Farm Assistance, Trade Talks & A Shutdown

It will take Congress to replenish the Commodity Credit Corporation if that’s the course the administration takes to fund emergency farm aid growers need now.  But new appropriations were not in the cards, noted House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole.

“We could do this work and still have time to turn around as the president and our leadership has pointed out, in both chambers, and sit down and talk about these other issues," Cole said.  "But it’s hard to do much when the negotiations aren’t happening.”

Senate Ag Appropriations Chair John Hoeven argued stopgap farm aid hangs in the balance amid ongoing trade talks with China.

“I’ve been working along with others, with this administration, on emergency assistance to bridge that gap, while we seek better trade agreements and export sales for our farmers," he said.  "So, let’s get this government back open, so we can continue that hard work.”

That would include annual USDA spending nearing completion before the fight over the short-term continuing resolution shut off the lights.

“When they make the mind that they want the government up and running, believe me, we’ll move very quickly, and we’ll try to move away quickly from a CR status, to passing bills individually or in small groups," Cole said.   "And get folks up and working again, and get the government restored.”

Doing so would allow functions like farm services to resume, but also emergency aid for farmers in desperate need of help to keep their operations alive.

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