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
Kevin Charleston with Specialty Risk Insurance joined us Tuesday to share his perspective on farm safety and risk management during fall harvest.
U.S. produce growers face a structural disadvantage—cheaper imports driving down prices while rising labor costs squeeze margins. Without new policies or technology, profitability remains uncertain.
China is making strategic moves by purchasing more soybeans from Argentina and may soon follow the EU and reopen its market to Brazilian chicken exports.
Farmers should watch for soybean export rebounds with harvest, while corn and wheat shipments remain strong and sorghum demand struggles.
Rollins says the new trade relationship with Taiwan, which is committed to buying a significant amount of U.S. soy, could not come at a better time for farmers facing financial strain.
The three-point plan was announced during remarks at the annual meeting of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture.
Higher tariffs may shield some U.S. crops but risk retaliation, lost markets, and higher costs for growers. The WTO disputes highlight the fragile balance between trade policy, farm exports, and input supply chains.
USMEF CEO Dan Halstrom joined us on Monday’s Market Day Report for his analysis on the U.S.-Taiwan trade agreement, which includes big bucks for U.S. Beef.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

UMN Extension’s Emily Krekelberg outlines today’s top farm stressors, key signs of mental health distress in rural communities, and the resources available for support.
National Pork Board Chief Sustainability Officer Jamie Burr shares a closer look at the Pork Checkoff’s Pork Cares Farm Impact Report, a research program to increase trust in the pork supply chain.
Brooks York with Agrisompo joined us on Monday’s Market Day Report with some guidance on how producers can navigate their crop insurance claims for unsold grain crops.
For many farm businesses, property taxes on business assets have become a significant and highly visible expense, threatening liquidity, discouraging investment, and creating a disproportionate burden when compared to other industries.
Ethanol markets remain mixed — weaker production and blend rates are being partially balanced by stronger exports as winter demand patterns take shape.
Tariff relief may soften grocery prices, but it also intensifies competition for U.S. fruit, vegetable, and beef producers as cheaper imports regain market share.