FARM BILL
The legislative journey of the farm bill
THE JOURNEY OF THE FARM BILL
Understand the legislation’s current obstacles and potential paths to the president’s desk.
BY NATHAN BOWEN AND LUKE REYNOLDS C
ongress is in the process of considering reauthorization of the farm bill, an essential five-year omnibus bill that governs a vast array of agricultural, conservation and food programs in the United States. With the 2018 Farm
Bill extended until Sept. 30, 2024, a new bill has faced a complex journey through the legislative process from committee approvals to presidential signature. Each stage in this journey is crucial for shaping policies that impact farm safety net programs, conservation efforts and nutrition assistance. The outcome will have significant impact on the tools producers have available for risk management, precision technology and technical and financial assistance for conservation. As policymakers plot the path forward, the stakes are high for farmers, consumers and the broader agricultural industry.
Learn more about the farm bill: 34 Irrigation TODAY | Summer 2024
House committee action Glenn Thompson, R-Pennsylvania, House Committee on Agriculture chairman, introduced his proposed legislation, which was subsequently passed out of committee on May 23, by a vote of 29 Republicans and four Democrats voting yes and 21 Democrats voting no. This marks a key step toward an enacted farm bill and sets the foundation for the bill’s journey through Congress. Thompson’s proposal includes provisions that would streamline the Technical Service Provider program, integrate precision ag technology into the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, and authorize $350 million a year for the ReConnect Rural Broadbrand Program. Notably, the House bill would remove the climate sideboards from conservation funding that was included in the Inflation Reduction Act.
House floor debate and vote House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, must decide when and if to bring the bill to the House floor. Thompson has indicated he hopes the bill could be considered by the House in September. With a narrow majority of 217-213 and challenges from their right flank, Republican leadership has struggled this year to move a number of pieces of major legislation across the House floor. Any bill that passes the House will almost certainly need to garner bipartisan support. In 2018, 44 Republicans voted no on the final passage of the conference agreement. With a bloc of House Republicans unlikely to support a farm bill this year, a key question impacting the likelihood of a bill this year will be how many Democrats will be needed to ensure passage.
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