Grassley Pessimistic About Farm Bill This Year

Longtime Ag Senator Chuck Grassley expects a farm bill to make it out of committee this year. However, he’s pessimistic about a farm bill actually getting done this year.  Grassley sees the Senate Ag Committee starting to write a bill in another month or so.

“It’s not only my focus, but I think Senator Roberts focus is to get and ag bill started in October and get it to the Floor if the leader will bring it up.”

And he sees the committee moving the Bill on along with a unanimous vote.  But Grassley said floor action will depend, as it always does, on the Majority Leader making time, including possibly delaying or canceling a week-long October recess.

"But, I’m always pessimistic about Farm Bills.  I haven’t been until recently, but when it took two years to get the 2014 Farm Bill passed, that makes me pessimistic about this year’s.”

Grassley does not expect many changes to the bill from current law, though ag lawmakers will have to deal with the usual budget pressures and threats to crop insurance and food stamps.

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