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Updated Senate farm bill timeline could help nutrition talks

An ag lobbyist says he’s optimistic a delay in the Senate Agriculture Committee’s farm bill timeline won’t derail the legislation this year.

Randy Russell with The Russell Group tells Brownfield “Senator Bozeman has come out and said now he wants to release his bill before the July 4 recess and then mark it up in July after lawmakers come back before the August recess.”

Russell says with more time, the committee can hopefully find resolution on a nutrition-related issue.

“That’s the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program’s error rate. The Democrats, led by Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar, are pretty much in lockstep saying that they need that provision addressed in order to get on board with moving a farm bill.”

He says delaying the SNAP provision for two years will be $17 billion, and the negotiators will have to decide whether Republicans are willing to change provisions in the reconciliation package, and how to offset those costs.

The Senate’s 60 vote threshold makes bipartisanship on the farm bill essential, but Russell says he believes both sides want to get this across the finish line.

“If you don’t, you start all over again in next year.”

Hear Brownfield’s interview with Randy Russell.