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Shining Light on Farm & Food Policy for 20 Years.
Tuesday, April 23, 2024
The Senate Agriculture Committee has scheduled four hearings on farm bill issues, starting with a review of the trade and horticulture titles next Wednesday.
A former agriculture secretary, House speaker and House Agriculture Committee chairman are all expressing optimism that Congress can pass a new farm bill this year despite the sharp political divide in Congress and fractured House GOP conference.
The House and Senate will be finalizing committee rosters over the next week or so, clearing the way for the start of hearings on the farm bill and other issues.
Lawmakers are back in session this week as leaders look to finish out committee rosters and clear the way for the House and Senate to start hearings on a range of oversight matters and legislative issues, including the farm bill.
Several key House committees will be chaired in the coming Congress by Republican lawmakers who represent districts with significant farm production or have an agricultural background themselves.
Twelve House Republicans were added to the Agriculture Committee on Monday, including Oklahoma Rep. Frank Lucas, who chaired the panel during development of the 2014 farm bill.
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn Thompson says the House will move its farm bill ahead of the Senate this year, and he’s pledging to work with the Budget Committee to ensure the legislation is adequately funded.
Delegates to the American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual meeting voted Tuesday to seek more funding for farm bill programs this year, despite some members’ concerns about the political optics of the appeal and the impact on federal budget deficits.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack wants the next farm bill to include reforms for disaster relief and put more focus on farmers who haven’t done as well financially as larger producers have in recent years.