The draft 2023 Farm Bill, passed by the Republican-led U.S. House Agriculture Committee last week, faces an uphill battle to get approval from enough Democratic senators before the Sept. 30 deadline to extend the 2018 Farm Bill.
The House committee bill would increase support for agricultural programs, but Democrats say they won’t support bill cuts to nutrition or climate programs.
this Real Agriculture Radio In the discussion, Pro Farmer’s DC Policy Analyst Jim Wiesmeyer and RealAgriculture’s Sean Haney will explore the key action items needed to move the 2023 Farm Bill towards completion. They discuss Democratic and Republican negotiations and the pivotal role of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), and highlight the urgent steps needed to overcome legislative hurdles and ensure bipartisan support.
Commodity Credit Corporation at the forefront
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has been a vocal supporter of the CCC and has pushed for its inclusion in the new farm bill, further complicating negotiations as lawmakers on both sides try to find common ground.
Deadlines and extensions
Regarding the possibility of a second extension of the 2018 Farm Bill and the possibility of completing the 2023 Farm Bill by the end of 2024, Wiesmeyer offered a frank assessment, suggesting it is unlikely the bill can be finalized by the end of the year. He noted that Congress’ focus is shifting to the FY 2025 spending bill, making it more likely that an extension of the 2018 Farm Bill will be considered. He noted that the Farm Bill could be taken up in the lame-duck session after November 5.
Action Items and Legislative Hurdles
Passing a new Farm Bill requires several important steps.
- Speaker of the House Mike Johnson’s approval: Johnson’s approval is crucial to getting the bill through the House.
- Democratic support: The bill’s language will likely need to be amended to secure additional Democratic support before it can be voted on by the full House.
- Release of Senate Bill Text: Release of the Senate bill text is essential to demonstrate funding allocation and garner broader support.
- Compromise on CCC Authority: Reaching agreement on limiting the Secretary of Agriculture’s authority over the CCC is an important issue.
- Consider an extension: Lawmakers may need to pass an extension to the farm bill or consider addressing it during the lame-duck session.
Differences between the House and Senate bills
Wiesmeyer detailed potential differences between the House and Senate versions of the farm bill, particularly with regard to food and nutrition and conservation funding. He noted that outgoing Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow may not actually release the full text of the Senate bill, which would allocate billions more for food and nutrition. Stabenow has already released an outline, but Wiesmeyer noted that more financial details will need to be released if the House committee bill is to be brought to the floor for a vote.
Watch Jim Wiesmeyer and Sean Haney discuss the latest developments in farm bill negotiations in the video below.
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