THE STATE OF AGRICULTURE 2024 THE FARM BILL MARCHES ON

ROB MILLS

PERRYVILLE, MISSOURI

After months of impasse, it appears the hardcore negotiations to try and produce a new Farm Bill have finally begun.

 As May began, the major players in the quest for a new agreement to govern U.S. agriculture, both signaled their desire to end the gridlock that has been the prevailing wind in the bill’s sails. On the same day, the House & Senate Ag Committees each issued the framework of their proposals on how the bill should be written into law.

 The House Ag Committee, headed by Congressman Glenn “G.T.” Thompson (R-Pa), highlighted in their bill proposal more funding for producer protection, increased efforts to ease global food insecurity, as well as measures designed to open more foreign markets to American farmers. They also proposed that any restrictions on SNAP eligibility due to receiving unemployment benefits be eliminated.

 The Senate Ag Committee, headed by Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich), trumpeted their proposal, named the “Rural Prosperity & Food Security Act.” It eliminates certain types of income from being factored into SNAP eligibility and proposes new standards for emergency grazing in the CRP program, among other ideas put forward. 

 Interest groups have already begun to weigh in on the initial proposals. The National Cattlemen's Beef Association signaled their support for the House version, due to its support for voluntary conservation efforts. The American Farm Bureau indicated its support for the SNAP provisions included in both proposals, as well as increased funding for the producer safety net.

 The actions by both parties indicate to observers that both sides want to avoid another renewal of the bill, originally passed in 2018, and renewed for one-year last fall. Stabenow’s involvement signals she’s put on hold her earlier stated willingness to renew the present bill for yet another year.

 U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack recently weighed on the 2024 Farm Bill debate. He said in response to a question about the prospects of passing a bill this year “Can it be done? Yes. Will it be done? That depends on the willingness of both sides to be practical.” Vilsack did say he opposes any cuts to SNAP. “It’s just not the right policy,” he concluded.  

 The word from Capitol Hill is that the House Ag committee may begin mark-up on the bill before the end of May. At the present time, the Senate hasn’t scheduled any further hearings. Once the content of the House & Senate bills has been finalized in the rival committees, then the negotiators for both sides will try and agree to a single proposal all involved can live with.  

 The Farm Bill is renewed every five years and consists of over a trillion dollars for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) funding, which makes up 80% of a bill projected to total 1.5 trillion dollars. Without renewal or passage of a new Farm Bill, the current legislation will expire on September 30, 2024.

 The SNAP nutrition programs began their life on the American political stage as “Food Stamps”.

Renamed SNAP and converted to EBT cards from paper stamps in the late 1990’s, in 2023 nearly 42 million Americans benefitted from SNAP, an estimated 12.5% of the total U.S. population. The main purpose of SNAP is to fight hunger in the U.S. Concerning the overall Farm Bill, other programs involved focus on crop insurance, farm commodities & conservation. ∆

Rob Mills: Contributing Writer