Farm Bill 2.0
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson. House Ag Chair “GT” Thompson outlined his Farm Bill 2.0 priorities at this year’s annual meeting of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture.
He told attendees this Farm Bill 2.0 draft will cover remaining policy issues, and that he aims to move it through his committee later this month …
THOMPSON … “We all need a new farm bill. So, I’m going to ask you to keep that in mind as we go into the next couple of weeks and we get this thing across the finish line. The single most impactful thing that we can do to get everyone in agriculture back on track is passing a full five-year farm bill that brings modern policy to the table.”
Ag Democrats are skeptical of Thompson’s February timeline, and struck a preemptive note against controversial measures, but Thompson’s not backing down …
THOMPSON … “There’s been some talk from my Democratic colleagues on the committee about wanting to avoid any controversial provisions in a new farm bill. And I respect them for not wanting to pick fights. But, as chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, I see it as my responsibility to fight for the American farmer and the American rancher, whether it’s controversial or not.”
Thompson said producers have to wait until October to receive some $65 billion under last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill, with $59 billion of that going to farm safety net improvements.
