Editor’s note: After rejecting a deal that would have provided economic assistance for farmers over the weekend, Congress worked Monday to negotiate another extension of the 2018 Farm Bill and provide $10 billion in economic assistance for farmers hurt by a lack of an updated farm safety net, inflation, higher input costs and low commodity prices. Congress is expected to vote on the deal, which is included in a continuing resolution, this week. 

By Jessica Domel
Multimedia Reporter

With time running out to reach a deal before the Dec. 20 deadline to keep the government funded, Congress has failed to reach an agreement to extend the 2018 Farm Bill and provide meaningful economic assistance to farmers.

The announcement Saturday that Congressional leadership rejected a deal for economic assistance was met with frustration by farmers, ranchers and agricultural organizations.

“Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) is extremely disappointed to hear U.S. Congressional leadership is considering a government funding deal that lacks critical economic assistance for farmers suffering severe consequences due to the failure to pass a farm bill with added investment in the safety net,” TFB President Russell Boening said.

According to Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA), chair of the House Committee on Agriculture, and Sen. John Boozman (R-AR), Republican leaders offered Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) a $12 billion economic aid package for farmers, which they rejected.

“We are deeply disappointed to learn that Congressional leadership is failing to provide our farmers with the economic assistance they need to weather the crisis they are currently facing,” Thompson and Boozman said (link to: https://agriculture.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=7824).

While Republican members of the ag committees placed the blame on Democratic leadership, Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), chair of the Senate Ag Committee, and Congressman David Scott (D-GA) said the coming onslaught of farm foreclosures and retirement sales is on 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.

“Their eleventh-hour offer fell short of what farmers need, shortchanged critical farm bill programs and steals from critically needed assistance to address recent natural disasters. We can and should do both economic and disaster assistance, not pit one against the other,” Stabenow and Scott said.

While those in Congress continue to place blame for the lack of a deal, agricultural organizations are pleading with Congress to do what they can before the Dec. 20 deadline to help farmers suffering from inflation, high input costs, low commodity prices and natural disasters all the while dealing with a farm bill with outdated reference prices.

“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.”

Farm Bureau will adamantly oppose any continuing resolution that lacks substantial economic assistance for farmers.

“We would urge congressional leaders to oppose it, as well. We ask Republican and Democrat leaders to urgently go back to the negotiating table to hammer out a real deal that includes economic assistance and fulfills Congress’ duty to farmers and consumers,” Boening said.

According to Agri-Pulse, House and Senate Agriculture Committee Democrats proposed $10 billion in market relief for farmers that would include $8.8 billion in payments for farmers for crop year 2024 under the terms of the FARM Act by Congressman Trent Kelly (R-MS).

According to Kelly’s office, the FARM Act would provide emergency assistance to producers of eligible commodities for which the expected revenue for crop year 2024 is below the projected per-acre cost of production.

The FARM Act is co-sponsored by 21 lawmakers from Texas.

The ag committee Democrats’ proposal would also include an additional $1 billion to reimburse 15 percent of premiums and fees paid for crop insurance and NAP coverage, Agri-Pulse reports.

It would move all unspent funding from the Inflation Reduction Act into the farm bill for conservation programs.

Thompson and Boozman have not yet made details of their proposal public yet, however, Thompson reportedly wants at least $15 billion in economic aid for farmers.

The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), Texas Corn Producers, National Sorghum Producers, National Corn Growers, USA Rice, National Cotton Council and other organizations issued statements over the weekend on the lack of agreement on economic assistance for farmers.

“At a time when farm income is in a downward spiral and costs are rising, it’s unacceptable for Congress to turn its back on farmers. Farmers don’t get to set the prices for their goods and right now those prices don’t even come close to covering their costs. We lost 141,000 farms in five years and if Congress fails to include economic aid for farmers, the sad reality is that we’ll lose more,” AFBF President Zippy Duvall said.

Duvall noted nearly 80% of Americans believe lawmakers should prioritize legislation that supports farmers and ranchers.