Promises Continue on Last Year’s Farm Bill
With your Southeast Regional Ag News, I am Haylie Shipp. This is the Ag Information Network.
House Ag Committee Chair Glenn Thompson says his committee will “without a doubt” mark up a farm bill before Memorial Day on May 27. After repeated delays in the farm bill process, Successful Farming reports that Republicans on the Senate Ag committee plan to release a farm bill framework shortly after the House panel takes action.
However, Senate Ag Chair Debbie Stabenow says the Senate hasn’t set a specific timeline to move the bill. A farm bill is six months overdue. Legislators say they’re working hard to pass a farm bill this year despite impasses on crop subsidies, climate, and SNAP cuts.
“We’ll move on the bill when I know we can get it done,” Stabenow says. “I do see a path to doing that.”
Thompson’s package will reportedly get released before the committee vote and will offer a robust farm safety net that’s strengthened with money drawn from a USDA reserve.
And now we wait – during an election year.
