(WASHINGTON D.C.)– Over the weekend, the leaders of both the Senate and House Agriculture Committees announced an agreement on a one-year extension of the current Farm Bill to be included in a stopgap funding bill to keep the government open past Friday, November 17th.
In a statement, Senate Ag Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Ranking Member Senator John Boozman (R-AR) along with House Ag Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) and House Ag Ranking Member David Scott (D-GA) said “As negotiations on funding the government progress, we were able to come together to avoid a lapse in funding for critical agricultural programs and provide certainty to producers. This extension is in no way a substitute for passing a 5-year Farm Bill and we remain committed to working together to get it done next year.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) released a fairly complicated plan to extend government spending beyond Friday, November 17th, over the weekend, that includes the one year extension of the Farm Bill. Sources say the stopgap spending bill will fund agencies like USDA and others through late January or early February.
Sources also say the Farm Bill extension will keep commodity subsidy programs like ARC, PLC and Dairy Margin Coverage in affect for the 2024 crop year.