“Bipartisan” Farm Bill Turns Partisan

The historically bipartisan Farm Bill turned political this week as majority Ag Republicans turned back every Democratic amendment and sent their Farm Bill budget to the House on a party-line vote.  It wasn’t just SNAP spending reforms Democrats went after, but Trump actions like tariffs, staff cuts, and USDA grant freezes.

“From the freeze of IRA dollars for climate smart agriculture to sweeping cancellations of the Partnerships for Climate Smart Commodities projects, I would just tell you today that Illinois is taking a really big hit,” said Illinois Democrat Nikki Budzinski.  Sewing “distrust,” Budzinski predicted, that “will be hard to repair” as farmers, schools, and food banks also see program dollars disappear.

Republicans rejected the attacks.

“President Trump was given a mandate by American taxpayers to eliminate waste, bloat, and inefficiencies in the federal workforce," said House Ag Chair GT Thompson.  "Throughout this process, USDA has protected critical function areas and listened to members of this committee to protect the needs of rural America.”

Concerns For The Future

Top Ag Democrat Angie Craig blamed President Trump and GOP leaders for the ramming through of a partial Farm Bill under rules allowing simple-majority approval and warned future farm bill cooperation could be imperiled.

“This is a partisan process that, frankly, is a huge challenge to the farm bill coalition that has always allowed us to get a five-year, 12-title farm bill across the finish line,” Craig said.

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