Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski says the reconciliation package secured an update to the commodities title, but it also created some issues.

“The Republicans broke apart the Farm Bill Coalition with the One Big Bill.”  She says, “So how do we, after that, come back to the table so we can make sure that safety net is there for our farmers, like supporting agricultural research. There’s a lot of work that we have to do.”

Congressman Eric Sorensen tells Brownfield that time is running out.

“I really do worry that we’re not going to have those in Congress that want to get that done,” he says.

President of the National Corn Growers Association, Kenneth Hartman, Jr., says farmers need the certainty of a new farm bill.

“We have to get it done because there’s some provisions that have to be done by the end of the year.”  He says, “There’s some things in there with research, conservation, and some of these areas.”

The current farm bill extension expires at the end of September.

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Under the Clean Air Act, the EPA administrator, in consultation with the U.S. Department of Energy, may temporarily waive fuel requirements in response to supply concerns. Due to ongoing gasoline shortages, the EPA has determined extreme conditions exist and granted a waiver to ensure availability.

E15 sales are typically restricted starting May 1 at terminals and June 1 at retail stations. The waiver extends the 1-psi Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) exemption, allowing continued sales. Additionally, the EPA has addressed requests from multiple states regarding E10 fuel standards, ensuring fair treatment of both E10 and E15 blends.

The EPA expects the waiver to stabilize fuel availability and may extend it if shortages persist. The agency will monitor fuel markets alongside industry and government partners.

This emergency action supports supply reliability and offers consumers broader fuel choices while complying with federal regulations.

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House Agriculture Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) has expressed support for a one-year extension, which would allow a new five-year Farm Bill to be passed in the next Congress, assuming Republican control of the House, Senate, and White House. Meanwhile, Senate Agriculture Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) recently released her long-awaited Farm Bill proposal, which has met with skepticism from some Republicans. Senate Ag Committee Ranking Member John Boozman (R-AR) criticized the timing of the release, noting the lengthy delay in addressing the expired bill.

While some experts remain doubtful that a comprehensive Farm Bill will pass during the lame duck session, Mary Kay Thatcher of Syngenta suggested that the upcoming shift in Congressional control might prompt Republicans to push for a more favorable bill next year. However, there is widespread agreement that disaster aid, particularly for farmers and ranchers, is a key priority. A proposed $100 billion disaster aid package, which includes $21 billion for agriculture, may be wrapped into the year-end extension of the Farm Bill.

Lawmakers like Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) have urged that any extension not just serve as a stopgap measure but also address urgent agricultural needs, particularly in the wake of recent natural disasters.

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In response to economic conditions, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates by half a percentage point, bringing some relief to farmers. Lower rates reduce pressure on operating lines of credit, potentially allowing for more investment in equipment. However, despite attractive financing options from dealerships, such as low or 0% interest rates, equipment sales remain sluggish.

One reason for this hesitancy is the falling value of used machinery, which increases the cost of upgrading equipment. Farmers face larger down payments and higher financing requirements, even as interest rates drop. Leasing is an option, but modern leases often require additional obligations at the end of the term, adding complexity.

Farmers are also holding back on purchases due to uncertainty surrounding the delayed farm bill and the 2024 election. While commodity prices show some improvement, with corn prices recently rising, significant investments are likely to be delayed until market conditions stabilize, which may not occur until late 2025 or 2026. Lower interest rates are a positive step, but until broader economic and political uncertainties clear, the agricultural equipment market will remain slow.

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Congress will have to scramble in the lame-duck session set to begin Nov. 12 to come up with some agreement on the farm bill before benefits run out at the end of the year — which if allowed to happen eventually would have major consequences.

“Family farmers and ranchers can’t wait — they need the certainty of a new farm bill this year,” National Farmers Union President Rob Larew said in a statement after the meetings. “With net farm income projected at historic lows, growing concentration in the agriculture sector, high input costs and interest rates, and more frequent and devastating natural disasters, Congress can’t miss this opportunity to pass a five-year farm bill.”

The law began 90 years ago with various payments to support farmers, but now has an impact far beyond the farm, with programs to create wildlife habitat, address climate change, and provide the nation’s largest federal nutrition program.

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The timing of the Farm Bill’s introduction to the House floor remains uncertain due to various substantive and logistical factors. The U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry is expected to unveil its draft text, which will highlight the challenges for the bill’s final passage.
This markup follows the release of the discussion draft text by House Agriculture Committee leadership on May 17, 2024. Democrats aimed to present a unified front by opposing the draft text and supporting the Senate Agriculture leadership’s approach. Meanwhile, Republicans sought to divide the Democratic stance by including provisions favored by several Democratic committee members.

During the markup, over 50 amendments were introduced and considered. Notable amendments that were included in the final bill text passed by the committee are:

• A prohibition on using U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) funding for solar projects involving input from countries of concern, such as China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia.

• A prohibition on school authorities purchasing seafood or poultry products from China or Russia for school lunch programs.

