Congress Must Not Leave Farmers in a Lurch

Today marks the expiration of the one-year extension of the 2018 farm bill, leaving farmers and ranchers anxious about whether Congress can secure a new, five-year reauthorization. Despite Congress giving themselves a full extra year to craft and pass a new farm bill, inaction remains the status quo in the halls of Congress.

“We are running out of time,” said American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall. “Farmers and ranchers were told lawmakers just needed more time to pass a five-year farm bill, but once again we find ourselves in a lurch without much-needed improvements to safety net and risk management programs. Meanwhile, America has lost 141,000 farms in five years. Low commodity prices, rising supply costs, inflation and outdated farm policy provisions threaten to destroy the dreams of thousands more.

“We applaud House Agriculture Committee Chairman GT Thompson for crafting and moving a bipartisan farm bill through committee. And we appreciate Ranking Member David Scott’s commitment to achieving a full reauthorization of the farm bill instead of passing the buck with another extension. In the Senate, Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow and Ranking Member John Boozman have both released outlines and priorities.

“All of this is forward progress. But America’s farmers and ranchers need results. Food doesn’t appear on grocery store shelves because farmers put ideas on paper. Families in this country can purchase safe, nutritious and affordable food because farmers and ranchers take action every day of the year.

“Actions speak louder than words. I urge members of Congress and party leaders to put politics aside and pass a new, modernized farm bill. Show every family in America that ensuring a full pantry is the priority of those we elected to serve.”

When the farm bill expires, some impacts will be felt immediately, while other consequences will be triggered in the coming months. New enrollment for some critical conservation programs, including the Conservation Reserve Program, will halt, affecting agriculture’s work to meet sustainability goals. When the new year begins, Dairy Margin Coverage payments will cease, and farm safety net programs revert back to outdated 1940s policy that threatens to disrupt markets.

Congress must pass a new, modernized farm bill, but farmers need help now. Until a new bill is enacted, Farm Bureau calls on lawmakers to provide funds for natural disaster and economic assistance to bridge the gap.

Read a Market Intel on the impact of the farm bill expiration here.