Won’t pass – climate provisions, time constraints, & funding

Time is running out to get a farm bill written before the current legislation expires at the end of September. According to the most recent Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor, the majority of ag economists don’t expect a farm bill to be written by the upcoming deadline, but a few think it could happen by the end of the year.

According to the June Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor, the majority of ag economists surveyed say it’s “very unlikely” or “unlikely” a farm bill will be written by the time the current legislation expires on Sept. 30, 2023. And while no one expects a farm bill to be written by the end of September, there are some who think it could still be finished by Jan. 1, 2024.

Both the House and Senate are actively holding Congressional hearings and listening sessions to draft a new five-year bill, but Congress could test the waters this week. Farm Journal Washington correspondent Jim Wiesemeyer says legislators have until Wednesday to propose amendments to the fiscal 2024 agriculture appropriations bill, which could lead to test votes on farm bill matters. Debate on the measure could begin next week.

Farm Bill Funding Debate

One of the areas of debate is how much funding will be available, but there are also questions about how climate goals and priorities outlined by the current administration could also shape the 2023 farm bill.

A recent think tank report written by University of Maryland professor Erik Lichtenberg indicates USDA could use its biggest land stewardship programs — the Conservation Reserve, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) — to combat climate change. The report says for the programs to be as effective as possible, Congress would have to reorient them, which is deemed a risky move that could cut into their support.

Congress has said no additional funding will be made available for the farm bill this year, so some members are getting creative to find dollars where they can. Senate Ag Chair Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., recently mentioned the possibility of shifting almost $20 billion from her party’s climate and tax credit law enacted last year to more general spending in the upcoming farm bill. Her comments were made during a Bloomberg Government panel discussion last month.