Congress was supposed to write an updated Farm Bill in 2023. It didn’t happen. Two, one-year extensions later, and agricultural groups continue to push for the new legislation as farmers operate under a 2018 version.
Steve Etka, policy director for the Midwest Dairy Coalition, says there’s a lot of talk about splitting the Farm Bill up, and doing some of the work through budget reconciliation — a fast-track legislative procedure used to pass certain budget-related bills — a process Congress is in right now.
“(It’s) a big macro bill that deals with taxes, and deals with border security, and deals with energy, and they’re talking about having it deal with some of the provisions of the Farm Bill as well,” Etka explains.
“Our main message is that the safety net for dairy needs to be updated.”
He notes the farm economy has changed since 2018, including production and average herd size, requiring an updated structure to the Dairy Margin Coverage.
“We’re hoping that, whether it’s through reconciliation or a full-scale farm bill, those provisions can be included,” Etka says.
House Ag Committee Says:
House Agriculture Committee Chair GT Thompson told farm broadcasters this week of his plan to include a “down payment” on the Farm Bill in budget reconciliation. While the text and details are not finalized, he implied that the skinnier version of the Farm Bill would include Title I provisions. Title I includes programs like Price Loss Coverage and Agriculture Risk Coverage, aid during disasters, and the DMC program.
“We’re keeping all options open until we gavel in to get the best possible bill, but at this point, anyway, I see, since Dairy Margin Coverage is included under Title I, I see that being included,” Thompson told Mid-West Farm Report’s Stephanie Hoff.
The House Agriculture Committee has scheduled a markup of its reconciliation bill next week.
