The Farm Bill Waiting Game
Farmers across the Southeast have gotten pretty familiar with waiting on a new farm bill. And after three extensions, another deadline is now just weeks away.
The current extension of the 2018 Farm Bill expires September 30.
The American Farm Bureau Federation is taking a closer look at the Agricultural Act of 2026, the Senate Agriculture Committee’s latest attempt at a new five-year farm bill.
For farmers in Florida, Georgia and Alabama, there are several provisions worth watching.
The proposal includes state block grants for livestock, poultry, crop and tree disaster losses that aren’t covered elsewhere. It would also expand storage facility loans for things like fertilizer and propane, while addressing farm credit, rural broadband and animal disease preparedness.
Those are issues that can hit pretty close to home across the Southeast.
But none of it is final. The bill failed to advance out of the Senate Agriculture Committee in August amid disagreement over SNAP.
So after three extensions, the question remains whether Congress can get a new five-year farm bill across the finish line.
For more of the American Farm Bureau Federation’s breakdown, visit https://www.fb.org/intel/policy/time-to-finish-the-job-2026-farm-bill
