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Shining Light on Farm & Food Policy for 20 Years.
Thursday, January 23, 2025
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson said Thursday that he now hopes to move a new farm bill by March. Meanwhile, his staff has started briefing farm organizations and other groups this week on possible sources of funding that face resistance from Democrats.
Congress is staring at a possible government shutdown next weekend as House GOP leaders try to win passage of a stopgap spending bill that’s combined with a one-year extension of the 2018 farm bill.
Lawmakers look to finish work on some fiscal 2024 appropriations bills important to agriculture this week, as newly elected House Speaker Mike Johnson and other congressional leaders face a looming deadline for keeping the government open amid deep partisan divides over spending.
Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow expects to have $4 billion to $5 billion in new funding available to address issues with commodity programs and expand crop insurance options, she said in an exclusive interview with Agri-Pulse.
The chaos among House Republicans isn’t the only hurdle facing a new farm bill. Senate Republican Whip John Thune, R-S.D., says the Senate Ag Committee remains divided over key issues, including what to do about the major commodity programs.
Work requirements remain in play in the debt ceiling negotiations between the White House and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. It’s still not clear which program might be affected, but President Biden has once again signaled that he might go along with some changes.
Leaders of the House and Senate Agriculture committees met for more than an hour at the White House Thursday evening with President Joe Biden and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to discuss enacting a new farm bill.
The top Democrat on the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee is defending Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack's usage of the Commodity Credit Corp. account and says Congress should "absolutely not" impose new restrictions.
The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program is funding 10-year awards for farmer-driven grants and grassroots education programs at five universities.
Senate Republican Whip John Thune sees expanding work requirements in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program as a way to cut the cost of the nutrition title in a new farm bill.