By Jessica Domel
Multimedia Reporter

Congress appears to be making progress on a deal that would extend the 2018 Farm Bill and provide $10 billion in economic assistance to U.S. farmers suffering from a lack of an updated farm safety net.

As of Tuesday morning, the text of a continuing resolution that could include the farm bill extension and economic aid had not been released, but sources told Politico that hill leaders have tentatively secured a deal.

A vote on the continuing resolution is expected this week as the current continuing resolution to fund the government expires Friday.

Over the weekend, Congressional leadership rejected a proposal to provide economic assistance to farmers, prompting farmers, agricultural groups and members of Congress to speak out on the need for aid to ensure farmers can make it to the next crop year.

“Farmers and ranchers rely on Congress to provide necessary economic support before the new year. Now, with the end of this Congress approaching, we are failing the agricultural community,” Congressman Pete Sessions (R-TX) said. “We cannot allow our rural areas to disappear; the work of our farmers is the backbone of our nation. Thousands of farm families who have worked our American soil for generations are at risk of insolvency.”

Sessions recently met with Texas Farm Bureau President Russell Boening to discuss the issue.

“The 17th Congressional District of Texas is one of the largest agricultural districts in the nation. I will not abandon them,” Sessions said. “As a 28-year member of the Texas Farm Bureau and a lifetime member of the Texas Forestry Association, I have stood with the agricultural community for years. I plan on voting NO to any Continuing Resolution that does not include economic support for our farm and ranch families.”

Boening expressed TFB’s disappointment over the weekend after Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson, chair of the House Committee on Agriculture, and Sen. John Boozman (R-AR), ranking member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said Democratic leaders rejected a $12 billion economic aid package for farmers.

“This is unacceptable and is a slap in the face of the hardworking farm families who work to feed and clothe consumers across the world,” Boening said. “Failing to provide adequate economic assistance will result in many farm operations shuttering across the country, putting our national food security in severe jeopardy. These farmers are at the end of their rope due to many issues outside of their control. This is an issue that must not be ignored. Failure to fulfill our obligation to these hardworking farm families will result in extremely dire consequences.”

While Thompson and Boozman pointed the finger at Democratic leadership for rejecting the economic assistance package over the weekend, Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), chair of the Senate Ag Committee, and Congressman David Scott (D-GA), ranking member of the House Ag Committee, blamed Republican leadership.

“For weeks, congressional Democrats have provided a pathway to a farm bill extension that will deliver tens of billions of dollars in economic assistance and investments in farm bill programs that farmers rely on,” Stabenow and Scott said.

Stabenow said Republican leadership turned down a $10 billion proposal for economic assistance that would have increased conservation spending for decades.

Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle took to Twitter to express their support for the inclusion of economic assistance for farmers as part of a continuing resolution to fund the government.

“We MUST have economic aid for our farmers in any CR put forward. It is inexcusable not to. Failing our farmers is failing the entire nation,” Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz (R-TX) tweeted.

Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX) said it’s plain and simple.

“We need to support our farmers and ranchers in the upcoming spending bill,” Cuellar tweeted.

Congress is in session through Friday.