NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RFD-TV) — With a partial federal shutdown still in effect, Congress has a short runway to protect agriculture before year-end.
According to the latest calendars, the House has 36 working days left in 2025, and the Senate has 39 days — time that must cover reopening the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and resolving the Farm Bill to prevent a New Year shock to markets and county services.
Lawmakers’ Top To-Do’s for Agriculture:
- Reopen the USDA: Pass the Ag–FDA spending bill (or a continuing resolution) so that FSA/NRCS field offices can process loans and program sign-ups; meat and poultry inspections remain fully supported; and WIC/SNAP avoids strain from stop-start funding.
- Farm Bill or extension by Jan. 1: Without action, policy reverts to Permanent Law (1938/1949 parity rules). That would trigger the “dairy cliff”—government purchases that drive milk prices sharply higher—and raise parity supports for crops like corn, wheat, and cotton until a new bill passes.
- Protect at-risk programs: Crop insurance will continue under permanent authority, and many IRA conservation dollars will remain available through 2031. However, rural development, trade promotion, research, specialty crops, and energy authorities are vulnerable without reauthorization.
On the ground, county USDA services are slow, program deadlines become murky, lenders face planning uncertainty, and markets could see policy-driven volatility if Congress fails to reach a deal by January.
The simplest near-term path is a funding patch to reopen agencies while Farm Bill negotiators hammer out either a full bill or a clean extension.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Plan for uneven USDA service until funding is restored, and closely monitor Farm Bill talks, as avoiding Permanent Law before January 1 is the single biggest risk to markets and milk prices.
The Farm Bureau urges trade enforcement, biofuel growth, fair input pricing, and pro-farmer policy reforms to restore long-term certainty.
November 05, 2025 11:41 AM
·
A SCOTUS ruling on Trump’s tariffs could have long-term implications on the authority of future administrations to control U.S. trade policy, according to RFD-TV legal expert Roger McEowen.
November 05, 2025 11:08 AM
·
The Sheinbaum–Rollins meeting signals progress, but the focus remains on fully containing screwworm before cross-border movement resumes.
November 05, 2025 10:18 AM
·
November 04, 2025 02:44 PM
Livestock profits are propping up overall sentiment, but crop producers remain cautious amid tight margins and uncertain policy signals.
November 04, 2025 01:45 PM
·
RaboResearch says China’s pivot from mass production to innovation-driven growth could reshape global pesticide supply chains — and influence prices and product access for U.S. farmers in the coming years.
November 04, 2025 01:20 PM
·
Recent U.S.–China trade developments provided a small lift for soy markets, though most traders are waiting for concrete purchase data before making major moves.
November 04, 2025 12:34 PM
·
Expect modest relief on several produce lines, mixed protein trends into holiday buying, and softer veg-oil costs — a good week to sharpen forward buys selectively.
November 04, 2025 11:29 AM
·
According to Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins, the top three soy-crushing companies in Bangladesh agreed to buy $1 billion worth of U.S. soybeans over the next year.
November 04, 2025 11:17 AM
·
