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Farm bill could be another 9 months away

The Ranking Member of the Senate Ag Committee says a farm bill extension could carry current negotiations into May.

Arkansas Republican John Boozman tells Brownfield a farm bill will not get passed in the next two weeks.”

“And one of the primary reasons for that is the fact that the appropriations process keeping the government open so we don’t have a shutdown really is kind of taking all the wind out of the sails,” he shares.

Boozman says funding for the USDA is available through the end of the year and farm bills are usually passed about nine months after they expire.

“This is pretty customary procedure, but if we go forward in the next few months and see that we’re going to need an extension then we’ll pass a continuing resolution for the farm bill,” he says.

Boozman and chair Debbie Stabenow recently asked Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack to also access Commodity Credit Corporation funds for trade promotion and in-kind international food assistance.  Boozman tells Brownfield the money would be in addition to appropriations and farm bill program resources.