(NAFB) Farmers are fed up with Congress’ failure to produce a new farm bill and will likely feel the economic impact. That, from one longtime Senator. Iowa’s Chuck Grassley was more hopeful as 2024 started, but now, “Unfortunately, I’ve had to tell Iowans that I think the farm bill is not going to get done this year.”
Grassley acknowledged the economic toll extending the 2018 farm bill with outdated crop supports will have on producers. “That’s the thing that’s holding up the five-year farm bill in the United States Senate because Democrats aren’t willing to give us the 20 percent or so increase that we need in reference prices. And I don’t even if a 20-percent increase would reflect a complete sewing up of the holes in the safety net.”
But retiring Senate Ag Chair Debbie Stabenow said in March, “I will not have my legacy cutting food assistance for Americans. Yet, if that’s the way you have to get a farm bill, then we’ll continue 2018 for another year.”
But the fight’s intensified with over 500 ag-related groups pleading for a farm bill and the American Farm Bureau forecasting per acre losses of 99 dollars for corn and 43 dollars for soybeans this year.
Does Grassley see any sign of overcoming the Senate logjam with direct House-Senate negotiations after House Ag passed a bill? He said, ”No.”
