farm Bill done

Ag groups, lawmakers, and farmers are eager to see action on the Farm Bill. While it likely will not see much movement until later this year, ag advisors say it is important to put pressure on lawmakers.

“There is still hope, and we are witnessing, and we hear this from the leadership in Congress, that they still intend to bring it forward this year,” said Cassandra Kuball, vice president of the Torrey Advisory Group. “They need to stay positive with that, and it’s a way to ensure that we’re still engaging on the Farm Bill. Nothing’s officially done and closed. So, this is a reminder to the ag community that you still need to get out there and talk about the importance of what matters to you with that Farm Bill, despite whether or not it’s taken up this year or gets kicked to next year.”

The Farm Bill is currently running on the second one-year extension of the 2018 legislation, but it could be some time before it makes any big moves. One former Washington insider says a lot is happening right now, directly involving agriculture.

“We’ve got trade tariffs, and we have to deal with the budget deficit, and we have to try to pass a new Farm Bill,” said Randy Russell. ‘We’ve got to try to get new trade agreements. We have immigration issues that obviously affect the impact and the supply of ag labor. There is no rest for the weary in Washington.”

Russell says this all shows how badly we need leadership at the USDA. He is urging senators to quickly confirm Brooke Rollins for U.S. Ag Secretary.

Related Stories
Input costs are top of mind for farmers, as they contribute to higher prices and smaller profits.
The President’s trip to Asia this week follows a trade mission by the Iowa Soybean Association. Farmers say they were reminded that U.S. soybeans have an international reputation that can be easy to take for granted here at home.
The review signals renewed scrutiny of China’s agricultural trade pledges and could reshape farm export opportunities depending on its outcome.
The U.S.-Japan tech pact signals long-term investment in bio-innovation, connectivity, and secure supply chains — all of which can strengthen rural manufacturing, ag exports, and digital infrastructure critical to the next generation of farm productivity.
Export volumes remain positive year-to-date, but weaker soybean loadings and slowing wheat movement hint at early bottlenecks in global demand or river logistics. Farmers should watch basis levels and freight conditions as export competition heats up.
Farmers who rely on H-2A workers will see a few key changes to speed up the process and make it fairer. On the ground, producers say labor issues create shortfalls in otherwise productive harvests.
A fast-moving series of trade signals from the White House and key partners is resetting the near-term outlook for U.S. agriculture.
Stay alert for trade announcements—especially border reopening timelines, tariff threats, and developments in Brazil’s export flows.
Set targets and use forwards, futures, or options to manage downside while preserving room for rallies.