House Agriculture Committee Advances $1.5 Trillion Farm Bill Amidst Partisan Tensions
Source: The DairyNews
Last Friday, House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) unveiled a comprehensive 942-page draft of the House farm bill, now named the Farm, Food, and National Security Act.
The committee is scheduled to mark up the bill this Thursday, anticipating a 10-year expenditure plan estimated at $1.5 trillion.
The current legislation, previously extended, is set to expire on September 30. Mary Kay Thatcher, Manager of Federal Government and Industry Relations at Syngenta, discussed the bill's trajectory on AgriTalk this Monday, indicating a likely partisan approval by the committee.
Thatcher noted potential roadblocks in the Senate due to Democratic opposition concerning aspects like federal nutrition-assistance programs and climate-smart policy requirements. Furthermore, the bill aims to counteract California's Proposition 12, the Farm Animal Confinement Initiative, and seeks to limit the Secretary of Agriculture's flexibility in managing Commodity Credit Corporation funds.
Tensions were evident last Friday when David Scott, House Agriculture Ranking Member, and Debbie Stabenow, Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee Chairwoman, demanded bipartisan support, criticizing the House Republicans for proposing divisive policies.
"This is the most partisan start to a farm bill I've witnessed," Thatcher expressed. Despite this, she remains optimistic that moderate Democrats from agricultural districts might support the bill, even against Democratic leadership advice.
However, with the legislative clock ticking and considering the extensive evaluation required by the Congressional Budget Office, Thatcher is skeptical about the bill's passage within this legislative session, especially with potential shifts in political power post-election.
AgriTalk guest host Michelle Rook pressed on whether the bill would pass this year, to which Thatcher responded doubtfully, hinting that both parties might wait for a more favorable political landscape post-January to push forward their agendas.
The current legislation, previously extended, is set to expire on September 30. Mary Kay Thatcher, Manager of Federal Government and Industry Relations at Syngenta, discussed the bill's trajectory on AgriTalk this Monday, indicating a likely partisan approval by the committee.
Thatcher noted potential roadblocks in the Senate due to Democratic opposition concerning aspects like federal nutrition-assistance programs and climate-smart policy requirements. Furthermore, the bill aims to counteract California's Proposition 12, the Farm Animal Confinement Initiative, and seeks to limit the Secretary of Agriculture's flexibility in managing Commodity Credit Corporation funds.
Tensions were evident last Friday when David Scott, House Agriculture Ranking Member, and Debbie Stabenow, Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee Chairwoman, demanded bipartisan support, criticizing the House Republicans for proposing divisive policies.
"This is the most partisan start to a farm bill I've witnessed," Thatcher expressed. Despite this, she remains optimistic that moderate Democrats from agricultural districts might support the bill, even against Democratic leadership advice.
However, with the legislative clock ticking and considering the extensive evaluation required by the Congressional Budget Office, Thatcher is skeptical about the bill's passage within this legislative session, especially with potential shifts in political power post-election.
AgriTalk guest host Michelle Rook pressed on whether the bill would pass this year, to which Thatcher responded doubtfully, hinting that both parties might wait for a more favorable political landscape post-January to push forward their agendas.
