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Ag lobbyist says election results have farm bill impact

Former President Donald Trump will return to the White House in the new year and an ag lobbyist says that will likely impact what lawmakers accomplish in the lame duck session.

“I still think there’s a very small percentage likelihood we do a farm bill.”

Mary Kay Thatcher with Syngenta says Congress will only be in session for 20 days between now and the end of the year. 

“There’s still 12 appropriations bills to pass that are overdue by a month already,” she says. “I just think it will be difficult. It appears it will now be into next week before we know who will win the House. Lawmakers will come back next week and do some of the leadership elections.”

Thatcher says committees will also need organized.

She says it’s possible the four leaders of the House and Senate Ag Committee got together to get work done over the last few weeks, but “if it does happen to be a Republican trifecta, if Republicans take the House, it’s likely they’ll put the farm bill off until next year, because they won’t have to deal with what Democrats want in the bill at all.”

However, she says it’s likely lawmakers will pass a natural disaster bill to help those affected by hurricanes and other severe weather and it’s unclear what will happen with the financial package for agriculture.