There may be a small window left this year to do a farm bill, according to the 果冻直播 Farm Bureau Federation, but time is running out to find that legislative window.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a challenge for sure, without a doubt,” says Ryan Yates, AFBF Managing Director of Government Affairs. 鈥淭his spring would be ideal. I mean, we鈥檝e got, unfortunately, we鈥檝e got appropriations that need to be negotiated in the coming month. So, if those run smoothly, I think that could open a pathway.鈥
But the House and Senate鈥檚 failure to pass border security and foreign military aid bills amid GOP infighting over the party鈥檚 election-year strategy underscores how dysfunctional Congress is right now. And the clock is ticking according to Yates.
鈥淭he longer you go past this spring, the more difficult it is in an election year, in particular,” says Yates. “So, I think there鈥檚 a very small window that folks are looking at for this spring, and we鈥檙e trying to be as vocal as possible to ensure that Congress knows what needs to get done.鈥
Meantime, Yates says Ag lawmakers on both sides of the Capitol have drawn 鈥榣ines in the sand鈥 on what compromises they鈥檙e willing to make to get a farm bill, lines that have changed little from last year.
Story courtesy of the NAFB News Service and Matt Kaye/Berns Bureau Washington
