Farm Bill Renewal Doubts
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson. The timeline for Senate Ag to mark up a farm bill before the summer break is fading, with nothing scheduled for a markup date so far.
Complicating things are the medical absence of Kentucky Republican Mitch McConnell, denying the GOP a working majority, and a delay in SNAP state cost-sharing favoring some states over others.
Top Ag Democrat Amy Klobuchar …
KLOBUCHAR … “Our Democrats are united that we need to see some change. And it really shouldn’t be simplified, because it is such an unfair situation when high error rate states, 21 to 1, get the benefit of this.”
Chairman John Boozman pegged the pre-summer recess time as his goal for advancing the farm bill …
BOOZMAN … “And during that period before August, work hard to actually have a vote and get it out of committee.”
Compounding Boozman’s goal is Democrat John Fetterman, the most likely fence-jumper on Ag. But Klobuchar says not on SNAP …
KLOBUCHAR … “Senator Fetterman, someone who has his own ways about things, has been very clear that SNAP is a major priority for him. And he’s a member of our committee.”
And long-time Senator Chuck Grassley predicted …
GRASSLEY … “I wish we could get a farm bill before the election, but I think that’s going to come after the election.”
And that with all the other pre-election fights on the floor, Grassley expects another extension of the 2018 farm bill.
