By Jessica Domel
Multimedia Reporter

The top-ranking Republican on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry released his priorities and framework for the next farm bill, moving the committee one-step closer to consideration of the five-year food and farm legislation.

On Tuesday, Senate Ag Committee Ranking Member John Boozman of Arkansas said his framework meets the call to put more farm in the farm bill.

“The world has changed dramatically since the 2018 bill became law, and the unprecedented challenges and economic uncertainty that farmers face now are only projected to get worse in the coming years,” Boozman said. “Our framework meets that call by modernizing the farm safety net, facilitating the expansion of access to overseas markets, fostering breakthroughs in agricultural research and growing the rural communities our farmers, ranchers and foresters call home—all while making a historic investment in conservation and protecting nutrition programs that help Americans in need.”

Boozman’s framework is similar to the one released by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson in April.

“Following on the House Committee on Agriculture’s bipartisan passage of farmer-focused farm bill, we are putting forth a framework that exhibits a shared common ground with our Democrat counterparts on several key priorities and offers a path forward in the places where we differ,” Boozman said. “Our framework builds on the momentum from committee passage in the House and Chairwoman Stabenow’s release of Senate Democrats’ priorities. I am eager to follow the House’s lead and draft a bill that will garner support on both sides of the aisle.”

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow released her farm bill framework on the same day Thompson released his in April.

She has since told reporters she awaits the release of Boozman’s priorities before beginning farm bill negotiations in the Senate Ag Committee.

Following the release of Boozman’s framework Tuesday, Stabenow posted on X, formerly Twitter, “Folks should not have to leave small towns to find more economic opportunities and provide for their families. I’m ready to get a farm bill done that gives rural communities the tools they need to continue to be successful.”

Stabenow and Boozman have both released summaries of their respective farm bill plans, but neither has released a bill text.

Below is information gathered from Stabenow and Boozman’s frameworks and summaries.

Title 1: Commodities
Stabenow said her bill builds on the success of the 2018 Farm Bill by making meaningful improvements to the foundation of the traditional commodity programs.

For the Price Loss Coverage Program (PLC), Stabenow proposes improving the “escalator,” that is expected to increase the effective reference price starting this year, and in the coming years, for more than 90% of program acres. It reportedly improves the escalator for all commodities, makes targeted statutory reference price changes and brings PLC in line with Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) by establishing a payment bank on PLC payments.

The notes released by the chairwoman indicated that under the bill, all major commodities will see at least a 5% increase in reference prices during the 2024 Farm Bill, with many seeing 10-15% increases.

The framework calls for lowering the threshold for triggering payments under ARC for all covered commodities.

Boozman’s framework would increase statutory reference prices for all covered commodities by an average of 15% and enhances the effective reference price escalator to be 88% of the five-year Olympic Average market year average, capped at 120% of the statutory reference price.

Stabenow’s bill would allow beginning and underserved farmers to add base acres so they may be eligible for ARC or PLC payments. Boozman’s plan would add base acres for farms without base, or with minimal base acres.

Stabenow’s plan also includes better protection for sugar farmers by adjusting loan rates to account for increasing production costs.

Her plan would add a first-ever Specialty Crops title to make crop insurance and coverage work better for specialty crop growers.

Boozman’s framework reigns in the Secretary of Agriculture’s discretionary use of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and increases transparency of its use.

Both Boozman and Stabenow’s plans would allow dairy farmers to update their production history for the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program and maintain the premium discount for those who lock in DMC coverage for the life of the farm bill.

Stabenow’s plan would also increase the cap on enhanced Tier 1 coverage from five million pounds of production to the first six million pounds of production.

Title XI: Crop Insurance
Both Stabenow and Boozman’s framework calls for provisions to help young and beginning farmers and ranchers.

Boozman’s plan would improve crop insurance affordability for beginning farmers and ranchers through enhanced premium support for the 10 years of producer eligibility.

It would also improve coverage and affordability of area and individual-based revenue and yield protection policies while maintaining access to Title 1 programs, among other actions.

Stabenow said her plans would make the most common area-based crop insurance more affordable and directs USDA to expand it, or similar coverage, to more crops and farmers.

Her framework would also increase and extend premium discounts for new and beginning farmers and ranchers.

Texas Farm Bureau said it appreciate Boozman’s release of the outline for a new, modernized farm bill that increases investments in the farm safety net and advances voluntary conservation efforts.

“Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) applauds Ranking Member John Boozman and his talented staff on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry for releasing a farm bill framework that invests in the future of America’s national food security,” TFB President Russell Boening said. “Farmers, ranchers and consumers have felt the strain of higher costs of inputs and goods. Sen. Boozman has made trips to Texas and across the U.S. to gain knowledge of the hardship faced in farm country. This proposal helps address these challenges by strengthening the farm safety net, while in-turn providing the tools needed to feed and clothe consumers worldwide. We thank Ranking Member Boozman and his team for their hard work and look forward to working with congressional leaders and stakeholders to pass a new farm bill.”

Links to title-by-title summaries of Stabenow’s farm bill framework are available here.

Links to summaries of Boozman’s framework are available here.

The current extension of the 2018 Farm Bill expires at the end of September.

The House Agriculture Committee has passed its leadership version of the farm bill. It awaits consideration on the full House floor, which Thompson said may not happen until September. If no action is taken then, Thompson told Agri-Pulse a vote may not happen until after the presidential election.