House Ag leaders launched a fusillade of election-season accusations against each other at a hearing intended to focus on government regulations’ impact on producers. It was an uncharacteristic attack against the chairman.
Top House Ag Democrat David Scott had this tirade against Chair Glenn Thompson; “His stubborn refusal to engage in a bipartisan farm bill is irresponsible for the American people, especially our farmers.” Scott continued by saying, “This willingness to delay the bill to play election-year politics is selfish. It’s disrespectful to our farmers who depend on us for their livelihoods.”
And then this, weeks after a bipartisan farm bill markup and days before party conventions. Scott said, “My feeling is that Speaker Johnson will not bring this bill to the floor for a vote because it was not written as a serious bill. It was written to be used as a campaign slogan.”
Chairman Thompson finally got a chance to respond saying “There’s a lot I could say, but I’m not going to say anything. We’re going to move ahead with this hearing and stay grounded in reality.”
Which Thompson sees as agency overregulation of herbicides, meat processing, and wetlands. He said, “While Biden’s USDA spends millions to supposedly expand meat and poultry processing capacity, its EPA is simultaneously proposing rules that would shutter processing plants and impose significant compliance costs across industries vital to food affordability.”
Separately, House appropriators sent the GOP’s FY 2025 spending plan for USDA to the full House, paring nearly 2$.7 billion, or almost nine-and-a-half percent, off the president’s budget request.
The 26 billion-dollar bill targets administration priorities SNAP, equity, and climate, but includes a Democratic rider to prevent a voluntary state SNAP pilot to restrict unhealthy food choices.
Story by Matt Kaye/Berns Bureau; courtesy of NAFB News Service