• Establishment of a USDA strategy on sustainable aviation fuels.

• An updated definition of agricultural hemp to include only nonintoxicating derivatives.

• Commissioning a U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on the prevalence of and factors contributing to the use of child labor in meat processing facilities in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

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In a pivotal ruling, a federal court has sided with Deere & Company, dismissing claims under the Iowa Civil Rights Act brought by a former engine test operator. The plaintiff, who was terminated from his position, alleged that he faced a hostile work environment and retaliation owing to his mental health conditions and for raising safety concerns. However, the court found insufficient evidence to support these allegations.

Case Overview: The heart of the dispute revolves around the plaintiff’s termination from Deere & Company. He claimed that his role as an engine test operator became untenable due to discrimination and retaliation linked to his diagnosed mental health conditions. Furthermore, he alleged that his firing was a direct result of his willingness to report potential safety violations, a protected activity under various employment laws. Despite these serious allegations, the court concluded that the plaintiff failed to provide substantial evidence that he was subjected to disparate treatment or harassment because of his disability.

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As farmers know firsthand, the farm bill is essential in keeping our food supply secure. It ensures funding for risk management tools that help family farms hold on through severe weather and volatile markets. This critical legislation also provides access to nutrition for low-income families, funds conservation programs, and invests in agricultural research. The farm bill is a major investment for our nation.

Even though Congress passed an extension of the 2018 farm bill, getting a new farm bill done is still a priority for us. Farmers and ranchers need a modernized farm bill that reflects the changes our industry has gone through in the last five years. It’s time for our lawmakers to step up to pass a farm bill soon.

The farm bill is too important to be kicked down the road. This legislation has been a shining example of bipartisanship in the past. Traditionally, the farm bill has given an opportunity for both sides to put aside their differences to work for the common good of the nation. And they can do it again. Every family in America is counting on them.

The best thing you can do is continue to reach out to your elected officials and tell them how important the farm bill is to your farm. You can share your story about how the farm bill has helped you, and what you would like to see written in the new farm bill. And if you’re not already a Farm Bureau member, we encourage you to join us by going to your local, county Farm Bureau and getting involved. Let’s urge Congress to follow the example of the dedicated farmers and ranchers across this country.

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“As with every Farm Bill, there are forces and circumstances out of our control. What is always a very complicated process has become a little more complicated, but our work continues to produce an effective Farm Bill,” said Pennsylvania Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson, who chairs the House Committee on Agriculture.

Worries Over Lack of Progress: Thompson and fellow lawmakers have spent thousands of hours over the past two years collecting feedback from constituents on what they want to see in the multi-year bill forecasted at $1.5 trillion.

But some constituents say despite reassurance the Farm Bill is progressing, they remain concerned about its delay, as well as funding for several of its programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps.

“The delay in considering important legislation, such as agriculture appropriations and the farm bill, creates a great deal of uncertainty for farmers and ranchers. The 2018 farm bill already expired,” Sam Kieffer, the American Farm Bureau Federation’s vice president of public policy, said in a statement.

“All families, including those in rural America, face rising interest rates, high inflation and turbulence in the marketplace,” he continued. “The farm bill provides certainty to those who grow this nation’s food, fuel and fiber and is crucial to ensuring a safe and affordable food supply. Congress has always come through on a farm bill, and they must do it again. Every family in America is counting on it.”

The expansive agricultural and food policy bill covers farmer safety net programs, conservation and sustainability incentives, international trade, rural area development, and food and nutrition programs for low-income earners — the last of which, by far, accounts for the largest portion of the bill.

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Virtually anyone — producer, distributor, trade group, transporter, consumer, and laborer were named in the bill — would be empowered to challenge such regulatory infringement in court and seek financial compensation.

“This is a matter of states’ rights,” said Sen. Roger Marshall, Kansas Republican and lead sponsor of the bill. “If California wants to regulate agriculture in its own state, that’s fine, but California’s rules should not apply to Kansas, whose legislature never approved of these regulations.”

Farm groups and meatpackers began looking for a congressional rescue within days of the Supreme Court decision on May 11 that Proposition 12 was constitutional. Prop 12 requires California farmers to give egg-laying hens, veal calves, and breeding sows more floor space, and it bars the sale of pork, veal, and eggs produced on farms outside the state that do not meet California’s standards.

The pork industry says it will be unduly expensive to modify barns and processing systems to satisfy the demand of one state, albeit it’s the country’s most populous.

Beyond banning state/ local governments from imposing “a standard or condition on the preharvest production of any agricultural products sold or offered for sale in interstate commerce if … the production occurs in another state,” the bill, filed by the seven Republicans, would authorize lawsuits by individuals and government units “to invalidate that regulation and seek damages for economic loss resulting from that regulation.”

California has set a six-month transition period, until Jan. 1, for compliance with the rule on meat sales. At the Supreme Court, it argued that because Prop 12 applies only to meat sold in the state, it was not an impediment to interstate trade.

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