House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn Thompson works to build the case this week for a farm bill that so far lacks any Democratic support ahead of the panel’s scheduled votes May 23.
Details of the legislation have yet to be released, but Thompson issued a broad outline of the planned legislation last week, and is expected to issue a series of papers this week defending the GOP approach on a number of issues, including Inflation Reduction Act funding; the Thrifty Food Plan formula for setting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits; and California’s Proposition 12, which sets animal welfare standards for pork and eggs sold in the state.
Thompson says he still hopes to lure some Democratic support that he will need on the House floor. But Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., countered Thompson by releasing a more detailed summary of her farm bill the same day as he released his outline. There are numerous differences between the bills, chief among them that the Democratic bill would not impose any cost-cutting restrictions on the way that USDA conducts future updates of the Thrifty Food Plan.
The top Democrat on House Ag Committee, David Scott of Georgia, described Stabenow’s bill as “wonderful.” “The American people, and especially our farmers, deserve us to move forward in a good bipartisan way,” he told Agri-Pulse.
It’s unclear what the path to a bipartisan deal is. Stabenow said she has no plans to schedule votes on her draft but is trying to get Republicans to negotiate a compromise.
“But I think just the fact that we’re making progress, and we’re seeing the meat on the bones of proposals is a step toward. … Everybody in the ag community is just hoping that we can find a real bipartisan path forward by starting the discussions.”
Thompson told reporters last week he would be meeting with Stabenow as soon as this week.
Looking ahead to possible floor action on his bill, Thompson said he welcomed debating any amendments “that make sense.”
While he’s worked to consider a wide range of issues, he said “someone may have some amendments to bring forward and the good ones, I'll work to get them passed. The bad ones, I'll work to defeat them."
Also this week, the Association of Equipment of Manufacturers will host the second Celebration of Modern Ag on the National Mall, running Monday through Wednesday. The event will feature leading industry manufacturers and innovators and the latest in equipment and precision agriculture technology.
Deputy Agriculture Secretary Xochitl Torres Small will attend the event along with Robert Bonnie, USDA’s undersecretary for farm production and conservation, and FPAC’s deputy undersecretary, Gloria Montaño.
Cut through the clutter! We deliver the news you need to stay informed about farm, food and rural issues. Sign up for a FREE month of Agri-Pulse here.
“This is a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate how technologically advanced farms and ranches are today, as well as emphasize why the needs of rural America must be at the forefront of the policies lawmakers support,” AEM Senior Vice President Curt Blades said in a press release.
EPA Administrator Michael Regan and Interior Secretary Deb Haaland are back on Capitol Hill this week as the Biden administration continues to finalize major parts of its regulatory agenda.
Regan will testify before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Wednesday.
Haaland will appear before the Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee on Wednesday and then testify before the House Interior-Environment panel on Thursday.
Also this week, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will be in Los Angeles on Wednesday to attend the Milken Institute Global Conference and to participate in a nutrition-related school event with Jennifer Newsom, wife of Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Here is a list of agriculture- or rural-related events scheduled for this week in Washington and elsewhere (all times EDT):
Monday, May 6
Celebration of Modern Ag on the National Mall, through Wednesday.
Food Safety Summit, through Thursday, Rosemont, Illinois.
4 p.m. – USDA releases weekly Crop Progress report.
Tuesday, May 7
Wednesday, May 8
10 a.m. – House Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on the Federal Communications Commission, 2362-A Rayburn.
10 a.m. – Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee hearing with FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, 124 Dirksen.
10 a.m. – Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing with EPA Administrator Michael Regan, 406 Dirksen.
10:30 a.m. – Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee hearing with Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, 562 Dirksen.
Thursday, May 9
8:30 a.m. – USDA releases Weekly Export Sales report.
9:30 a.m. – House Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee hearing with Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, 2008 Rayburn.
10 a.m. – Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee hearing with Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su, 138 Dirksen.
Friday, May 10
Noon – USDA releases the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates and monthly Crop Production report.
1 p.m. – House Energy and Commerce subcommittee field hearing, "Perspectives from the Fields: The State of Rural Broadband in America," Bakersfield, California.
3 p.m. – USDA releases Agricultural Chemical Usage - Field Crops report.
Noah Wicks and Rebekah Alvey contributed to this report.
For more news, go to Agri-Pulse.com.
