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Ag lobbyist: Thompson could over-rule CBO

An ag lobbyist says House Ag Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson is expected to find a way to get more Commodity Credit Corporation funding to support changes to a new farm bill and “we all should understand by this point this farm bill isn’t going to be regular order. There simply aren’t enough calendar days left.”

A CBO score released late last week said there’s a 50/50 chance using CCC funds for the farm bill would reduce spending by $3.6 billion in the next 8 years, but that’s not enough to cover cost increases for the new bill.

Tom Sell says the House Budget Committee has agreed to work with Thompson to address the shortfall in what Sell calls “an inadequate farm safety net.”

“The real question is: are the leaders in Congress going to step up and meet the need that’s out there?”

Sell says when lawmakers return to Washington D.C. after the August break, they’ll need to get on the same page and he’ll be watching for a few signs progress is being made.

“Typically, they won’t do an extension if there’s hope of actually getting it done. In 2018, they didn’t extend a farm bill in September. The bigger need is to get something done that provides security for rural America.”

Sell says the lack of time could create a sense of urgency for lawmakers to get a bill finalized this year.