By Jamie Martin
As Congress nears the end of its session, farmers and agricultural groups are calling for urgent action on a new farm bill. The 2018 Farm Bill expired last year, and its one-year extension has also lapsed.
Despite ongoing discussions, a long-term farm bill seems unlikely this year, with experts predicting another extension.
Aaron Shier of the National Farmers Union said, “I do think it’s much more likely that we get a short-term extension of the 2018 Farm Bill than we get a five-year farm bill done.”
Key programs such as SNAP, crop subsidies, and disaster aid remain critical, but delays in reauthorization create uncertainty for farmers. Proposals for a second extension could include additional support for inflation and disaster-related challenges.
If Congress fails to act, outdated laws from the 1940s would dictate agricultural policies, forcing the government to pay farmers inflated prices for commodities. This scenario could destabilize food markets.
Despite the setbacks, farm groups remain hopeful. Brantley Seifers of the Indiana Farm Bureau emphasized, “If there was a chance to get a new farm bill this Congress, I think we’d jump at that chance.”
Categories: National