Will A Farm Bill Be Announced This Week?

The moment of truth is almost upon Farm Bill negotiators, as they race to bridge remaining differences and still pass a final compromise in the lame duck Congress.  Those with knowledge of the negotiations say a deal could come this week; or, talks could fall apart.  But both parties and both sides of the Capitol are desperate for a last-minute deal, instead of having a new, divided Congress start from scratch.

And while negotiators and staff insisted last week, a deal was very close, none materialized by Friday, even as House GOP Ag Chair Mike Conaway reportedly dropped tighter House food stamp work requirements.  Incoming House Ag Chair Collin Peterson said the new goal was to have a deal this week, despite lingering differences like Senate payment limits long sought by Iowa Republican Chuck Grassley.

“There was more in the 2014 Farm Bill, then there is to Conaway’s approach to it, in the House Bill, where there’s no limit whatsoever.”

But, Conaway was resisting changes to the House relaxing limits on the number of farm managers who can claim up $125,000 a year in farm subsidies.  Grassley’s Senate provision limits eligibility to just one “actively engaged” manager.

Other differences to be bridged—the Senate’s reduced earnings limit for farm program eligibility, the House’s ending the Conservation Stewardship Program, House forest management provisions key for fire prevention, and possibly, cooperative member insurance premium discounts.

All of that as the clock ticked down to another government funding shutdown threat December 7th, the need for farm bill budget scoring by that date, and perhaps just three legislative weeks left in the year.

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