By Scout Nelson
The future of sweeping legislation that establishes food and farm policy for the next five years is currently uncertain, as lawmakers delay action following the recent election cycle. The latest deadline for the farm bill passed on September 30 without any movement from Congress to either pass a new bill or extend the existing one.
As Congress prepares for a lame-duck session beginning November 12, there is an urgent need for agreement on the farm bill before benefits expire at the end of the year. This legislation, which began 90 years ago, has evolved to impact various areas beyond farming, including wildlife habitat creation, climate change mitigation, and the nation’s largest federal nutrition program.
The farm bill is more than a year overdue, with the bipartisan coalition that historically supported it now in disarray. Every five years, Congress must pass a new federal farm bill, and the previous one from 2018 expired a year ago. To buy time, lawmakers extended the law to September 30, 2024.
Farmers are growing increasingly anxious as they face declining prices for crops and rising costs for essential inputs. Most key programs have funding through the end of the calendar year, but once the new crop year begins in January, they may revert to outdated policies from the 1938 and 1949 farm bills, which are misaligned with modern practices and could cost taxpayers billions, according to a Congressional Research Service analysis.
Disagreements between Democrats and Republicans center around funding and limitations on nutrition and climate programs. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack expressed frustration, stating that discussions often feel repetitive. He urged lawmakers to be practical, saying, “If they want to pass the farm bill, they’ve got to get practical.”
The Republican-led committee's proposal was largely partisan, with Democrats accusing the process of lacking bipartisan collaboration. As Congress faces the dual challenge of the farm bill and appropriations, agriculture leaders are calling for prioritization. A letter from 140 Republican House members urged leadership to prioritize the farm bill, citing rising costs that put farmers in a difficult position.
One key issue is the funding calculation for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which Democrats argue could limit support for low-income families. Vilsack emphasized the need for lawmakers to either accept funding constraints or find additional revenue sources, such as tax code adjustments.
While the Senate Agriculture Committee has yet to publicly address the bill, staff members are reportedly meeting weekly to discuss potential paths forward, indicating ongoing efforts to resolve the stalemate before it's too late.
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Categories: South Dakota, General, Government & Policy