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.
Alan Bjerga with the National Milk Producers Federation joined us to review new policies and regulations supporting the dairy industry and what they mean for the year ahead.
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