Gloom clouds over the horizon of the Farm Bill

With a Trump administration the budget priorities change and some programs will face challenges within the important Farm Bill in the United States, as you know it is a legislation that covers agriculture, livestock, conservation, agricultural research and food aid.

And although some think that the Farm Bill is only for the farm, the reality is that it is important because it affects all Americans, not only those living in rural areas but the entire population and also has to do with supporting vulnerable communities such as Latino minorities.

Let’s listen to the report prepared by my colleague José López Zamorano.

A little more than a month after the U.S. Congress passed, and President Biden signed into law, the Continuing Resolution that kept the federal government open and included an extension of the Farm Bill only until September, the first clouds began to appear on the horizon.

In December, lawmakers succeeded in inserting $20.7 billion in natural disaster relief and $10 billion in economic aid into the Continuing Resolution

But that meant they were unable to pass what farm producers want: a new 5-year Farm Bill with funding for so-called “orphan” programs, as well as more funds to compensate farmers affected by climate change.

National organizations representing farmers, ranchers and farmers therefore resumed lobbying for a 5-year renewal with reforms to address the current law’s inadequacies in covering non-traditional crops and mitigating the effects of global warming.

However, lawmakers warned that the path to a new farm bill encountered a stone in the road: the Donald Trump Budget Reconciliation plan.

Republicans who want to reduce the federal government’s deficit have plans to include a possible $300 billion cut to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) that serves low-income families, 16% of whom are Latino.

While Democrats have made it clear that they oppose SNAP cuts, they recognize that Republicans now hold a majority in both the House and Senate and that ultimately it will likely be a decision made in the White House.

Agriculture Committee Chairman, Republican Glen Thompson argued that the budget reconciliation process moving forward is a train wreck, and it’s hard to stop.”

Thompson noted that while “agriculture will have a place at the table…we will be getting instructions from the budget committee. I’m working hard to make sure those instructions work to allow us to continue to work cooperatively in the Agriculture Committee to get a new farm bill.”

With Congress facing a March deadline to lift the national debt ceiling, lawmakers believe the future of the Farm Bill will depend on a possible deal between Republicans and Democrats.

A Republican proposal circulating in Congress includes cutting the $300 billion SNAP as a mechanism to fund Trump’s planned second-term tax cut.

But for now the most imminent decision for farmers is to decide by April 15 between Price Loss Coverage (PLC) and Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) for commodity program support.

The House Agriculture Committee has proposed to hold its first full hearing of the new legislature in February, with no precise date. The first topic will be the state of the rural economy as part of the process to begin negotiations on the five-year version of the Farm Bill.

Both Republicans and Democrats agree on the need for better safety net programs, expansion of the market access program for market development.

Latino farm leaders seek support for 39 orphans who are not funded by specific laws, as well as economic assistance to small Latino and black farmers, and resources for producers affected by climate change.

They are also concerned that the deportation policy will deepen the problem of labor shortages on farms, as well as lead to an increase in fresh fruits and vegetables in the coming months.

Thanks to my colleague José López Zamorano for this information.

This is produced in part by The Walton Family Foundation and is part of the series “Cuando se seca el Arroyo”.