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Stabenow introduces farm bill in committee

U.S. Senate Ag Committee chair Debbie Stabenow says there is still time to pass a farm bill during the lame duck session of Congress if members come together.

“We could do a markup in Committee and then look to attach it to a bill moving at the end of the year, but there has to be a wiliness to do a bipartisan approach,” she says.

During a call with reporters Monday, Stabenow acknowledged the bill does not have Republican support, and a hearing has not been scheduled for markup.

“Every time we have proposed an agreement on something like supporting their CBO scoring proposal or supporting their areas that they want in a commodity title, then we get new red lines,” she shares.

She says her bill could provide immediate assistance to farmers and would move away from reliance on ad hoc programs.

“Doing things right now that would help farmers is important but we don’t have to trade that for a five-year farm bill which is why it was really important to me and our members to put this forward right now,” she explains.

The proposed legislation includes $39 billion in new resources including $20 billion for a farm safety net that would increase reference prices and provide immediate assistance to producers impacted by severe weather and declining revenue.

The Democratic version increases reference prices by 5 to 15 percent for each commodity but falls short of the updates passed by the U.S. House Ag Committee.

She says crop insurance is the top priority in the legislation, but the bill supports more than commodity programs.

“We for the first time put mandatory money, not just authorizations, into the farm bill rural development title which is very exciting for those that want to live in rural communities and have support for their family to be there,” she shares.

Stabenow says the bill builds on her proposal released in May and holds a bipartisan farm bill coalition together.

Ranking member John Boozman released the Committee’s Republican framework in June, and the House Ag Committee passed a bill out of committee in May which has yet to be introduced on the House floor.

Stabenow says she is concerned farm programs are at risk under the second Trump administration.

Senate Ag Committee Republican Roger Marshall of Kansas says no Republican committee member was able to review or had the opportunity to collaborate on the 1,400-page document.