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Censky: farm bill implementation tracker will ensure timely roll-out

USDA Deputy Secretary Steve Censky says the USDA will move as quickly as possible to implement the 2018 Farm Bill.

He says the department has created a farm bill implementation tracker system to ensure there is a timely roll-out.

“We have asked all of our agencies to fill out this farm bill implementation tracker and they’re in the process of completing that now,” he says. “I hope that in just a few weeks we’re going to be back with some of the general timelines we see for the implementation.”

The farm bill was signed into law in December, two days before the longest government shutdown in history.

Censky says the USDA will share general timelines for the various provisions soon.

“We are working to move just as quickly as we can to implement the provisions and look forward to sharing more details of what those timelines are going to be,” he says.

Censky made those comments during a Farm Foundation Forum in Washington D.C. this morning.

Kansas Senator Pat Roberts, who was also part of the forum, says the bill provides the certainty and predictability farmers need. The Senate Ag Committee Chair says he is hopeful there will not be another shutdown to further delay the implementation of the farm bill.