WASHINGTON, D.C. – Continued frustration over a delayed new Farm Bill was voiced on social media last week, as one of many comments on X declared that America’s farmers aren’t a political football.
The post from the House Agriculture Committee went on to say, “They’re the backbone of our nation. They feed, clothe, and fuel us every day. Food security is national security.”
As of press time, a government shutdown is looming unless the end-of-year spending package, known as the continuing resolution (CR) can be negotiated by Republicans and Democrats and successfully passed. It has stalled due to disagreements between the two major political parties about what should be in the measure and at what cost.
At stake for rural America is about $31 billion, which includes economic and disaster assistance to help farmers and ranchers, said a press release posted on the Oklahoma Farm Report website. In addition, if the supplemental package isn’t passed, there will be no extension to the 2018 Farm Bill. The measure expired in September after a one-year extension of the law was voted on and approved in September 2023.
“The world has changed dramatically since the 2018 Farm Bill,” Senate Ag Republicans posted on X. “That’s why producers have been calling on senators to put more farm in the Farm Bill.”
In June, the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry called for a framework that would modernize the farm safety net, facilitate the expansion of access to overseas markets, foster breakthroughs in agricultural research and grow the rural communities that farmers, ranchers and foresters call home.
The proposal also called for a “historic investment” in conservation and protecting nutrition programs that help many Americans. The House Agriculture Committee is in favor of extending the 2018 Trump Farm Bill, which would cost taxpayers $0 in new spending.
“An extension today will provide our farmers and ranchers the certainty they need until President Trump takes office and we can get a five-year Farm Bill done,” the comment on X said.
The current Farm Bill, also known as the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, was signed on Dec. 20, 2018. The legislative process that sets the legal framework for agricultural and food policy occurs about every five years, according to the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS). It received a one-year extension in 2023 and now has expired.
Nutrition received the biggest chunk of the appropriation in the 2018 bill, about 76% of the $428 billion budget, according to the ERS. Crop Insurance came in next at 9%; Commodities, 7%; Conservation, 7%; and, Other, 1%. The “Other” category included trade, credit, rural development, research and extension, forestry, horticulture and miscellaneous programs.
Oklahoma Farm Bureau released a statement last week encouraging Farm Bureau members to call their congressperson and encourage a “yes” vote on the Farm Bill extension and disaster relief.
“Oklahoma Farm Bureau members are grateful for Congressmen (Frank) Lucas and (Tom) Cole and their hard work and advocacy on a continuing resolution that would ensure a farm bill extension with added economic assistance and disaster relief,” said OKFB President Rodd Moesel, in the press release. “We appreciate their tireless efforts to work on behalf of farmers and ranchers in Washington, and we urge the rest of Oklahoma’s congressional delegation to support the proposed resolution with a yes vote.”
In July, when the bill was introduced, Cole said, “For rural districts like the one I represent in southwest Oklahoma, agriculture is not merely a commodity. It is a way of life. Across the country, U.S. farmers and ranchers exemplify the cornerstone values of our nation, including innovation, resiliency and hard work. It is no exaggeration to say that American farmers feed and clothe the world.”
He went on to say, at the time, that the bill will continue critical investments in research, rural broadband, and animal and plant health programs, providing for the continued development of rural communities across the country.
“It ensures that vulnerable populations have access to nutrition and health programs. It also takes steps to shield and preserve American farms and farming communities, including addressing the purchasing of agricultural land by foreign countries, which is a critically important issue in my district,” Cole said.
The proposed bill, which is in limbo as of press time, would provide an appropriate level of funding for the Food and Drug Administration, ensuring that it can fulfill its primary mission of protecting and promoting the safety of America’s food, pharmaceuticals and medical devices.
“Policies should always help—not harm—our ability to feed, fuel, heal and connect Americans,” he concluded.