What unites Alabama Ag Credit with the American Woodcock Society? What links Friends of the Chicago River with Georgia Milk Producers? And what bond connects the North Carolina Potato Association with the North American Grouse Partnership?
The answer: frustration, impatience, and the need to push for action.
Nearly 500 agricultural organizations signed a letter urging Congressional leadership to pass a new Farm Bill.
RELATED: Find out who is on the list of more than 500 companies, organizations, and associations that signed a letter urging Congress to pass a 2024 Farm Bill before the year ends. See that here.
These leaders received the letter asking for action, which is already a year overdue.
The overall dysfunction of Congress and unwillingness to compromise on issues in an election year has all but paralyzed progress between the Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives and the Democratic-led U.S. Senate.
The Farm Bill requires much progress as the two major political parties must find a new five-year spending plan for farm, conservation, nutrition, crop insurance, commodities, and conservation programs.
The agricultural leaders’ letter to Congressional leaders said, “Millions of Americans rely daily on the provisions of the farm bill to produce food, fiber and fuel; to feed their families and others around the world; to voluntarily conserve fish and wildlife and their habitat; to provide sustainable solutions for clean air and water; to provide a producer safety net; to facilitate international trade; to create local jobs and robust economies; and to support rural development nationwide.”
The ag leaders shared their fears about what will happen if Congress doesn’t agree on a new Farm Bill before the end of the year. “If Congress does not come together this year to enact a bipartisan farm bill, the legislative process will begin anew in the 119th Congress. Given the significant legislative, and possibly administrative, duties of a new Congress including the seating of new leadership and committees, Senate nominations, and other essential actions during the first months of the 119th Congress, we have concerns that it may not be logistically or politically feasible to advance a new farm bill early in the next Congress.”
The leaders added this push for urgency, “As committed stakeholders and beneficiaries of the farm bill, we cannot continue to wait for updated policies, provisions, initiatives and critical funding that support our collective interests.”
But those leaders followed their push with polite praise. “We have full confidence that under your leadership and with a bipartisan commitment to the American people, you will enact a 2024 farm bill that continues the exemplary track record of innovative and modernized farm and food policy to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow.”
Congress last agreed on a new Farm Bill in 2018. That five-year agreement ended in 2023. But Congressional inaction failed to produce a new Farm Bill. Instead, Congressional leaders stalled. They passed a one-year extension.
That band-aid approach meant everyone impacted by the Farm Bill at least knew what the spending parameters would be for one year. But that wasn’t the five-year plan that stakeholders would prefer.
That one-year extension is set to expire on September 30th. There has been work on a new version with Republicans in the U.S. House opting to spend less money on food assistance programs for lower-income American families and more money on large commodity farmers.
But Democrats in the U.S. Senate would prefer that those two priorities would reverse. They also want to focus on federal efforts to lessen the dangers of climate change.
Lawmakers could still agree on a Farm Bill compromise before the November general election. Although, that seems unlikely as the two major political parties focus on the general election, which is dominated by the high-profile presidential race between Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat, and former president Donald Trump, a Republican.
Congress could pass another one-year extension and yet again delay decisions for another year instead of completing work before voters decide which party deserves to hold the majority in the two chambers. That could be the most plausible scenario considering political circumstances, despite the letter from those 500 ag leaders.
They concluded their push for action with this: “Thank you for considering our request. We look forward to working with you to bring a bipartisan 2024 farm bill to fruition.”
Time is running out for that to happen.
