Will House and Senate Start Working On Farm Bill Soon?

The U.S. House plans to vote later this week on a motion to enter negotiations with the Senate on the farm bill, setting the stage for a likely September conference.  The House plans to vote by this Thursday on a procedural motion to go to conference with the Senate on House Resolution 2.  But, with the House in session for just one more week before its August recess, a spokesman for House Ag Democrats said the motion would probably point to September talks.  American Farm Bureau’s Andrew Walmsley says AFBF sees the procedural vote as positive to move the process forward, but agrees July is looking less favorable to start negotiations.

“I think timing might be tough by the end of this month, and that’s something that the committee has continued to manage expectations.  But, we’ve got August for a lot of the informal conversations and then time in September to do the more formal thing and hopefully get it done before the end of the month.”

The current Farm Bill expires at the end of September, leaving little time to conference a bill and get it back through both chambers and avoid the need to extend current farm law.  Plus, Walmsley said the Senate must still vote to go to conference and both bodies must name conferees.

“I think procedurally the Senate will have to agree because they will have to agree on conferees as well.  My discussion with Senate staff is that they’re waiting on the House to formally take their action, and then they’ll respond appropriately.”

The Senate is taking a much-abbreviated recess in August, leaving it more time to take procedural steps. But, Walmsley said the recess also gives staffs time to work out as many differences as possible before formal negotiations start.

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