Farm Bill
The Senate kicked off quietly as the House steals the spotlight to start 2025. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) plans to pass individual appropriations bills and a farm bill as well as focus on regular order and extended floor debates.
“The work on Capitol Hill is not finished,” says ARA president and CEO Daren Coppock.
The CR includes nearly $110 billion in disaster and farmer aid, which includes $10 billion in farmer aid and $21 billion ag disaster aid. $2 billion of that disaster aid is specifically for livestock producers. The measure also includes a one-year extension of the 2018 Farm Bill.
The same week Congress released the proposed CR that included $31 billion in aid for producers, a Farm Journal poll asked farmers for their thoughts on whether Congress should pass economic aid.
The stopgap deal to avoid a government shutdown includes $10 billion in direct payments for farmers, $21 bllion in ag disaster aid, a one-year extension of the 2018 farm bill and year-round E15.
The House of Representatives released its Continuing Resolution text, which includes a one-year extension of the 2018 farm bill, $10 billion in farmer economic aid, $21 billion in ag disaster funding for 2023 and 2024 and year-round E15 sales.
Agricultural groups said over the weekend they do not support year-end spending package sans economic aid for ag producers.
While it’s unclear how Congress will push through the Farm Assistance and Revenue Mitigation Act, it’s likely going to be via the Continuing Resolution. Depending on how payments are calculated, farmers could receive $101 per acre for corn, $53 for soybeans and $73 for wheat.
Farm CPA Paul Neiffer says the Senate Farm Bill text includes some big differences compared to the House bill especially when it comes to ARC and PLC programs and modernizing reference prices.
Senate Ag Chair Debbie Stabenow finally released the full text of the Senate farm bill on Monday, but it’s already drawing intense criticism. Even usually optimistic House Ag Chair GT Thompson signaled it’s time to focus on a 2018 farm bill extension by year’s end.
The Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act, which builds on the proposal Stabenow released in May, includes $39 billion in new resources “to keep farmers farming, families fed and rural communities strong.”
Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) wins Majority Leader race. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) was eliminated on the first ballot. And Thune beat Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) 29-24 on the second ballot.
The October Monthly Monitor reflects cautious optimism in certain areas of agriculture, marked by export strengths and potential price recoveries, but shadowed by long-term rebuilding challenges, weather dependencies and the impact of the upcoming election.
When ag equipment manufacturers start shedding union line workers, shuttering plants and shifting factories to Mexico, and there’s a glut of used equipment covering dealer lots, you know the tide is quickly turning.
Some long-time Washington contacts still give the odds of a farm bill this year at only 15%.
Time is running short for Congress to come together to address the farm bill in a bipartisan way, says U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.
John Newton, former Senate Ag Committee economist and now executive head at Terrain, highlights three priorities and a timeframe for a final farm bill.
There is uncertainty about the Farm Bill’s progress due to potential changes in the political landscape. One thing is certain: farmers need a new Farm Bill.
FAPRI Updates Ag Baseline Projections, Painting a More Negative Picture for Soybean Prices Than USDA
In the absence of new shocks to the weather, the macroeconomy or policy, FAPRI projects prices will generally remain near current levels over the next five years.
House Ag Committee Chair GT Thompson (R-Pa.) believes the CBO’s methodology underestimates the potential savings criticized them for what he sees as a history of underestimating Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) outlays.
With the farm bill still in limbo, we must take initiative as an industry to make our voice heard.
Testimony at House Ag hearing Tuesday captured the downturn and anxiety in the ag sector.
This group’s story may have totally upended how business is done in our nation’s capital and in almost every industry across the entire nation, including agriculture.
As the country gets ready for the first presidential debate of the 2024 race, Tyne Morgan and Clinton Griffiths invited D.C. insider Jim Wiesemeyer on Unscripted, their new podcast, to discuss what he’s hearing.
From differences within Title I of the new farm bill to possible ways both the Senate and House Ag Committee are working to find more funds, U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack spoke one-on-one with AgriTalk this week.
Farm Journal survey shows more than two-thirds of U.S. farmers and ranchers believe conservation funding is important to build farms’ resilience, address the effects of climate change.
ARA president and CEO Daren Coppock says the organization is encouraged by the positive momentum toward a new Farm Bill.
On May 23, the House Agriculture Committee passed a 2024 farm bill on a largely party line vote. Due to cuts made to programs valued by Democratic members, prospects for moving to a successful floor vote are unclear.
Paul Neiffer reviews the important updates to the new Farm Bill proposals from the House Ag Committee.
The farm bill finally saw some movement in Washington last month, but the Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor found most economists don’t think it will be passed this year, with some even saying it could be as late as 2026.